Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Take 9)

My favorite record release of 2017 was released in 1967. I really can't describe how exciting the super deluxe boxset of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band by The Beatles is for someone like me. Let's start with the box set. It has the music (more about that in a bit), a big, thick book about the album, the cover, the road there, and the songs (and pictures of the handwritten lyric sheets), cutouts of insignia and mustaches to make your own Sgt. Pepper uniform, a replica of the Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite poster (this one is truly exciting, as you can look at it and find where John Lennon got the inspiration for his song), and a record store promotional poster replica. All really neat stuff...

Then there is the music. The 2017 mix is spectacular, and having the mono mix is nice, but... The earlier takes, listening to how they built the songs and tried things out. Feeling like you are listening in to parts of their creative process. Wow. Just wow. I am a lucky man, as Christine, my lovely girlfriend, knew how badly I had wanted this since its release and got it for me for Christmas. Getting both the girl and the music is a nice little perk, I must say...

So today, I will celebrate this release. One of the earlier takes of a song I like from this box set is the title track, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This is take 9, and you can hear more of the raucous guitar in here. I love this song, I love this album, I love this box set - and I love my Christine.