Ladies and gentlemen, the number 7 proudly presents the last album in the 365, Album of the Day 2014 blog, drum roll please:
The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Applause Applause.
Gonna try with a little help from my friends.
It has taken 364 days for us to arrive at this moment. As I have mentioned in other posts throughout the year, #365AOTD 112 and #365AOTD 221, my Mount Rushmore of bands consist of Talking Heads, Phish, Grateful Dead and today’s final entry, The Beatles. It only seemed fitting to end my year long project with the greatest band ever and greatest album ever made. Don’t even try to argue against “The Greatest” moniker because it is a factual truth. I have been referring to a couple of the Rolling Stone Magazine’s Greatest, fill in the blank, lists, particularly the 500 Greatest Albums List, for this blog. Yes, there are many occasions where they are dead wrong and I get annoyed at them. But there is zero doubt in my mind that they were not mistaken when they gave The Beatles the top slot, that’s number one people, in both the Greatest Album of All Time and Greatest Artist of All Time Lists. And if that isn’t impressive enough, let’s look a little closer at the 500 Greatest Albums List, shall we? They have ten records that make the list; 2 in the top 100, 1 in the top 15, 1 in the top ten, and 3 in the top 5. Excuse me? 4 total in the top ten of greatest albums ever? 3 IN THE TOP 5, including number 1? Holy Nitro Glycerin, Batman! And if this doesn’t blow you away, here are some other Beatles’ stats to chew on: “The best-selling band in history, the Beatles have sold between 600 million and (at EMI estimates) over 1 billion units worldwide. They have had more number-one albums on the British charts, fifteen, and sold more singles in the UK, 21.9 million, than any other act. As of 2012, they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with twenty. The Recording Industry Association of America certifies that the Beatles have sold 178 million units in the US, more than any other artist. ^ Still not convinced? Then I shall make this argument instead. Even if you just don’t care for their music, they are the most influential band in history. There are no contemporary musicians who haven’t been impacted by The Fab Four. And I just don’t mean rock or pop music either, I mean everything from Country to Jazz, Hip-Hop, R&B and even classical. From 1963, the year of their first record, “Please, Please Me,” until 1970, they not only changed the game drastically, they did it twice. When they burst onto the music scene in the early 60s their music was fresh and new. Their song structures could be non-standard, however they were still catchy pop tunes and they monopolized the charts. Many of these numbers are iconic and are etched in millions upon millions of peoples’ consciousness. Then, in 1965, they met Dylan. This meeting changed the course of music history forever. And I am not overstating this. Bob Dylan introduced them to marijuana. Whether you believe in drug use or not, I personally have been sober for ten years, the fact remains that The Beatles’ music changed because of their subsequent drug use. From their 1965 release, “Rubber Soul,” and until their ultimate break-up in 1970, their musical output was nothing short of amazing. I am in awe of the entire Beatles’ catalogue of work, but those five years leave me pretty speechless. During the midst of this extraordinary creative period, the monumental “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released. Nothing was ever the same again.
For the benefit of Mr. Kite, there will be a show tonight on trampoline.
A conceptual album featuring a fictitious band and consisting of 13 tracks, “Pepper” showcases why The Beatles are held with such high regard and esteem. The record’s sound is versatile and covers many musical landscapes like pop, psychedelic rock, art rock, classical and Hindustani. Each song is a narrative of sorts and offers why Lennon and McCartney were two of the greatest songwriters to ever compose. Shout out to Harrison’s writing contribution to “Pepper” with the often under appreciated Within You, Without You. I have always been drawn to the lyrics of this song:
“…When you’ve seen beyond yourself then you may find
peace of mind is waiting there
and the time will come when you see we’re all one
and life flows on within you and without you.”
The rest of the Lennon and McCartney numbers are a potpourri of perfect pop: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help From My Friends, Lucy in the Sky With Diamond, Getting Better, Fixing a Hole, She’s Leaving Home, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, Good Morning Good Morning, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) and A Day in the Life.
What else can I really say about this legendary masterpiece? It belongs in a museum with other fine works of art. Luckily we can touch, taste, smell, see and hear “Pepper” and all Beatles’ music for that fact any time we want. This is one of the greatest blessings of the technological ages we live in. For this I am extremely grateful. I can carry in my pocket or purse The Beatles and the rest of my Mount Rushmore of bands plus anything else I want and listen at leisure, will or necessity. Praise God.
My mother had The Beatles’ self titled record, “The White Album,” when I was kid. This was my introduction to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. I was a fan at the age of 7. She also had many other worthy albums in her collection of vinyl. I owe a great deal of my passion for music to her. As this project comes to an end, I can’t help but think about her and others’ musical influence on me. Music is like water for me. Without it, I will die. Thus, this year doing an album every day has been, amongst a myriad of things, quite quenching. I will be writing a #365AOTD year in review in the next day or two. Until then, I will take a minute to announce #365, Photo of the Day 2015; One Year, 365 different photos. I have to do this again every day for a year? What am I thinking?
Goodbye 2014.
^http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles#Awards_and_achievements
365, Album of the Day 2014 