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“It was such a unique thing.  Everybody was so moved and touched.  It had a special feeling apart from just a performance.  Overnight everybody knew the name of Bangladesh all over the world.”  So said Ravi Shankar about The Concert For Bangladesh, the 1971 performances he organized with George Harrison at New York’s Madison Square Garden that set the standard for all-star benefits to come.  Monday, August 1, marks the 40^th anniversary of The Concert, and in commemoration, Apple and EMI have introduced the originally Grammy-winning concert album to the digital realm today as an iTunes exclusive.

Produced by Phil Spector, the recording features Harrison, Shankar, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Jim Keltner, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voormann, Carl Radle and Tom Evans, Joey Molland and Pete Ham of Badfinger, among others.  The 2005 expanded edition added Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” to the track listing, and the digital edition – available as an iTunes LP – retains this track.  It adds one more bonus track, Harrison’s studio single of “Bangla Desh.” 

In addition, the 1972 documentary film chronicling the concert will stream for 72 hours Saturday through Monday, at iTunes, GeorgeHarrison.com and TheConcertforBanglaDesh.com.  Another special treat available at iTunes is a 50-minute radio special, hosted by Paul Gambaccini, which is also streaming at iTunes’ Concert for Bangladesh page.  Shankar told USA Today, “it was the first of its kind, in raising money for people under such conditions.  Now people do this kind of thing quite often, which is wonderful.”  The original concert raised over $243,000.00 for the people of Bangladesh, ravaged by war, famine and flood.  Sales of the album and subsequent DVDs and CDs have gone to UNICEF and this digital release is no different.  All proceeds, after taxes, benefit The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF. 

Hit the jump for the track listing!

The digital Concert for Bangladesh is available at iTunes now.  Don’t forget to tune into the streaming concert this weekend!

The Concert for Bangladesh (Apple STCX 3385, 1971 – reissued Apple/EMI, digital-only, no cat. no., 2011)

Disc 1

1. Introduction by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar
2. Bangla Dhun – Ravi Shankar and Kamala Chakravarty
3. Wah-Wah – George Harrison with Eric Clapton
4. My Sweet Lord – George Harrison with Eric Clapton
5. Awaiting on You All – George Harrison
6. That’s the Way God Planned It – Billy Preston
7. It Don’t Come Easy – Ringo Starr
8. Beware of Darkness – George Harrison and Leon Russell with Jim Horn
9. Band Introduction
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps – George Harrison and Eric Clapton

Disc 2

1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Young Blood – Leon Russell with Carl Radle and Don Preston
2. Here Comes the Sun – George Harrison with Pete Ham
3. A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
4. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
5. Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
6. Mr. Tambourine Man – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
7. Just Like a Woman – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
8. Something – George Harrison
9. Bangla Desh – George Harrison with Jim Horn
10. Love Minus Zero/No Limit – Bob Dylan with Leon Russell, George Harrison and Ringo Starr (First released on The Concert for Bangladesh, Apple/Capitol/EMI, 09463 35880 2 8, 2005)
11. Bangla Desh (Studio Single Version) (first released as Apple single R 5912, 1971)