Not only was Sargeant Peppers one of the greatest albums ever released but it also proved at a time when The Beatles were thought to be finished - dried up and all out of ideas - they were just getting started. The drama surrounding this album couldn't have been scripted any better if it had been a full length feature film. Take a rock band which had become the biggest and best of all time and had the world at its' young feet. Every album that they put out was critically and generally accepted as important with every song on each a gem in and of itself. Add to that the incredible cultural influence The Beatles had on the world and I do mean the entire world. They were bigger than life itself. There was so much press on this band constantly from the beginnings of Beatlemania right on up to the eve of Sargeant Pepper's release. It seems as though by the time the lull between The Beatles' last release (Revolver) and their then future release of Sargeant Peppers had extended itself, everyone was pretty much listening for the fall. You know the adage: the bigger they are the harder they fall? Rumours were spreading that The Beatles didn't have any more ideas. The logic was that no one could sustain the kind of career these 'boys' had sustained for that long and still have anything new or worthwhile to say. The rumours were helped by the long silence from The Beatles after Revolver. It did seem like aeons at the time, since they had released Revolver and given their prodigious production through the years, it just wasn't like them to "slow up" like that. In retrospect, McCartney claims that he had relished the press comments about The Beatles being finished and dried up, etc. at the time. This because he of course, was privy to what The Beatles were doing in the studio and the direction they were taking. Indeed, his personal attitude was, 'just you wait'. Of course, history tells us that The Beatles were far from being dried up and the praises which followed its release were astounding. Again the band that had changed life for everyone in the world, especially the young, were doing it again. Sargeant Peppers was the work of a very confident (maybe even cocky) band who refused to allow themselves to become prisoners of their own successes. So many could have and would have lived on their laurels having had one tenth the success these guys experienced. And quite frankly, it could have been justified if they had. However, The Beatles was a living, breathing, and growing organism the entire time of their existence. When they couldn't grow anymore, they imploded and that implosion served their position in history very well. They never became the parodies of themselves that it would have been so easy to become. They came, they sang, they went! Sargeant Peppers was another hallmark album in the string of those already achieved by the band and those which were still unborn but coming. If you haven't yet, you must. Don't miss out on what is still an incredibly enjoyable, wonderful album full of some of the greatest songs ever written. Again, like all things Beatles, there are no throwaway songs on this album.

People who are too young don't realize what a turning point in pop music history this album was. Released in June 1967, it changed the way musicians and people as a whole looked at albums. Before this release, with the exception of Revolver and Rubber Soul, most albums consisted of two or three hit songs and lots of filler. The Beatles raised the level of quality on albums to an art form. But the change was more pervasive. For better of for worse, it opened the gates for a new culture of drug-induced music. Let's face it, this album was a real experience under LSD, mescaline and even pot. The realm of time and space in a song form was creatively changed and also the concept of album art, production values and overall attitude. It was a landmark album, and although to many younger listeners it may seem dated, pretentious or weird, it was a historical cultural event that changed the course of pop music forever. It was said that it was influenced by Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys, another turning point in pop music. But Sgt. Pepper blew the lid off and made the "single", a thing of the past. Essential! An icon in music!

I purchased this album when it first came out, but somehow it wandered, I think my younger sister has it and never returned it. I have recently been buying some of the earlier Beatles albums, and wanted to add this, so I could listen to it on headphones. Apparently George Martin was still only using 4 track recorders at this point, so what he achieved was pretty amazing. The album still sounds as good as ever. I have my favourite tracks but it's all good stuff. Listening to all the earlier Beatles albums reminds me how far they were ahead of the other bands at the time, especially with the quality of their original songs. I think only Brian Wilson was doing stuff as good or better than the Beatles/George Martin combination.

Is there anything better than putting on the Beatles REALLY LOUD while you're alone in the house? You already know every song by heart and it feels fabulously good (like a foot rub or a neck massage at a nice hair salon) to sing loudly. I listen when I'm doing housework. How else could I possibly get through the tedium of vacuuming, dishes, laundry and scrubbing the grubby bathroom?

Phase 1 would be the "Mop-Top" "I Wanna Hold your Hand" part of their reign. Phase 2 really begins with RUBBER SOUL, continues thru REVOLVER and hits a zenith with this album. "Within You, Without You" has never been a favorite of mine (not crazy about sitars) but this album was supposedly a theme album but the actual interconnection only really last through the first three songs (the title song, "With A Little Help from my Friends" & "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"). Not that I'm complaining this is a solid effort by a band that had, at this point, really honed their skills to a new level. The same cannot really be said about the albums that follow (THE WHITE ALBUM has moments, LET IT BE was never able to reach the level of the vision that launched it and MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR is more a complilation of things not included on SGT PEPPER than anything else.) except for ABBY ROAD.

