Note: the CD I listened to was the 2009 remaster which uses the US track listing.
I recently spent 53 minutes with the 2012 Blu-Ray version of the 1967 "film" and was left wondering what the hell I watched. LSD must be a heckuva drug, huh? I even watched a few minutes of the "making of" special feature which consists of interviews with involved persons trying to talk themselves into believing it was a good project. Paul, the obvious force behind the effort, does his best to deflect responsibility. Ain't nobody buying what you're selling, folks. Let's move on to the music, because the songs deliver where the show does not.
Of the 11 tracks on the album, 7 appear on the "blue" compilation from 1973, so I suppose I purchased this CD for three reasons: 1) the four other tunes, 2) to feed the completist within me, and 3) I had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket (if I don't spend those things immediately upon receipt, I forget about them completely). It's a great collection of singles that doesn't hold up as an album but the singles are so good it doesn't matter. Plus it's The Beatles so there ya go.
As an aside, I was listening to The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM this week - as one does - and thought to myself, "Why don't I ever get tired of these tunes?" And they show no sign of letting up: when my youngest son (then in his early 20s) got a turntable for as a Christmas gift, he either already had a vinyl copy of Revolver ready to go or it was one of his first purchases.
As mentioned in the hype sticker picture above, the disc included a mini-documentary. To watch, I had to install the discontinued Quicktime framework. The mini-doc clocks in at 3½ minutes and, much like the film itself, is hardly worth your time. Also included in the packaging is a booklet with lots of photos, historical notes, some (but not all) song lyrics, and the original color story illustrations in the comic strip style from cartoonist Bob Gibson.
Press of the time:
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1
Tracks:
11 tracks, 36½ minutes. I enjoy most all of them and am singing along as I write these words. George's Blue Jay Way doesn't do much for me and I'd describe Flying as a psychedelic take on 12-bar blues with no solos. Your Mother Should Know is classic McCartney while Baby You're A Rich Man is rockin' stomper which peaked at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In the summer of 1979, I purchased the aforementioned "blue" compilation at the local K-Mart and was introduced to many of these tunes. Possibly the most influential album purchase of my young life up to that point although I'm sure I didn't get the drug references of Magical Mystery Tour or understand the bizarre studio innovation of I Am The Walrus.
Press of the time:
- High Fidelity: "arrangements have become increasingly sophisticated both in terms of instrumentation and in the masterful blending of electronically produced or altered sounds."
- Billboard: "The Beatles have a non-psychedelic disk here."
- Record Mirror: "another example of a subject in which the Beatles have been able to exercise their vivid imaginations."
- CashBox: "Colorful arrangements, haunting melodies, buoyant rock and fanciful lyrics"
- Stereo Review: "phony, pretentious, overcooked tripe"
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1
Tracks:
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In the summer of 1979, I purchased the aforementioned "blue" compilation at the local K-Mart and was introduced to many of these tunes. Possibly the most influential album purchase of my young life up to that point although I'm sure I didn't get the drug references of Magical Mystery Tour or understand the bizarre studio innovation of I Am The Walrus.
When I was a senior in high school, the band director put together a halftime show with a magic theme. Entertainment included band members performing magic tricks while the band marched behind them (your humble blogger pulled plastic flowers out of his sleeve). An arrangement of Magical Mystery Tour opened the show, followed by other tunes such as the standard That Old Black Magic and a Top 40 tune of the time, You Can Do Magic, by America. Pure cheese.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Previously revisited for the blog:
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