Collectors Music Reviews

Strawberry Fields Forever And Penny Lane Sessions (Misterclaudel mccd-51/52)

Setlist : Disc 1:  “Strawberry Fields Forever” demo recordings, Santa Isabela, Spain – fall 1966:  Warm-Up, Take 1, Take 2, Take 3, Take 4, Take 5, Take 6, fragment.  Demo recordings #2, Kenwood:  Electric Guitar Overdub Rehearsal, Electric Guitar Overdubs Onto Demo, Demo Playback, Vocal Overdub Onto Demo, Demo Playback, Electric Guitar Demo Take 1, Electric Guitar Demo Take 2 – Take 7, Electric Guitar Demo Take 8, Mellotron Rehearsals.  EMI Studio recordings:  Studio Take 1 (24th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 2 (28th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 3 with false start (28th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 4 (28th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 5 breakdown (29th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 6 (29th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 7 Stereo Tape Reduction Take 6 (29th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 7 RM3 Mono (29th Nov. 1966), Studio Take 25 w/SI (15th Dec. 1966), Studio Take 26 w/SI (21st Dec. 1966), RM 9, RS 5 (29th Dec. 1966), Take 1 remixed, Take 7, RM 3 crossfaded with Take 25, U.S. Stereo edit of takes 7 & 26, Mono edit of takes 7 & 26

Disc 2:  “Penny Lane” Over Dub Sessions, RM 8, RM 9, RM 10, Alternate Promo Stereo Mix, Take 9 Stereo, Take 9 Stereo 2, Take 9 Mono, Take 9 Mono 2.  “Hello Goodbye” #1, #2, #3, Stereo take 22, Mono take 22.  “Baby You’re A Rich Man” Stereo Take 14, Mono Take 14.  “All You Need Is Love” #1, #2 (Take 58 Broadcast Version), Stereo Take 58, Mono Take 58
Review :
Some can argue that “Strawberry Fields Forever” is the most important rock song ever written.  It is certainly one of the most influential, breaking the boundaries of what a pop song can achieve going past even what The Beatles achieved on Revolver.  We have been blessed, going back to the days of vinyl, to have working takes from EMI studios to track the progression of the development of the song.  They surfaced on vinyl on Ultra Rare Trax Vol. 1 on Swinging Pig (TSP 001) and have been featured on countless compact disc reissues including Ultra Rare Trax Vol. 1 on The Swingin’ Pig (TSP-CD-001), Ultra Rare Trax Vol. 4 on The Swingin’ Pig (TSP-CD-026), Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 3 on Yellow Dog (YD003.).  In 1999 Vigotone released the John Barrett tapes on Turn Me On Dead Man (VIGO-178/179).  In 1997 It’s Not Too Bad was released by Pegboy (1008) which revealed twenty additional minutes of “Strawberry  Fields Forever” outtakes dating from its initial conception in Spain in 1966 and Lennon’s Kenwood home before going into the studio.

This new release on Misterclaudel collects every known piece of tape from these sessions including the U.S. stereo and mono edit of takes seven and twenty-six not included on previous editions in sterling studio quality.  On disc two they collect all of the various demos and rehearsals for the other single releases from 1967 “Penny Lane”, “Hello Goodbye”, “Baby You’re a Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love” scattered over a myriad other releases.  Again the sound quality is almost perfect and sound as good as previous releases of this material.  The rare oboe version of “Penny Lane” is included as well as the mono and stereo edits of “All You Need Is Love”.  The label use the cover of the “Strawberry Fields Forever” / “Penny Lane” single artwork for their cover.  This is a good release although nothing new is achieved except to create another anthology of this material which is essential for any collection and is another release in their catalogue of Beatles outtakes.  (GS)

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