Beatles album of the week - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

[AKA]

It was twenty years ago today
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
They've been going in and out of style,
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile
So let me introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years...

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, often credited as the first "concept album," kicked 1967's "Summer Of Love" into full-throttle. Released on June 1, 1967, it marked the first time America and Britain experienced the same Beatles album. From this point forward, the "American version" concept was dead (with a few exceptions, one of which we'll get into next week).

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band contained thirteen tracks:

Side One:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Lennon/McCartney)
With A Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney)
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Lennon/McCartney)
Getting Better (Lennon/McCartney)
Fixing A Hole (Lennon/McCartney)
She's Leaving Home (Lennon/McCartney)
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (Lennon/McCartney)

Side Two:
Within You, Without You (Harrison)
When I'm Sixty-Four (Lennon/McCartney)
Lovely Rita (Lennon/McCartney)
Good Morning, Good Morning (Lennon/McCartney)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (Lennon/McCartney)
A Day In The Life (Lennon/McCartney)

Since I'm incredibly tired after a five-hour drive across the state, I'll post more on this revolutionary album later. In the meantime, here's Stephen Thomas Erlewine's review from the All Music Guide:

With Revolver, the Beatles made the Great Leap Forward, reaching a previously unheard-of level of sophistication and fearless experimentation. Sgt. Pepper, in many ways, refines that breakthrough, as the Beatles consciously synthesized such disparate influences as psychedelia, art-song, classical music, rock & roll, and music hall, often in the course of one song. Not once does the diversity seem forced — the genius of the record is how the vaudevillian "When I'm 64" seems like a logical extension of "Within You Without You" and how it provides a gateway to the chiming guitars of "Lovely Rita." There's no discounting the individual contributions of each member or their producer George Martin, but the preponderance of whimsy and self-conscious art gives the impression that Paul McCartney is the leader of the Lonely Hearts Club Band. He dominates the album in terms of compositions, setting the tone for the album with his unabashed melodicism and deviously clever arrangements. In comparison, Lennon's contributions seem fewer, and a couple of them are a little slight but his major statements are stunning. "With a Little Help from My Friends" is the ideal Ringo tune, a rolling, friendly pop song that hides genuine Lennon anguish, ala "Help!;" "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" remains one of the touchstones of British psychedelia; and he's the mastermind behind the bulk of "A Day in the Life," a haunting number that skillfuly blends Lennon's verse and chorus with McCartney's bridge. It's possible to argue that there are better Beatles albums, yet no album is as historically important as this. After Sgt. Pepper, there were no rules to follow — rock and pop bands could try anything, for better or worse. Ironically, few tried to achieve the sweeping, all-encompassing embrace of music as the Beatles did here.

Previous albums:
Please Please Me (1963)
With The Beatles (1963)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Beatles For Sale (1964)
Help! (1965)
Past Masters Volume One (1988)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)

See also:
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Yellow Submarine (1969)
The Beatles (1968)
Let It Be (1970)
Past Masters Volume Two (1988)
Abbey Road (1969)

Beatle Facts

[Brian]

My absolute favorite is "With a Little Help From My Friends." One of my favorite Beatles songs ever. I also like "Lovely Rita" second best.

[Jrnygrl]

Love this album, one of their best, a difficult choice because I love Fixin a Hole, A Day in the Life, Benefit for Mr. Kite, but I picked "When I'm Sixty Four."

[AKA]

More Pepper facts:

By this point, The Beatles had given up touring, which allowed them to become much more creative in the stuido.

Recording sessions for Sgt. Pepper spanned 129 days.

"Fixing A Hole" marks the first time a Beatles song for EMI wasn't recorded at Abbey Road Studios. It was recorded at Regent studios, because Abbey Road wasn't available that night.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the first album to contain two continuous sides of music, in which there are no gaps between the tracks.

Another Sgt. Pepper first: printed lyrics. The words to the album can be found on the back cover (pictured below).

Sound effects during the title track and "With A Little Help From My Friends" were taken from a "Beyond The Fringe" stage recording (band warming up and audience laughter) and The Beatles' own concerts at The Hollywood Bowl (crowd cheering).

