Today: The Beatles released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in 1967 – 45 years ago

From Wikipedia:

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (often shortened to Sgt. Pepper) is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, and has since been recognised as one of the most important albums in the history of popular music, including songs such as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “A Day in the Life“. Recorded over a 129-day period beginning in December 1966, Sgt. Pepper saw the band developing the production techniques of their previous album, Revolver. Martin’s innovative and lavish production included the orchestra usage and hired musicians ordered by the band. Genres such as music hall, rock and roll, pop rock, and traditional Indian music are covered. The album cover art, by English pop artist Peter Blake, depicts the band posing in front of a collage of their favourite celebrities, and has been widely acclaimed and imitated.

Legacy

Sgt. Pepper has been on many lists of the best rock albums, including Rolling Stone, Bill Shapiro, Alternative Melbourne, Rod Underhill and VH1.

  • In 1987 Rolling Stone named Sgt. Pepper the best album of the last twenty years (1967–1987).
  • In 1997 Sgt. Pepper was named the number one greatest album of all time in a “Music of the Millennium” poll conducted by HMV, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM.
  • In 1998 Q magazine readers placed it at number seven
  • in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 10.
  •  In 2003, the album was ranked number 1 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
  •  In 2006, the album was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best albums of all time.
  • In 2002, Q magazine placed it at number 13 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.
  •  The album was named as one of Classic Rock magazine’s “50 Albums That Built Prog Rock”.
  •  In 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

The best song from the album: “A Day In Life”:

….and the opening track:

……Lucy in the sky..:

 Other June-01:

Continue reading Today: The Beatles released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in 1967 – 45 years ago

Video of the day: Willin’ – Little Feat

Little Feat performing Willin’ probably their best known song. Written by and sung here by the hugely talented and sadly missed Lowell George Live at Rockpalast, Germany in 1977.

 

Lyrics, Willin‘:

I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I’m drunk and dirty, don’t ya know,
And I’m still willin’
Out on the road late last night,
Seen my pretty Alice in every head light
Alice, Dallas Alice

I’ve been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that’s ever been made
I’ve driven the back roads so I wouldn’t get weighed
If you give me: weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I’ll be willin’ to be movin’

I’ve been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet
Had my head stoved in, but I’m still on my feet
And I’m still… willin’
Now I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico
Baked by the sun, every time I go to Mexico
And I been from Tuscon to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah

I’ve driven every kind of rig that’s ever been made
I’ve driven the back roads so I wouldn’t get weighed
And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign I’ll be willin’ to be movin’

I also love Linda Ronstadt’s cover version from the classic album, Heart Like a Wheel (here live on Old Grey Whistle Test 1976):

 
– Hallgeir

Great Albums: Copper Blue by Sugar

Sometimes an album comes along, an album that you love instantly. It does not happen very often, Copper Blue is one of those instant classics for me.

I love the wall of guitars, the noise, the fantastic melodies, the pop-music sensibillity, the rock’n roll kick to the groin. I just love it!

This is pop music, power-pop at it’s very best.

If I Can’t Change Your Mind:

Continue reading Great Albums: Copper Blue by Sugar

Focusing on Bob Dylan & related music