RS 500: #1
Artist: The Beatles
Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Released: June 2, 1967 (U.S.)
(Quick Author's Note:
I apologize for the length of this post. However, with it being number
one on the list, I felt the album needed a lot of detail and attention.
Future reviews probably, hopefully. won't be this long.)
Since its release, The Beatles'
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
has suffered a strange fate. Similar to the band that made it, it
proves that old saying "familiarity breeds contempt." For each person
that praises it, there are even more people who claim it to be
overrated. And when one lacks its historical context or the historical
perspective of the time that produced and, therefore, heavily praised
it, only seeing people constantly heaping praise upon what many consider
nowhere close to the Beatles' best work, it's easy to see how such a
feeling can breed.
Sgt. Pepper came at a time when most people had a very limited view of what rock'n'roll
could do as well as what it was
allowed
to do. While there were exceptions to this, (most notably Brian Wilson,
who knew just how out of step with the mainstream he was given songs
like, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times") the general idea basically
boiled down to that rock couldn't be art. To suggest such a thing would
be almost lunacy.
Then
Sgt. Pepper came along
and with that, killing the idea at the time that the Beatles had dried
up, killing the idea that rock music couldn't be art, pushing the limits
of what could be done technically at the time, and giving life to
including lyrics in liner notes and idea of the concept album. The
"concept" basically being the Beatles are playing a concert as Sgt.
Pepper's band. Now, whether one believes the album strictly holds to the
concept the entire way through or not is irrelevant, really, given the
fact that it's impossible to tell when they are singing as themselves or
some character concocted in Paul McCartney's imagination. However, from
the audience noises to the rise and fall in the moods of the songs to
the build up of the closing three tracks, the concert aspect of the
concept works and completely fits. Just as every single track on the
album fits together and flows into each other, despite how radically
different from each other many of the songs are.
The
opening title track is a "good old rocker" (to borrow a phrase from
producer George Martin) and sets the stage fantastically for the concert
the album is meant to be. The opening riff is instantly recognizable
(and for me, will always bring to mind visions of the Beatles saving
Pepperland), the drums are great backbone for the track as is the bass.
The audience chatter at the beginning as well as the rise of the
laughter and applause during the song add so much character to it. And
of course, the track would be nothing without the as always, amazing
three part harmony and the touch of French horns that give it a touch of
class and round out the song well.
With a dramatic and
quite pretty transition (with added applause), the album goes on to
"With a Little Help From My Friends", the quintessential Ringo song. A
song that shows off his need and love of brotherhood and his
"sentimental thing" as Paul McCartney put it. As well as show off more
harmonies and the strong rhythm section of the band, particularly the
drums, which are airy and light, yet swing and carry the song so well.
The
next song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is almost a painting of
sound, with it's evocative lyrics and arrangement. The long bass notes
add to the sleepy, dreamy quality of the song's lyrics and the drums add
just enough accents when they're needed and aren't overbearing. The
music makes you feel like you're floating, that is, until the drum
lead-up to the chorus kicks in, like you're about to take off flying.
John Lennon's vocal and the effects added to it also add to the
dreamlike quality. One second he sounds like he's right in your ear, the
next he echos in and out, as if he's far away and trying to entice you
to follow him where ever he's going along with Lucy to fountains and
rocking horse people.
"Getting Better" is a classic pop
song, but with a foundation of a strong bass line, grooving and
swinging drums, along with piano by George Martin and tamboura by George
Harrison, giving it a kind of funky edge. The middle eight of the song
also seems to swirl adding to the seemingly happy mood of the song. A
song which may not be as happy-peppy-optimistic as it appears at first
(and sometimes thousandth) listen. With lines like "it can't get no
worse", "I used to be cruel to my woman", etc., one has to wonder just
how happy it really is. After all, if the narrator's past includes
beating people, just because it's "getting better" that doesn't
necessarily mean that it's all that good. But that just might be looking
too deeply at a song that is a classic example of how well John Lennon
and Paul McCartney complimented each other.
The song
that follows, "Fixing a Hole", also shows that in a way, as it shows an
example of Paul's dream-like and atmospheric side (John's version of
this being shown in "Lucy"). The music swirls and dips and takes you
away. The guitar is funky and has a bit of a bite to it and the drums,
again, swing. But the bass is possibly the most important instrument
because it gives the song a groove and life and soul which would be gone
in it's absence, leaving it sounding cold and thin. The possible
downside to the song is that while the music is amazing, it would be
very easy to get too swept away in it and lose sight of the quirky
lyrics. According to McCartney the song is about "the hole in your
make-up which lets the rain in and stops your mind from going where it
will. It's you interfering with things." The song also almost sounds
like it could be a precursor to "The Fool on the Hill" sung from his
point of view, with lines like, "See the people standing there who
disagree and never win / And wonder why they don't get in my door."