Oh sorry fools you are!! can't you see he's really really dead? too many clues, he's dead??

Joe Franks

this is the very first beatles album i bought. i like most every song on it and i didnt live through the 60s. a must have for rock'n'rollers everywhere!

The final two minutes of Sgt. Pepper is far and away the greatest finale in rock history. After John's lazy proclamation that he loves to turn you on (albeit facetiously), the band carouses into a whirlwind of cacophony with reckless drums and horns and noises into the climax, a sustained piano drone keyed by all the members, followed by a bunch of nonsense chatter by the band (it sounds like "never-oozy-awsa-ohna-wa"). In the history of rock music, there has never been anything like it before or since. As far as the rest of the album goes, it just about lives up to the hype. In the expansive oeuvre of the Beatles, Sgt. Pepper is not the best, but it is certainly the most famous album of them all and with good reason. The no-pause method between songs was a first. The album reached for being more than a collection of songs, but rather one contained unit, which remains vastly influential to this day (Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet being an example). The Beatles aimed for originality on Sgt. Pepper and they succeeded in spades. In songs like "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!" and "Good Morning Good Morning", they employed sound effects to serve the song rather than to show off, unlike some psychedelic bands of the time. The songs remained simple, but the concept did not, since the Beatles wanted to expand on the inventiveness of the previous year's Pet Sounds, which remains Paul's favorite album. Brian Wilson wanted to outdo Rubber Soul and Paul wanted to outdo Pet Sounds is how Sgt. Pepper came to fruition. Although John was the band's genius, Paul deserves the majority of the credit for Sgt. Pepper. It's as if a light bulb went on in Paul's head after he heard Pet Sounds. The basic theme of the album is that they are playing at a concert, until the riveting closing studio extravaganza of "A Day in the Life", which ranks second only to Revolver's "Tomorrow Never Knows" as the Beatles' most extraordinary album closer. The songs flow together cohesively and the album has actually aged very well. The reason Sgt. Pepper holds up is because of Sir George Martin's pristine, cutting-edge production, which amazes to this day. It ranks as one of the all-time great production jobs, rivaling Pet Sounds and the works of Phil Spector. Sgt. Pepper is not perfect however. All of the Beatles' albums have duds and on here the dud is "She's Leaving Home", masterfully conceived, played, and written, but sounds like a boring snooze-a-thon. Everything else is golden. Sgt. Pepper is a landmark album that changed the game forever. Legendary. A

Sgt. Pepper changed it all,after Revolver,The Beatles tried a different approach that changed Rock-n-Roll forever,not only the classical music,the whole concept of wearing band uniforms,the longer hair,each sporting facial hair,changing their whole image and not to mention the greatest cover in the history of Rock-n-Roll with wax celebrities in the background,Marilyn Monroe,Cassius Clay,Fred Astaire,Bob Dylan,Laurel and Hardy,the early Beatles,flat out ingenious and so is the timeless music,A Little Help From My Friends,Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,She's Leaving Home,Lovely Rita,Fixing A Hole,and When I'm Sixty Four,don't forget one of the most distinctive and famous intros on a rock song ever,a simple,yet powerfully affective drumbeat on the title track reprise of Sgt. Pepper,Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,enough said.

One of the best rock albums ever made. I have been teaching voice students from this album for years. These songs are so singable, catchy and just fantastic. Everyone who hears this album- no matter the generation will love them.

From its elaborate cover (the most expensive in LP history), to its printed inner-sleeve lyrics, to its (in the original LP issue, anyway) toy insignia cutouts, to its complete lack of 45-r.p.m. singles, "Sgt. Pepper", from the summer of 1967, was groundbreaking in many ways. The Beatles, already the most famous musical entity in the world, had retreated from touring the previous year and devoted themselves to the recording studio full-time. This was the result. The idea of an alter-ego to the group was originally Paul McCartney's; the other Beatles joined in the concept, creating a loose framework for a wide variety of material. Paul indulged his penchant for music hall ditties with "When I'm Sixty-Four"; John Lennon got both ethereal, with "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds", and earthy, in "Good Morning, Good Morning"; George Harrison's Indian absorption is reflected in "Within You Without You"; and Ringo, who always got at least one song to sing, sallies forth bravely as Billy Shears with a little help from his friends. It should be noted that "Pepper" was produced with the aid of hallucinogens, so the record, given its brilliance, can't really be used as an anti-drug argument. The rock album was born.

