Best Beatles' Album Ever
In the Music Issue blog, Petrovich made the very controversial statement that the most perfect Beatles album was not Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but was in fact 
Abbey Road. Now Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, is not only usually considered the Beatles best album, but is widely considered the best album ever. Is it though?
My favorite Beatles albums are Revolver and Rubber Soul; the middle albums combining the young Beatles with the later experimental Beatles. But Petrovich is correct that they aren't perfect. Rubber Soul has 3 of my all time favorite Beatles songs with "In My Life", "Norwegian Wood", and "I'm Looking Through You." But baby you can "Drive Me Car" is unforgivable and eliminated Rubber Soul from perfect status immediately. Revolver, likewise, can't be in the running after the annoying "Tax Man", vapid "Yellow Submarine," and pointless "Good Day Sunshine."
But I don't agree with Petrovich about Abbey Road. It is hard to find a bad song (although "Mean Mr. Mustard" is pretty stupid) but I was never blown away by it. To me, it seems like a very good solid album, but not ground breaking. And maybe here is where the conversation shifts to, what makes a perfect album? In my opinion, every song does not need to be incredible, but none should be so bad you have to skip it. It also needs to work together as an album, not as a collection of different good songs. Finally, it should be considered greatly influential and this is where Sgt Pepper's pulls away from Abbey Road.
I think Sgt. Pepper's accomplishes all of the requirements. Every song is good, they work together as a whole (I love that even though it's considered their best album, not a single song from it made The Beatles: 20 Greatest Hits), and it had an astronomical impact on the music world. I'm sure someone with more musical knowledge than me will find an obscurer one, but to my knowledge Sgt. Pepper's was the first concept album (even if that concept does not seem all that revolutionary now- the Beatles as a different band! Crazy!) . From the cover art to the theme to the music, this album transcended the border between music and art. And let's not forget that it ends with their best song ever, "A Day In The Life."
Questioning Sgt. Pepper's #1 status is sacreligious in some music circles. And it is important
that we relisten and question what critics and the generation before us tell us. But with Sgt. Pepper's the critics were right. It seems the first modern-day Album was also the best album.
Abbey Road. Now Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, is not only usually considered the Beatles best album, but is widely considered the best album ever. Is it though?My favorite Beatles albums are Revolver and Rubber Soul; the middle albums combining the young Beatles with the later experimental Beatles. But Petrovich is correct that they aren't perfect. Rubber Soul has 3 of my all time favorite Beatles songs with "In My Life", "Norwegian Wood", and "I'm Looking Through You." But baby you can "Drive Me Car" is unforgivable and eliminated Rubber Soul from perfect status immediately. Revolver, likewise, can't be in the running after the annoying "Tax Man", vapid "Yellow Submarine," and pointless "Good Day Sunshine."
But I don't agree with Petrovich about Abbey Road. It is hard to find a bad song (although "Mean Mr. Mustard" is pretty stupid) but I was never blown away by it. To me, it seems like a very good solid album, but not ground breaking. And maybe here is where the conversation shifts to, what makes a perfect album? In my opinion, every song does not need to be incredible, but none should be so bad you have to skip it. It also needs to work together as an album, not as a collection of different good songs. Finally, it should be considered greatly influential and this is where Sgt Pepper's pulls away from Abbey Road.
I think Sgt. Pepper's accomplishes all of the requirements. Every song is good, they work together as a whole (I love that even though it's considered their best album, not a single song from it made The Beatles: 20 Greatest Hits), and it had an astronomical impact on the music world. I'm sure someone with more musical knowledge than me will find an obscurer one, but to my knowledge Sgt. Pepper's was the first concept album (even if that concept does not seem all that revolutionary now- the Beatles as a different band! Crazy!) . From the cover art to the theme to the music, this album transcended the border between music and art. And let's not forget that it ends with their best song ever, "A Day In The Life."Questioning Sgt. Pepper's #1 status is sacreligious in some music circles. And it is important
that we relisten and question what critics and the generation before us tell us. But with Sgt. Pepper's the critics were right. It seems the first modern-day Album was also the best album.
posted by chuckdaddy2000 at 9:43 am
2 Comments:
Rubber Sole was my "sole" (pun intended) foray into classic rock. Norwegian Wood is a fabulous song and not unconsequently the title of my fav novel by Murakami. I also love "I'm looking through You." It's such a solid, touching album without being the slightest bit pretentious. I do love Abbey Road for the amazing song "Here Comes the Sun" (embarrassingly this is the song I sing to myself when I am feeling depressed) but I find Polythene Pam and Mr. Mustard seed too late 60's burner for my taste.
What about the White Album?
I don't mind Harrison's sitar songs. It is true that they are not great songs, and "Within You Without You" certainly don't fit the theme of Sgt. Peppers. Still, it serves to remind us about the Maharishi faze. And speaking of drug songs...
I agree that "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite" doesn't wuite work, but it is not prohibitively bad or distracting.
I totally disagree with Petroflash about "A Day In The Life." I like Paul's addition and think the song needed some sort of break from the earlier strong Lennon Parts. But comparing Paul's section to "Drive My Car" (beep beep beep beep Yah!), is ridiculous.
M-Bombina, I think some people do like The White Album the best, and there are some great songs on it, but to me it was always the opposite of Pepper's; an unplanned sprawling untight 2 albums. I love that they did it, but I don't think it can be in the competition.
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