Sgt. Pepper's: The short version

All the talk surrounding “When I’m 64” on Paul McCartney’s birthday reminded me I hadn’t yet written my long-threatened analysis of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” for this blog.

Actually, I have written several versions, including a lengthy almost line-by-line break down of the songs, but I think I’ve served humanity by not letting those versions see the light of day. These thoughts were so pedantic that even I got sick of my own work when I was seeking research for the few guitar chords in “Good Morning, Good Morning” when they sing, “It’s time for tea and meet the wife.”

The challenge of “Sgt. Pepper’s” is that The Beatles themselves pooh-pooh their own creation. Both John Lennon and McCartney have said the album is just a collection of songs with some trickery in it. McCartney finally gave in – a little – in a 1970’s interview when he said people interpret whatever they want from the music. So true. Perhaps he was stung by the whole Charles Manson “Helter Skelter” and “Piggies” issues when he was thinking that.

Well, I interpret “Sgt. Pepper’s” as a whole theme album with some outstanding solo pieces. The album is like a novel, or, better yet, a play, so you can’t pull just one chapter or act out without the context of the other parts (thus no singles were released from the album, a radical move for that era from a band that wasn’t touring). Or, the album is like The Beatles themselves – a sum greater than their individual values.

The album itself is set like a play. We are the audience (the entire cutouts on the front of the album symbolize this) watching The Beatles act as psychedelic musical Greek muses. These muses weave themselves in and out of the story of Billy Shears. This character is driven by a fear of loneliness and pure sexual lust to his death.

When I listen to the album, I’ll close my eyes and imagine I’m in a theater watching this fantastic performance unfurl in front of me.

Here’s how the songs play out, in my abridged version:

1: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The opening of the play is when the muses introduce themselves. They say it was 20 years ago that Sgt. Pepper, who is Supreme Being, taught them to play (Billy Shears’ birthday). That means they start the story when Billy Shears is 20 years old.

2: “With a Little Help from My Friends.” This is Billy Shears saying that he has had friendship and now seeks love.

3: “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” This is NOT about LSD. It’s about falling in love because love is intense and wonderful. Billy Shears falls in love with the girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

4: “Getting Better” shows some time has elapsed in the story and Billy Shears is regretting some mistakes he’s made, including physically abusing a girl friend, but saying the woman he is with is OK: “It’s getting better since you’ve been mine.”

5: “Fixing a Hole” goes along with “Getting Better.” Billy Shears is trying to figure out what to do with his many developing emotions.

6: “She’s Leaving Home.” This is unique because the muses tell the story from the woman’s point of view. She is running away to meet Billy Shears, the man in the motor trade (not a respectable job in England in the 1960s). This is also a depressing song because the characters are selfish. She’s leaving home because she wants to have fun – not for love! The parents are upset because they gave her “everything money could buy” and she still wasn’t happy.

7: “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” This is Billy Shears at work. Imagine smoke, mirrors, magic and a circus show. It’s all to hide a shady business dealing, something we associate with car dealers.

8: “Within You Without You.” I love this song for so many reasons, but the main one is that the muses are actually talking with Billy Shears here. He is wondering if there is more to life than sex and material objects. The laughter at the end tells the audience that Billy Shears was not convinced there is more to life than physical pleasure.

9: “When I’m 64.” This song shows what Billy Shears would like his life to be like – so very middle class – but is not. He’s trying to convince his wife to stay with him, that he loves her and they should make future plans.

10: “Lovely Rita.” The song tears apart the façade of Billy Shears. In the song he has an affair with Rita. The song even has the sounds of them consummating their relationship. The screech of orgasm ends as the rooster crows for the next song.

11: “Good Morning Good Morning.” The affair is discovered by his wife. He accepts it, goes for a walk and tries to have another affair! The animal sounds are designed so that each animal can eat or harm the preceding animal, until it all breaks down in chaos. This signals the end of Billy Shears.

12: “Sgt. Pepper’s … (Reprise).” The muses tell us it’s all over.

13: “A Day in the Life.” Here, the muses pass judgment on the life of Billy Shears. His death is meant with blandness -- thus, how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall. Running through this song, though, is the theme of the entire album – sex. The last line: “I’d love to turn you on.”

Thought: For my next trick. ...