Giving away my age here,but I did have the vinyl LP many years ago. I reckon this was the Beatles defining album. This,in my opinion, was their pinnacle and it was all downhill(sadly) from here. Buy it, listen well and enjoy.

I had purchased this CD so as my wife turned 64 we could listen to the classic words of "Will you still love me when I'm 64?" Neither of the CD's delivered actually included the song with the original words. There were no words with the music. I was credited the purchase price back, but am puzzled why the version you stock is not the 'classic' original? Thank you if you can give any clarification. Walter Sleeth

This album is super sweet. I can listen to "Lovely Rita" over and over again. The only song that is kind of a bummer is "When I'm Sixty-Four". The only reason that I put what I did as my title is that many people think that this is the greatest record ever made, well I have news for them. The "White Album", "Rubber Soul", "Revolver", just to name a few. If you don't already own this, what are you waiting for, get it today.

The best from the BEST! When my Sgt. Pepper CD dissappeared I had to replace it! Although I still think listening to the original vinyl is the best way to savor this extraordinay album ... I NEED to be able to take my music with me. Amazon's price was fair and the shipping was fast.
Everyone should have a copy of this Beatles' classic.

What if, Paul Mcartney would make one last "BEATLES" record ?? All he has to do is REMASTER this album.......BUT.....add the 2 missing songs to this same album , with a different line -up. The famous "PENNY LANE" and "STRAWBERRY FIELDS" would be added. It was the biggest screw-up in rock and roll to leave them off.........SO FIX IT !!! Make this new album a SPECIAL RELEASE, seriously. Eveybody knows this album should have had those songs any-way. There's plenty of room on CD's. Heck, you can even leave off the "WITHIN YOU,WITHOUT YOU song ( Everyone hates it anyway ). This new ST. PEPPER album would be a great way for PAUL to end his career.....AND........He would actually FIX HISTORY.

I'm not much for worshipping sacred cows. I wouldn't call PET SOUNDS or DARK SIDE OF THE MOON masterpieces, even if "the experts" say that they are. And I don't really care if SGT PEPPER is the birth of modern pop music or important regarding the evolution of artrock.
I just think that the songs on SGT PEPPER are really good. Good enough to get 5 stars.

It's funny how history works. When it came out in 1967, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a seismic event. It was an instant cultural touchstone, a musical icon, a psychotropic chunk of pop art product that glistened with possibility and newness. It was, famously, the album that signaled the rise of rock `n' roll as an artform rather than a teenage flavor-of-the-decade. It was bold, energetic, and state-of-the-art. It was conceptual- even the packaging and cover art were part of the journey. It was innovative. In a visionary synthesis of Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson and Karlheinz Stockhausen, the Fab Four sought to combine experimentation and melody, innovation and whimsy, futurism and present...ism. It was the album that made it officially OK for popular artists to use tape loops and weird (read: non-European) instruments and genre hopping. Sure, other bands had been experimental before them, but the Beatles were the first megastars to do it over the length of a full album. Impressive.

So, I'm not going to deny the historical significance of this album. I'm not quite insane enough to do that. I won't try to refute its influence, either. But what I am going to complain about is its listenability. Its raw musical value, if you will. Evaluating music on an intellectual level is interesting and useful, but it's all academic if the stuff doesn't make for a good listening experience. And by that measure, the Beatles have done much, much better than Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

It hasn't aged all that well, you see. I can do without a lot of this stuff: "When I'm Sixty-Four" is a cutesy music hall exercise that, all these years later, sounds cheeky and not all that entertaining. "Lovely Rita" and "Good Morning Good Morning" sound absolutely generic, and "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" is (how do I put this delicately?) annoying and stupid.

Even some of the album's better songs aren't exactly top-drawer material: "She's Leaving Home" is sad and pretty, "Getting Better" is pleasantly bouncy (good lyrics, too), and "Within You Without You" shows off George's sitar fascination to trippy effect, but none of those three are particularly special. Same goes for the rocking title track.

But having said all that, I still do think that this is a pretty good album. If the review so far has seemed harsh, it's because I've learned to hold the Beatles to a pretty high standard. A five-star Beatles album (Rubber Soul, Revolver, etc.) needs to be saturated with pure gold. On this disc, I only count a few true gems. "A Day In The Life" is the shiniest. It's an absolutely gorgeous song, a symphonic tale of quiet desolation and muted melancholia. I also like the quintessentially psychedelic "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and the inexplicably delightful "Fixing A Hole."

Rock historians, Beatle maniacs, and those who are trying to collect all of the obvious touchstones of musical history should certainly pick this up. Otherwise, think twice.

