I’ll throw in the album image here, that was very Spanglish (in my mind, you know imagen is image in Spanish).

Album cover that is.

(Stay focused, stay focused, stay focused)

(Stay on the topic, stay on the topic, stay on the topic)

(Stay in the zone, stay in the zone, stay in the zone)

OK, I’ve just paused it, 40 seconds in or so. I want this to be pure, in some senses. I’ll press play again in a minute.

37 seconds in to the first song actually – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Remix.

I’m pressing play again right now.

I used two fingers, one to press play, one to write the word now.

What a song, obviously, it goes without saying.

This is done in a very ‘in the moment’ way, to clarify.

So.

Now, it is ‘With A Little Help From My Friends‘.

2:45 is the track length.

I could swear that songs were shorter back then, 1967 was when the album originally came out.

Straight in to ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’.

No messing about there, it went straight in to it, unless it is my Spotify settings!

This song is as trippy as it gets – 3:27 is the song length (on Spotify).

‘Picture yourself in a boat on a river’

‘With tangerine trees and marmalade skies’

The song ends with the chorus (thanks a.i for helping me there, or spellchecker or autocorrecter or whatever), curiously enough.

(This may be edited slighly).

‘Getting Better’

From 1:40, wow, for 10 seconds or so there is some trippy sounds going on there.

Pause (3:38).

I knocked a bit of coffee on my bag, sorted now, it’s sound – ish – whatever, I’ve given it a wipe – let it be – in words of The Beatles.

It has given me an opportunity to have a bonus pause.

Resume (2:38).

Now.

Next up then.

‘Fixing A Hole’

Just reminded it back by mistake, 5 seconds in it was.

OK, on the face it sounds to me like it has a literal meaning but I wonder whether it could have a metaphorical meaning to.

Or possibly a double meaning.

That, or it is literally about fixing at actual hole.

‘Fixing a hole where rain gets in, stops my mind from wondering’.

‘She’s Leaving Home’

3:25 is the song length.

A lot of use of brackets, going off the Spotify app.

I have noticed that The Beatles were telling stories in their songs, some of them at least.

OK, I think this is about someone leaving home.

I was being tongue in cheek there.

I am not making too much sense of this song personally, and that is what I like in songs, when you’re like what’s this about then.

Next.

‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! – Remix.

There is a sort of circus vibe going on about a minute in.

Then it comes back, reminds me of The Coral a bit (I know The Beatles came first!).

‘Within You Without You – Remix’

This track in particular is right up my trippy hippy street.

I don’t know for sure, but I think this was influenced by The Beatles’ experience in India.

(Was that before or after).

‘And life flows on within you and without you’

Wow.

Yeah, definitely a few trippy sounds going on here.

‘And the people who gain the world but lose their soul’

What a lyric.

To me, this may be interpretation but you have entered my consciousness here.

I think that is about people who are too driven by the material world, seek or obtain success but yet feel a sense of loneliness or lack something from a non materialistic point of view.

Or quite frankly it about those who sold out, possibly, whatever.

Who knows eh, that is beauty of all this, I think.

‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ just flowed by then.

Next.

‘Lovely Rita’

That flowed by too, yes, I deliberately wrote ‘flowed by’.

Quick fire songs here.

‘Good Morning Good Morning’

2:34 is the song length (on Spotify).

It seemingly starts with the chorus.

This may be a song about watching the world go by, who knows.

OK, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ – a remix or something.

‘A Day In The Life‘ – Remix’

What a song, regardless of whatever version of it is.

‘I read the news today, oh boy’

‘About a lucky man who made the grade’

‘And though the news was rather sad’

‘Well, I just had to laugh’

I love the ‘aaaaaahhhhhh’ bit about 4 minutes in.

Nevermind the lyrics, that is my favourite bit, being tongue in cheek there but you know. It seemingly stops for a laugh about 4 minutes in. Then there is some mad bit for 10 seconds. I’m well into that sorta thing.

Just went back for a second to make sure this next track is definitely playing.

‘Strawberry Fields Forever – Take 1’

‘Nothing is real’

‘And nothing to get hung about’

I like how raw this (version) is.

It shows that The Beatles were human, and not just the greatest band of all time.

‘Strawberry Fields Forever – Take 4’

‘It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out’

Some of these may be slightly powerphrased.

