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Rating: I know exactly what you're thinking: "Here comes another die-hard Beatles fan presenting yet another review of an old or very old record just because they had nothing else to do!" Let me say that's absolutely not the case. This is my first official review, and I care a lot about writing it correctly, so I will cover many different topics, carefully analyze each song, and even touch on themes outside of the context (such as the PID legend and Lennon's use of the "Walrus" character).
First of all, it must be said that the album "Magical Mystery Tour" is not just a Beatles album, very "strange" and "prestigious," but also a splendid, albeit senseless film on celluloid. Many will describe it as an album "without head or tail" or as the "biggest mistake that the Liverpudlian bugs ever made," but in my modest opinion, both statements are wrong and off the mark. Personally, I find the album brilliant and full of interesting tracks. However, even here the influence of drugs begins to be felt. The album was released on December eight 1967 immediately after the debut of the film, which received almost no success (although it's known that in great film schools, many consider it as a real "masterpiece" and that people like Steven Spielberg appreciate and rewatch it many times with pleasure). The album not only contained unreleased tracks by the legendary FabFour but also very catchy singles, inserted to fill the gaps left by the few new pieces.
The cover shows the four Liverpool boys dressed as grotesque animals such as: A Hippopotamus (Paul McCartney), A Rabbit (George Harrison), A Rooster (Ringo Starr), and among these three pseudo-puppies, the most disturbing and terrifying of all, The Ominous Walrus (John Lennon). The colorful lettering that represents the name of the record immediately stands out, as does the star lettering that instead represents the name of the group (note how the writing states "Beatles" and not "The Beatles," but we'll discuss this later).
The record opens with the beautiful and catchy "Magical Mystery Tour" written by John and Paul (many attribute the idea for the film and the song solely to McCartney, but you can immediately see Lennon's necessary contribution too) which spreads joy and cheer to those who listen to it and which indeed talks about this mysterious and magical journey, trying to persuade people to buy a ticket. Right away, Paul wants to make himself known and launches with "The Fool On The Hill" narrating about this "Fool On The Hill" that no one seems to know and with whom no one wants to have anything to do. The help of the flutes in the song is providential. The record continues smoothly with the almost purely musical piece "Flying", which may initially seem rather slow and unelaborated, but after the first minute hits the listener. It continues with Harrison's dark and gloomy song, in which he recounts his gloomy experience on the street of Los Angeles from which the song takes its name: namely "Blue Jay Way". At this point, the Beatles proceed in their climb towards psychedelic rock and progressive rock offering us a piece mixed with Swing, Blues, and Slow Rock such as "Your Mother Should Know". At this point, I would like to pause to describe in the best possible way the masterpiece (often cited as "the best Beatles song ever!) of my much-loved John Winston Lennon, namely the magical and disarming "I Am The Walrus".
Lennon is well-known for his adoration of the Walrus character; suffice it to say he mentions it in no fewer than four songs: the same "I Am The Walrus", the progressive "Glass Onion" where he openly declares that he is not the walrus (... there is another clue for you all, the walrus was Paul ...) and passes the ball to Paul McCartney (from the double album "The Beatles" also known as "White Album" or "LP Bianco"), the dark and haunting "Come Together" where he declares that a character of his invention wears walrus gumboots (... walrus gumboot, he got ...) although the phrase is very confusing (from the album "Abbey Road"), and finally in his "God" where he once again declares he was the walrus (... i was the walrus, but now I'm John...) and subsequently says he is just himself. Examining many interviews and reading many books, it was thought that Lennon was referring to the character created by the writer Lewis Carroll (writer of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice Through the Looking Glass") and that he was inspired by him to write the song masterpiece on this album (since he also reprises the character of Humpty Dumpty, or "the eggman", the egg man). It is known that both John and Paul love Carroll's writings, and having to choose between different characters, they chose the walrus instead of the carpenter (after the scandal of Lennon's statements on the church and Christianity, they would have accused him of comparing himself again to Christ!!). Other people instead believe this dark and fantastic character is another clue in the famous P.I.D. (Paul McCartney Is Dead) Mystery because in the Greek language "Walrus" means "Corpse" (it was known shortly after the announcement of this clue that the aforementioned word does not exist in any other language than English or American and means just "walrus").
Indeed, there are many other clues on these records that would "profess" or "make known" and inform the world that Paul McCartney actually died in a car accident on November 9, 1966, and that he was replaced by a lookalike very similar to him (the differences were retouched with plastic surgery). Personally, I disagree with this hypothesis, but I must admit that in the FANFOUR records there are some clues, and they are quite disturbing. Returning to our "Magical Mystery Tour," it can be said that there are also clues in songs like "The Fool On The Hill" or "Strawberry Fields Forever" or again "All You Need Is Love" and "Blue Jay Way". Even in the album cover itself (as mentioned earlier), the writing "Beatles" and not "The Beatles" symbolizes that the group is no longer the same as before.
Anyway, having finished this clue examination, let's get back to talking about the record. In this second part of the album, there are some very fascinating and astonishing singles that George Martin (the Beatles' personal music consultant, as well as the band's assistant, considered by many the "Fifth Beatle") inserted into the album to compensate for the shortcomings the album had. These pieces are, progressively: the catchy and simple "Hello, Goodbye", the dark and intoxicating "Strawberry Fields Forever" (considered by many one of the most beautiful Beatles songs ever, it is known how this piece was instead to be included in the previous album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" but due to technical issues it was later included in this LP), the sweet and spasmodic "Penny Lane", the beautiful "Baby You're A Rich Man", and the record concludes with the ultimate masterpiece of the legendary bugs, the song that has made generations of lovers dream and cry and that is still listened to and purchased today, namely the surprising "All You Need Is Love" (this song also had the good fortune of having in the ensemble valid and important musicians such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, etc...).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Magical Mystery Tour (02:54)
Roll up.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
And that's an invitation.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
To make a reservation.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
The Magical Mystery Tour
Is waiting to take you away.
