is sgt. pepper really that good?

Lostio · Aug 16, 2005, 07:27 PM

OK, that "Help! The Beatles suck!" review really annoyed me:

"Songs like these take no talent to play, they take no talent to perform, and they take no talent to compose."

'course. I guess ANYONE could just put on A Day In The Life. And even a 5-year-old could compose something like Strawberry Fields Forever. And it doesn't take not even someone musically interested to perform Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds!

...Right on with that, dude...

"Formulaic and uninspired, the Lennon/McCartney partnership has concocted some of the most simplistic, uncreative, insipid melodies ever commited to vinyl."

Eleanor Rigby, I Am The Walrus, Lady Madonna... Totally uncreative.

"She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah
She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah
She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah

Wow! The creativity really was rolling on that song!"

Why, definately! And isn't it true that you can find out a band's whole creativity during their musical experience by the REFRAIN of ONE song? Sure...

Sgt. Pepper's is a masterpiece, no matter what these complaining bitches whine about.

lennonlemon · Aug 16, 2005, 08:41 PM

The guy berates the Beatle's work as if there whole career were "She Loves You" type of songs. They're musical and lyrical capacbility were not fully developed and their songwriting became much more sophisticated later on. Nevertheless, for a basic song "She Loves You" is great and far mroe creative than your critiques.

joan was quizzical · Aug 16, 2005, 10:56 PM

Quote from: lennonlegendwell, is it?

[size=14]yes.[/size]

~ missy

can_you_take_me_back · Aug 16, 2005, 11:24 PM

God. Sgt. Pepper was the first Beatles album I ever fell in love with. And while I agree that there are some weak tracks (as many have said...Lovely Rita, When I'm 64, She's Leaving Home...), songs like "Lucy", "Mr. Kite", "Within Without You", and "Day in the Life" showed me the sophistication and insight that the Beatles were capable of. To me it's not just a touchstone in musical history but a testament to the group's ability to write compelling songs that people can connect to on a variety of levels. It's one of the first albums that I burn for people when I want to turn them on to the Beatles. It hasn't failed yet. So yeah. Screw the ignorant people who mouth off on Sgt. Pepper. It's not perfect, but it's wonderful.

Frightwolf · Aug 17, 2005, 12:35 AM

Quote from: LostioOK, that "Help! The Beatles suck!" review really annoyed me:

"Songs like these take no talent to play, they take no talent to perform, and they take no talent to compose."

'course. I guess ANYONE could just put on A Day In The Life. And even a 5-year-old could compose something like Strawberry Fields Forever. And it doesn't take not even someone musically interested to perform Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds!

...Right on with that, dude...

"Formulaic and uninspired, the Lennon/McCartney partnership has concocted some of the most simplistic, uncreative, insipid melodies ever commited to vinyl."

Eleanor Rigby, I Am The Walrus, Lady Madonna... Totally uncreative.

"She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah
She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah
She loves you
Yeah yeah yeah

Wow! The creativity really was rolling on that song!"

Why, definately! And isn't it true that you can find out a band's whole creativity during their musical experience by the REFRAIN of ONE song? Sure...

Sgt. Pepper's is a masterpiece, no matter what these complaining bitches whine about.

Yea, and She Loves You wasn't even on Sgt. Pepper -_-

Bobber · Aug 23, 2005, 01:37 PM

I always try to look at Sgt Pepper as 'just' a Beatles album. Not better or more special than Revolver or whatever. Just look at those four albums in the middle of their carreer: Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour. That's just an awesome foursome. Sgt Pepper fits right in, it's not a highlight or climax. It's there and it's fucking good.

Taxgirl · Aug 23, 2005, 03:00 PM

IT IS.[size=8][/size]

adamzero · Aug 23, 2005, 03:53 PM

Quote from: BobberI always try to look at Sgt Pepper as 'just' a Beatles album. Not better or more special than Revolver or whatever. Just look at those four albums in the middle of their carreer: Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour. That's just an awesome foursome. Sgt Pepper fits right in, it's not a highlight or climax. It's there and it's fucking good.

I agree, but I'd throw in the White Album--and why not add Abbey Road, for that matter.

I think what makes Sgt Pepper different is that the Beatles used it as a statement, in addition to its release as an album. Rubber Soul and Revolver are the Beatles awakening to their full potential. Sgt Pepper (with all those famous faces on the cover) is a self-conscious statement that they had "arrived."

And I really do think it has a theme: modern alienation (as summed up in A Day in the Life) and the need for escape/reinvention/imagination/transformation/transcendence (as summed up on Within You, Without You, Lucy, Mr Kite, etc.)

Even Lovely Rita and When I'm 64 fit the theme--if only to show ironically the end of the simple "guy-and-girl" song. Eliot does similar things in The Waste Land by referring to pop culture songs.

Sgt. Pepper's is the pop music's The Waste Land.

Mairi · Aug 23, 2005, 04:45 PM

Rock music. Rock music.

p8ntball370 · Aug 23, 2005, 05:33 PM

Quote from: joan_was_quizzical

[size=14]yes.[/size]

Aug 23, 2005, 06:44 PM

Its a ridiculous question. It is as creatively "good" as it is vital. Some have argued that it hasn't aged well. It has aged just fine. There is an infinitessimal amount of pop music from this era that is laughable; corny psychedelia, feathery folk music, crooners that tried to be hip, etc. 'Pepper' will never run that risk. Okay, there are 150 people that put it down on Amazon. Check with Amazon to see how many copies of 'Pepper' they have moved, and I'll bet its a little better than 150.

Mairi · Aug 23, 2005, 06:45 PM

I am pretty sure that that section was flooded by Beatle-haters. That "Help! the Beatles suck!" is an anti-Beatles site. He probably got his minions to do all that for him.

In Blue Hawaii · Aug 23, 2005, 07:32 PM

It's a HELL of a record, and I still play it once every couple months or so. I couldn't possibly live without it.

One of my favorite songs? "Lovely Rita." That one constantly tops the polls of "what song would you cut to make the album better," and my answer is: NOT THAT ONE, please god. I love it.

I also love Within You Without You.

Mairi · Aug 23, 2005, 09:58 PM

I adore Lovely Rita as well. Tops melody, and I love the imagery and plays on words. It fits in nicely with the psychedelic theme of the album.

And that heavy breathing at the end. Well. I am a girl... I have hormones... do I need to spell it out?

Sondra · Aug 23, 2005, 11:38 PM

I think it's ridiculous to even question the merits of Pepper. I also think this is a trend to put it down, and many of those twits that reviewed the album have jumped on the bandwagon.