The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour, 1967
Label: Parlophone
Producer: George Martin
Released a mere six months following the incredible achievements made by the magnum opus that was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour proved to be a vibrant and entertaining, albeit streamlined, extension of the psych-pop sounds explored on its predecessor. After all, any album forced to follow up such a groundbreaking moment in popular music history would carry an unenviable task; matching such success and cultural impact was simply not possible even for a Fab Four release. Nevertheless, despite this fact and that the album also follows the split-soundtrack format of earlier releases like A Hard Day’s Night and Help! (or in the UK, a “double-EP”), Tour is a thrilling and perhaps surprisingly cohesive record. The band once again paints with their broadest strokes, and the assortment of cuts from the same-titled and misunderstood film and solid, recent singles likewise offer more wondrous glimpses of the band’s expanding lyrical and sonic palates.
Rich psychedelic pop-rock remains the order of the day for much of the record, and it has yet to overstay its welcome. The opening title track once again combines the varying vocal idiosyncrasies of both John Lennon and Paul McCartney to tremendously infectious affects. The results play like a trippy carnival ride, with Lennon’s haunting turns providing layers of mystery before McCartney arrives to comfort us all with a celebratory hook and chorus. It’s all married together by production that continued to push the boundaries of conventional rock and pop. Elsewhere, the contributions of George Harrison’s ever-expanding canon continued to grow more stunning with the continued exploration of Indian sounds and flat-out druggie influences in “Blue Jay Way”, an undeniable gorgeous and alluring musical fog.
However, it’s two Lennon masterpieces that follow on the singles side of the album that truly represent this album’s importance in the timeline of psychedelic rock. If the Pepper’s record was the ultimate arrival for the sub-genre, then classics like “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “I Am the Walrus” prove to be the its glorious confirmation that it wasn’t merely a passing moment. “Fields” was originally intended for Pepper’s and there’s no denying it would have fit in perfectly. The emphasis of mellotron and revolutionary experimentation of reverse recording techniques combine with the beautiful presence of classical instruments like cello and trumpet to create an undeniably gorgeous gem. Conversely, “Walrus” proved to be one of the band’s most infamous and widely debated moments. Loaded with heavy dozes of oblique Dylan-esque lyrical wonders, suggestive yet misleading symbolism, and Lennon’s viciously bizarre and doom-lit vocals, the record completely consumes its listener and leaves them deliberately bewildered. The commanding production is similarly nonsensical and weirdly beautiful. It’s arguably the band’s most fascinating moment.
With such revolutionary moments residing on the record, it may seem quaintly unbalanced on paper to observe some of the more pop-leaning moments (prominently from McCartney) that populate the remainder of the album. However, the results actually make for a splendid and appreciated balance. Besides, there’s no denying the weight and depth to even some of McCartney’s cheekiest moments. Who else could make the vaudevillian bent of a lightweight track like “Your Mother Should Know” sound hip in the midst of all the heaviness dominating the late 60’s rock climate? And there’s an overlooked sophistication to the orchestral arrangements which populate a deliriously catchy smash like “Hello Goodbye”. Meanwhile, “The Fool On the Hill” stands as one of the most unappreciated gems in the band’s canon, once again expanding the subject matter of their work past that of love and romantic relationships. And then there’s the classic hit, “Penny Lane”, a track that triumphs in so many ways as both a composition and a production. The smiling performance, charming stories, and vivid imagery and characterizations joyously transport the listener in what is perhaps the most cinematic piece in their entire catalog. It’s the type of pure Beatles joy that was perhaps a bit more rare at this point, but still just as powerful and impactful as it had always been.
And thus cues the iconic closer of Magical Mystery Tour. “All You Need Is Love” would prove to be the definitive anthem of the preceding Summer of Love of 1967. Again for all the glorious experimentation that defined the Beatles’ work at this point, it’s this simple yet moving ode to universal love and acceptance that ultimately rises as one of their greatest contributions of the period. This was further punctuated by its debut performance on the groundbreaking Our World global TV special, which featured guests like Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton providing backing to Lennon’s delicately frank but passionate delivery. The true icing on the cake however was the finale’s call back to their breakthrough hit, “She Loves You”, providing a stunning reminder as to how naively innocent their early music was in comparison at this point, as well as how joyously powerful it remained nonetheless.
Vibrant, beautiful and spell-binding in all its musical wonder and stacked with a powerhouse ensemble of excellent tracks, Magical Mystery Tour was another tremendous entry in The Beatles’ continually evolving mid-60’s period. Again, it’s easy to overlook the record simply because of what it followed but it accomplishes what few could have dreamed possible in that it provided a suitable sequel to Sgt. Pepper. If ever there was a dark horse selection for a classic album in the Beatles’ library, this one is surely it.
Track Listing
- “Magical Mystery Tour” (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
- “The Fool On the Hill” (Lennon, McCartney)
- “Flying” (Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)
- “Blue Jay Way” (Harrison)
- “Your Mother Should Know” (Lennon, McCartney)
- “I Am the Walrus” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 Single Release
- “Hello, Goodbye” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 Single Release
- “Strawberry Fields Forever” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 Single Release
- “Penny Lane” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 Single Release
- “Baby, You’re A Rich Man” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 B-Side Release
- “All You Need Is Love” (Lennon, McCartney) *1967 Single Release
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