The other day I sat down and listened to Sgt. Pepper and I realised it's not a formless or directionless piece of whimsy that some criticise, but is in fact what everyone's missed about Sgt. Pepper...IT"S THE MOST POWERFUL MUSICAL MANIFESTO ever composed.......it's an introduction for the masses in 1967 on the youth counterculture in musical form .........and that explains it's impact: Put simply it reads track by track:
Sgt. Pepper "We've got something very special to tell you, in the form of a musical concert but not in the form you're used to."
With A Little Help " It's about a new kind of love, but not the romantic kind , a universal love."
Lucy In the Sky " The new drugs available now will improve your aural and visual senses and help you feel this."
Fixing a Hole " A more sensitive experience of simple human pleasures will be restored to you.'
She's Leaving Home " There will be the sadness of saying farewell to the old society."
It's Getting Better "The new social mores of a society based on love will liberate us all."
Being for The Benefit " Entertainment and social gatherings will return to more simpler and less artificial human interactions."
Within You and Without You "There are points in the spiritual and philosophic paths of other cultures which Western culture has denied us which connect with this new society."
When I'm 64 " There will still be room for traditional family relationships but we'll dispense with tradition which restricts us'
Lovely Rita "The new society is class and status free.'
Good Morning " We must be on our guard against capitalist culture and recognise its sterility, but be tolerant nevertheless."
Sgt. Pepper (Reprise) That's our message. That's about it......except for
A Day in the Life " The new society will be without the celebrity worship, heroes and patriotism which capitalism beguiles us with and which has only delivered most of us a colourless numb existence.' ( I'd love to turn you on!)
What do you think? Whether this was a deliberate plan or inherent in their lives thinking at the time is a moot point.
Geoff Townsend