MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

It is the soundtrack of their third movie added with several songs released as a single during this magical 1967 and even unreleased work.

The title track and opener is rather upbeat and has an enthusiast mood. "Magical Mistery Tour" is a good start Another very emotional track and the first highlight is "The Fool on the Hill". Such a delicacy, such sweetness, such a melody, such a wonder. It is impossible to be insensible to its beauty. But I even don't try. I am fully conquered.

Of course, "Flying" is of another substance. It is a very old song (1961) and almost all instrumental. Nothing fancy. Some sort of dispensable one. Like "Blue Jay Way" which is a George song based on a personal experience. Vaguely psychedelic.

Press next to reach "Your Mother Should Know". A typical McCartney song. Straight forward and catchy melody but naïve and repetitive lyrics.

The next song was the B-side of "Hello Goodbye". John was a P.O. with this decision. He would have liked it to be the A side. But Martin and Paul thought that "Hello Goodbye" had more potential. John will say (much later) : "I got sick and tired of being Paul's backup band". "The Walrus" was partially written under acid (John confessed this). It is a complex song made of three projects. Completely different from the Fab Four production.

The next song is my first souvenir from the band. I remember very well to have heard this song on the radio (I was almost nine) and I loved it instantly. I was listening every day to have a chance to hear it again. A few years later, my aunt will give me the single. I still have it.

Oh boy! Ijust love this song. It is of course rather simple and childish, but again this melody does miracles. When McCartney opened his concert in Antwerp with "Hello Goodbye", I was sent to heaven.

The next song sets the standard very high. The same recipe than with some of their most memorable songs is used here again. Wonderful chord arrangements like in "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby". But "Strawberry Hill" won't reached the first spot in the UK charts. It was also an idea of Martin not to include it on "Pepper's". He will admit that it was the biggest mistake of his life. This song is very personal for both John & Paul but I guess that everyone knows the story...It ends very bizarrely though.

The B-side of this great single was "Penny Lane". Another place where John & Paul often met. At this time, I give up. I don't even want to resist any longer. The melody from this quartet are just too brilliant, intemporal. Fabulous ?

Everybody has seen the pictures of the closing number while sung for a TV programme. It is a marvellous love song and peace message (remember that the Vietnam war is raging). Several "Beatles" friends were present for this occasion. Mick Jagger is the most famous of them. Another proof (if necessary) that "The Beatles" and "The Rolling Stones" had close links. But why it starts as "La Marseillaise" is unknown to me.

Another of their fantastic songs. One more.

This album is not as perfect as "Pepper's". It holds some average (two) and even one poor song ("Flying"). It is more a compilation effort as well.

Four stars.

Share this THE BEATLES review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to ZowieZiggy
• Report this review (#155530)
• Buy THE BEATLES music online with PA partners
• Show all THE BEATLES MP3/Stream
• Go to THE BEATLES page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Magical Mystery Tour page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for THE BEATLES related discussions