The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour

Magical Mystery Tour

The album was first issued in USA in November 1967. The songs are culled from a UK 6-song double-EP set (soundtrack to the 1-hour television film "Magical Mystery Tour") and 5 cuts from the three singles issued in 1967.

The sound is very much in the vein of "Sgt. Pepper". But unlike "Sgt. Pepper", there's no thematic unity to the materials; therefore, the new album suffers slightly in compariso0n.

But the music is still great, with songs from their singles like "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Penny Lane", "Hello Goodbye" and "All You Need Is Love". And the ballad "The Fool On A Hill" from the film soundtrack is also one of the greatest Beatles songs.

Although this album topped the USA chart, it did not do so well in UK album chart when it was released later (in cassette) in Britain. Sales must have been affected by the results of the "repetitive" double-EP set and the 3 singles released earlier.

All songs composed by Lennon-McCartney except where noted.

The first six songs are from the double-EP set:

1. Magical Mystery Tour: The opening track features Paul on lead vocal and he joins John and George in the backing too. John is on acoustic guitar while Paul doubles on piano. Ringo plays a solid drum beat and adds in tambourine for good measure. This track also featurs three trumpets played by session musicians.

2. The Fool On The Hill: Paul is on solo vocal and he accompanies himself on piano, double-tracked recorder. John is on harmonica and maraccas. George also plays the harmonica and lead guitar in the backing. Ringo has an easy time playing just the finger cymbals. Session musician John Ellory is on flute.

3. Flying (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey): This rare instrumental track is the only track issued and composed by all four Beatles. (The only other instrumental track by the Beatles was the Lennon-Harrison 1961 composition Cry For A Shadow in the Beatles' The Early Years album.) On this track, John plays the main theme on a mellotron. Paul and George add in an assortment of guitars. All four Beatles provide the chanting sound heard. Ringo also dubs in the maraccas.

4. Blue Jay Way (Harrison): This is probably one of the Beatles 'forgetable" songs. George is on double-tracked lead vocals, backed mainly by himself on hammond organ and Ringo on drums. George also joins Paul in the backing vocals. This track features phasing (an electronic effect produced by playing two recordings out of synchronisation, to produce a swirling and swishing effect) throughout the track. John plays the the tambourine while a session musician plays the cello. And there are various electronic sounds and backing vocals heard at the end of song.

5. Your Mother Should Know: Paul sings lead vocal and joins John and George for the backing vocals. Paul plays bass and piano; John is on organ, and George plays the tambourine.

6. I Am The Walrus: John is on lead vocal with Paul and George on backing vocals. John is on mellotron while George plays only tambourine. Session musicians provides eight violins, four cellos and three horns. The choir of 6 boys and 6 girls are from the Children of Michael Sammes Singers. Also heard from this intriguing track are various voices, oscillations and discordant sounds from a radio plugged into the recording console.

7. Hello Goodbye: This was released as a single (with I Am The Walrus) 3 weeks prior to the release of double-EP set. This song is also featured in the film. Paul sings lead vocal and joins John and George in the backing vocals. John and George both play the lead guitars. Paul plays the piano, the bongos and conga drum. Ringo is on drums and maraccas. John also plays the organ heard before the Maori-style finale while session musicians adds in the violas that could be heard now and again throughout the track.

8. Strawberry Fields Forever: John is on solo vocal and plays lead guitar and harpsichord on this track, which immortalises forever Strawberry Fields (a Salvation Army orphanagein Liverpool). Paul is on bass, piano, bongos and flute. George plays the lead guitar, too, and handles the timpani. Ringo, as usual, is on drums. Roadie Mal Evans plays the tambourine while session musicians provide alto trumpet, two cellos and two horns.

9. Penny Lane: With this song, the Beatles also immortalise Penny Lane, a bus terminus in Liverpool. Paul's lead vocal is backed up by John in harmony. John, together with George Martin, plays the piano. Beside his normal bass playing, Paul also adds in the string bass and a flute. George is on conga drum and firebell. Session musicians provide the trumpets.

10. Baby You're A Rich Man: Like A Day In The Life, this track is actually two songs joined together as one. John is on lead vocal on the verses and joins Paul and George in the chorus for the Baby You're A Rich Man section. John plays a strange instrument called clavioline and piano. Paul doubles on bass and piano. George plays the tambourine. Ringo plays drums and maraccas.

11. All You Need I Love: The song starts with the French national anthem, Marseillaise. John, on harpschord, is the lead vocalist of this song. The backing vocals are by Paul and Geroge. Paul doubles on bass and string bass. George, apart from lead guitar, also handles violin. George Martin is on piano. Session musicians provide four violins, two cellos, two trumpets, two trombones, two saxphones and one accordian. The chorus in the finale includes friends like Mick Jagger, Keith Richard (both Rolling Stones), Marianne Faithful, Gary Brooker (of Procol Harum), Keith Moon (of The Who), Eric Clapton, etc. At the end of the song, you could hear the word "Yesterday" and John's off-key rendition of "She Loves You". (The song is a "nightmare" for amateur musicians with its 4/4 and 3/4 tempo counts in the verses!)