The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour
Genre- Experimental Rock, Art Rock, Psychedelic Pop, Proto- Progressive Rock and Psychedelic Pop.
"Magical Mystery Tour": Intruguing mix of stomping rock/R+B rhythms and jazzy sections, particularly jazzy in the coda. Great use of trumpets; the vocal trade-offs between Paul and George are also notable. The group employ use of a BBC sound effects tape of traffic riding past a microphone to good effect, too, panning in across the stereo spectrum at various points of the recording.
"The Fool On The Hill": Melodious, poignant McCartney fable/ballad about standing out in a crowd and sticking to one's guns in face of adversity; nice use of beautiful multi-tracked recorders/flutes on the track. Ringo complements the melody switching between finger cymbals to drums.
"Flying": Group-written three chord moody instrumental; John Lennon plays trumpet-melody/chords on then-novel dual-manual Mellotron Mark II which would be a commonplace instrument for them that year. Ending features innovative use of backwards tape loops, initiating a trippy effect.
"Blue Jay Way": With Abbey Road staff flanging (by hand)the recording tape (very innovative sound for '67!) the dirgy, spacey track is driven along by a swirly George-played Hammond organ and Ringo's plodding drums. Cello accompaniment and backwards backing vocals add tension to what is already one of the Fab's most macabre efforts.
"Your Mother Should Know": Infectiously catchy Macca throwback to 1930's Tin Pan Alley dittys, done Summer-Of-Love-style.
"I Am The Walrus": The prog gem. Four minutes and thirty-five seconds of Lennon madness/genius (with producer George Martin's help). Stomping, electric piano-driven beat married to avant-garde tape loops, taped radio broadcasts, strings, brass, choirs. distorted lead vocal and Mellotron. Lennon's fantastically nonsensical lyrics add to the organized chaos. Great headphone-listen.
"Hello Goodbye": Tuneful Macca pop song, notable for wall-of-sound production, cellos and echoed vocals. Beautiful high harmonies by John and George.
"Strawberry Fields Forever": Childhood-memories-enhanced-by-acid-trip-inspired cut, noted for first notable influential use of Mellotron in musical applications (the flute sound; brass towards the end). The Beatles'/George Martin's technical advancement is in full "view" here, from backwards cymbals to exotic instrumentation to tape loops to tape-speed manipulation to over-compressed drums and bass to outside orchestration. The arrangement is effectively dynamic and atmospheric. Spooky tacked-on false ending, too.
"Penny Lane": Paul's PL is a melodic and peppy recalling of a bustling Liverpool street. Compare Paul's upbeat lyrics and music with John's nightmare-on-vinyl. Quite possibly Pet Sounds-influenced, but unmistakably Beatle-ish.
"Baby You're A Rich Man": Somewhat back to the more chaotic, a big-beated psychedelic rocker making good use of John Lennon's Clavoline (a unique, monophonic keyboard instrument) doodlings (the Arabic-sounding blasts in the background). John and Paul share lead vocals and are credited with co-writing the apropos sections that would merge into the song.
"All You Need Is Love": Tightly constructed pop song, a peace anthem with inspirational lyrics and great orchestration by George Martin alternating between 4/4 and 7/8
