Album Summary: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

This has been, hands down, my favorite Beatles album. Honestly, I can't imagine it getting any better than this (though I'm still looking forward to seeing what comes next) and plenty of people agree on that point. Sgt. Pepper has been voted The Beatles' greatest album, and the greatest album of all time, many times over. 

There's absolutely no way I can choose just a couple of songs that stood out to me this time, because they all did. If you forced me to pick just one song, I'd probably say "A Day in the Life" because I've been very fond of that one ever since I heard it however long ago. Still, so many of the others call out to me. 

What makes this album special, besides the copious amounts of drugs the guys were taking at the time (which totally had an effect, I don't care what Sir Paul says; it doesn't have to be positive or negative, simply a fact), is how inventive and bold they were, not only with their music and lyrics, but with putting their personalities into their music more than they'd ever done before. Every song feels like a love letter, like it was painstakingly and lovingly crafted just for me (or you). It's almost beyond description.

Overall, if I were giving grades, Sgt. Pepper would get an A+, with extra credit and bonus points. And probably several stickers of gold stars and "You did it!" as well. Just 'cause.

So, until tomorrow, that's all. :) See you then.

A Day in the Life

Today we hear the last song on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: "A Day in the Life". John and Paul co-wrote the lyrics, and you can see the differences between their styles. Wikipedia notes that "while Lennon’s lyrics were inspired by contemporary newspaper articles, McCartney’s were reminiscent of his youth." 

Interestingly, "the decisions to link sections of the song with orchestral crescendos and to end the song with a sustained piano chord were made only after the rest of the song had been recorded." I'm personally more of a lyrics person, so I already appreciate this song, but I'm very much drawn to the music side of it as well. Those orchestral crescendos are part of what makes "A Day in the Life" so unique and musically remarkable. I adore this song--it's one of my favorite Beatles songs of all time (so far). :)

There's tons of fascinating background info for this song, so I definitely recommend checking it all out online somewhere, such as Wikipedia or any other (more reputable) website. :P 

That's all for "A Day in the Life"... Stay tuned for the album summary!

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Heard It Tally: 27

Songs Completed: 127

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

I'm counting the "Reprise" as a separate song on the album since it is its own track, even though it doesn't get its own page but rather a section on the "Sgt. Pepper's" page instead. I'll just cover a couple of differences between the "Reprise" and the other one. :)

The "Reprise" is a much shorter and heavier/faster version, and opens with the chicken squawking from the end of "Good Morning Good Morning". As "Sgt. Pepper's" provided a welcoming song for the album, the "Reprise" gives it a farewell. The drums were overdubbed, making them the prominent instrument on this track; for me, it certainly gave it a bit of a bang to end on. :P 

Despite being a good "goodbye" song, it's not the last one on the album, so I'll see you back here tomorrow for the actual goodbye to Sgt. Pepper.

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Heard It Tally: 26

Songs Completed: 126

Good Morning Good Morning

Today's song is "Good Morning Good Morning". Written by John Lennon, it seems to tell the story of someone wandering through his day somewhat aimlessly. It begins with what sounds like a man dying ("Nothing to do to save his life, call his wife in"), and continues from there as a relatively normal day-in-the-life. 

The animal sounds were arranged by engineer Geoff Emerick very specifically, at John's request; he wanted each animal to be something that could eat and/or frighten the animal that came before it. So, the cat comes after the bird, and the pack of dogs comes after the lion. (I believe the order goes bird, cat, dog, horse, lion, pack of dogs, and then some kind of bird, like a chicken or duck, squawking.)

This song is very interesting, partially due to the random animal noises and partially because I can't quite figure out who the narrator is supposed to be. Is he a doctor, whose day begins after a long night shift in the hospital, and who wanders through his subsequent day trying to forget the patient he lost? Or is the beginning unrelated, and does the song tell the story of a regular young man who wakes up feeling bummed (perhaps at the loss of a relative?) but is gradually cheered up enough to go see a show and hopefully flirt with some girls? I'm sure if I looked somewhere, I could find an "official" interpretation. Maybe I'll check that out at some point. For right now, I think I'll sit on the lyrics a bit longer and see if anything comes to me and says, "I'm the answer!" :)

That's all for today. See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 26

Songs Completed: 125

Lovely Rita

Today's song is the Beatles ode to the meter maid (or, parking attendant as we say these days), "Lovely Rita". It was written and sung by Paul, who was inspired to write it after receiving a ticket from a parking attendant outside of Abbey Road Studios. Interestingly, Wikipedia tells us that "Pink Floyd watched The Beatles recording 'Lovely Rita'. It is rumoured that "Lovely Rita" influenced the song 'Pow R. Toc H.' found on their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn."

This song's pretty good. I like the weird sounds (which the guys made by wrapping combs in toilet paper and blew through to mimic a kazoo), and the lyrics made me laugh. :) Overall not too bad!

