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From: mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (Marcel F. Simon)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: IS SGT. PEPPER REALLY A CONCEPT ALBUM?
Message-ID: <441@mhuxr.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 28-Sep-85 11:16:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxr.441
Posted: Sat Sep 28 11:16:46 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Sep-85 06:35:03 EDT
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> All my life, I have been informed that the Beatles' SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY
> HEART CLUB BAND is the first real concept album.  My question is: WHAT'S 
> THE CONCEPT?
> 
>                                    Bill Pitzonka

I am not sure there was a specific, album-unifying concept. Sgt Pepper,
however, was the first full-length LP to be connected from song to song:
the intro and outro "live" versions of the title tune, the laughter
at the end of "Within You Without You", the background noises in "Good
Morning", the various references to drugs that were heard by many (the Fab
Four always insisted that there was no such intent)

There is also the powerful strain of loneliness and alienation that runs
throughout: the non-communicating parents and child of "She's leaving home",
the desperation of "With a Little help from my Friends" and the out and out
despair of "A Day in the Life"

This was not the first time a group had attempted to link songs together.
The Who's "A Quick One (while he's away)" is one major example. SGT PEPPER,
however, was the first LP to be so linked from beginning to end.

Hope this helps

Marcel Simon