Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

An assignment from a Beatles course I took junior year. The assignment was to reorder Sgt. Pepper's and explain why.

Side One

1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

2. Within You Without You

3. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!

4. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

5. Fixing A Hole

6. She’s Leaving Home

7. A Day In The Life

  

Side Two

1. With A Little Help From My Friends

2. Getting Better

3. Penny Lane

4. Lovely Rita

5. Good Morning Good Morning

6. When I’m Sixty-Four

7. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

8. Strawberry Fields Forever

My version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band begins with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” the first song on the original album as well. I don’t think the album should begin with the absolute best song on the album, since then it would just be downhill from there. However, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is a catchy song which is sure to get the audience interested and also introduces the concept of the album.

After the album is introduced, “Within You Without You” acts as sort of an invocation at the beginning of a show. Then, there is short circus act (“Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!”), followed by a trip through a very vivid, imaginary land (“Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”). The album then starts narrating a story in which the main character is first trying to make his life better (“Fixing A Hole”) and then gives up and decides to leave everything behind (“She’s Leaving Home”).

The first side of the album finishes with “A Day In The Life,” which is one of the strongest songs on the album, in my opinion. The way the Beatles took two entirely different songs and stitched them together with an orchestral crescendo was very successful and a very radical approach at the time the song was recorded. I also like the fact that Lennon’s half of the song was based on stories he read in the newspaper, which makes this song sort of like a musical time capsule, and not just simply another “timeless love song.”

Side two begins with “With A Little Help From My Friends,” which continues the story of the main character who has left home and is now learning to be independent. It is sung by Starr, who very rarely sings. But his voice has a certain fatigued, melancholy feeling to it that reflects the hardship the main character has been through, but is now learning to overcome.

“Getting Better” follows the same theme, with the main character realizing his shortcomings and working on them. The story then takes a turn for the better and main character meets “Lovely Rita” while walking down “Penny Lane.” A romance then ensues (“Good Morning Good Morning”) and they eventually spend the rest of their lives together (“When I’m Sixty-Four”).

The band then wraps up the show with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise).” The album ends with what I consider to be another really strong song: “Strawberry Fields Forever.” This was the Beatles’ experiment with psychedelic music – and a successful one at that. While “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” is also psychedelic, “Strawberry Fields Forever” refers to Lennon’s insecurity and isn’t just a description of his son Julian’s drawing.

I think following a story in the song order enforces the fact that this is considered to be the first ‘concept album.’ It still follows the Beatles’ philosophy that each side of the album should begin and end with the strongest songs.