That's all for today... see you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 26

Songs Completed: 124

When I'm Sixty-Four

Today's song is the adorable and infinitely charming "When I'm Sixty-Four". Paul wrote it when he was sixteen, which is funny considering the song is about growing old. When the guys were recording Sgt. Pepper in December of 1966, Paul "may have thought of the song... because his father turned 64 earlier that year." 

The lyrics are from a young man to his lover, asking her if she'll grow old with him. They're by far the sweetest lyrics we've heard yet, in my opinion. I particularly enjoy the little jokes, such as in the lines: "I could be handy mending a fuse / When your lights have gone." :P I also really like the sound of the song itself; it has an older sound, as if we're listening to an old recording of a man playing piano for his wife in their living room. :)

That's all for today! See you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 26

Songs Completed: 123

Within You Without You

Today's song is the George Harrison song, "Within You Without You". This is the second song by The Beatles in which only one Beatle actually sings and/or plays an instrument, and it's also the second to feature the strong Indian influence that George had embraced. The song was originally written to be 30 minutes long, but was shortened for the album. 

The lyrics talk about how "life flows on within you and without you", and overall they're on the serious side. It seems to be advising the listener to open the mind and love one's fellow humans. Also, Wikipedia mentions that "the laughter at the end was Harrison's idea, placed at the end of the song in order to lighten the mood and follow the theme of the album."

I like this one--just like "Love You To", it's actually really relaxing, but in a thoughtful and interesting way. I'm very fascinated by the opening lyrics in particular. They begin, "We were talking-about the space between us all / And the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion." It's as if "we", the singer and the listener, are continuing a conversation that's been going on for quite a while. It's just so unique and intimate. 

That's all for today... See you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 25

Songs Completed: 122

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!

Today's song is "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", which was composed by Lennon and credited to him and McCartney. The song sounds like a carnival (John told George Martin "that he wanted 'to smell the sawdust on the floor.'"), and it's "one of the most musically complex songs on Sgt. Pepper". 

I really like this one. (I'm particularly fond of the Eddie Izzard version from Across the Universe, which is a spoken version but nonetheless fantastic. :P) The song, being based on an actual circus poster from the 1840s, really accomplishes John's goal of having it feel real, while at the same time completely embracing the psychedelic theme in the rest of Sgt. Pepper.

That's all for today. See you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 25

Songs Completed: 121

She's Leaving Home

"She's Leaving Home" was written by Lennon/McCartney; Paul wrote and sang the verses, while John sang the chorus. As Wikipedia tells us, "This was one of a handful of songs of the Beatles in which the members did not play any instruments." 

The background of the lyrics for this one is fascinating, and I encourage you to go check out the full story. I'll shorten it here for the sake of brevity: Paul saw a story in the newspaper about a runaway, a 17-year-old girl named Melanie Coe, and he and John were inspired to write the lyrics.

Although George Martin did not arrange the score (the first time he hadn't done so), the guys found a suitable replacement in Mike Leander. "She's Leaving Home" also features Sheila Bromberg on harp, "the first female musician to appear on a Beatles' record."

I find this song particularly beautiful and poignant. The sustained notes add such amazing depth to the song, despite using so few chords (mostly C), that I don't think it's surprising at all that "composer Ned Rorem described 'She's Leaving Home' as 'equal to any song that Schubert ever wrote.'" Probably a pretty outrageous claim for some people, but this song is pretty good. :P

That's all for now... See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 24

Songs Completed: 120

Fixing a Hole

Today's song is "Fixing a Hole", which was written and sung by Paul, with John and George on backing vocals. It's a pretty straightforward song, with a couple little allusions. For example, in 1967 McCartney stated that the lines, "See the people standing there / who disagree, and never win / And wonder why they don't get in my door" were about fans who were constantly lurking around his house, and "whose actions he found off-putting".

I find this song rather relaxing, in a way. The lyrics seem to talk about escaping the crazy and finding a peaceful place to chill out for a while: "I'm painting the room in a colourful way / And when my mind is wandering / There I will go." I also love the rhyming scheme in this section: "And it really doesn't matter if / I'm wrong I'm right / Where I belong I'm right / Where I belong." :) Overall, this is a fantastic song, and it kind of gives you a break from the more intense and psychedelic tunes that we've heard up to this point on Sgt. Pepper. 

See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 24

Songs Completed: 119

Getting Better

"Getting Better" is today's song, and was written by both Lennon and McCartney. Their different personalities come through in the lyrics, as Wikipedia notes:

The song's title and music suggest optimism, but some of the song's lyrics have a more negative tone. In this sense, it reflects the contrasting personas of the two songwriters. In response to McCartney's line, "It's getting better all the time", Lennon replies, "It can't get no worse!" Referring to the lyric "I used to be cruel to my woman/I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved/Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene/And I'm doing the best that I can", Lennon admitted that he had done things in relationships in the past that he was not happy about.

We can see from the lyrics that they're at least partially autobiographical; John was always in crisis, and The Beatles' increasing drug use probably didn't help. In fact, there is an incident associated with this song, which is pasted below from Wikipedia.

