Saturday 9: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Saturday 9: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

. . . because Joy recommended it

Here's a Paul McCartney version of the title song.

1) The Beatles recorded this after they had taken a three-month hiatus from working together as a band. Do you find you're sharp after taking time off? Or does it take you a while to get back into the swing of things in your day-to-day life?

A. It depends on how good the time off was. A stressful time off does not do me much good.

2) During those three months off, John Lennon made a movie called How I Won the War. What's the last movie you watched? Did you view it at a theater, on TV, or from a device like a computer or tablet?

A. I last watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on the TV.

3) Paul McCartney and George Harrison both used their time off to make new and different music. Paul composed instrumentals for a movie soundtrack while George studied sitar with Ravi Shankar. Ringo Starr spent those three months with his wife and their two little boys. If you had three months to spend doing anything you wanted, and money was no object, would you try something new (like Paul and George) or just kick back and relax (like Ringo)?

A. I would like to travel a little and see some new things. Actually I think a 3-month cruise that takes in Italy and Greece sounds nice.

4) Paul recalls what fun it was to dress up in Edwardian-era costumes for the album cover. When did you last attend a costume party? What did you wear?

A. I do not think I have ever attended a costume party.

5) Paul says he came up with the name "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" when Beatle friend Mal Evans told him about this great San Francisco band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Paul hadn't heard their music yet, but he loved the sound of their six-word band name. Soon everyone would hear of Big Brother. Do you know who Big Brother's famous lead singer was?

A. Janis Joplin. Didn't have to look that one up at all.

6) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band appeared on the Billboard charts for 175 weeks. Is this album in your collection?

A. I think the version with Elton John and the BeeGees (wasn't it the BeeGees?) is in my collection, not the original.

7) The Beatles are among the top-selling artists of all time in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Would you like to visit Africa?

A. Sure, if I were healthy and somebody could give me really strong sunscreen and somehow keep the bugs from eating me alive. I hear the drums echoing tonight; she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation. She's coming in 12:30 flight, the moonlit wings reflect me towards salvation. . . . I bless the rains down in Africa.

8) 50 years ago, when Sgt. Pepper was first released, the average price for gas was 33¢/gallon. When did you last fill up your gas tank? Do you remember how much it cost?

A. $1.96/gallon. I filled it up on Wednesday.

9) Random question: Are most of your married friends happily married?

A. To my knowledge most of them are, yes. What goes on behind closed doors generally stays there, as it should unless life is in danger. I can think of two married couples with issues, but most of my married friends seem happy with one another.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.