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[tkitna]

Eleanor Rigby was pretty dire and sad too.

[nimrod]

I said on a sgt pepper thread that I think the mix of styles actually helps the concept. Like some sort of old variety show with Pepper as the house band. George's  Indian stuff was like the local Indian society taking part. When I'm 64 was the old crooner. Etc. I think if these had been substituted with more psychedelic stuff it would have been a very different album.

Id swap WYAWY for Strawberry Fields anyday   

[Moogmodule]

Id swap WYAWY for Strawberry Fields anyday   

I would too. Strawberry is a fav tune of mine. 

Adding Strawberry and Penny Lane would have made it a phenomenally strong album on a song by song basis.  But I think When I'm 64,She's Leaving Home and WYAWY can be justified in the concept  of the album. Even if the concept was pretty half assed and pretty much abandoned after the concert intro was done

Maybe they need a Sgt Peppers Producers Cut. What would GM have done if he hadn't been forced to cut strawberry fields and Penny Lane from the album.

This might be a whole new vein for the Beatles to mine. GM could do his single White Album. And his version of Let it Be.

[oldbrownshoe]

Look on the bright side: the 60s.....

'Penny Lane' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' were both going to be on 'Sgt. Pepper's' but, because there was a need for a 45, those two songs were put out as a single, and then NOT put on the L.P.
Value for money, not fleecing the fans. Pop music moving forward, being contemporary/of the moment.

Look on the bad side: the 1980s.....

Both songs would have been on the L.P., and then every other song on 'Sgt. Pepper's' would also have been put out as a single months, even years, after the album's release, and the 'White Album' would have been released in the equivalent of 1970.

Frankly, if The Beatles had been around in the dire 1980s instead of the 60s, they'd still have been going in 2005!

[tkitna]

But I think When I'm 64,She's Leaving Home and WYAWY can be justified in the concept  of the album.

I'm just curious,,,,,how?

[Moogmodule]

I'm just curious,,,,,how?

I suppose I'm looking at the album as a variety performance with Sgt Peppers as the key house band. These songs are like the guest performers and acts at the concert.  I'm thinking of an old fashion village green concert that had to cater for everyone in a town.

I admit it's probably ex-post rationalisation, since the Beatles themselves said they pretty much abandoned the concept almost as soon as it was suggested.

[Mr Mustard]

There are many textures within the fabric of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but "She's Leaving Home" is the sore thumb which seems to me to stand outside the album's envelope....

With its spangly, shimmering curtains of Indian instrumentation and surreal drone, "Within You Without You" maintains the dreamy quality of Pepper.

"When I'm Sixty Four" has a playful warmth and bonhomie in keeping with the breeziness of "Lovely Rita" and the bouncy fun of "Getting Better".

"She's Leaving Home" is the only raw slab of cold, harsh reality on the album (even the car crash from "A Day In The Life" is couched within a dreamy haze). Consequently it's the pin that pricks the Pepper bubble.

That's how I see it anyway: the jolt that spoils the dream.

[tkitna]

I suppose I'm looking at the album as a variety performance with Sgt Peppers as the key house band. These songs are like the guest performers and acts at the concert.  I'm thinking of an old fashion village green concert that had to cater for everyone in a town.

I admit it's probably ex-post rationalisation, since the Beatles themselves said they pretty much abandoned the concept almost as soon as it was suggested.

That's good stuff Moog.  I only asked the question because we all know the actual concept of the album fails after the first couple songs and I was interested in how you (and others) perceive the record.  Thanks for sharing.

[tkitna]

There are many textures within the fabric of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but "She's Leaving Home" is the sore thumb which seems to me to stand outside the album's envelope....

With its spangly, shimmering curtains of Indian instrumentation and surreal drone, "Within You Without You" maintains the dreamy quality of Pepper.

"When I'm Sixty Four" has a playful warmth and bonhomie in keeping with the breeziness of "Lovely Rita" and the bouncy fun of "Getting Better".

"She's Leaving Home" is the only raw slab of cold, harsh reality on the album (even the car crash from "A Day In The Life" is couched within a dreamy haze). Consequently it's the pin that pricks the Pepper bubble.

That's how I see it anyway: the jolt that spoils the dream.

Mr.M, its this song for you, and 'WI64' for me.  There's always a blemish somewhere no matter what album it seems.  Nothings perfect.

[Moogmodule]

That's good stuff Moog.  I only asked the question because we all know the actual concept of the album fails after the first couple songs and I was interested in how you (and others) perceive the record.  Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for asking. Always nice to have an excuse to expound Beatle theories. 

[nimrod]

Mr.M, its this song for you, and 'WI64' for me.  There's always a blemish somewhere no matter what album it seems.  Nothings perfect.

The blemish for me is WYAWY

cant stand it, a boring dirge

Havent played it since about 1970

[tkitna]

The blemish for me is WYAWY

cant stand it, a boring dirge

Havent played it since about 1970

I don't like that song either, but I can accept it fitting in with the context of the record.

I hear the 'Inner Light' yesterday on XM radio and man do I hate that song.  Its the snake charming instrument being played tat does it.  Sounds like Yoko singing to me.  Just thought i'd bring that up.

[oldbrownshoe]

I adore 'The Inner Light' and the early take of it on the recent 'Wonderwall' CD reissue beats anything on the revisionist 'Let It Be.....Naked' and 'the pointless 'Love' hands down.

