VIDEO: Beatles Announce Mega ‘Sgt. Pepper’ 50th Anniversary Box Set
The landmark album will be re-released as a 6-disc set on May 26
April 5, 2017
Few albums in the history of rock music are considered more impactful than the Beatles’ 1967 classic “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Wednesday morning (“at five o’clock”), the band revealed plans for a massive six-disc “super deluxe” box set—as well as smaller editions—commemorating the 50th anniversary of the landmark album on May 26.
For the first time, the album has received complete stereo and 5.1 surround sound remixes, done form the original master tapes by Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer Sir George Martin. However, the biggest attraction seems to be the two discs dedicated to unreleased outtakes, work-in-progress recordings, and alternate versions from the legendary “Sgt. Pepper” recording sessions at Abbey Road. The set will also heavily spotlight the non-album singles “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane,” with both appearing in remixed form, in their original single mixes, and in various outtake versions.
The “super deluxe” version also includes a disc of the album’s original mono mix, accompanied by bonus tracks, notably a “lost” version of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” Additionally, a Blu-ray and DVD are included along with the 1992 documentary “The Making of Sgt. Pepper,” featuring interviews with the surviving Beatles on the creation of their masterpiece as well as original promo films for “Strawberry Fields,” “Penny Lane,” and “A Day in the Life.”
The package itself includes a 144-page hardcover book filled with recording session photos, original lyric sheets, and essays about the album’s making and cultural significance. Oh, there’s also a replica of the “Mr. Kite” poster which inspired John Lennon. The release marks the first time the Beatles have dedicated an entire box set to a single album. Simultaneously, “Sgt. Pepper” will be reissued in single CD, 2-CD, and 2-LP vinyl formats.
Check out the full track listing for the six-disc “super deluxe” edition (below) as well as a trailer for the massive set, out May 26.
CD 1
(Sgt. Pepper 2017 Stereo Mix)1. ” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”2. ” With A Little Help From My Friends”3. ” Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”4. ” Getting Better”5. ” Fixing A Hole”6. ” She’s Leaving Home”7. ” Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!”8. ” Within You Without You”9. ” When I’m Sixty-Four”10. “Lovely Rita”11. “Good Morning Good Morning”12. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”13. “A Day In The Life”
CD 21. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Take 1]2. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Take 4]3. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Take 7]4. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Take 26]5. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Stereo Mix – 2015]6. “When I’m Sixty-Four” [Take 2]7. “Penny Lane” [Take 6 – Instrumental]8. “Penny Lane” [Vocal Overdubs And Speech]9. “Penny Lane” [Stereo Mix – 2017]10. “A Day In The Life” [Take 1]11. “A Day In The Life” [Take 2]12. “A Day In The Life” [Orchestra Overdub]13. “A Day In The Life” (Hummed Last Chord) [Takes 8, 9, 10 and 11]14. “A Day In The Life” (The Last Chord)15. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” [Take 1 – Instrumental]16. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” [Take 9 And Speech]17. “Good Morning Good Morning” [Take 1 – Instrumental, Breakdown]18. “Good Morning Good Morning” [Take 8]
CD 31. “Fixing A Hole” [Take 1]2. “Fixing A Hole” [Speech And Take 3]3. “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!” [Speech From Before Take 1; Take 4 And Speech At End]4. “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!” [Take 7]5. “Lovely Rita” [Speech And Take 9]6. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” [Take 1 And Speech At The End]7. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” [Speech, False Start And Take 5]8. “Getting Better” [Take 1 – Instrumental And Speech At The End]9. “Getting Better” [Take 12]10. “Within You Without You” [Take 1 – Indian Instruments Only]11. “Within You Without You” [George Coaching The Musicians]12. “She’s Leaving Home” [Take 1 – Instrumental]13. “She’s Leaving Home” [Take 6 – Instrumental]14. “With A Little Help From My Friends” [Take 1 – False Start And Take 2 – Instrumental]15. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” [Speech And Take 8]
CD 41-13: 2017 Direct Transfer of Sgt. Pepper Original Mono Mix14. “Strawberry Fields Forever” [Original Mono Mix]15. “Penny Lane” [Original Mono Mix]16. “A Day In The Life” [Unreleased First Mono Mix]17. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” [Unreleased Mono Mix – No. 11]18. “She’s Leaving Home” [Unreleased First Mono Mix]19. “Penny Lane” [Capitol Records U.S. Promo Single – Mono Mix]
DISCS 5 & 6 (Blu-ray & DVD)Audio Features (both discs):- New 5.1 Surround Audio mixes of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album and “Penny Lane,” plus 2015 5.1 Surround mix of “Strawberry Fields Forever” (Blu-ray: DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby True HD 5.1 / DVD: DTS Dolby Digital 5.1)- High Resolution Audio versions of 2017 ‘Sgt. Pepper’ stereo mix and 2017 “Penny Lane” stereo mix, plus 2015 “Strawberry Fields Forever” hi res stereo mix (Blu-ray: LPCM Stereo 96KHz/24bit / DVD: LPCM Stereo)Video Features (both discs):- The Making of Sgt. Pepper [restored 1992 documentary film, previously unreleased]- Promotional Films: “A Day In The Life;” “Strawberry Fields Forever;” “Penny Lane” [4K restored]
