Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Poll

I was going to vote for "Lovely Rita," but then I remembered how much I like "Getting Better."

"She's Leaving Home" is one of their better examples of song craft - from the stoyline to the diminishing keys; nothing short of brill.

"Day in the Life" is one of the BEST examples of studio craft -- George Martin deserves as much (if not more) credit for the ending impact -- even the Anthology take needed ample tinkering.

But the one for me that will live on forever is "Within You Without You" -- Harrison really nailed the whole hippy-lovin'-maharishi-havin'-transcendentin' tune-out. On a stick.

Last night I dreamt that I saw a .jpg of Geir's calves and feet.

Fixing a Hole.

I settled on that too in the end.

I realized while going over this how much I like the intro's to some of these songs. The wind up of the opener. The punchy guitar of Getting Better. Phasey guitars on LSD. Hip-hoppy drums on Reprise. For my money, the opening to Lovely Rita is about as good as pop gets. The song itself is always kind of a (slight) letdown after the brilliance of its start.

Hated, hated, hated Within You Without You when I was a kid. Always skipped over it. Thought it was totally inexcusable, inexplicable. It was like putting spinach in a pie or something like that...

Lovely Rita.

but... spinach pies are delicious

... when you're a grown-up

Alba exactly otm. Thank you!

i voted with my heart. "she's leaving home".

had i voted with my head -- and it was close -- it'd have been "a day in the life".

might listen to this album today.

I love the way Rita breaks down at the end - the way the groove shambles along. I never noticed this as a kid, but is that a bong hit in there?

This album shimmered for me and meant a lot to me when I was 10 years old...it seems incredibly flat now, whilst some of the other Beatles albums have stayed fresh.

...Lovely Rita, at a stretch.

"Sgt Pepper" was very much of its time. A time that was looked upon as glorious until punk. And still should have today.

In a fair world, the current scene would be dominated by 40 minute long symphonic rock suites, and "Sgt. Pepper" would still be considered the masterpiece.

^Thesis statement

"Revolver" is also a Paul-dominated album though.

Their most John-dominated album is "Rubber Soul", so a bit weird the John-fans don't hold that one more in regard.

Craziness! The most John-dominated album is without question "A Hard Day's Night" - dude sings like 3/4 of the songs on it. And there's no way that either Paul or John dominates "Revolver" - both of them are absolutely on their A game on that album.

I think I'm gonna vote for "A Little Help."

"A Day In The Life"

I also hated, hated, hated "Within You Without You" as a kid and now it has just about earned my vote. Yeah, I'm gonna vote for it. Sweet.

Craziness! The most John-dominated album is without question "A Hard Day's Night"

OK. Not going to disagree. Only it's slightly less "canonical" than the rest (not deserved though, easily my second favourite album by them)

i'm not gonna vote for a song, but for a moment: paul's count-in urging on ringo's hi-hat in the reprise.

Wasn't HDN the first "all beatles originals" album? (in fact, "All Lennon/McCartney" ?)

"Getting Better"

xpost

Yeah, HDN was the first "all originals" album and the only instance of all Lennon/McCartney (no Harrison) in their career.

Had to give this one a listen (with headphones, of course) in preparation for voting. Found that many songs sounded like suites unto themselves, with all those intros and outros and middle sections sounding like individual songs. Where did that congas-and-tambouras bridge to "Getting Better" come from?

Not my favourite Beatles, but close. "Good Morning Good Morning" is my choice. Really, I think all of Side Two is perfect.

XP

Curiously, there was one Harrison composition intended for inclusion on "A Hard Day's Night", but "You Know What To Do" just wasn't considered quite good enough, which is kind of obvious when you listen to it on "Anthology".

reprise, for the drum line (and the macca count mentioned upthread)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Yeah, "You Know What To Do" is poop.

I wish you could vote for Reprise and Day in the Life, I hear them as one song.

"She's Leaving Home" gets my vote for prefiguring The Colourfield's deliciously gauzy cover of The Roches' "Hammond Song." In the future all pop songs should be written from the point-of-view of someone's sentimental, overprotective parents and smothered with sappy string arrangements to drive the point home.

Results please!

(Oouh, fekkin "time zones" - teh sukk!)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

wtf!

(I haven't looked yet)

Can't believe the love for Getting Better. It's the worst song on the album (apart from With A Little Help From My Friends, maybe.)

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1

way to go ilm!

('cept for, uh, one of you.)

ILMers scared of teh rock

Surprisingly strong showing for "She's Leaving Home" here. Great song of course.

And "Sgt. Pepper" is a pop album, not a rock album. The rock songs (title track, "Good Morning Good Morning) are IMO the weakest on the album.

You don't think the title track is rocky, Geir?

Oh, you do!

Obviously rocky. Particularly the reprise. Paul does this Little Richard-influenced "shout singing", which he only does on his ill-advised attempts to "rock out".

The reprise rocks. The non-reprise is a bit of a lumbering fool.

https://news.justcollecting.com/unseen-beatles-sgt-pepper-album-artwork-to-sell-at-sothebys/?fbclid=IwAR1kXwz-Ydfnk_nMRJC14IZfC2IzHQ-xRlt4RZNAEMRtfauifLYISFDZiWQ

these results make no sense

she's leaving home is weak and title track is great and intro >>>>>> reprise

and who doesn't like ringo?