Tag Archives: A Day in the Life

March Madness Results – Top 1967 Album: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

16 Apr

We have a winner! The tournament’s #1 seed Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was not denied, and unlike my incorrect pick of #1 seed Duke in the 2011 March Madness tournament, Sgt. Peppers brought it home. Am I surprised by the results? No. Despite the list of 16 fantastic albums, Sgt. Peppers was arguably the best. It beat #3 seed Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix by only three votes. It was close, but so was the Duke vs. Arizona game, that ultimately led to Duke’s demise.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is widely considered as not only the Beatles‘ best album, but also the greatest album of the rock n’ roll era. The album was preceded by Revolver and it demonstrates musical elements that the Beatles were exploring in Revolver, like electronic sampling and creative instrumentation. Elements of Revolver were heard more in Magical Mystery Tour (a combination LP) and the culmination of the Beatles’ psychedelic experimentation resulted in the concept album that was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

An album is obviously defined by its track listing. A concept album is also defined by its order. The album’s first song, “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band,” is an invite into the magical world of the Beatles. The song sounds like the opening of a Broadway play. It is a tremendous concoction of melody, studio sounds, brass and rock. The song also seamlessly flows into track two, “With a Little Help From My Friends,” a traditional pop/rock Beatles’ hit. While Sgt. Peppers flows as a concept album, the music pieces psychedelic elements with the Beatles’ rock sound, but the psychedelic trinkets are more defined in some songs than others. It is this pleasant combination, mixed with the band’s unique efficiency, that makes Sgt. Peppers so successful.

Best song off the album? Is there any question. “A Day in the Life” provides listeners with one of the most original psychedelic pieces ever created. The song combines drawn-out verses and strange lyrics, with a fast-paced day breakdown and two of the most intense transitions ever heard in music. It is the David of rock music. Enjoy.


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The Elite 1967 Album Eight – VOTING BEGINS

20 Mar

The NCAA Men’s March Madness Tournament has been mercurial thus far. It is close to impossible to pick games correctly. Solid favorites have been outplayed by low-seeded teams. If your bracket is busted, do not fret. Welcome to the Music Court’s 1967 Album Tournament where you choose the best albums from 1967. We have just finished up our first round (16 albums) and we are on to our elite eight. For those who voted in the first round, thank you. If you are new to the tournament, please vote. I am eager to hear all opinions. Remember this cannot work if you do not vote. We begin the elite eight with two matches. The other two matches will be posted on Friday, March 25 and voting for the elite eight ends on Friday, April 1.

#1 seed: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles vs.  #9 seed John Wesley Harding by Bob Dylan

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, the consensus #1 seed in The Music Court’s 1967 album bracket pool flew by Always Free in The Beatles’ first round match (12-0). The album that features “A Day in the Life” will move on to face the upset winner in the 8 vs. 9 match-up, John Wesley Harding, which beat Aretha Franklin’s I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Dylan, who is keen to upsets, matches “A Day in the Life” with his “All Along the Watchtower.” Does he have enough to pull off a dramatic elite eight upset, or will he be blowing in the wind?

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#4 seed: Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles  vs. #5 seed: Disraeli Gears by The Cream

The Beatles do not like to lose. In a well-fought opening round match, Magical Mystery Tour (released only four months after #1 seed Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band), beat out the scrappy Velvet Underground and Nico 8-5. Disraeli Gears, a very strong five seed, crushed Pink Floyd’s debut album 10-2. Will Disraeli Gears stop the Beatles from having a guaranteed path into the finals, or will Magical Mystery Tour face its predecessor in the final four match? Magical Mystery Tour is perhaps more touted because of its artistic draw, but the track listing still does include “I Am The Warlus” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” two of the Beatles most psychedelic pieces. Clapton and The Cream do put up a fantastic fight with “Sunshine of Your Love” and “Badge,” two awesome blues/psychedelic fusion songs. This is going to be a battle.

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