Today pop music is an art. It's about being catchy, poignant, concise, poetic, and using production techniques to your advantage. A lot of that began with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but that's not necessarily why you should buy the album. You should buy it because it does it better most any other pop album out there.

It's an album about characters and people. It's about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, finding the ordinary in the extraordinary; taking simple emotions and amplifying them; taking human behavior and picking out the absurd and grotesque.

One of the first things I noticed upon revisiting this gem is how simple everything is. The songs are easy to listen to and they flow really well. But underneath the simplicity there's always a little something extra: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", which begins as a mellow psychedelic waltz, bursts into sparkling ebullient choruses suitable for marching band; "When I'm Sixty-Four" sounds like a simple lullaby for children, but the chorus and bridges reveal an air of cynicism that's surprisingly moving; on "Lovely Rita", even an ordinary meter maid becomes the subject of a dreamy albeit a bit sarcastic fantasy; "Good Morning" is an enthusiastic ode to the daily grind, revealing the hallowness of daily routine while increasing tempo to dizzying speeds.

Except for "Within You Without You", all the songs are concrete and straightforward studies about people, with individual elements and stereotypes isolated, magnified, and splayed before you for display. "Fixing A Hole" presents the lonely introspection of a man living by himself and locking himself and his mind from society; on "She's Leaving Home" we experience the frozen melancholy of two parents who awake to find their daughter gone.

But nothing's quite as it seems on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. As isolated human emotions bubble up in the melodies, it's clear that some characters in the human race aren't completely sincere. There's an underbelly to human beings. Some aren't to be trusted. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" presents a detached salesman of freaks and outcasts pitching his product in metered rhyme to the tune of exotic swirling carnival music. On another tune, an outcast with a bit of a temper optimistically proclaims that things are "Getting Better", while on the side revealing fragmented bits of his past, such as breaking rules in school and beating his wife.

However the music is so tightly constructed that you can listen to the entire album without noticing the mystery and neurosis of human nature. The music is that good, it just feels so natural, so right. But listen a little closer and you really will see how nothing is as it seems.

Only at the end of the album does a minute or two of symphonic dissonance jerk your mind from the pleasant superficialities of the melodies, beats and life in general. The last song, "A Day in the Life", is a meditation about a jaded yet heartfelt man who recounts the morning post's headlines: Some are disturbing (a politician blew his mind), others political (the English won another war), and others just business as usual (there are four thousand potholes in Blackburn, they all had to be counted) - all events are sung with equal emotion and import, as if they really weren't important at all. Daydreams and non-sequiturs in the song hint at feelings of escapism - but the song's world is bleak and apathetic. Concludes the singer - and the whole album - "I'd love to turn you on", followed by a cacophonous and insurmountable chaos of strings.

That's the message embedded throughout this album - there's people and places as normal, but there's also a veil of truth and mystery behind it all. The Beatles would love turn you onto it.

But it's not even The Beatles who are delivering this message, it's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - a make-shift ensemble whose band-members suspiciously resemble those of The Beatles. Once again, nothing's quite as it seems.

So when you buy this album - which I highly recommend - enjoy it for what it is: Great pop music, it's some of the best out there. Tap your fingers, dance a bit, feel your heartstrings pulled, and bob your head back and forth. But remember to look a little deeper: Think about the world. Think about what it means to be human, and what it means to be a person in this hackneyed world of ours. Look inward and think about who you are. Look outward and think about life.

Winning a Survey in England by a landslide as the Best Album Ever, this Beatles album does not disappoint. What a joy to hear all those songs again! These guys are Fab!

Formed in the early 1960s and continuing for a little less than a decade, The Beatles were and remain arguably the single most popular and single most influential rock band of the modern era. In 1967 the group released SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND. It exploded to the top of the music charts and remains their most widely-known title to this day, the answer the "average" person will give when asked to name a Beatles album. As such, it has a way of showing up in the top ten of critic's polls.

In 1967 the idea of a "concept" album was still fresh and new; the idea of mixing non-standard noise into songs to create music was very much an oddity; and the combination of baroque brass and electric guitar was very much out of the blue--not to mention the extremely eccletic way in which the band draws on everything from psychedelia to English musical hall. It was startling, innovative stuff. But there is sometimes a difference between "the most innovative" and "the best"--and over the years SGT. PEPPER'S reputation has begun to fade.

