BEATLES WEEKLY - Week 4: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Damn, the time flies, doesn't it? We're already on part 4 of Beatles Weekly. On the menu this week is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and surprisingly enough, for it being one of the Fabs most celebrated albums, I really don't have much comment on it. Certainly a landmark album by all means, and especially in the technical sense: this entire album, IIRC, was recorded on a four track! The only comment I'll make regarding the quality of the album is that I've never taken a liking to "She's Leaving Home," or at least for the stereo mix. If I have to listen to that song, I'd prefer the mono mix by far (probably the only case where the mono mix is actually an entirely different animal than the stereo mix!)

That being said, my vote for favorite song off of this album goes to "Lovely Rita," which may seem like an odd choice to some. Probably not too well known by the casual fan, but that's too bad, really. 2 minutes and 42 seconds of pure pop, complete with "echoey" kazoo, mouth percussion, and a piano solo!

Anyway, now it's your turn to vote!

PREVIOUS WINNERS
Week 1, Revolver: (no winning song due to poll errors)
Week 2, Help!: "Ticket to Ride"
Week 3, Abbey Road: "Here Comes the Sun"

MY PICKS
Week 1, Revolver: "She Said She Said"
Week 2, Help!: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
Week 3, Abbey Road: "Here Comes the Sun"

 

"A Day in the life", one of the finest songs The Beatles ever recorded.

 

The song I voted for, as well.

A landmark achievement, one of the greatest collections of music ever assembled.

Evan

 

My pick could have been "A Day in the Life" but I voted for my "Lovely Rita".

 

"Good Morning Good Morning" always sticks in my mind ahead of the others after I listen to this LP. John's tunes always seem to do that for me. Anyway, a great song.

 

I picked "It's Getting Better". Pure pop.

 

How can you choose? But I did - Within or without you really blew me away.

Bryon

 

I also went for Within You, Without You. It just seems a gem to easily disputed. When given a "fresh" listen, it is a bit easier to see why this lp always comes up as something ahead of it's time. There is something about the middle section of this song, when the sitar and tamboura are playing riffs that are echoed by a traditionasl western string section, and they keep going back and forth, blending and weaving in and out, that reminds me of just how BOLD and innovative this music was at the time.

 

Not terribly keen on SGT Pepper, but this is one of my favorite Beatles songs.

 

As I thought, "A Day In The Life" is shaping up to be the most popular track.

 

A Day In The Life for me too.

Definitely a true Lennon & McCartney collaboration and maybe even the best one ever.

 

No question "A Day in the Life".

 

"A Day In A Life" is a classic song. For me, it is the most exciting song in the album specially if you have a nice hi-fi setup.
My second choice is "She's Leaving Home."

 

This was a tough choice.

1. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" - stereo mix.
2. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (Reprise) - mono mix.

Having spent the years 1975 to 1990 in radio, I heard "A Day In The Life" to often. As a result of the burnout on that song, it is my least favourite on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

 

Yes, an under-rated song as far as I'm concerned. One of my favorite McCartney tunes. I love John's background vocals.

 

Fixing A Hole sounds like a song from another world to me. Beatles at their best and not played to death.

 

Maybe this poll should have been "What is your SECOND favorite tune on SP?

 

ADITL for me as well... maybe a second place would have been "Good Morning Good Morning."

 

No question about it, "A Day In A Life" hands down!!! A masterpiece on it's own!!!

 

Now if ever there were an album that is going to sound better in surround this is the one.

 

I voted for "A Day In The Life" because of John's haunting vocal, Ringo's thunderous drum fills, and the orchestral climax going from nothing to absolute chaos. And who doesn't listen for the squeaky chair in the fade?

 

I went with "Lovely Rita." Not one of the more celebrated songs on the album, but one of my personal favorites.

Sgt. Pepper gets a lot of talk in both directions, either "The greatest album ever," or "overrated and hasn't aged well." I hadn't played it in quite awhile, but gave it a spin a few weeks ago, and the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's a good little album, not their best, but definitely the right album at the right time.

 

I first heard Sgt Pepper a year after it came out the first song that I thought was striking was Lucy in the Sky, ( John Fred did alright out of that title)
Its been "A Day in the Life" since, thats the one song on it for me that is timeless and my favorite John Lennon vocal delivery followed with IATW.

BTW-I had a Sgt Pepper Mono Reel to Reel I played it through a Revox G36 it sounded incredible.

Especially "Fixing A Hole" my choice for a change.

alexpop

 

The first bars of «Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)» were - for many years - the opening jingle for our national radio hit charts show back in the seventies. I have to vote for this - and if only for sentimental reasons...