Tag Archives: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

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 Finals – What 1967 Album Will Reign Supreme?

9 Apr

The 1967 Album Tournament has spilled over March and has entered into April, but despite its lasting power it is not going to be around for much longer. That’s right, the finals are among us. And, unlike the droning Butler vs. UCONN Men’s College Basketball Final, I envision a solid match between two deserving albums. Voting for the final round will remain live until Friday, April 15, when the Music Court will crown the winner. Thank you to those who have voted thus far, but your favorite album still needs your votes.

The #1 seed, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, has not experienced any problems wasting its opponents. It is the perennial 1967 powerhouse. It defeated #5 seed, Disraeli Gears, handily and seems ready for its next challenge. But, will it experience issues going up against the upset winner of the #2 vs #3 battle. In a last second vote to break the tie, #3 seed, Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience , beat The Doors by The Doors and moved on to the finals. Jimi Hendrix vs. The Fab Four. The battle of two psychedelic albums with different sub-genres. What album will bring home the prize. The Beatles’ complex psychedelic masterpiece or Hendrix’s passionate psychedelic blues adventure. It is up to your votes.

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The Sick Post – Vote for 1967 Album Final Four

5 Apr

The Ramones wrote, “You sound like you’re sick, You look like your sick too,” for their song “You sound like you’re sick.” Well, I not only sound and look like I am sick, I feel like I am sick. Fever, stomach ache, coughing – the whole smörgåsbord of being sick. So, in between my bouts of sleeping, I wanted to throw together a post for the blog, as to not leave faithful viewers hanging. So, lets get to a song whose title describes an annoyance I have been dealing with today.

Here is “Fever” by Little Willie John:

While Peggy Lee is generally thought of when mentioning “Fever,” the song was originally written by Eddie Cooley and John Davenport and first recorded by Little Willie John in 1956.

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Please vote in the Music Court 1967 Best Album Final Four. Sgt. Peppers has taken a commanding lead over Disraeli Gears, but The Doors and Are You Experienced are neck and neck. Your favorite album needs your votes.

https://musiccourt.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/1967-best-album-march-madness-the-final-four/

 

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1967 Best Album March Madness – The Final Four

2 Apr

We have made it to our own final four. I wish I could say that we have a VCU and Butler in our distinguished four, but, the tournament has not seen many upsets. While many great albums were released in 1967, only a few were extraordinary, and of those we have our final four. Voting ends on April 8 and then we will have our two. Will the #1 seed and #2 seed remain or will we see a disturbance in the chalk.

#1 seed: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles vs. #5 seed: Disraeli Gears by The Cream

The #1 seed Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band continues to move on in our voting. In the elite eight it beat Dylan‘s John Wesley Harding by nine votes. But, will it be able to get past the #5 seed (highest left in the tournament) which is coming off the heels of upsetting Magical Mystery Tour. Do I smell a little revenge from the Beatles for the last match? Voting time.

 

 

 

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#2 seed: The Doors by the Doors vs. #3 seed: Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

The battle of the #2 and #3 seed. A classic match of awesome albums. We have the Doors eponymous first album first. The album wrecked Surrealistic Pillow, ending Jefferson Airplane’s chances of a Cinderella run. Are You Experienced did the same with Strange Days, also by the Doors. Another potential revenge battle.

Here we go…Vote for your favorites

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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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