Tuesday 26 May 2015

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (The Beatles, 1967)

Of course, this isn't a prog song, it simply couldn't be. That said, "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is one of the most quoted and listed pre-prog albums. This song, in particular, features a lot of elements that perfectly fit into the proto-progressive mood. First of all, it's one of the more complex and colourful songs by The Beatles, packed with organ sounds, overdubbings, tape loops and assorted weirdness. This need for intricacy and the crossover nature of the track are the breeding ground on which our favourite genre will rise.

A seminal album. And not only for prog pre-history...

The lyrics confirm such a reading, being inspired by a XIXth Century circus poster and including a good deal of double entendres and allusions, in a vein that many prog bands will exploit some years later. Last but not least, this is a beautiful song, concealing a well written melody into a tricky package. And that doesn't sound new in this blog. So, not prog, you're right, but not so far from that...

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