The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Review
This album has become like a "museum piece" because of the way people talk about it with such reverence. Unfortunately this means that not enough people are focusing on what makes the album special in the first place: the music. This article is an attempt to take this album out of the museum and into the ears by focusing on it's music instead of it's "historical significance."
01. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - This is a brilliant way to start the album and it really sets the mood for the entire thing. The "concept" of the album is really quite loose, without this song there is no concept album! One thing I really dig about this song is the crazy horns section. Can you imagine many "rock bands" of today having the imagination to include something like that in their song?
02. "With a Little Help from my Friends" - The perfect song for Ringo Starr to sing. John Lennon & Paul McCartney wrote this song together specifically for Ringo to sing which I think makes the great lyrics all that much greater (think of them in that context.)
03. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - Now that the original mono version is available easily (with the release of The Beatles in Mono Box Set) it's great to be able to hear what this album sounds like in mono (how it was "meant to be heard" originally.) And the heavy vocal effects on this song is probably one of the more interesting things about the mono mixes for me.
04. "Getting Better" - This may just be the song I most commonly think of when I think of the Sgt. Pepper album. I'm not quite sure why that's the case, but it is! To me this song defines the spirit of the album very well.
05. "Fixing a Hole" - Possibly the best lyrics Paul McCartney ever wrote. Another one of my favorites on an album filled with favorites.
06. "She's Leaving Home" - This song is very interesting to hear in mono because it's actually sped up (and thus pitched up) in the mono mix. It has a lot more energy that way. Definitely worth a listen!
07. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" - What a deliciously weird song this is. It's brilliant how "far out" this album takes you. It's like a journey to different parts of the world (and certainly there is time traveling involved as well.)
08. "Within You Without You" - Speaking of "far out" how about we go all the way to India? Some people don't like this song because it doesn't fit with their preconceived notions of what music is supposed to sound like. To me this song is brilliant because of that very reason. We shouldn't limit ourselves.
09. "When I'm Sixty-Four" - I love how quickly the musical styles change with this album. We go from a carnival to India to music hall!
10. "Lovely Rita" - In an album filled with stand-out tracks, this one is probably somewhat forgettable in comparison. Of course it's still a great song.
11. "Good Morning Good Morning" - John was inspired by a Kellogg's Corn Flakes commercial to write this song. Pretty cool lead guitar bits played by Paul.
12. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" - This song, of course, ties together the whole album by linking us back to the first song. It gives the impression that everything we've been hearing (even though it's all of these wildly different styles) has been a part of one big performance by this fictional band.
13. "A Day in the Life" - The greatest song ever. - 23812
01. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - This is a brilliant way to start the album and it really sets the mood for the entire thing. The "concept" of the album is really quite loose, without this song there is no concept album! One thing I really dig about this song is the crazy horns section. Can you imagine many "rock bands" of today having the imagination to include something like that in their song?
02. "With a Little Help from my Friends" - The perfect song for Ringo Starr to sing. John Lennon & Paul McCartney wrote this song together specifically for Ringo to sing which I think makes the great lyrics all that much greater (think of them in that context.)
03. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - Now that the original mono version is available easily (with the release of The Beatles in Mono Box Set) it's great to be able to hear what this album sounds like in mono (how it was "meant to be heard" originally.) And the heavy vocal effects on this song is probably one of the more interesting things about the mono mixes for me.
04. "Getting Better" - This may just be the song I most commonly think of when I think of the Sgt. Pepper album. I'm not quite sure why that's the case, but it is! To me this song defines the spirit of the album very well.
05. "Fixing a Hole" - Possibly the best lyrics Paul McCartney ever wrote. Another one of my favorites on an album filled with favorites.
06. "She's Leaving Home" - This song is very interesting to hear in mono because it's actually sped up (and thus pitched up) in the mono mix. It has a lot more energy that way. Definitely worth a listen!
07. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" - What a deliciously weird song this is. It's brilliant how "far out" this album takes you. It's like a journey to different parts of the world (and certainly there is time traveling involved as well.)
08. "Within You Without You" - Speaking of "far out" how about we go all the way to India? Some people don't like this song because it doesn't fit with their preconceived notions of what music is supposed to sound like. To me this song is brilliant because of that very reason. We shouldn't limit ourselves.
09. "When I'm Sixty-Four" - I love how quickly the musical styles change with this album. We go from a carnival to India to music hall!
10. "Lovely Rita" - In an album filled with stand-out tracks, this one is probably somewhat forgettable in comparison. Of course it's still a great song.
11. "Good Morning Good Morning" - John was inspired by a Kellogg's Corn Flakes commercial to write this song. Pretty cool lead guitar bits played by Paul.
12. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" - This song, of course, ties together the whole album by linking us back to the first song. It gives the impression that everything we've been hearing (even though it's all of these wildly different styles) has been a part of one big performance by this fictional band.
13. "A Day in the Life" - The greatest song ever. - 23812
About the Author:
The Beatles Mono Box Set includes the mono version of this amazing album. The Beatles Stereo Box Set includes every album The Beatles released in the UK in amazing remastered stereo.
posted by X - Men at
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