Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

Of all the Beatles' albums, this was the one I worried about most.

It has, over the years, topped many best albums of all time polls and lists, and is cited to have begun the rock album genre.

The band had stopped playing live in 1966, as they felt their studio sound could not be replicated on stage, and thus not touring freed up lots of time, the recording of the album coming after the band took three months off to do their own things.

The title came from a misheard phrase: can you please pass the salt and pepper, as pass the Sgt. Pepper.

The album was preceeded by the double A single "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever", songs that looked back to their band's youth in Liverpool. That single may well be the pinacle of popular music, Penny Lane is majestic.

It sold buckets, topped the charts for months all round the world.

Could it ever live up to the hype?

Side 1:

1. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
2. "With a Little Help from My Friends"
3. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
4. "Getting Better"
5. "Fixing a Hole"
6. "She's Leaving Home"
7. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"

Side 2:

1. "Within You Without You"
2. "When I'm Sixty-Four"
3. "Lovely Rita"
4. "Good Morning Good Morning"
5. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
6. "A Day in the Life"

The album begins with the title track, and sung by Paul in the vocal shredding style you might more associate with John on Twist and Shout. It's hard to know what to say about a song so well known, but the use of brass and other instrumentation, along with crowd sound effects make it something different. It then fades into the second track:

"With a Little Help from My Friends" has Ringo on vocals, and, to my ears, carries on the same or similar beat to the title track. Ringo doesn't have a good voice, and this is enjoyable, as well as very familiar. Its no surprise I prefer this to the Wet Wet Wet version from the 80s, even if that was for charity. It ends with a long piano chord.........

The strongest of starts continues with "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" with John on vocals. What elese can you say about a song so familiar, and yet distils most of the band's development to this point. It may be about drugs, probably is, but the lyrics, harmonies and sheer joy shines through. The end of the track brings the fist eight minutes and sixteen seconds of the record to a close.

"Getting Better" tells of the joy of finding love, and in the last verse the regret of past cruel actions. More harmoies, its a delight, it really is.

"Fixing a Hole" is next, with Paul on vocals. It starts with a slight meloncholy note, which it returns to in the outro, but between is another joyous slice of pop music, that other bands would if not kill for, then commit serious crime for. Probably.

Harp, then cello comes in to back Paul's vocal on "She's Leaving Home" where the verse tells the girl's story, and the chorus her parent's lament. The real girl in the story that was read in the papers had a strong link to the band from years before. A beautiful song, a work of art.

"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" inspiration was taken from a vintage variety poster, and the song built around that. An amazing thing, really. It pops along before fading into an outro os distorted fairground organ, thus closing side 1.

"Within You Without You" must have sounded so exotic on first hearing upon the album's release. Sitars and other Indian and far Eastern instruments made a sound so unwesternlike, and yet with George's vocal deep in the mix it sounds wonderful. The different layers that go to make the record is quite headspinning.

"When I'm Sixty-Four" has an oboe, at least I think it is, and is more pop genius. Paul's clear vocals speak of a contented married life, or settled status, even if the choris hints at other things. Of course, for the band, married bliss would be hard to find, at least until the band had split. Masterful.

"Lovely Rita" has what could be described as a false start, then Paul comes in with the vocal. Another dazzling op song, built on a slip of an idea.

Starts with a cockrel crowing, before launching into a refrain of "good morning, good morning", the staple of many radio breakfast shows. Is it me, or does John's vocals always suggest something sinister, while Paul's is more whoolesome? Even if te song descibes a walk into the old town, past your old school, I felt that something bad was just about to happen. Hmmmmm.

Throwing in everything including the kitchen sink, the next to last track is "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", lasts just over a minute and ends with the hope that you enjoyed the show. I did.

The ends with "A Day in the Life", with various verses taken from stories in newspapers during its writing. John on vocals, with minimal backing until the orchestra joins in with a wall of sound, then Paul starts with what could be a different song, and sounds upbeat compared to John. It ends with more orchestra, then a long piano chord before some gibberish, which if played backwards, demands you buy more cheese.

It is an incredible piece of work, one that holds together through its 13 tracks and forty minute running time. A band at the height of its, and any other's, powers. Along with its pop art sleeve by Peter Blake, links popular music with popular and modern art. England really did swing, and this was the swingiest. Mama Cass played a test pressing of this loud one morning, giving her neighbours the first play of, well, an amazing record, one that I would have to listen to again and again to hear all it's layers, twists.