Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band




 * Label
 * Parlophone


 * Release date
 * 1967


 * Format
 * LP


 * Comments
 * The landmark eighth Beatles album was released to huge acclaim in summer 1967, when Peel was working for pirate Radio London. The DJ ended up presenting the later stages of the off-shore station's exclusive first public play of the LP on 12 May 1967 after his enthusiastic and emotional response to early tracks, taking over from Ed Stewart at his colleague's suggestion. The incident was later recalled by Peel on numerous occasions, including documentaries on the revered album such as Pepper Forever! (1997) and Time Shift (2002).
 * The psychedelic LP became a staple of Peel's contemporary Perfumed Garden show but featured less on his subsequent programmes for BBC Radio One, reflecting both a focus on new releases and later shifts in the DJ's musical tastes. No tracks from the LP featured in his Beatles retrospective special show on 20 August 1976.
 * Looking back in “Pepper Forever!”, Peel admitted to mixed feelings about the album, including aspects of its musical legacy: “I suppose it was a strongly musical record, sort of novelty songs... I can't think of another one that was so astonishing at the time... I think one of the problems with Sgt. Pepper was the people who weren't as good as the Beatles by and large saw this as an opportunity to do something they perceived as art in their kindly vaguely uneducated sort of way, and most of the records out of the consequences of that were abominations.”
 * Cover versions of songs from Sgt. Pepper that were played by Peel include interpretations by contemporary indie artists on the NME compilation “Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father” (1988).
 * Peter Blake, designer of the innovative Sgt. Pepper cover, later produced the portrait of Peel that appears on the cover of the posthumous compilation John Peel - Right Time, Wrong Speed 1977-1987.

Festive Fifty

 * In 1976, the first Festive Fifty included Sgt. Pepper closer “A Day In The Life” at #9 in a list of listeners' all-time favourites. No tracks from the LP featured in the 2000 Festive Fifty, the last to include an all-time poll.

Peelenium

 * In his four Peelenium choices for 1967, Peel picked 'I Am The Walrus' by the Beatles but no tracks from Sgt. Pepper.

Plays
(All plays from “Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”.)


 * 12 May 1967: premier play of the album
 * 01 July 1967: Within You, Without You ("for the prophet Paul")
 * 12 July 1967: (JP: “This is the Sergeant Pepper track that has been glittering in my mind.”) Fixing A Hole
 * 16 July 1967: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise) / A Day In The Life (three tracks run together in a "Peelian construction")
 * 19 July 1967: Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) / A Day In The Life
 * 22 July 1967: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
 * 13 August 1967 (Radio London): Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) / A Day In The Life (JP: “And we have to regrettably interrupt the Beatles because it's 9.30 and time for the news.”)
 * 14 August 1967: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / With A Little Help From My Friends
 * 14 August 1967: Getting Better (JP: “It certainly is. Even the hang-ups are straightening out. You’ll find out.”)
 * 14 August 1967: She's Leaving Home
 * 14 August 1967: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (JP: "Oops, all kinds of feedbacky things there.")
 * 21 April 1972: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
 * 29 March 1976: Good Morning Good Morning
 * 29 March 1976: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
 * 29 March 1976: A Day In The Life (Peel plays a few seconds of the track before commenting,, 'Oh blimey, nearly played a banned record, that's a close one, led to drunkenness, and looting and fornicating in the street, mayhem and Sunday football.' He was referring to the BBC's ban on the record on its release in 1967, due to alleged drug references in the lyrics.)


 * See Also
 * Staying Single: Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Covered
(The list below was compiled only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.)

Artist | Track | First Known Play

LP - Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father) NME PEP LP-100
 * Fall: A Day In The Life 15 February 1988
 * Sonic Youth: Within You, Without You 09 February 1988
 * Triffids: Good Morning Good Morning 09 February 1988
 * Wedding Present: Getting Better Peel 080 (BFBS)


 * Other
 * Joe Cocker and The Grease Band: With A Little Help From My Friends (session) 14 July 1968
 * Los Mustang: Sargento Pepper ('Sergeant Pepper') 17 November 1987
 * Metropolitan Police Male Voice Choir: When I'm 64 25 June 1993
 * Martin Pig: Lovely Rita 13 July 1983 (BFBS)
 * Sham 69: With A Little Help From My Friends 06 February 1979
 * William Shatner: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 12 December 1992
 * Teenagers In Trouble: With A Little Help From My Friends (session) 12 August 1994

Links

 * Wikipedia
 * Discogs
 * Official site