40 years later, Beatles revolutionary album still spins out talk

Pittsburgh Post Gazette ^ | June 1, 2007 | Scott Mervis

[ConservativeStatement]

It was 40 years ago today.

Ah, you knew the story would start like that. What other way to begin?

June 1, 1967. That's when "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" hit the streets in the United Kingdom, a day later in the United States, and hit the consciousness of the pop world like a dose of something strange in the Kool-Aid.

It was the eighth (British) Beatles album but also the beginning of a new chapter for the band and for a popular culture entering into the Summer of Love and a period of heightened experimentation with music, fashion, sex, drugs, politics and flowers.

[ConservativeStatement]

Not everyone's choice of music, I'm sure but probably is for some.

[sushiman]

I always dug Rubber Soul and Revolver a whole lot more .

[Michael.SF.]

It was the eighth (British) Beatles album but also

An example of the tremendous popularity of the band that they could sell crap like this.

[LeoWindhorse]

it was all about lucy in the sky with diamonds....

[Dick Vomer]

The thing I remember most about the Beatles was that they had songs that sounded "different". I mean that the melodies, vocals, instruments and all the other stuff that makes a song a song sounded different.

I can't think of a rap song that I'll be humming along with 40 years from now.... there is no "melody" that sticks with you.

Paperback Writer to Michelle to Yesterday to Help to Twist and Shout to Norwegian Woods.... they all had distinct melodies. I think McCarthy, Lennon and Harrison wrote some great tunes... even Ringo had a couple of good tunes in him.

I'm not a "fan" but I appreciate some of the stuff they put out. As far as "causes"...... well as far as what they thought about politics or war or whatever..... they were good musicians.

[SuziQ]

Oh my heavens, I feel old!!! I was just almost 13 years old when this album came out. “Fixing A Hole” is one of my favorites, and still one of the most plaintive songs I’ve ever heard. I still don’t have this one on CD; must rectify that. I’ll have my kids get it for me for my birthday in July!

[gridlock]

It is of some small satisfaction to me that, by an accident of my year of birth, in my dotage the last boomer will have finally died and we can all finally stop talking about the Sixties.

[Getready]

Great concept album, explored different musical styles,
emotions, world views ,etc...very advanced for
“roll-n-roll”....blew everyone away basically...
stretched all the limits...not my favorite album,
but I made sure I have a CD, cause it’s easily
the most creative (IMHO) “rock” album.

[GATOR NAVY]

It’s not the best Beatles and it’s still better than 90% of the crap that comes out now.

[Michael.SF.]

No doubt the Beatles had some excellent songs. But this album, perhaps their most influential (or memorial?) was, crap, except for a few songs (Lovely Rita, When I’m sixty four, She’s leaving Home come to mind). Other songs are quaint and catchy, but had they been put out by anyone other then the Beatles, they would have never broken the charts.<p.

[xzins]

I always was a Beatles fan and remain one.

I agree with you that their strength was in their melodies. They had a light, common touch, and really, they weren’t even rock and roll for the most part, although they could do rock and roll. They weren’t heavy or loud. Even their words weren’t that aggressive.

I think for the most part I’d describe them as hum-alongs, ditties, something like that.

[Blind Eye Jones]

Sgt Pepper is needed in Iraq to pepper spray al qaeda with something other than pepper or Beatle music... because all you need is Love ain’t cutting it with Iraqi freedom. In the end, a day in the life of a hero will never be sung on a Beatles album — even on the white album — because John Lennon only knew revolution as a cool BS Maoist slogan and he never had a real job to save his life...

If Lennon actually saved one life through his songs then fine, but he didn’t.

[Sir Clean Plate Club]

Yeah, not all of us are so sophisticated though.

[weegee]

The record that killed rock and roll. The Beatles playing as some other band and a lot of poor imitations from other bands followed.

Rock left and “artistic expression” began. What artwork would you point to in the last 40 years as culturally significant and a high point?

[weegee]

You CANT hum a rap tune because the hook is always lifted from some other hit song and looped looped looped.

RAP is spoken word. You might as well look for those holdouts reciting Jim Morrison’s POEMS.

[weegee]

John Lennon couldn’t even negotiate peace with his old PAL Paul McCartney. World peace begins on the personal level. He proclomation of “peace if you want it” requires that the ENEMY who don’t believe in concepts like “war crimes” lay down their weapons TOO.

[Mr. Blonde]

The Godfather?

[WL-law]

???? “killed rock and roll”? nonsense.

“A Day in the Life” and “A Little Help From My Friends” were certainly classics.

[Mr. Blonde]

I can’t ever get into The Beatles. Some of their stuff is alright, but give me The Rolling Stones any day of the week. I think I might have this CD because it is one you have to have to understand the history of rock as much as anything else.

[Michael.SF.]

If Lennon actually saved one life through his songs then fine, but he didn’t.

I would take exception to that, as I can think of one life he may have saved.

Yoko.

He was killed, left her his fortune. Without that, she would have starved to death and saved us all from her unmerciful screaming and lunatic rantings.