Listen closely to the film of The Beatles in New York in 1964 and at one point you’ll hear Harrison say, “Have you got a record called ‘Got My Mind Set On You’ by James Ray?” Fast forward to 1987 during sessions for Cloud Nine and drummer Jim Keltner was experimenting with beats until he was playing a rock & swing sound that reminded Harrison and Gary Wright (also present at the session) of “Got My Mind Set On You”.

The band recorded it then and there with no intention of including it on the album, but not only did producer Lenny Waronker recognize it is as a potential single, but Harrison’s son said the same thing.

And what a single it was! It became Harrison’s first US chart-topper in over 15 years. It also topped the charts in Ireland, Australia & Canada, reached #2 in the UK and Denmark, and was a top 10 hit in Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, New Zealand, West Germany, South Africa, Norway and Sweden.

“Got My Mind Set On You” was later named the #3 biggest song of 1988 in the US by Billboard, ranked the fifth best selling single of 1987 in the UK, and remains the final US chart-topping hit by any Beatle in their solo career.

Harrison released two music videos for the song. The first takes place in an amusement arcade with Alexis Denisof (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) trying to pick up a girl. The second takes place in a study as inanimate objects spring to life.