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 opening track really sets the mood for the entire album. The song shifts styles abruptly just like the album does from song to song. And of course the crowd noise and the entire "Sgt. Pepper" concept are introduced here.
02. "With a Little Help from my Friends" - I much prefer this original Beatles version over the completely over the top Joe Cocker version that is probably more famous at this point (mostly because it was used as the theme song to the very popular Wonder Years TV show.) To me it's the perfect song for Ringo to sing and of course John & Paul wrote it specifically for Ringo. It fits like a glove. What a brilliant song.
03. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - This psychedelic journey through the mind of John Lennon remains one of the band's most famous songs. I love how it goes from the visions of the verse to the exciting sing along of the chorus.
04. "Getting Better" - The "it couldn't get much worse" lyric that Lennon added to this McCartney song is such a great example of the way that Lennon and McCartney made each others songs better even when they weren't righting them "eyeball to eyeball" like in the early days.
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" - More great lyrics from Paul McCartney. What a gorgeous song too. Paul was definitely at the top of his game in 1967.
07. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" - I think my favorite part of this song is the cut up tape section where it sounds like sort of insane random carnival music.
08. "Within You Without You" - I know a lot of people just can't get down with this kind of music but I certainly can. It's a really tripped out journey into the center of your own mind or is that your own heart? Or perhaps it's India!
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" - There's some interesting time changes in this one. I also love the Jimi Hendrix style guitar leads by Paul McCartney.
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. - 2361
01. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - This opening track really sets the mood for the entire album. The song shifts styles abruptly just like the album does from song to song. And of course the crowd noise and the entire "Sgt. Pepper" concept are introduced here.
02. "With a Little Help from my Friends" - I much prefer this original Beatles version over the completely over the top Joe Cocker version that is probably more famous at this point (mostly because it was used as the theme song to the very popular Wonder Years TV show.) To me it's the perfect song for Ringo to sing and of course John & Paul wrote it specifically for Ringo. It fits like a glove. What a brilliant song.
03. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - This psychedelic journey through the mind of John Lennon remains one of the band's most famous songs. I love how it goes from the visions of the verse to the exciting sing along of the chorus.
04. "Getting Better" - The "it couldn't get much worse" lyric that Lennon added to this McCartney song is such a great example of the way that Lennon and McCartney made each others songs better even when they weren't righting them "eyeball to eyeball" like in the early days.
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" - More great lyrics from Paul McCartney. What a gorgeous song too. Paul was definitely at the top of his game in 1967.
07. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" - I think my favorite part of this song is the cut up tape section where it sounds like sort of insane random carnival music.
08. "Within You Without You" - I know a lot of people just can't get down with this kind of music but I certainly can. It's a really tripped out journey into the center of your own mind or is that your own heart? Or perhaps it's India!
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" - There's some interesting time changes in this one. I also love the Jimi Hendrix style guitar leads by Paul McCartney.
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. - 2361
About the Author:
Both of the Beatles Remastered CD Box Sets are recommended so that both the mono and stereo mixes of Sgt. Pepper can be heard. The The Beatles Mono Box Set is quite a revelation.
posted by Marcondes Allen at 12:26 AM
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