The album opens with three knock-outs that remain as fresh today as they were in 1967: the opening "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," a memorable mixture; "With A Little Help From My Friends," quite possibly the best cut from the recording and certainly the best of Ringo Starr's vocals; and the ultra-psychedelic "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." But thereafter the cuts become increasingly throw-away. "Getting Better" is nice enough, but it's pretty much McCarthy in likeable ya-ya mode, no better nor worse than a dozen other similar songs. "Fixing A Hole" is uninspired, and "She's Leaving Home" is an expertly written and performed mediocrity.

The line up reaches the bottom with two non-entities: "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," a carny-barker sales pitch without redeeming value, and "Within You Without You," which might best be described as George Harrison at his most self-indulgent. The band begins to crank up again with "Lovely Rita"--perhaps not a stand out in terms of The Beatles' overall work, but charming, amusing, and memorable nonetheless. "Good Morning Good Morning" is a sonic collage that either works or not, depending on your point of view--and then there is a rally with a reprise of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and the plantive, distinctly disconcerting "A Day In The Life."

When all is said and done, SGT. PEPPER'S really is a sort of hit-and-miss affair, at its best remarkably fine, at its worst dismissable in an eye-rolling sort of way. Much of the album's success was due to its timing: it was the perfect release for 1967. Unfortunately, it hasn't been 1967 for quite a long time now, and too many of the cuts simply haven't held up well enough for the album to continue to be regarded as "the best." Recommended, but it you're just beginning to explore The Beatles, this isn't really the place to start.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This alBUM and the beatles in general are way too over-rated! How can you people say this album is perfect without it having ONE GOOD METAL GUITAR PART! you people need to learn what GOOD music is.
I suggest: Dragon Force, Megadeth, and Death Cab for Cutie.

On June 1st 1967 this monumentum album was realesed. It was one of the first psychedelic albums too hit the shelves besides a few others. They spent 129 days recording this album. This album changed the way rock music was and changed the beatles entirely.
1. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, a great opener to the album. It has a good beat too it and is a great song, 5/5 stars
2. With A Little Help From My Freinds, another great song and is really upbeat and contains the lyrics, Oh i get high with a little help from my freinds. All in all a great song, 5/5 stars
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, a great psychedellic song containing very cool lyrics(The girl with kalidescope eyes follow her down...) Anyways great song and good organ in it and a nice beat, 5/5 stars
4. Getting Better, another good song though its not one of my faviortes on this album but still its a good song and deserves inleast, 4/5 stars
5. Fixing A Hole, another great psychedellic song. The guitar riff in this is extremely acid rock how its distorted and the drums all come in and everything. Although it may be short(2:39) it still is a great song, 5/5 stars
6. She's Leaving Home, another great song. Unlike some of the other songs on this album this one tells a story about a girl who runs away from home and when you listen too it you actullay see it happening in your head. Extremely good song, 5/5 stars
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!, this is a cool song. It's kind of like carnival music the beat and then the organ in it is carnival style. John Lennon got the idea for the song from and antique poster of a carnival, 5/5 stars
8. Within You Or Without You, a great sitar song. George Harrison wrote this song. A very indian styled song and there is a cool sitar solo in it. The lyrics are really indian flavored also and this is a great song, 5/5 stars
9. When I'm 64, a great upbeat song but is not psychedelic at all and dosent really fit with this album should of been realesed on an earilier album. Still though its a great song, 5/5 stars
10. Lovely Rita, another great song. The beat is really good and the lyrics are really good, 5/5 stars
11. Good Morning, Good Morning, another great song and this one has a cool beat to it what else is there too say, 5/5 stars
12. Sgt. Peppers(Reprise), cool version of this song, this version is the fast version and the lyrics are nice and simple all in all a great song but only a minute long, 5/5 stars
13. A Day In The Life, an extremely great song and the lyrics are really meaningful. Defenent;ay one of the highlight tracks on the whole album and in the end of the song has tons of weird noises, 5/5 stars
All in all this album maybe one of the greatest rock albums ever created and if you dont have this CD you need to buy it immediatly

This classic, historic album is great to have in CD form--the booklet, with additional background material is a tremendous bonus. The songs all hold up with time, George Martin's genius as arranger/producer is overwhelming and certainly more diverse than Phil Spector, who later "Spectorized" them out of existence when there was no more left of the Lennon/McCartney team.

You can't buy this on iTunes, and you'll want all of the words to the songs, so whether it's for the instant nostalgia created by the song of the title of this review or the devastating brilliance of "A Day in the Life" that never fails to jar you, make sure this CD is in your collection.

It's simple and it's good. I knew what I wanted. I found it on Amazon. I bought it at an excellent price. It arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. I am very pleased and happy with it. I give the product, price and service a 5 star rating. I will go back to Amazon again and again! Thank you for making life a little easier in a complicated world!

