re: Magical Mystery Tour is a better album than Sgt Peppers

Let's go song for song, with the best to worst (my personal ranking)

1. WALRUS/STRAWBERRY (could go either way)> A DAY IN LIFE

2. WALRUS/SFF> LUCY

That puts MMT out to a quick 2-0 lead

3. Penny lane> help from friends

4. All you need is love> mr kite (can't really decide a 4th best)

5. Getting better> fool on hill

6. St pepper/reprise> MMT

7. She's leaving home> hollow goodbye

8. Lovey Rita> baby rich man

9. 64> your mother

10. Good morning > blue jay way

11.that leaves only fixing a hole, within u without u, and flying, that's a wash

So, while starting strong MMT falls flat on its face

SGT PEPPER wins 6-4

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, even if it's wrong. If Sgt. Pepper's had been a bust, a lot of the songs on Magical Mystery Tour might not have been recorded. It was kind of a sequel to one of the most successful, iconic, and paradigm shifting albums of all time. MMT definitely has some songs that are Pepper worthy but it also has some that aren't.

I've been a Beatles fan since before I turned 10 and I love all their songs. I grew up with hand me down 45's and early albums from my dad's second wife and an aunt. I got the red and blue greatest hits albums as gifts. Sgt. Pepper's was the first album I ever bought with my own money. Within You Without You is my all time favorite song by any artist. And as far as passing the acid test goes, Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road do in spades. I'm not sure I ever even gave MMT the exam.

If you like the songs on MMT better than SP, that's cool. I disagree. But Sgt. Pepper's was a phenomenon. It was to rock music what Citizen Kane was to film. It was revolutionary. It changed the industry. The Beatles didn't invent psychedelic music, or the concept album, or even album oriented rock. But they legitimized it and made it mainstream. Sgt. Pepper's introduced the greater public to the idea of the album as a work of art to be consumed in its entirety and not just for a few hit songs. And it forever destroyed the boundaries of what rock music could be. Yes, it was foreshadowed by Rubber Soul and Revolver. But Sgt. Pepper's was the full realization. Listen to just about any other rock artist at the time and there is a noticeable difference between their work pre- and post-Pepper.

Also, A Day In The Life might be the best closing song of any album ever, certainly in the Beatles catalog. Great movies and great albums have great endings. And it doesn't get much better than ADITL.

quote:

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Not sure if serious

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Completely serious. I especially like how it can be interpreted differently whether you define "without you" as being 'outside of you' or 'in your absence.' And the sound of the sitar and tablas are awesome. It's an amazing composition. Go George.

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I am the Walrus

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I agree with you. MMT seems a more polished, better executed effort to me. I get that Sgt. Pepper was groundbreaking, but I don't really get the love for it's MUSIC over MMT. In my opinion, MMT is clearly superior in that category.

Question:

If Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane ended up on SPLHCB like they were intended, would you consider it better?

Is the best song from either album better than Wonderwall?


Nahhhh.