Waiting to take you away.
Roll up.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
We got everything you need.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
The Magical Mystery Tour
Is hoping to take you away.
Hoping to take you away.
(Mystery Tour..)
Ah.. The Magical Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
And that's an invitation.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
Roll up.
To make a reservation.
Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
The Magical Mystery Tour
Is coming to take you away.
Coming to take you away.
The Magical Mystery Tour
Is dying to take you away.
Dying to take you away.
Take you today.
02 The Fool on the Hill (03:02)
Day after day alone on the hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still,
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning around.
Well on his way his head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him,
Or the sound he appears to make,
And he never seems to notice,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning around.
And nobody seems to like him
They can tell what he wants to do.
And he never shows his feelings,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning around.
He never listens to them,
He knows that they are the fools
They don't like him,
The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning around.
06 I Am the Walrus (04:39)
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly
I'm crying
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man, you've been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long
I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus
Goo-goo-ga-joob
Mister city, policeman sitting, pretty little policemen in a row
See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run
I'm crying
I'm cry---ing
I'm crying
I'm cry---ing
Yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dog's eye
Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess
Boy, you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down
I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus
Goo-goo-ga-joob
Sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun
If the sun don't come you get a tan from standing in the English rain
I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus
Goo-goo-ga-joob-goo-goo-goo-ga-joob
Expert texpert, choking smokers
Don't you think the Joker laughs at you?
Ho-ho-ho-hee-hee-hee-ha-ha-ha
See how they smile like pigs in a sty, see how they snide
I'm crying
Semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna
Man, you should've seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe
I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus
Goo-goo-ga-joob-goo-goo-goo-ga-joob
Goo-goo-ga-joob-goo-goo-goo-ga-joob
Goo-goo-ga-joob-goo-goo-goo-ga-joob
Juba, juba, juba
Juba, juba
Juba, juba
Juba, juba, stick it up your joompah
Oompah, oompah, stick it up your joompah
Oompah, oompah, stick it up your joompah
Everyone's got one
Oompah, oompah, stick it up your joompah
Everyone's got one
Everyone's got one
Everyone's got one
Oompah, oompah, stick it up your joompah
Oompah, oompah, stick it up your joompah…
[Here's the Shakespeare that occurs at the end of "I Am The Walrus."
King Lear Act Four, Scene 6, lines 249-259:]
Oswald: Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse.
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body
And give the letters which you find'st about me
To Edmund, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out
Upon the English party. O, untimely death!
Death! [He dies]
Edgar: I know thee well: a serviceable villain, As duteous to the vices of thy mistress As badness would desire.
Gloucester: What, is he dead?
Edgar: Sit you down, father. Rest you. [Gloucester sits.]
07 Hello Goodbye (03:33)
You say yes, I say no
You say stop and I say go, go, go
Oh... oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
I say high, you say low
You say why, and I say I don't know
Oh... oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
(Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye)
Hello, hello
(Hello, goodbye)
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
(Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye)
Hello, hello
(Hello, goodbye)
I don't know why you say goodbye
(Hello, goodbye)
I say hello
Why, why, why, why, why, why
Do you say good bye
Goodbye, bye, bye, bye, bye
Oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
You say yes, I say no
(I say yes, but I may mean no)
You say stop, and I say go, go, go
(I can stay, 'til it's time to go)
Oh... oh, no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
Hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello
hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye
I say hello-woah-woah
Hello
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
Hela, heba helloa
08 Strawberry Fields Forever (04:13)
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry fields forever
Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry fields forever
No one, I think, is in my tree
I mean, it must be high or low
That is, you can't, you know, tune in, but it's alright
That is, I think it's not too bad
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry fields forever
Always, no, sometimes think it's me
But you know I know when it's a dream
I think I know, I mean, er yes, but it's all wrong
That is, I think I disagree
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry fields forever
Strawberry fields forever
Strawberry fields forever
09 Penny Lane (03:05)
In Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs
Of every head he's had the pleasure to have known.
And all the people that come and go
Stop and say hello.
On the corner is a banker with a motorcar,
And little children laugh at him behind his back.
And the banker never wears a mac
In the pouring rain, very strange.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back
In penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen.
He likes to keep his fire engine clean,
It's a clean machine.
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
Full of fish and finger pies
In summer, meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
The pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
And though she feels as if she's in a play
She is anyway.
In Penny Lane the barber shaves another customer,
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim.
And then the fireman rushes in
From the pouring rain, very strange.
Penny lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back.
Penny lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
There beneath the blue suburban skies,
Penny Lane.
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Other reviews
By Pepperism
Magical Mystery Tour means acid.
By flying, you arrive at a foggy road where a George fogged by acid much more than that same Blue Jay Way waits for his friends to arrive.
By Rax
A truly pointless film, which I can only remember for a few funny scenes (like the one where Lennon shovels pasta).
"Hello Goodbye," for its lyrics, is undoubtedly the lowest point of McCartney’s work with the group.