Saw them in concert, have all their LP albums in mint condition, I don't play them. CD's save my vinyl LP's.

By 1967 The Beatles had become a studio band only as they had stopped touring the previous year,and so began in late 1966 the 129 days session of what would become the "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" album.At the time of release the band didn`t know what reaction from fans to expect as this was a make it or break it album for them,they had lost some fans previously and the future was uncertain.All that stress for nothing,Sgt Peppers turned out to be an incredible album that was exeptionnal at the time of release in the summer of love in 1967.This was actually a concept album and an idea of Paul McCartney`s truly,who wanted The Beatles to be a totaly different band for this particular release and the rest of the band went along with it.It made them experiment with things and do some different stuff like George Harrison did on "Whithin You Without You" in wich he experimented with nearly indian music and diverse instruments.

That is not to say everybody agreed,Ringo said it was his least favourite Beatles album,but even they(The Beatles)didn`t realize how much of a masterpiece it was and it became one of the most praised rock albums of all time.It is ranked first on many lists of top albums(including the rock`n`roll hall of fame`s)so there is definatly something good about it.The album`s cover is what most people think of when you talk about the album,it was truly iconic at the time with all the celebrities on it,its impressive.For Sgt Pepper,what The Beatles did is say `hey why don`t we become a different band for this one?`and that`s what they did,for this album they were "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band".There was supposed to a chronological oder for the songs on the album according to Paul and `All the songs were already written and they just fitted in`,he said.Whatever the concept was or the order of the songs are,or were supposed to be its still a great album from beggening to end.

As one could expect the songwritting remains excellent as it was troughout most of The Beatles`s albums and singles.They always kept it simple on that point,but still great wich is better than a lousy song with brilliant writting.Only they could do a song about fixing a hole and still make a good song out of it,wich they did on this album,yet they can make songs with a meaning and a message in it like they can do just a fun song with no meaning at all.That`s the magic of The Beatles,everything they do seems to work,at least for them.Sgt Peppers has great songs like the classic "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"(often said to be about LSD tought John Lennon said it wasn`t),or "With A Little Help From My Friends" sung by Ringo Starr(who does a great job on it!),"Getting Better" is a great song as well and so is "For The Benefit Of Mr.Kite!".I don`t really need to go trough each song to tell you how amazing this album really is,you probably already knew it anyway!

Before this album,no one really considered rock`n`roll as art but with "Sgt Peppers" it all changed and it turned a few people`s head to see what was happening.This albums gets a lot of credit and its well deserved.Being a concept record it allowed them to be creative wich they certainly did,as some said those might be the most creative 129 days in the history of rock.In fact even the album`s sleeve was revolutionary!It changed the way other album sleeves were being made. The band had an unmatched impact on music and for the time it was Sgt Peppers was very important and put simply,this is a masterpiece,there is no denying it.Even if you like other Beatles albums more or you don`t even like them you have to understand that in the first place.I am conviced you will like Sgt Peppers and its definatly a must to any rock listener`s collection,you have to have this!All that can be said is that this album is truly great and it might not be The Beatles`s best but its certainly a masterpiece.5 stars at least!

Beside Abbey Road this is Beatles at their absolute best! (and you might even throw in Magical Mystery Tour as well) A must in all serious record-collections.

This album is nearly 41 years old. I was seven years old when it was realeased and i did not hear it until I was 11 in 1970. So I basically was a kid during its birth and initial popularity. However, I would have to say that at least eight songs on the album immediately grabbed hold of me. I am not going to analyse the songs. So many fans and critics have done that for many years already!

I try to think of what it was like being a late teen or in my early 20s in 1967. So much has been written about The Summer Of Love; most of it sounds like drug-induced crap. So here we are 40 years later and still this album generates more opinions than any other in the rock/pop world. Is it the greatest album ever released? Is it a time capsule of a particular moment in the history of music? Or is it a piece of work that has dated and is completely irrelevant to what is going on today?

As I have heard it many times over the years it is very hard to evaluate its merits. So I do try to imagine I am hearing it for the very first timne. The problem is that i have to block out everything I have heard since 1967 as music, production and technology has progressed so far since 1967.

Also it has to be compared to other Beatle albums and they had two home runs already with RUBBER SOUL and REVOLVER.

There are many firsts with Sgt. Pepper. Is this the first album that printed the lyrics of every song? Also is this the first album that contained Give-aways (probably collector's items today)? Then there was the opening out centre fold. Also the album never ended on the original LP as the closing groove on the vinyl contained some gibberish that kept repeating over and over unless you lifted the stylus. You have to hand it to The Beatles in that they always thought about their fans and always wanted to give value for money.

