Magical Mystery Tour

The Beatles: John Lennon (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, piano, harpsichord, organ, clavioline, Mellotron, maracas, tambourine, tape loops); George Harrison (vocals, guitar, violin, harmonica, Hammond organ, timpani, congas, firebell, tambourine, tabla); Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, flute, recorder, piano, acoustic & electric basses, bongos, congas); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums, maracas, tambourine, finger cymbals, tape loops).
Additional personnel includes: Dave Mason (piccolo, trumpet); Philip Jones (trumpet); George Martin (piano); Mal Evans (tambourine); Mick Jagger, Gary Leeds, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Jane Asher, Patti Harrison, Keith Moon, Graham Nash (background vocals).
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Olympic Sound Studios, De Lane Lea and Chappell Recording Studios, London, England between November 24, 1966 and November 7, 1967.
This reissue of MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR has been digitally re-mastered. It comes packaged with replicated original U.K. album art, an expanded booklet containing original and newly written liner notes, and rare photos. Limited quantities of the CD are embedded with a brief documentary film about the album.
Audio Remasterers: Sean Magee; Sam O'Kell; Steve Rooke; Guy Massey; Paul Hicks.
Liner Note Authors: Mike Heatley; Kevin Howlett.
Recording information: 04/25/1967-11/07/1967.
The U.S. version of the soundtrack for the Beatles' ill-fated British television special embellished the six songs that were found on the British Magical Mystery Tour double EP with five other cuts from their 1967 singles. (The CD version of the record has now been standardized worldwide as the 11 tracks found on the American version.) The psychedelic sound is very much in the vein of Sgt. Pepper's, and even spacier in parts (especially the sound collages of "I Am the Walrus"). Unlike Sgt. Pepper's, there's no vague overall conceptual/thematic unity to the material, which has made Magical Mystery Tour suffer slightly in comparison. Still, the music is mostly great, and "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "All You Need Is Love," and "Hello Goodbye" were all huge, glorious, and innovative singles. The ballad "The Fool on the Hill," though only a part of the Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack, is also one of the most popular Beatles tunes from the era. [This reissue of Magical Mystery Tour has been digitally remastered. It comes packaged with replicated original U.K. album art, an expanded booklet containing original and newly written liner notes, and rare photos. Limited quantities of the CD are embedded with a brief documentary film about the album.] ~ Richie Unterberger