CL's Favourite Albums: The Final - Revolver vs Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Personally, I think some of the better tracks are on Revolver, Eleanor Rigby and For No One, being stand outs for me. But Pepper was an album that generated significant cultural impact and interest, so for that reason i’m going for Pepper.
It’s not my favourite Beatles’ album, but I think it was probably the one that had the most impact.

To redress the balance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmhHBr7WDA

Sgt. Pepper.
I sort of love it that these 2 made the final and that they always feature near the top of “best” albums polls.
If for no other reason that I wonder if that will still be the case in say 50 years time – when there is nobody left who lived through the times and fully appreciates the context.
By then the songs will be left to stand on their own merits; which arguably most will, but some will have lost the “groundbreaking” part of their context whilst others will have become “victims”of their times (e.g. Within You, Without You).
As a collection of great songs there is a strong case for saying Revolver is the better album.
(In 50 years of arguing with my best friend he won’t be swayed from this opinion).
I would certainly concede that there is an argument that Pepper as an album is greater than the sum of its parts. (I for one don’t like playing the tracks piecemeal I tend to only play the whole album or at least a whole side.)
The songs within are bound together by the multi-layered, echo saturated, atmospheric, “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” production.
It was probably George Martin’s finest hour as a producer and every song, however superficially slight, is afforded the same attention to detail and works within that context
That isn’t to say of course that there were not astonishing individual songs on the album:-
With a little help from my friends; Lucy in the sky with diamonds; She’s leaving home to name a few.
And then there is the incredible, A Day in the Life – cited by some as the Beatles crowning achievement.
In a year of amazing groundbreaking records (Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, Ruby Tuesday, Heroes and Villains, A whiter shade of pale, Paper Sun, See Emily Play, Purple Haze, Itchycoo Park, I Can See for Miles, Reflections etc etc) A Day in the Life stands as arguably the song of the year (Well, there is Waterloo Sunset but that may just be me
Also, for all it’s creative invention it is worth pointing out that, as ever, the Beatles retained their inclusivity. Though both reflecting and defining their generation, they never dismiss that part of their audience from an older generation.
Thus, the “out there” stuff sits comfortably with songs like When I’m Sixty-Four.
And of course Ringo get’s his customary one song to sing, the excellent With a little help from my friends (which contrary to what some say, does not need Joe Cocker to make it “valid” or “authentic” however merited is the praise for his admirable cover version).
If the Beatles were the ultimate pop group, then for me Pepper was the ultimate pop album

Pepper peaks higher (Day In The Life) but Revolver peaks more often. It's a very close call for me.

I think Pepper coheres and captures the spirit of an age I didn't even know better than any other rock album. So as an album I have to go for Pepper.

Raith_C_Chattonell said:

The release of any Beatles album would cause a stir back in the day, but the pure reaction to Peppers was off scale. Many of the techniques and ideas on the album were radical and groundbreaking, although I guess a modern listener may perceive the effects as old hat or maybe a bit corny.

For my part I loved Peppers. I loved the opening, with the title track emerging from the atmospheric hub hub of a crowd scene, with the distant accordion playing - to the startling orchestral crescendo on the closing track. In between there was plenty to keep the listener amused with a plethora of different musical instruments, piano effects and George Martin’s manipulation of magnetic tape. Don’t get me wrong here, I enjoyed the music too!

Oh, did I mention that my vote goes to Peppers?

P.S. I recall in an earlier round advising someone who named the horse incorrectly on For the Benefit of Mr Kite. The name on the album is of course Henry. However, had John Lennon stuck to the original inspiration (namely the poster below) it would have been Zanthus.

He found the poster in an antiques shop in Sevenoaks whilst they were filming the promo for Strawberry Fields in Knole Park.

Hard one to call. Just for the above fact I'd choose Peppers..........but it has the god damn awful "with a little help from my friends" and "within & without you" and seeing as Revolver beat Dark side of the Moon on the way to the final I will have to say a narrow win for.............

Revolver.

johnny73 said:

I prefer Let It Be and Abbey Road to both of these choices.

Let It Be has always been my favourite Beatles album.

Really like the 'stripped to the bare bones' under-production, giving it a bit of a raw jam session feel or live pub performance.

quintusboss said:

Addick in SW16 said:

quintusboss said:

Listened again to the whole Revolver album driving home recently, I found myself wanting to skip tracks. Then listened to SPLHCB and my finger was never tempted to hover over skippy, so my vote goes to the Sarge.

Been listening to it a lot recently too. Out of curiosity, which tracks had you reaching for the skip button?

I suppose it is a sign of the time when it was made. The tracks on their own are very good, but listening to them one after another began to grate a little and I found I wanted to fast forward a few times, particularly with "She Said, She Said" and "I want to tell you". Rather heretically, I found "Dr. Robert" to be repetitive and just wanted it to end as well.

Have to say I agree - enjoyed most of the ballads on Revolver but as an album I much prefer Pepper

McBobbin said:

Revolver pisses on pepper, the emperor's new clothes as an album. Pepper needed to happen, it was like a concept car, but revolver delivered.

Neither as good as stone roses but "will of the people" etc.

This entirely.

I will vote for Revolver but doesn’t even come close to the Roses.

A travesty of justice.

Six-a-bag-of-nuts said:

Oggy Red said:

johnny73 said:

I prefer Let It Be and Abbey Road to both of these choices.

Let It Be has always been my favourite Beatles album.

Really like the 'stripped to the bare bones' under-production, giving it a bit of a raw jam session feel or live pub performance.

Have you got the "Let it Be-'Naked'" version Oggy, minus all the strings and bits that Phil Spector added and McCartney hated?

No, I haven't, Six-a-bag. Not heard it yet but thanks to you mentioning it, I've just found it on Youtube and bookmarked it.
I'll give it a listen dreckly.

My Let it Be copy on vinyl, is a red apple label which I bought from a secondhand record shop in Soho about 1973 which I was told at that time was an American import. Just googled 'red apple label' and looks like it could well be a counterfeit issue !

Any market for a 45 year old pirate vinyl Beatles album? haha

Neither are my favourite Beatles album. I find Revolver a bit gloomy and downbeat to be honest. Sgt Pepper wins

My all time favourite favourite Beatles song is Here Comes the Sun. It's just about one of my earliest memories. I figured out how to play it over and over and over again on my parents record player. I must have been about 3 years old.

Revolver is a collection of songs, while Pepper is like a theatrical show.
Different concepts.

They're both brilliant albums of their time, so hard to choose between them.


I'll go with Revolver, as the songs stand on their own merit without needing the razza-mattaz of over-elaborate production.