One of the recording sessions for "Getting Better" is famous for an incident involving Lennon. During the 21 March 1967 session in which producer George Martin added a piano solo to Lovely Rita, Lennon complained that he did not feel well and could not focus. He had accidentally taken LSD when he meant to take an upper. Unaware of the mistake, Martin took him up to the roof of Abbey Road Studios for some fresh air, and returned to Studio Two where McCartney and Harrison were waiting. They knew why Lennon was not well, and upon hearing where Lennon was, rushed to the roof to retrieve him and prevent a possible accident.

One thing I've noticed is that Paul McCartney has always been adamant about minimizing the effects of the drugs on The Beatles' music. I can accept that it opened them up to inspiration and helped them create beautiful music. It's just interesting to me, the vastly different effects it had on the different Beatles.

"Getting Better" is okay, though it's not my favorite. Sort of a neutral reaction, I think. The pianet played by George Martin (he hit the keys with a mallet) provides a very solid backing, and the lyrics are interesting but not fascinating. Overall, not too bad. :)

That's it for now... See you tomorrow.

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Heard It Tally: 24

Songs Completed: 118

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Today's song is "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", one of The Beatles' most famous songs. The song was written by John and Paul, and was reportedly inspired by a drawing that Lennon's son Julian did of his classmate, Lucy (Lucy Vodden, née O'Donnell, who died of lupus in 2009). Although Lennon denied the reference to LSD, Paul later admitted, in a 2004 interview, "'Lucy in the Sky,' that's pretty obvious. There's others that make subtle hints about drugs, but, you know, it's easy to overestimate the influence of drugs on the Beatles' music."

The song is one of the best on the album, and is well-loved by music critics. It's also quite popular in general, having both the distinction of being referenced by The Beatles themselves in a future song ("I Am the Walrus") as well as having a star named after it, the White dwarf star BPM 37093. 

I personally love this song. Its nursery-rhyme sound and psychedelic lyrics lull me into a trance half the time, and the other half the time it makes me dance wildly around the room, swaying in slow motion and then bouncing around during the chorus. :P Overall a fantastic song, one that's extremely well-suited for Sgt. Pepper. 

That's all for today! See you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 24

Songs Completed: 117

With a Little Help from My Friends

Today's song is "With a Little Help from My Friends". Sung by Ringo Starr as Billy Shears, this song is a well-known and often-covered Beatles classic. Aside from the original, the Joe Cocker version is probably the most popular and served as the title song for the TV series The Wonder Years. The song was also performed in Across the Universe, in a great scene about male bonding.

Despite my familiarity with Joe Cocker's version, I'm pretty sure I'd only heard the original maybe once, so it was nice to get a refresher. Ringo adds so much unique quirkiness that I automatically love this song. The lyrics are solid, and I love the call-and-response technique ("Would you believe in a love at first sight? / Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time").

As an interesting fact, originally the first lines were a bit different:

Speaking in the Anthology, Starr insisted on changing the first line which originally was "What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and throw tomatoes at me?" He changed the lyric so that fans would not throw tomatoes at him should he perform it live. (In the early days, after George Harrison made a passing comment that he liked jelly babies, the group was showered with them at all of their live performances.)

That's it for today. See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 23

Songs Completed: 116

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Today, we begin what is (in)arguably The Beatles' greatest album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It's been voted the number one album of all time on multiple occasions, including Rolling Stone Magazine's list that I've cited so often here. Critics and audiences alike adored it, and it was praised for its innovative and progressive style. 

Recording the album took around 129 days. Each band member took some individual time to relax and rest from the pressures and stress of near-constant touring: 

They took a two-month break, and individually got involved in their own interests. George Harrison travelled to India to continue developing his sitar playing at the invitation of Ravi Shankar, returning with enhanced Indian cultural and musical influences. McCartney, along with Martin, wrote the music for the film The Family Way, getting an Ivor Novello award the following year for best film song for the track "Love in the Open Air". John Lennon acted in How I Won the War, and attended art galleries, where he met his future wife Yoko Ono. Ringo Starr spent more time with his wife and children.

Finally, during a flight back from a vacation in Kenya with Jane Asher, Paul got the idea for a concept album. Although Sgt. Pepper isn't really a concept album, it was begun with that intent, and it's considered a pretty good early attempt by many music critics. 

So, today we start the album with the titular song, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Here, we can see the beginnings of the concept; instead of The Beatles themselves touring, they wanted to create an album that could, in essence, tour for them. They thought up a fake band with fake names (Ringo was to be "Billy Shears"). "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" ends by introducing Billy Shears and then segues into "A Little Help from My Friends", which "Billy", i.e. Ringo, sings. "Sgt. Pepper" also pops up later in the album, as a "Reprise".

For me, "Sgt. Pepper" is a great introduction for the album. Just how great, I'll have to wait and see until the end of the album, when I can see the big picture. ;) As it stands, however, I'm very fond of the song itself and its purpose, which is to present the pretend band that "you've known for all these years". :)

That's all for today... Excited to continue the album tomorrow! See you then. :)

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Heard It Tally: 22

Songs Completed: 115