As with the parent album, the single was a commercial and critical success. "What Is Life" peaked at number 10 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and number 7 on "Cash Box"s Top 100 chart, making Harrison the first ex-Beatle to have two top-ten hits in the United States. The single climbed to number 1 in Switzerland and on Australia's "Go-Set" National Top 60, and reached the top three elsewhere in Europe and in Canada. In Britain, where Harrison had resisted issuing a single from "All Things Must Pass" until midway through January, "What Is Life" appeared as the B-side of "My Sweet Lord". The record became the top-selling single of 1971 in that country.