Next,
"She's Leaving Home", possibly one of the Beatles most beautiful songs
in terms of melody and vocals. The strings, arranged by Mike Leander,
add to the beauty and sadness of the lyrics and the harp adds such a
gentle and airy beauty, but the vocals are what take center stage. John
taking the role of the befuddled and abandoned parents has so much
vulnerability and Paul's singing of, "How could she do this to me?" is
utterly heartbreaking. The song is a fantastic example of a common theme
in McCartney's work, ordinary people doing ordinary things (though
cynics like Lennon would say "boring"). While some may see this as a
weakness, in the case of this particular song, it is certainly a
strength. It beautifully shows off his romantic nature and reverence for
the everyday. He can see the beauty in the everyday and how even the
most seemingly simple things can resonate no matter how old the songs
get. Because "She's Leaving Home," whether or not one is parent, is
about something so common and so universal, something that all
experience and understand: letting go.
Like "Lucy"
earlier in the album, the next song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
is another painting in sound. You can almost hear the om-pa-pa,
om-pa-pa in Lennon's voice and practically see him the center ring with a
top hat as he sings. Thanks mostly in part to the full, lush and
chaotic carnival noises made by Harrison, Starr, George Martin and with
harmonicas by Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, which do nearly make you
"smell the sawdust" as John wanted. And yet again, the rhythm section
gives life to it all.
As hypnotic as the carnival
noises in "Mr. Kite" are, "Within You Without You", the song which
follows it, is even more hypnotic. The trills and dips of George
Harrison's voice are so subtle and beautiful. The rhythm of the tabla
and the sounds of the dilruba, tamboura, the violins and cellos and
Harrison's voice mix and flow, so perfectly, so beautifully, it's
enchanting. The semi-duel in the musical break is amazing, too. The song
is also proof of Harrison's lyrical strength and cleverness,
particularly the double meaning behind the title "Within You Without
You". On one hand it's about how life in each of us and outside of us,
in all things; but on the other, while it's within us (as with all),
it'll go on long after we are gone. And that it's more important to love
and not get wrapped up in walls we put between ourselves and other
"illusions". The only real down side to the song, and something that has
always bothered me, is the laughter that happens at the tail end. It
kind of kills the mood.
Though admittedly, it's a good
segue in a way, as "When I'm Sixty-Four" follows (not that that will
ever stop it from being bothersome). But "When I'm Sixty-Four" is meant
to be quite a funny song, as well as an homage to musical loves of Paul
McCartney's father, so it's hard to get too angry with it or treat it
too harshly. (Not to mention McCartney wrote it when he was just
sixteen.) Everything adds to the humorous and old Hollywood-type vibe
that the band was going for with it. Again, the bass is quite simple,
but effective and adds so much swing to the song, as does the piano, and
with this album being basically Paul McCartney's baby/brainchild, that
is not very surprising.
Another example of just how
much it's Paul's album is the next track, "Lovely Rita." It's another
song that lives and dies with the bass and drums, particularly the bass
drum which gives the song much of its backbone and life. Odd lyrics
aside, it's quite musically complex. The arrangements of the backing
vocals, bass, piano (especially the intricate and fast piano break) and
slightly dark musical coda do save it from being complete "fluff" or a
"throwaway".
"Good Morning Good Morning" is another
example of how Lennon and McCartney compliment each other, with the song
being John's version of ordinary people doing ordinary things. Even if
some of the pop culture references in it are lost on newer listeners, it
still resonates. After all, "nothing has changed, it's still the same."
The song is an excellent example of how funky the Beatles could get.
The bass and drums swing and drive the song, the guitar is funky and
soulful, and one wonders at times when the hell John Lennon manages to
breathe. And the horn section is a brilliant addition, taking it from
"ok rocker" to another level of sick and amazing.
The
excitement and build up carries over into "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts
Club Band (Reprise)", which is fast and fun with a driving rhythm
section and great harmonies. The song totally drives home the idea that
the album is a concert; whether it's raucous applause and laughter,
John's little "Bye" to the audience, or sounds Paul trying to vamp up a
crowd, it is the fun penultimate number in a show that comes before the
utterly amazing encore...
"A Day in the Life". It is a
masterpiece, plain and simple. The album is noteworthy simply for this
song alone. It's a perfect blending of John and Paul's styles and ways
of writing about ordinary people and events. Again, the foundation is
the rhythm section, gorgeous piano, steady bass and drums that perfectly
accent the song. Whether it's the rolling the verses, which adds to the
drama of it all or the driving and marching drums in middle eight that
are so evocative of the hurry-up-and-rush described in Paul's lines, the
drums are perfection. They would be the star of the show here if it
wasn't for the haunting vocal by John Lennon, which gives chills from
the second he starts to sing.
Though the seeds had been planted before
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band
was undeniably a turning point, not just for the Beatles, but for all
rock and pop music. It was proof that anything and everything could be
done.
There were no limits.
Well,
except for the technical limits at the time. The creativity, on the
other hand, knew no bounds. Whether it was pulling ideas from old
Victorian circus posters, the newspaper, everyday life (past and
present) or a child's drawings. It was all fair game. And it worked.
While it may not be the Beatles strongest or best work overall, it is
among their most influential and groundbreaking and pushed the envelope
more than just about anything they had done. (Or just about anyone had
done up until that point.) It changed all that came after it and is
still the standard for many people, such as Ozzy Osbourne, who still
says he wants to make his "Sgt. Pepper". Those are things that no amount
of nit-picking will ever take away from it.