The major problem with this album is that you can analyze the songs and, apart from a few exceptions you might conclude that they are not that great. However, the album really excels when listened to in one sitting. It is only then that you realize that you have listened to 40 minutes that completely changed the way all forms of modern muisc have been composed; the concept, the production, the use of so many instruments, Indian, Orchestral, Live, Circus, Sound Effects, : it is all here.

If you ae still not convinced, I think that A Day In The Life is the one song of The Beatles that made me realize at a very young age that this was no ordinary group. It is one of the very few songs ever written that never ceases to amaze me; from George Martin's orchestral arrangemenat to John's unsettling lyrics superbly enhanced by Paul's jaunty but slightly nightmarish middle interjection. Let's face it. No-one else had done anything like this in the pop world and no-one else would ever dare to record this song as it cannot be improved upon. It is still one of the greatest compositions ever written by pop musicians. Innovative, graphic, very British and musically very adventurous. It made the Albert Hall more famous for its "holes" than for its concerts! The final piano chord has to be one of the most famous notes of music ever composed.

Revolver may have more lasting memorability and I love it equally. But SePLoHeCBa has a wonderful; voloptuous, psychadelic, sixties feel to it that it will always have a very warm special place in my heart. Listen to it all the way through one more time.

First off, let me say I AM a Beatles fan. I have owned everything they've ever released in one form or another, and a great number of solo releases
as well. So, this review is not coming from a Beatles hater or a casual fan. Sgt. Pepper is, in my opinon, the most over rated Beatles album they released. It has worn thin over the years. I can listen to Abbey Road, Rubber Soul, Revolver, or even Magical Mystery tour and never think "What's the Deal?" Not so with Sgt. Pepper. There are good songs, to be sure, but the overall effect is one of a band trying too hard to be different from thier previous albums. There were better albums released in 1967, including one by the Beatles themselves. Magical mystery tour, to be exact. At this point, I think the band was not acting like a band as much as a group of muscians trying not to SOUND like a band. I understand that the concept was to be SGT. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and not the Beatles. I get it. I just don't get why this album, more than any other Beatles release has endured. People go ga ga over this album in ways I just don't get. Sgt. Pepper didn't change popular music. "Please Please Me" did, and every Beatles album after that.
Pepper is over-rated. It's not their best work. That disticntion should go to Rubber Soul or Abbey Road.

For me, Sgt. Peppers and Pet Sounds are the two best albums of all time. And I would never put them in any particular order or compare them. For some Beatle-nuts it's really hard to warm up to Brian Wilson's glorious masterpiece. But both albums are ridiculously good... For there own separate reasons. Buy both, if you don't like Pet Sounds, then you have no heart. If you don't like Sgt. Peppers, you have no spirit. If you hate both, you have no soul.

WHAT CAN BE SAID. WHAT WORDS CAN EXPRESS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOST CREATIVE ALBUMS IN THE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC. FOR ME, IT HAS NOW BECOME, THE MONA LISA. SORRY IF YOU DON'T AGREE! I HAVE NOW BEEN LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM SINCE 1967. BEING ONE OF THE LUCKIEST BABY-BOOMERS TO GROW UP LISTENING AND LOVING THE BEATLES SINCE 1963! THIS ALBUM IS ESSENTIAL TO ANYBODY WHO LOVES MUSIC, AND LOVES CREATIVITY IN MUSIC. WHEN YOU HEAR PEPPER FROM THE START, YOU GO THRU A MARVELOUS AND WONDEROUS MENTAL AND STIMULATING ADVENTURE. THE ALBUM IS LIKE A STORY THAT MAKES YOU RELAX, AND MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT LIFE. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WITH SGT.PEPPER, AND IN TO " WITH A HELP FROM MY FRIENDS, "LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS" IS LIKE A STORYBOOK SONG. "GETTING BETTER" IS A POSITIVE STATEMENT THAT THINGS IN LIFE WILL BE BETTER! ONE OF MY FAVOURITES IS "FIXING A HOLE". THE SOUND OF PAUL'S VOICE AND HARPSICHORD IS STUPENDOUS! "BEING FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. KITE" ABSOLUTE GENIUS, THE SOUND OF A GREAT CIRCUS. ON SIDE 2 GEORGE MAKES US THINK A LITTLE AND TO REFLECT, "WITHIN YOU WITHOUT YOU". "WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR, YES PAUL WE STILL LOVE YOU. FINALLY "A DAY IN THE LIFE" THE FINAL SONG AND THE PEAK OF GENIUS! I HOPE THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TODAY WILL OPEN THEIR MINDS AND TRY TO APPRECIATE GREATNESS! JUST BECAUSE IT IS OLD DOES NOT MAKE IT BAD OR UNENJOYABLE! I GREW UP ADMIRING HUMPHREY BOGART AND HE HAD PASSED WHEN I WAS TWO. I REALLY RECOMMEND TO ALL YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE, TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT! IT SURE IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT THE FABS MADE MY LIFE WORTH LIVING,LONG LIVE THE FAB 4!

