Sunday, April 24, 2016

April 24 - A Day In The Life

Today's song is the final song in the series of great album closers, and what a gem it is. A Day In The Life closes Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and was one of the best songs The Beatles ever recorded. I state it as fact simply because it has widely been recognized as such - but even more so simply because I say so... :-)

To be honest, I never got the big deal about Sgt. Pepper. Is it a good album? Yes, absolutely, with some great songs on it. But is it really a concept album, as many suggest? I am not so sure. I would even suggest that it isn't. The songs don't tell a story - aside from the suggestion that they are all played by this fictitious band, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. But, this is really immaterial when you start listening to the songs on the album, especially Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Getting Better, and She's Leaving Home. And then there's A Day In The Life, which so clearly represents both Lennon and McCartney. The first main theme ("I heard the news today, oh boy...") is Lennon, then second major theme - about the day itself ("Woke up, got out of bed...") - clearly is McCartney. In other words, more than being a collaboration, it is a collage of elements that they wrote separately - yet it works. And then there is the end of it. The most cathartic piano chord ever recorded. Just listen and enjoy this masterpiece.


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