Sgt Peppers as it was intended

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@Octarine

Upthread it was mentioned how “When I’m Sixty-Four” spoils the mood created by “Within You,” but personally I like that kind of rapid change of styles

The solemn mood of WYWY was *meant *to be broken once the song was done–that’s why George put that burst of laughter at the end.

@Octarine

This thread reminds me about another one a while ago that challenged people to cut down the White Album to a single disc (as everyone always complains it should have been). No one was able to agree even slightly about the best and worst songs. The fact that we have such different opinions on song sequence, song inclusion, etc, shows that maybe we should just trust the Beatles.

Bingo!

[Melchior]

@Octarine

Side two is really good, but I might rearrange side one. Upthread it was mentioned how “When I’m Sixty-Four” spoils the mood created by “Within You,” but personally I like that kind of rapid change of styles - the Beatles wrote a ridiculously wide variety of songs, and shifting genres showcases that. In that spirit, I wouldn’t put “A Little Help,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” and “Penny Lane” all one after the other - instead, I’d mix and match the textures. I think “Sixty-Four” would go well right before “Strawberry Fields” - the idea of the last bouncy note being played, then hearing the ghostly flute intro. Similarly, “Within You Without You” could be paired with “Penny Lane.” I guess my ideal listing would look like this:

1. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

2. “With a Little Help from My Friends”

3. “Within You Without You”

4. “Penny Lane”

5. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

6. “Fixing a Hole”

7. "She’s Leaving Home”

8. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”

9. “Lovely Rita”

10. “Getting Better”

11. “Good Morning Good Morning”

12. “When I’m Sixty-Four”

13. “Strawberry Fields Forever”

14. “Baby You’re A Rich Man”

15. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”
    This thread reminds me about another one a while ago that challenged people to cut down the White Album to a single disc (as everyone always complains it should have been). No one was able to agree even slightly about the best and worst songs. The fact that we have such different opinions on song sequence, song inclusion, etc, shows that maybe we should just trust the Beatles.

OK, how about this:

1. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

2. “With a Little Help from My Friends”

3. “Good Morning Good Morning”

4. “Fixing a Hole”

5. “She’s Leaving Home”

6. “When I’m Sixty-Four”

7. “Penny Lane”

8. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”

9. “Getting Better”

10. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

11. “Within You Without You”

12. “Lovely Rita”

13. “Strawberry Fields Forever”

14. “Baby You’re A Rich Man”

15. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”

16. “A Day in the Life”

[Melchior]

OK, how about this:

1. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

2. “With a Little Help from My Friends”

3. “Penny Lane”

4. “Good Morning Good Morning”

5. “She’s Leaving Home”

6. “Lovely Rita”

7. “When I’m Sixty-Four”

8. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!”

9. “Getting Better”

10. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

11. “Within You Without You”

12. “Fixing a Hole”

13. “Strawberry Fields Forever”

14. “Baby You’re A Rich Man”

15. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”

16. “A Day in the Life”

I like this best…the lighter stuff on side 1…and starting side 2 with the uptempo Getting Better makes more sense…than with Within Without

[Octarine]

Sounds good! OK, so the hard part’s done - now all we have to do is build a time machine . . .

[Marks]

A very good thread indeed.
It is like teaching how create messages and signs without shaping a concept album.

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 two

1. “Within You Without You”
2. “Strawberry Fields Forever”
3. “When I’m Sixty-Four”
4. “Lovely Rita”
5. “Good Morning Good Morning”
6. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”
7. “A Day in the Life”
8. “Penny Lane”

[Melchior]

@Marks

A very good thread indeed.
It is like teaching how create messages and signs without shaping a concept album.

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 two

1. “Within You Without You”
2. “Strawberry Fields Forever”
3. “When I’m Sixty-Four”
4. “Lovely Rita”
5. “Good Morning Good Morning”
6. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”
7. “A Day in the Life”
8. “Penny Lane”

I listened to the album again yesterday. One thing that always bugged me is the sound of the drums on “A Day in the Life” (very boomy compared to the other instruments on that cut). I remember the publicity about the album when it came out, how that song’s fade out was supposed to be something special. In the days of 2.5-minute songs, it was something unusual.

