Among Harrison's biographers, Simon Leng considers "All Things Must Pass" a "classic of Harrison's lyrical ambiguity, in essence a hopeful song, without sounding so", with a lyric that "approaches Bob Dylan standard". Ian Inglis also praises the lyrics, writing: "The song contains some of Harrison's most insightful and pensive words. 'Daylight is good at arriving at the right time' is a fine example of his ... ability to position the profound within the commonplace." Elliot Huntley rates it as one of Harrison's "most beautiful" songs, "if not "the" very best", and suggests that the sentiments behind "All Things Must Pass" would have made it a "fitting conclusion" to the final album recorded by the Beatles, "Abbey Road" (1969).