For me, George's contributions, both written and played, not to forget the character he brought to press conferences, add immeasurably to The Beatles legend.

[Kevin]

I've always thought his song was about liberation. The teenage girl is leaving the oppression of her straight suburban existence, a la "are you going to San Franscisco". Not sad at all (except for the parents).
In that regard I think it fits nicely with the theme of many  of the songs on the album; the boring normal straight existence versus the freedom of the new drug fuelled counter-culture - A Day In The Life, Good Morning, Getter Better, Fixing A Hole, She's Leaving Home, WIYWY, A Little Help...

Stylistically Pepper is so over the place that I don't think this songs feels out of place. If John had wanted to be Dylan and George Roger McQuin then this was Paul's Brian Wilson period, manifested in his search for clean pristine production, and here he gets very close. Compare it to the murk of Johns Good Morning.

But this contrast works well. John's "I want to sound like an upside down orange" backed with Paul's perfect pop gives us the unique pairings of Paperback Writer/Rain, Penny Lane/SFF and Hello Goodbye/I Am The Walrus.

Brilliant.

[nimrod]

When I think about it, I dont ever listen to Beatle songs that comprised a Beatle and a bunch of outside musicians

WYAWY
64
Inner Light
Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby
Goodnight

She's Leaving Home fits this category (even with Johns Backing vocals) for me it not a BEATLES record and doesnt sound like one

[Moogmodule]

But this contrast works well. John's "I want to sound like an upside down orange" backed with Paul's perfect pop gives us the unique pairings of Paperback Writer/Rain, Penny Lane/SFF and Hello Goodbye/I Am The Walrus.

Brilliant.

One of the things I love about the Beatles. After they fragmented in styles post-Rubber Soul the different approaches by John and Paul kept their music interesting and entertaining.

[Mr Mustard]

I've always thought his song was about liberation. The teenage girl is leaving the oppression of her straight suburban existence, a la "are you going to San Franscisco". Not sad at all (except for the parents).
In that regard I think it fits nicely with the theme of many  of the songs on the album; the boring normal straight existence versus the freedom of the new drug fuelled counter-culture

She's not tripping off to Haight Ashbury though, she's meeting a bloke from a garage. It's all so....humdrum...and (I still say) sad... not just for the parents who have smothered her with well-intentioned love and in the process unwittingly driven her away...but for her too - I always get the feeling there is a lot of suppressed affection/frustration which went unsaid - she loves them really but needs to spread her wings - and that final, crushing "Bye Bye" from John just makes me feel she'll never return. So I always find it dreadfully sad, and plausible, and when I put the psychedelic candy-rush of Sgt. Pepper on my player I don't want harsh reality, I want the warm cosiness of Vera, Chuck & Dave and waltzing horses and bright cellophane flowers and to be painting the room in a colourful way on the sofa with a sister or two.... not buggering off into the cold mid-week greyness at 5 a.m.

When I think about it, I dont ever listen to Beatle songs that comprised a Beatle and a bunch of outside musicians

She's Leaving Home fits this category (even with Johns Backing vocals) for me it not a BEATLES record and doesnt sound like one

That's because it's not them, it's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (suddenly trying to be The Beatles). The Beatles don't arrive until after the Pepper Band's outro, to give us "A Day In The Life".
 

[Moogmodule]

When I think about it, I dont ever listen to Beatle songs that comprised a Beatle and a bunch of outside musicians

WYAWY
64
Inner Light
Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby
Goodnight

She's Leaving Home fits this category (even with Johns Backing vocals) for me it not a BEATLES record and doesnt sound like one

You can see why Yesterday put them in such a quandary. How could it be a Beatles song if only one of them wrote it and played on it.  Still I'm glad Brian kyboshed the idea of releasing it as a Paul McCartney single. Think how unbearable Paul would have been if he'd had a huge solo single in 1965! 

While I can take or leave most on that list I like that the Beatles have Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby in their canon.

[Mr Mustard]

I adore 'The Inner Light' and the early take of it on the recent 'Wonderwall' CD reissue beats anything on the revisionist 'Let It Be.....Naked' and 'the pointless 'Love' hands down.

I haven't heard it yet OBS so I'll reserve judgement until I do (though I've personally never liked the familiar version of "The Inner Light" and its reedy whine). I disagree though with your dismissal of the "Love" album - I know some fans found it blasphemous but Martin & Son's studio tinkering worked very well in parts - not least the inspired overlaying of "Tomorrow Never Knows" with "Within You Without You" a combination which for me comfortably outstrips either of its component tracks.

For me, George's contributions, both written and played, not to forget the character he brought to press conferences, add immeasurably to The Beatles legend.

I'd be astounded if anyone who posts on here would dispute any of that.

[Mr Mustard]

When I think about it, I dont ever listen to Beatle songs that comprised a Beatle and a bunch of outside musicians

WYAWY
64
Inner Light
Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby
Goodnight

She's Leaving Home fits this category (even with Johns Backing vocals) for me it not a BEATLES record and doesnt sound like one

Fascinating point... never really segregated the "with other musician" tracks (surprised the list's so short come to think of it - wouldn't "A Day In The Life" count?)

But from your list I'm not mad keen on any of them with the exception of the fantastic "Eleanor Rigby" - head and shoulders above the other five on every level as far as I'm concerned...and more to the point, very difficult (for me, anyway) to envisage how it could have been as good done simply by The Beatles themselves.