"Dark Horse" is an album by George Harrison, an English musician, released in December 1974. This album marked Harrison's departure from his earlier solo work, which was often directly influenced by his spirituality and Indian culture.
"Dark Horse" is noted for its introspective lyrics that reveal his disappointment and disillusionment with the world, his personal relationships, and himself. It was created during a period of personal and professional instability, as marked by the end of both his marriage to Pattie Boyd and his business associations with his fellow ex-Beatles. The title track, "Dark Horse," became a Top 20 hit and the album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.
The album, however, did receive criticism due to the perceived poor quality of Harrison's voice, as he was suffering from laryngitis while recording. Despite this, the album's frankness was appreciated by some critics and it has since been reassessed more positively by several music critiquers.
Harrison also embarked on a North American tour shortly after the album's release, making him the first ex-Beatle to do this, and "Dark Horse" was one of the principal tour setlist inclusions. This tour, marred by negative press reviews of these concerts, added to the controversial nature of "Dark Horse" during its initial release period.
