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" - 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" - Another great reason to get The Beatles in Mono Box Set. This song sounds faster and higher (by a semitone) in the mono version. It's a treat to hear!
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" - 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!
11. "Lovely Rita" - I have to admit that tracks #10 and #11 are probably my least favorites on the album. But considering I quite like both of those tracks, that says a lot about how much I love this album.
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.
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" - 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" - Another great reason to get The Beatles in Mono Box Set. This song sounds faster and higher (by a semitone) in the mono version. It's a treat to hear!
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" - 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!
11. "Lovely Rita" - I have to admit that tracks #10 and #11 are probably my least favorites on the album. But considering I quite like both of those tracks, that says a lot about how much I love this album.
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.
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.
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