Appena finito “Pepper”, McCartney, aveva capito bene che che l’euforia dei primi anni era svanita, e che George e John volevano fare altro. Allora Paul decise di trovare un nuovo progetto che li mettesse a lavoro e ridesse loro nuovo entusiasmo per il gruppo. Così si inventò il film “Magical Mystery Tour”. Un film davvero inutile, che posso ricordare solo per qualche scena divertente (come quella in cui Lennon spala la pasta).
Oggi questo lavoro è stato rivalutato. Lo stesso Spielberg disse: “Ha un piccolo posto nella storia del cinema. Lo studiavamo alla scuola di regia”. Spielberg, e come lui molti altri celebrati registi, ci ha messo tanto tempo a capire che un film non si giudica solo da come il regista muove le telecamere …
Il disco è più o meno come il film. Musicalmente estroso, ma manca la sostanza, cioè le canzoni, alcune delle quali hanno davvero poco spessore.
La title-track è funzionale al film. Insignificante canzone, benché arrangiata molto bene. Il testo è un chiaro/velato inno alla mariujana e all’LSD. “Your Mother Should Know”, “Baby, You’re a Rich Man”, “Hello Goodbye”, sono tre brutte canzoni (benché ben prodotte), che riportano i Beatles al dilettantismo e all’immaturità di “Please, Please Me”. “Hello Goodbye”, per il testo, è senz’altro il punto più basso della produzione di McCartney nel gruppo.
“All You Need is Love”. Una canzone musicalmente gradevole, con un testo che dice una cosa magnifica: “Puoi imparare ad essere te stesso con il tempo ”, insieme ad una marea stupidaggini degne di un “rottame mentale” (come Ian MacDonald definisce il Lennon dell’epoca): “Non c’è nulla che tu puoi fare e che non possa essere fatto. L’amore è tutto quello di cui hanno bisogno”. “Blue Jay Way”. Una buona canzone, ma secondaria.
“The Fool on the Hill” è invece una delle più belle ballate di Paul. Il testo è ottimo (apprezzato moltissimo anche da John), e dice che talvolta saggezza significa solitudine. Ciò che è più triste è che questa canzone venne scritta da Paul durante il making di “Pepper”. Paul la suonò a John, mentre i due lavoravano a “With a Little Help from my Friends”. Se ci avessero creduto subito e ci avessero lavorato, sarebbe entrata nell’album. “Pepper” poteva avere, non due, ma tre capolavori in più.
“Penny Lane” venne scritta da Paul per sfidare John che aveva appena terminato “Strawberry Fields”. Pur essendo una grande canzone, “Penny Lane” non è certo il pezzo di McCartney che può sfidare il capolavoro di Lennon. La differenza tra le due è abissale. Detto ciò, il pezzo è eccellente. Ascoltandola potete notare il suono molto compatto della batteria “trattata” (come fa notare Ian MacDonald), e il bellissimo assolo di tromba, che fu ispirato a Paul da un pezzo di musica classica. McCatrtney lo suonò a Martin con il basso, e poi il produttore scrisse la partitura per un trombettista professionista. Anche il testo, benché senza grande profondità, è molto bello nelle immagini, e nell’ultima strofa che unisce le prime tre in modo davvero brillante. L’idea di scrivere qualcosa su “Penny Lane” venne a Paul da un foglio di Lennon, su cui John aveva abbozzato il testo iniziale di “In My Life”.
“I’m the Walrus”. Preferisco altre canzoni di Lennon, ma questa rimane uno dei suoi più grandi capolavori. Anche se l’arrangiamento magistrale fu di Martin, fu John a dargli le istruzioni. Il testo non significa nulla o quasi. John, quando venne a sapere che un insegnante cercava significati nascosti nelle sue liriche, decise di scrivere un testo nonsense per prendere in giro chi super-analizzava i suoi testi. Purtroppo lo fece con la canzone sbagliata, perché non si può sprecare un pezzo del genere con un testo così. “I’m the Walrus” era la canzone dei Beatles preferita da Frank Zappa, che la coverizzò in concerto varie volte. Per saorridere un pò: il singolo “I’m the Walrus” venne messo come lato B di “Hello Goodbye”.
Elenco tracce testi e video
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.
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di Pepperism
Magical Mystery Tour significa acido.
Tutto ciò di cui hai bisogno è amore, lo dicono quei quattro maghi che stanno ancora lì adesso, nel loro cielo pieno di diamanti.
Di JohnLennon
Personalmente trovo l'album geniale e pieno di pezzi interessanti.
Il magico e disarmante 'I Am The Walrus' è considerato da molti la miglior canzone dei Beatles in assoluto!