CRASH CRADDOCK says:
"Released in the summer of 1967, this record changed everything. The Beatles in a creative breakthrough, all the songs are good on their own, or listen to it all the way through, and see how it flows."

The Beatles (The White Album)

Abbey Road

A Hard Day's Night

Rubber Soul

Revolver [UK]

The Beatles - Complete Scores

Help!

Magical Mystery Tour

Let It Be

Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles

When you listen to Sgt. Pepper for the first time your listening to not just the Beatles but a Generation growing up. The music industry changed the day this album was released. When I first listened to this album I didn't know whether to love it or hate it. It was not the Beatles I was use to listening to. About the third playing I "got it." I wore my first copy out in about a week. My advice, listen to this cd deeply. There is so much going on. If you listen to Beatle albums just before they did Sgt. Pep you could hear something brewing. Rubber Soul and Revolver are pointing us to the explosion of awareness that was about to happen. If you don't know who George Martin is take the time to find out. It was his genius that made this album revered among all music lovers. Cuts from this album have been covered by every genre of music on the earth. And when you get this album put your headphones on relax and float upstream.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) is everything they say it is, and more. The Greatest Album Of All Time on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time list? Sgt. Pepper. It is no less than a masterpiece. A colorful, artistic masterwork. It's cohesive, well written, perfectly performed and thoughtfully produced. By using the most advanced recording techniques of the day to cut picturesque and heartwarming songs, The Beatles and producer George Martin created a historically influential artistic triumph of gigantic proportions.

Sgt. Pepper is a concept album where The Beatles become a fictitious band of musicians, and their variety show becomes a psychedelic trip into the unknown and then back again. George Martin told The Beatles to "think symphonically" during the making of the Revolver album, and they took that suggestion a step further with Sgt. Pepper. The album contains some of their greatest songs including the title song and it's companion, With A Little Help From My Friends, which is sung by Ringo. Both are classic songs that are loved all around the world. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is another Beatles classic, and an imaginative musical journey into a psychedelic wonderland. George Harrison's Within You Without You is an interesting Indian classical music work that features the sitar. It's one of George's best songs, and was a favorite of John Lennon's. The Hindu influence is evident in the musical meditation.

When you see beyond yourself, then you may find
Peace of mind is waiting there
And the time will come when you see that we're all one
And life flows on within you and without you

She's Leaving Home is a symphonic and heart-wrenching saga of a lonely girl moving out of her parent's home in the early morning hours while everyone's asleep. The distracted parents loved their little girl, but buying her gifts was the only way that they expressed that love. At the end of her childhood, the daughter began to feel empty and unhappy. The song handles this sensitive subject very thoughtfully, without bitterness or cruelty towards the parents or their daughter.

Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing gown
Picks up the letter that's lying there
Standing alone at the top of the stairs
She breaks down and cries to her husband,
"Daddy, our baby's gone!"

The song is way too underrated, and an eloquent piece to the album's puzzle. The melodic guitar rock of Getting Better, the jazzy contentedness of Fixing A Hole, and the circus-like unreality of Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite all are artistic, atmospheric, and high-spirited songs that add to the intrigue of this psychedelic musical adventure. When I'm Sixty Four is an old fashioned clarinet jingle that's a cozy little love song and a lot of fun, too. Good Morning Good Morning is a cool rocking collage of animal sounds and street images, past and present. John and Paul's classic collaboration A Day In The Life closes the album brilliantly, and is one of The Beatles greatest songs. John's wry genius is on display as he thoughtfully recounts the events of a day in the life.

I saw a film today, oh boy
The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look
Having read the book
I'd love to turn you on

The songs aren't really connected by a common theme except that they are all a colorful part of this unusual trip into the psychedelic world of The Beatles. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the quintessential Beatles album, the one that defines the nature of The Beatles as a group more effectively than any other. It perfectly highlights the four different characters of the group's talented members, and it was a wonderful place in time and in the history of The Beatles. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

"It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play..."