It is widely believed that "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is about LSD, but that's simply not the case. It was inspired by a painting drawn by John's four-year-old son, Julian, who gave the portrait the famous six-word name.

The musical score for "She's Leaving Home" was composed by Mike Leander.

George is the only Beatle present on "Within You, Without You."

The first album track to be completed, 'When I'm Sixty-Four' was wrapped up ten days before the end of 1966. The song had been written by Paul some years previously - the Beatles had performed it acoustically in the Cavern Club when their amplifiers broke down; now newly revived and suitably polished, recordings began on December 6, 1966. A possible reason that this song was brought out and recorded on Sgt. Pepper is the fact that Paul's father turned 64 the year this song was recorded.

Considerable tape echo in their headphones encouraged the Beatles to add moans, sighs, screams and the sound of a comb and toilet paper at the end of "Lovely Rita."

John Lennon's inspiration to write "Good Morning, Good Morning:" a Corn Flakes commercial! Meet The Wife, referenced here ("it's time for tea and Meet The Wife") was a British sitcom from the era.

Studio microphones at the end of "A Day In The Life" made so sensitive, one can hear an air conditioner and a chair moving across the floor if one turns the volume up high enough. The 40-second piano coda was acheived by striking three pianos simultaneously.

The short burst of unintelligible noise after the end of "A Day In The Life" - nonsense chatter, recorded, chopped up and reassembled at random - was taped by the Beatles on April 21, 1967, and it originally appeared in the concentric run out groove on 1960s pressings of the vinyl album. Before this, there appears a few seconds of a 15 kilocycle whistle added, at John Lennon's suggestion, especially for any dogs that might be listening.

[AKA]

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band is the first album to have a gatefold (pictured below).

[AKA]

"Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" was inspired by an antique poster advertising a circus (pictured with John, below). Here's is the text of that poster:

PABLO FANQUE'S CIRCUS ROYAL
Town-Meadows, Rochdale

Grandest Night of the Season!
and positively the
LAST NIGHT BUT THREE!
being for the
BENEFIT OF MR.KITE,
(late of Well's Circus) and
Mr. J. Henderson,
the celebrated somerset-thrower!
Wire dancer, vaulter, rider, etc.
On TUESDAY Evening, February 14, 1843

Mssrs. Kite and Henderson, in announcing the
following Entertainments ensure
the Public that this Night's Production will be
one of the most splendid ever produced in this Town,
having been some days in preparation.

Mr. Kite will, for this night only, introduce the celebrated
HORSE ZANTHUS!
Well known to be one of the best Broke horses
IN THE WORLD!!!

Mr. HENDERSON will undertake the arduous Task of
THROWING TWENTY-ONE SOMERSETS,
on the solid ground.
Mr. KITE will appear, for the first time this season,
On The Tight Rope,
When Two Gentlemen Amateurs of this Town will
perform with him.
Mr. HENDERSON will, for the first time in Rochdale,
introduce his extraordinary
TRAMPOLINE LEAPS and SOMERSETS!
Over Men & Horses, through Hoops, over Garters
and lastly through a Hogshead of
REAL FIRE! In this branch of the profession
Mr. H challenges THE WORLD!

And here are the finished lyrics to the song.

Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
(Lennon/McCartney)

For the benefit of Mr. Kite
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there
Late of Pablo Fanques Fair-what a scene

Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire!
In this way Mr. K. will challenge the world!
The celebrated Mr. K.
Performs his feat on Saturday at Bishopsgate

The Hendersons will dance and sing
As Mr. Kite flys through the ring don't be late
Messrs. K and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none
And of course Henry The Horse dances the waltz!

The band begins at ten to six
When Mr. K. performs his tricks without a sound
And Mr. H. will demonstrate
Ten summersets he'll undertake on solid ground
Having been some days in preparation
A splendid time is guaranteed for all
And tonight Mr. Kite is topping the bill.

[Jrnygrl]

Originally posted by AKA
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band is the first album to have a gatefold (pictured below).

This is what made The Beatles great artist, they were always the first or innovators of marketing themselves. Somethings didn't always work, but the things that did made them who they were. I wish I had the vinyl version of this.

[Dean Winchester]

I've never been a huge Beatles fan, but Sgt. Pepper is the album that IMO justifies their worth.

