by Art West

Created on: June 29, 2009   Last Updated: June 30, 2009

"It was 20 years ago today, Sargent Pepper taught the band to play". It has been over 40 years since The Beatles sang those lyrics on their famous Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

The Beatles had stopped touring in August of 1966 with no intentions of ever touring again. What were they going to do? The Beatles had been releasing 2 albums per year as well as touring. They went into the studio and began working on an album.

Many critics were saying that The Beatles were washed up. The had run out of ideas for songs. It was early 1967 and The Beatles had not released a single and there was no album on the horizon. The record company was beginning to put pressure on The Beatles to release a single. In a move that George Martin would say was the worst decision he ever made with The Beatles, Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever was released. Penny Lane shot up the charts to number 1 and Strawberry Fields made it into the top 10. Since these songs were released as singles, they were not included on the Sgt. Pepper album.

The idea for Sgt. Pepper was conceived by Paul McCartney. He imagined what it would be like if The Beatles could make a record without having to be The Beatles. The Sgt. Pepper album was originally supposed to be one song after another with no break in between. The record company balked at that idea because they would not be able to release any singles off of the album. Ironically no singles were released off of the album by The Beatles.

The album was said to be the first album ever recorded with a theme. All previous albums were simply a compilation of singles. The Sgt. Pepper album was said to have a common thread of communication and the generation gap. The album was also historic in that it brought several new musical instruments into rock and roll music. Prior to Sgt. Pepper the only instruments that were being used were Guitars, drums, piano, organ and tambourines. The Beatles added several more instruments as well as sounds.

While all of the songs on Sgt. Pepper were great songs, 3 really stood out. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little Help From My Friends introduced the group and also Billy Shears (Ringo). They are a delightful songs and Ringo tells how he can overcome anything "With a Little Help From My Friends."

A Day In The Life is a masterpiece by John, Paul and George Martin. John and Paul were each writing songs and were having trouble completing them. George Martin decided to combine them and with his engineering genius made the two songs into one incredible song which finishes with the final chord of the song that seems to last forever.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is the best known song of the album. John Lennon wrote this song based on a picture that his son Julian had drawn in school. Julian said the picture was of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and John ran with that title. Because of the songs psychedelic overtones and the predominant letters in the title, it was said be about LSD.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has rightfully gone down in history as one of the greatest albums of all-time. The Beatles once again proved why they are the greatest band of all-time!

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