In 1988 I bought Cloud Nine by George Harrison. It stayed on my turntable and in my cassette player for months. This song is not my favorite on the album but I was happy to see George at the top of the charts for the first time since “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” in 1973.
The song was written and composed by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962 but it was not a hit for James.
ELO’s Jeff Lynne produced this song with Harrison. His influence can be heard in the backing vocals of the chorus. The song peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100, #1 in Canada, #2 in the UK, and #4 in NewZealand in 1988.
This song is the last number 1 song by a Beatle. Paul did have a number 1 album in 2018 with Egypt Station. Cloud Nine peaked at #8 in the Billboard Album Chart.
From Songfacts
This was written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. Harrison bought a copy of the single in the summer of 1963 when visiting his sister Louise in Illinois. Many years later when he was writing his Cloud Nine album, he remembered the song and decided to cover it.
Cloud Nine was Harrison’s comeback album. He hadn’t had a hit since 1981 with “All Those Years Ago,” and his previous US #1 was “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” in 1973. Until the Beach Boys released “Kokomo,” Harrison had the record for longest span between #1 hits. “Got My Mind Set On You,” however, was his last single to chart.
Harrison released another album earlier in 1982 called Gone Troppo, which flopped. Proving that he could whip up a hit, he released this very simplistic cover song and it was a huge commercial success. A lot of Harrison’s work was well off the mainstream, using unusual instruments and based on Indian music. This proved that he could release a song requiring very little thought and send it up the charts. Predictably, many of Harrison’s ardent followers can’t stand this song.
Along with Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty, Harrison and Lynne formed The Traveling Wilburys in 1988.
Got My Mind Set On You
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
But it’s gonna take money
A whole lot of spending money
It’s gonna take plenty of money
To do it right, child
It’s gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It’s gonna take patience and time, um
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right, child
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
And this time I know it’s for real
The feelings that I feel
I know if I put my mind to it
I know that I really can do it
I got my mind set on you
Set on you
I got my mind set on you
Set on you
But it’s gonna take money
A whole lot of spending money
It’s gonna take plenty of money
To do it right, child
It’s gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It’s gonna take patience and time, um
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
And this time I know it’s for real
The feelings that I feel
I know if I put my mind to it
I know that I really can do it
But it’s gonna take money
A whole lot of spending money
It’s gonna take plenty of money
To do it right, child
It’s gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It’s gonna take patience and time, um
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
Set on you
I set my mind on you
I’m gonna set on you
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
I liked the second video.
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That was the most popular one at the time. That is the first time I remember two videos made…there were probably many more.
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The album is definitely better than the single! If only George was still with us…
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Cloud Nine, The Wilburys, and Talk is Cheap came out around the same time…I rotated them all in 88.
Yes if only.
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Super track
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excellent song that gave him a much-deserved return to the spotlight.
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First time hearing the original, it’s not bad, has a Western feel to it. My older son loved this song and sang along to it. There may even be a working cassette in the closet of him singing 🙂
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I love having those kind of recordings. I will slip them out and Bailey turns red.
I was so happy to see George score big with a song again. It came out of left field because I wasn’t sure I’d hear from him again and then boom…this album combined with the Wilbury release…it was a great time.
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I don’t think realised it was a cover, but makes sense.
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Not a favorite of his but I was happy he hit number 1
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I was delighted for the song for the same reason you were. Ultimately, the song I play the most from that period is one that followed shortly thereafter called, “Poor Little Girl”
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I remember that one…I listened to the title track Cloud 9 alot.
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It’s tragic to me that Cloud 9 would be the last album he released in his lifetime.
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I know. I thought after that album and the Wilburys that he would have more but I guess The Wilburys and the huge Beatle Anthology project took his time up.
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That said, Dhani has just announced new material from George (at the end of the article)
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/george-harrison-dark-horse-label-olivia-harrison-dhani-harrison-interview-961427/
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Thanks! That does sound interesting and also the video from that 74 tour. I do hope it is released and shared with everyone.
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It has a feel of ‘La Bamba’ about it, don’t you think? I miss George.
Do you like his son Dhani’s music? I sometimes pop along to youtube to listen to some.
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I never noticed but it does sound like that song… the same feel.
I do like Dhani’s music. He also seems like a great guy. I think he gave up a lot of his music to focus on his Dad’s reissues and that is a shame.
He sure looks like his dad.
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This was a fun song from George. I had assumed he wrote it.
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I liked George but, I was not fond of this song.
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It wasn’t my favorite either…not even on the album. It’s so repetitive but I was happy he had such a big hit.
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I liked the James Ray version…kinda calypso-type, like Belafonte.
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I do like that version. Funny thing is it didn’t even chart and George turns around and makes it number 1. Just great timing.
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