Beatles "Carnival of Light" Who has heard it?*

I think it is going to be massively disappointing to the vast majority of Beatles fans. It is a sound collage, not a song proper. It is meant to be heard in the background of a crowded event, not analyzed through headphones (as thousands of Beatleheads will surely do.)

Now I’m sure there will be a decent amount of fans who dig it—the same fans that also listen to a lot of Pierre Henry, Karlheinz Stockhausen, John Cage, Steve Reich, and the like.

 

The Beatles getting a bad review in 1967 -- while they are in the midst of being popular developing artists -- is a lot different 30 years after the fact when they're established as one of the greatest phenomenons of the 20th century.

The Beatles were the biggest selling artists in 1996 -- a dead band essentially peddling old sketches dug out of the closet. That's the stature these guys had 25 years after breaking up.

In 1967, they were an immensely popular band, but nothing was a lock. The future was still about the art, not the legacy.

 

Can I say that what I was told I was hearing was a recording someone made of it when it was originally played? As noted, it may've been some kind of fan fraud but the fidelity was bad and you had to kind of imagine what it might've sounded like at the time. I didn't detect a beginning or an end, and it was a fairly long.

 

I think the fact that everyone who heard it at the time were "comprehensively underwhelmed," probably says all we need to know about it.

 

In 1968, Revolution #9 was released because Lennon considered it very serious and demanded that it be put on the album -- its form was secondary

In 1967, McCartney considered Carnival of Light a one-off throwaway -- He never considered it a serious piece to be included on any Beatles album or ever part of the Beatles "brand" even though all the Beatles are all over it.

In 2020, this piece, song, collage, noise, etc. has taken on a historical aspect because it features all four Beatles being everything but Beatles, as it were.

I compare this situation to "12-Bar Original" -- those who heard before it showed up on the bootlegs said it was lousy, but it did pique the interest of many BeatlesGeeks because it featured the Beatles engaging in something far afield from what ended up on Rubber Soul. Most of us, after hearing it, don't consider it top-line Beatles product, but it was still interesting. Essentially, we're still glad we had the chance to hear it, buy it, judge it, and talk about how we don't like it.

 

How dare you besmirch the brilliance of 12 Bar Original

 

That's precisely what I think since I first heard of the existence of Carnival Of Light. Can't agree more.

As for it having anything to do with Tomorrow Never Knows, I disagree. TNK is a song. COL isn't, as far as everyone knows...

 

I know a lot of people on this forum like owning things - but what if it were released but essential unownable?
Wouldn't that be interesting?
One vinyl copy at, I don't know, 10 million dollars.
Ultimately it would leak, we would all finally hear it - but none of us would own it.
Would that be satisfying? The story would remain interesting, and the quality of the jam/collage/whatever wouldn't really matter much.

 

There are 7 levels of invisible sound on COL. That’s why no one remembers it.

 

Good album title.

 

What’s interesting to me is that there is another documented unreleased track from the Sgt. Pepper sessions, which is mentioned in the Complete Sessions book: “Drum Track" - recorded 22nd February 1967, 22:10 long. You never seem to hear this one mentioned! I guess we assume it’s just Ringo jamming for 22 minutes?

 

I must say I'm rather tired of people getting excited about Carnival of Light. McCartney seems to talk about it when he's promoting something, and because he doesn't get the same attention he used to, he knows he can generate some excitement by throwing in some tantalizing Beatles info. Example, he's aware that people aren't all that excited about his new solo album, so he says "...and we're thinking of releasing Carnival of Light..." and there is instant biting at this fake lure. Paul, if you are reading this, just release it or stop talking rubbish. If it was something you created without any other Beatle input, then release it under you own name.

I have no doubt that Carnival is a failed attempt at a noise collage, and would be generally unlistenable. There is a reason why it hasn't been released officially. Would I be interested to hear it - of course. But let's recognise it for what it is. Put out the long Helter Skelter as a Beatles single, and fill the rest of the space with Carnival. It will sell lots of copies.

 

Possibly. But who has access to a copy to be able to release a public domain version? A lot of the public domain releases are needle-drops of previously released LPs.

 

Maybe they're saving it to play for when the aliens land.

 

"Noise Collage". Well put......something at a Pink Floyd rave party.

 

I absolutely despise Mary Jane. You Know My Name is campier and just fun.

 

Yes, I don’t expect much from “Carnival of Light” but I’d like to hear it.
I’m sure it’s “musical” junk, but because it’s the Beatles I have an interest in it.
I can understand the folks that have no interest in a sound collage or whatever we want to call it though .

What makes it slightly more interesting for me is that Paul said in 2004 “the time has come for it to get its moment. I like it because it’s the Beatles free, going off -piste” and Giles Martin expressed hope in “do(ing) something interesting” with the track in the future.

I can’t believe both of them would have even slightly positive thoughts about the track if it’s a totally embarrassing mess without a hint of anything interesting about it.

 

I have always thought that large chunks of Carnival of Light, including a Barcelona or two, are included in the Liverpool Sound Collage that Paul produced and worked on in 2000 with Youth and Super Furry Animals. Paul and the other Beatles are credited, and his voice, as well as John’s and George’s, are heard throughout. Hard to know where COL ends and the work done in 200o begins, but I think it’s right there.

 

They should have figured out how to incorporate a segment of it into the Cirque du Soleil presentation without drawing specific attention to its origins. That mighta worked...

 

I’m pretty sure this was debunked the last time we discussed “CoL.” He maybe mentioned it once in conjunction with a new solo release.

 

I’ve wondered this as well, and now we know where the “Free Now” bit comes from. Also, George’s chatter comes from “Think for Yourself.” So what parts are left that *might come from CoL?

I absolutely love “Free Now” — I wish he’d given it a spot on Pure McCartney.

 

What a shame..

 

Wasn’t some of it in Plastic Beatle?

 

Are we talking about the "gotta be free now" vocal? That comes from the end of "Sgt. Pepper...". I think it's heard on the super deluxe box set outtake.

Edit: I may have been reading your post wrong. Just confirming for future folks that it's from "Sgt. Pepper."

 

Yes, exactly. The ad lib at the end of “Sgt. Pepper.” Makes me happy every time I hear it.