I went with A Day In The Life, but I also love Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

[Central Perk]

I like so many songs on this album, but ultimately I decided to vote for Getting Better.

[AKA]

Alternate versions of songs from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band:

Beatles:
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
-1999 remix - Yellow Submarine Songtrack

"With A Little Help From My Friends"
-1999 remix - Yellow Submarine Songtrack

"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
-Edit of takes 6, 7, and 8, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2
-1999 remix - Yellow Submarine Songtrack

"Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!"
-Takes 1 and 2, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2
-Take 7 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"Within You, Without You"
-Instrumental version, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"When I'm Sixty-Four"
-1999 remix - Yellow Submarine Songtrack

"Good Morning, Good Morning
-Take 8, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
-Take 5, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"A Day In The Life"
-Album version with clean intro (sans opening crossfade), 1967 - 1967-1970
-Edit of takes 1, 2, and 6, 1967 - The Beatles Anthology 2

Solo:
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
-Live; Los Angeles, 1989 - Paul McCartney - Tripping The Live Fantastic

"With A Little Help From My Friends"
-Live; Montreux, 1992 - Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band - Live From Montreux
-Live; New York City, 1998 - Ringo Starr - VH1 Storytellers
-Live; venue and date unknown - Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band - The Anthology... So Far
-Live; Chicago, 2001 - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo And His New All-Starr Band

"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
-Live; Madison Square Garden in New York, 1974 - John Lennon and Elton John - available on Elton John's To Be Continued... box set
-Studio recording, 1975 - Elton John - Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (John Lennon, backing vocals)

"Getting Better"
-Live; venue unknown, 2002 - Paul McCartney - Back In The U.S., Back In The World

"She's Leaving Home"
-Live; venue unknown, 2002 - Paul McCartney - Back In The World

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
-Live; venue unknown, 2002 (performed as part of a medley with "The End") - Paul McCartney - Back In The U.S., Back In The World

[Nighthawk76]

I pick "A Day In The Life". This might just be the best song that John Lennon ever wrote.

[diezman]

I could easily pick any track of this wonderful album! I'll take A Day In The Life however

[Steve M.]

I chose "A Day In the Life" because it's so intense and poetic, though all of John's songs from Sgt. Pepper are great, mainly because at the time he was deriving lyircs and ideas from any imaginable source. Only John Lennon could have written songs based on a child's painting, a Victorian carnival poster, a cereal commercial, and a bunch of newspaper articles.

Also, "A Day In the Life" has that great improvised orchestral sound.

[Steve M.]

Other fun facts about Sgt. Pepper:

The working title of the LP was One Down, Six To Go.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" were originally intended for the album, but when the Beatles and George Martin were pressured to put out new product in early 1967, they made these songs a double-A-sided single. "Penny Lane" went to number one in America, but the single went only to number two in Britain, held back by Enbglebert Humperdinck's "Release Me."

Mohandas K. Gandhi was to appear on the album cover but was painted out because EMI didn't want to offend folks in India by showing Gandhi standing around with Sonny Liston and Diana Dors and the like.

Albert Einstein was included on the cover, but the picture used for the sleeve only shows his hair - poking out from behind John Lennon's right shoulder. We're so sorry, Uncle Albert!

A cutout of Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I, positioned almost directly below that of Bobby Breen, was obstructed by George Harrison in the photo chosen for the sleeve.

Both Bowery Boys Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall were to appear on the Sgt. Pepper cover, but Gorcey's image was painted out. He requested a fee.

"She's Leaving Home" was written about a runaway named Melanie Coe.

"Getting Better" was inspired by Jimmy Nicol's stock answer to fitting in as a temporary replacement for Ringo on the Beatles's 1964 world tour.

[Steve M.]

Various Sgt. Pepper covers:

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - Jimi Hendrix (performed live three days after the album's U.K. release! )

"With a Little Help From My Friends" - Joe Cocker, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66

"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" - Elton John

"She's Leaving Home" - Joel Grey ( )

"When I'm Sixty-Four" - Keith Moon

Didn't someone cover "A Day In the Life" (not counting the Bee Gees, who did it for the 1978 Sgt. Pepper movie - I'm not including covers from that cinematic horror! ) ?