[Marks]

@Melchior

I listened to the album again yesterday. One thing that always bugged me is the sound of the drums on “A Day in the Life” (very boomy compared to the other instruments on that cut). I remember the publicity about the album when it came out, how that song’s fade out was supposed to be something special. In the days of 2.5-minute songs, it was something unusual.

When the musical form of a song is repeated to fade. it suggests “forever”.

“A Day in the Life” just comes to a halt. That’s all.
(That kind of sound must have been strange in 1967).

[Marley23]

@Marks

When the musical form of a song is repeated to fade. it suggests “forever”.

“A Day in the Life” just comes to a halt. That’s all.
(That kind of sound must have been strange in 1967).

It doesn’t just come to a halt, though. They play that huge E chord on the pianos and that chord rings out for about 40 seconds and gradually fades. It might be the most gradual fade in rock music, and it’s a lot less annoying than the typical repeat to fade.

[Marks]

@Marley23

It doesn’t just come to a halt, though. They play that huge E chord on the pianos and that chord rings out for about 40 seconds and gradually fades. It might be the most gradual fade in rock music, and it’s a lot less annoying than the typical repeat to fade.

The typical “repeat to fade”:
Sometimes the musician / singer “feels” the need to repeat the lyricis and/or sound to fade.
Sometimes the musician / singer objectively “shape” the “repeat to fade” because he is aware that the song “needs” it.

[buddha_david]

@Marks

Sometimes the musician / singer “feels” the need to repeat the lyricis and/or sound to fade.
Sometimes the musician / singer objectively “shape” the “repeat to fade” because he is aware that the song “needs” it.

Sometimes the musician/singer can’t come up with a proper ending. :o

[K364]

I would remove SLH (kind of syrupy) and GMGM (a weak song that sounds good). I would tack the GMGM fade-out onto the end of SFF keeping the chicken cluck segue into the guitar note of the Reprise.

Side one

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
With a Little Help from My Friends
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Getting Better
Fixing a Hole
Penny Lane
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!

Side two

Within You Without You
When I’m Sixty-Four
Lovely Rita
Strawberry Fields Forever
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
A Day in the Life

[HMS_Irruncible]

@njtt

This partly depends on the fact that there is no true stand out song until it climaxes with “A Day in the Life”. It is good, up until then, but nothing to make you go “wow”. Squeezing “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields” onto it, at any point, would break its unity and turn it into just another collection of songs, like Revolver or the White Album.

I agree with this. “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields” are heavyweights. Including them would’ve made a good song collection, but would’ve washed out lesser known songs that deserved a chance. The result wouldn’t have really been an album, or at least not Sgt Pepper’s.

These 2 songs were appropriately placed with Magical Mystery Tour which is a non-album that needed all the help it could get.

[Son_of_a_Rich]

I was looking for a “She’s Leaving Home” parody and can’t find one. Like, “She’s Finally Leaving Home”. The parents end up with a celebration party.

[Q.Q.Switcheroo]

She's Heaving Foam, Parody Song Lyrics of The Beatles, She's Leaving Home

[5_time_champ]

I don’t think the world could have stood the sheer awesomeness that would have ensued had Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields been included on Sgt Pepper.

[Exapno_Mapcase]

@Marley23

It doesn’t just come to a halt, though. They play that huge E chord on the pianos and that chord rings out for about 40 seconds and gradually fades. It might be the most gradual fade in rock music, and it’s a lot less annoying than the typical repeat to fade.

Some turntables did not have an automatic lift for the needle at the end of a side. Supposedly, if “A Day in the Life” were played on one of those the fade would never end. The chord would reverberate for all eternity.

Now that’s an ending that tops 'em all.

[blondebear]

@Exapno_Mapcase

Some turntables did not have an automatic lift for the needle at the end of a side. Supposedly, if “A Day in the Life” were played on one of those the fade would never end. The chord would reverberate for all eternity.

Well…what you’d actually hear would be the infamous run out groove:

The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Inner Groove (first forwards, then backwards)