Magical Mystery Tour... Catchiest Album Ever?

I think you could say A Hard Days Night or Rubber Soul approach the 'catchability' of MMT, but you make a good point. I'm having a hard time geeting Your Mother Should Know out of my head right now.

The amazing thing about this album, and about all the Beatles' output is that no two songs are in the same genre or subgenre of music. Their eclectism is almost unique among bands of the past 50 years, and light years beyond the dull, monotonous, tedious and repetitious crap my kids listen to. When they aren't listening to the Beatles, Stones, Who, Doors, Animals, etc., etc., etc., that is.

Yep, there's some great songs on that album, for sure. But I think Rubber Soul is catchier.

MMT is definitely in the running for one of the catchiest albums ever.

SirOtter said:

The amazing thing about this album, and about all the Beatles' output is that no two songs are in the same genre or subgenre of music. Their eclectism is almost unique among bands of the past 50 years...

Click to expand...

How true. All you have to do is put a couple of Beatles tunes side by side to see what you mean: When I'm Sixty-Four / Helter Skelter, or Penny Lane / Revolution. You could pick just about any style of popular music that has come after the Beatles and go back and find a Beatles tune that was a precursor. Hard rock owes a huge debt to Helter Skelter and anybody who has ever tried to write a tune that would have a chance of getting radio airplay would be well served to give a few Beatles singles a spin.

"Roll up ... roll up for the Mystery Tour...."

What is catchiness, though? Is it a memorable tune with some good hooks? Is it a good thing, really? Or is it a symptom of the simplicity, repetition and commercial appeal of popular music? I mean is Beethoven's Allegro Con Brio catchy? Is his Ode ot Joy catchy? How's bout Bach? How about Pink Floyd's Animals? Yes' Close to the Edge? Zeppelin's Fourth Album? Alice in Chain's Jar of Flies? The first Audioslave album? Greenday's American Idiot. All superior, imho to MMT. Not necessarily in catchiness, but in musicality. And, don't get me started on Muse...

Who's Next

I love the comic book type book that came with the album. I still look at it from time to time. Le sigh. Remember the good ole days when part of the fun of unwrapping an album was the liner notes. Magical Mystery Tour had the best album package ever!

KTC said:

Remember the good ole days when part of the fun of unwrapping an album was the liner notes.

Click to expand...

They even had that "new album smell".

alleycat said:

They even had that "new album smell".

Click to expand...

YES! I remember that smell. When I was 7-9 I worked in a record store in Toronto...stocking shelves. I got paid in albums. I used to open the box of albums when they came into the store...and shove my face in the box and take a big whiff. AH! Even better when you unwrapped the plastic and sniffed inside. Those were the days.

I'd put Nirvana's Nevermind in the uber-catchy category. Four chords and dreary, almost jingle-like melodies. Not exactly toe tapping, but pure hook none the less. Half the album is still on heavy rotation on the radio to this day (which I find confusing because who hasn't heard it enough times yet?)

Oddly enough, MMT is one of my least favorite Beatle's albums. And at the time it was released, wasn't it a critical disappointment?

As far as catchy Beatle's albums, I like Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road.

Diana Hignutt said:

Not necessarily in catchiness, but in musicality.

Click to expand...

Then you're sort of missing the point of the exercise.

III said:

I'd put Nirvana's Nevermind in the uber-catchy category. Four chords and dreary, almost jingle-like melodies. Not exactly toe tapping, but pure hook none the less. Half the album is still on heavy rotation on the radio to this day (which I find confusing because who hasn't heard it enough times yet?)

Click to expand...

I heard it more than enough by the end of 1991. 'Dreary' doth not equal catchy.

Shadow_Ferret said:

Oddly enough, MMT is one of my least favorite Beatle's albums. And at the time it was released, wasn't it a critical disappointment?

As far as catchy Beatle's albums, I like Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road.

Click to expand...

My recollection is that the film was a critical disaster, but the album did all right.

Is it because of the film that the album has been underrated or only because of comparisons to the preceding album Sgt. Pepper?

childeroland said:

Is it because of the film that the album has been underrated or only because of comparisons to the preceding album Sgt. Pepper?

Click to expand...

Good point. They were released six months apart (Pepper in June '67, MMT in December '67), which is friggin' incredible. Even more amazing when you think about how it takes some modern artists years to release a piece of crap.

ChunkyC said:

Good point. They were released six months apart (Pepper in June '67, MMT in December '67), which is friggin' incredible. Even more amazing when you think about how it takes some modern artists years to release a piece of crap.

Click to expand...

But, of course, they weren't touring like most acts do (for six to nine months minimum), cramming in songwriting and recording when they can. I'm sure that helped speed the process for the Beatles a fair amount. And, a lot of musicians (who have to tour lots) have put together albums that are not only not crap, but are vastly superior to any Beatles record for musicianship, virtuosity, and scope.

They did tour for a while, and put out two or three albums a year while doing so.

And, a lot of musicians (who have to tour lots) have put together albums that are not only not crap, but are vastly superior to any Beatles record for musicianship, virtuosity, and scope.

Click to expand...

Well, that's all subjective. For example, tons of people think Guns N Roses guitarist Slash is some sort of six string god, but I find his playing to be rather pedestrian most of the time. He's good, but not exceptional. On the other hand, I think David Gilmour of Pink Floyd is one of the finest axemen ever to strap on a Stratocaster, yet I'm sure he bores the hell out of many Slash fans.

There's a reason The Beatles are considered by many (myself included) to be the greatest band in history. They were the first true supergroup and there are few songwriters who can top Lennon & McCartney. As for virtuosity, they were all multi-instrumentalists with the possible exception of Ringo. They also, along with producer George Martin, pioneered many of the recording techniques we take for granted today.

Regardless, this thread is about how catchy MMT is. Catchy is all about the hook; something you can't help remembering, tapping your feet to, humming along with. MMT has that in spades.

Chuck, my point was they didn't tour between SP and MMT. They had the luxury of taking their time. I'm not saying they didn't do fantastic things with that time. They absolutely did. And, sure every Beatle album after and including Rubber Soul is a masterpiece.

And, I'd agree with your opinions on Slash (what a hack) and David Gilmore (f-ing genius). And it gives me and idea for a thread...

True about not having to tour between albums. Once they gave up the road, they could concentrate wholly on the studio and oh man oh man what a result.