‘Strawberry Field Forever – Take 7’

I like how it sort of breaks the 4th wall there with the inclusion of ‘Remix from 4-track, take six’

I’ll be completely honest here, I don’t know whether this is deliberate or not – or these are outakes that have been added as part of this version of the album that originally came out in 1967.

Here is another version, love how it goes to ‘Take 26’ out of no where.

‘I think I ‘no’ but I mean a ‘yes’.

That lyric caught by ear and eyes (the Spotify bit).

I know the Disney documentary showed them experimenting a bit, them continuing to play and write until they got it ‘right’ – or the ‘right version’ – perhaps this was a similar thing – I mean they were hard working perfectionists as well as members who seemingly liked to have fun experimenting wise (from what I can gather).

The song ends with the chorus.

‘Strawberry Field Forever – Stereo Mix 2015’

(Think some of these are outakes and/or have been remixed or remastered)

‘When I’m Sixty-Four – Take 2’

This makes me think it is bittersweet to hear this in the sense of John’s trsgic death, and George’s passing in the early 2000s (I think) but obviously it became relevant to Paul and Ringo later on.

Well, like The Beatles said ‘Nothing is real’, so it’s sound. Their music, as stated in Paul McCartney’s appearance on James Corden’s karaoke sorta show or whatever it is called, their music offered so much positivity. But it was pleak in parts too. Perhaps it is a paradox.

‘Penny Lane – Take 6 / Instrumental’ just played while I was writing that.

This is brilliant, ‘Penny Lane – Vocal Overdubs And Speach’, you can hear Paul putting an idea across (to the band) seemingly.

‘Penny Lane – Stereo Mix 2017’

Pause.

Resume (now).

Ok, this makes me think of Paul with James Corden when they literally go to the barbers on/around Penny Lane.

So here comes 4:41 of ‘A Day In The Life – Take 1’, wow those locals from John.

Just mistakenly rewinded the song a bit, sound.

‘No body was really sure if he was from the House of Lords’

There is some counting going on here, in this version – loads of piano too – aproximately 2 or 3 minutes in.

‘I saw a film today, oh boy, The English Army had just won the war’

Pause.

I have paused the album, a bit mischievously. Well. I want to add a bit about the song, it is seemingly on the face of it a sad story about someone taking their own life. So many thoughts here.

(Let them out)

Pause (from writing).

Caffeine boost.

Resume (writing that is).

I wonder whether it could been an made up story in John’s head, or it is a true story. The bit about House of Lords is interesting. Perhaps it is a dig at the government of that time. Or something. It is certainly quite the song.

15:01: Resume, playing the album again right now.

Time to confess, I have just spontaneously read about what is behind the song. Apparently, it is about a friend who passed away in a car accident. But apparently, the ‘blew his mind brains out’ bit (powerphrased) was added or something. The ‘he made the grade’ bit has always baffled , in a good way, always thought it said ‘grave’ or sounded like it. I don’t know. Apparently, there was a nod to John working on a film around that time. I think this is obviously a sad song, a very deep thinking one, but with a few breaking the 4th wall’ bits in – re the film reference.

‘A Day In The Life – Hummed Last Chord / Takes 8, 9, 10 And 11’. Just played that back for a minute.

‘A Day In The Life’ – The Last Chord’ – ‘2:53 – flippin’ eck what else do I write here. There’s lots of piano action goin’ on. It is a glimpse into the creative and recording process for sure. Then it goes quiet for about 10 seconds.

‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ – Take 1 / Instrumental’

2:34 is the track length.

Amazing lyrics in this one, mesin. Can I say anything profound here, not currently.

‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Take 9 And Speach’

2:36 is the song length (on Spotify).

1:53

2:10 – wow those acoustics (that sounds like something someone in the music world says). Just rewinding this a few times. ‘I think it will probably be another day singing it’. Multiple Beatles band members can be heard talking during this (discussing the song or the recording process).

‘Good Morning Good Morning – Take 1 / Instrumental Breakdown’ – wow the drums sound amazing (to me), and to think Ringo got stick eh – I do wonder whether they sound better because it is instrumental – what do I know eh

Just playing it back again (a bit).

It is instrumental for sure – apart from the ‘Take 1’ bit – just kidding.

‘Good Morning, Good Morning – Take 8’ (2:47)

‘Going to work don’t want to go feeling low’

Rewinded that a bit.

‘I’m Fixing A Hole – Take 1’

‘I’m fixing a hole where the rain gets in’

‘And stops my mind from wondering’

‘Where will it go’

‘I’m filling the cracks that ran through the door’

‘And it really doesn’t matter if I’m wrong or right’ – love that line. Going full stream of consciousness here but that makes me think to some extent this world in many ways is how we see it. I’m sure there is more to this track than just my bizarre projections or thoughs though! I’ve just rewinded the track.

‘Where I belong, I’m right where I belong’

‘See the people standing there’

‘Who disagree and never win’

‘And wonder why they don’t get in my door’ The ‘get in my door’ bit feels a bit stream of consciousness to me. I don’t know. Whatever.

‘Fixing A Hole – Speach And Take 3’

This is quite the writing experience.

I am trying to appear to come across as someone who knows what they are talking about here! I don’t know, maybe he actually was fixing a hole.

Next.

Here comes the circus sorta song, I think, yeah absolutely. Here is comes. At around 1:20. So, to clarify, this is ‘Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite! – Take 7’.

OK, I’ve just played back a track – don’t know where I am now – ‘Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite – Speach From Take 1 / Take 4 And Speach At The End’

Pause.

Resume.

Where I am then.

This just sounds amazing, wow.

Here is the circus sorta bit again, so this is, I don’t even know anymore! Hang on.

I think this is where I am, John is now saying bits at the start – ‘Being For The Benefits of Mr Kite! – Take 7’

‘Late of Pablo Fanque’s Fair, what a secret’

Bet this makes you want to listen to the album, for anyone still reading (I say tongue in cheek).

‘Lovely Rita – Speech And Take 9’

‘My guitar still seems to go in and out like it’s…like the leads wrong’ says John.

‘Keep that one’

What a tune, to be honest Lovely Rita is a song I don’t necessarily think of when I think of The Beatles, what a song though.

I could swear songs from 60s where about falling in love or writing about day to day experiences. What are they about now, how many Tik Tok followers you have – ok that is me being a bit ‘Ya Da’ (going on about the old days).

Next.

‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Take 1 And Speach At The End’ – I’m getting de ja vu here.

This sounds a bit different now, from the 1:28 mark (aproximately).

‘Newspaper taxis appear on the shore’

‘Waiting to take you away’

Next up on this massively long listen along.

‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Speech, False Start And Take 5

There’s a bit of laughter there, they continue.

As do I.

This version is 4:08.

‘Getting Better – Take 1 / Instrumental And Speech At The End’

‘It can always be cut out’ – liking that bit, what I can take from that is just do something, see how it goes (change it later).

‘Getting Better – Take 12’

More takes than I don’t know what here, is one has a trippy sound going on.

The first minute or so has no lyrics.

2:45 is the song length (on Spotify). At this point I don’t know what this post is, just go with it (just go with it).

‘Within You Without You – Take 1 / Indian Instruments.

I love how The Beatles went to India and came back with these trippy songs, plus they didn’t get a shave in ages – fair play. Well, I think they did.

5:32 is the song length (on Spotify).

Bit of talking at around 2:50.

What an album cover by the way, definitely up there for me, top 10 surely.

‘Within You Without You – George Coaching The Musicians – flippin’ eck they didn’t half put a shift in The Beatles.

It was 20 minutes ago today, I heard The Beatles do loads of different versions of the same song (see if you get that reference).

‘She’s Leaving Home – Take 1 / Instrumental’

‘Take 6’

Another version of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’

Very instrumental, to begin with, well suppose it is instrumental or not.

Here is a reprise version of Lonely Hearts Club. Amazing drums.

And another version. Sounds like ‘The’ actual version.

Next. With a Little Help From My Friends’

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. Then it is ‘Getting Better’, unlike this post.

Fixing A Hole again.

She’s Leaving Home again.

For The Benefits of Mr Kite! Then it is Within You Without You again. Then it is When I’m Sixty-Four again. Then Lovely Rita, may be my new favourite Beatle’s song now. Good Morning Good Morning now. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band. This was a post about The Beatles, I hope you enjoyed the show. A Day In The Life. Strawberry Fields Forever. Skipping through now. I’m from the Spotify era, apologies, it is my site though. Penny Lane. A Day In The Life. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds next. Again. Feel like I was there. She’s Leaving Home. Penny Lane. I’m not editing this much, no way. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band again. And that is a wrap (I think!).

****** edited ever so slightly at 23:52 on 12/12/23. ******