beatles magical history tour

• Contact EDG +1 651 222 1121

THE MAGICAL HISTORY TOUR | A BEATLES MEMORABILIA EXHIBITION

There are few musicians in recent history who have influenced pop culture and the music industry as much as The Beatles did.

This collection of Beatles artifacts, the most comprehensive collection ever displayed under one roof, takes visitors on a highly interactive journey through the history of one of the world’s most beloved musical groups, from the band’s genesis to its final days and beyond.

Popular culture has yet to experience another worldwide phenomenon on the scale of the Beatles since Beatlemania took the world by storm. The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition allows visitors to explore the entire Beatles story through an inspirational journey of creativity, curiosity, and love. This one-of-a-kind experience will present the most exhaustive Beatles exhibition ever assembled: an immersive and educational retrospective driven by the music and the culture that the Fab Four produced.

The Beatles and their story continue to change and inspire the world today.

The Magical History Tour fosters historical, cultural, artistic, and musical learning for all ages in both the museum and the classroom, all while maintaining a fun and engaging atmosphere.

Come along, join the international tour, and trace the steps of the lads of Liverpool from the genesis of the Beatles, to their break up and beyond.

EXHIBITION INCLUDES: • Hundreds of artifacts, including personal items, letters, pivotal documentation, instruments and equipment • Four sections with immersive environments: Beginnings, Influences and Life in Liverpool; Life on the Road; Innovation in the Studio; and The Decade of the Break-up • Rare photographs from the Beatle’s touring years including many never-before-seen by the public • A vast collection of Beatles memorabilia • Marketing and PR kits • Retail/merchandise program

EXHIBITION SIZE: 7,500 square feet (750 square meters)

LOGISTICS: Shipping domestic: 5 trucks Installation: approx. 15 working days Deinstallation: approx. 10 working days

STOPLIGHT METHOD CLASSIFICATION: • Moderately interactive

The exhibition is made possible with the valuable support of and collaboration with: Peter Miniaci & Associates

This Exhibition is not endorsed by, sponsored by, associated with, or otherwise affiliated with The Beatles, Apple Corps Ltd., or any member of The Beatles or their representatives.

CHECK TOUR SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITY

View exhibition materials, reserve this exhibition for your venue, related exhibitions.

Electric Playhouse Travels

Hall of Heroes

Have an exhibition you want to tour, fill out our exhibition submission form., testimonials, contact edg.

The Union Depot 214 East Fourth Street, Suite #170 Saint Paul, MN USA 55101

+1 651 222 1121 OFFICE

Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm CST

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Company Name

Your Message

Share this website

Magical mystery tour.

Release date: 27 November 1967

"It was like we were in another phase of our career you know we'd done all the live stuff and that was marvellous, now we were into being more artists. We got more freedom to be artists." PAUL

"If you think it was good, keep it, if you don't, scrap it." JOHN

"You have success with something that might have seemed like a far out idea, people had said wow this is great and so when we'd come back again George would be really quite keen to try, what other ideas have you got?" GEORGE

"And now we are going to play a track from Magical Mystery Tour which is one of my favourite albums because it was so weird I Am The Walrus, one of my favourite tracks because I did it of course but also cos it's one of those that has enough little bitties going to keep you interested even a hundred years later." JOHN

"The Beatles songs had started to sound more individual from Revolver onwards or even before then." GEORGE MARTIN

The Beatles devised, wrote and directed a television film called Magical Mystery Tour which was broadcast on BBC Television at Christmas, 1967

Even before Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, had hit the shops, the idea of the programme had been born and work had commenced on the title track.

It was decided that the soundtrack for the programme would be released on two seven inch discs which would be packaged with a booklet in a gatefold sleeve. The booklet contained stills from the show along with a comic strip telling the story. A lyric sheet was also stapled into the centrespread of the booklet. The EP was a runaway success and reached no. 2 in the UK singles chart, held off the top spot by their own single... "Hello, Goodbye".

In the US, the double-EP format was not considered viable so instead, Capitol Records created an album by placing the six songs from the EP on side one of an album and drawing side two from the titles that had appeared on singles in 1967. These titles were "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Penny Lane", "All You Need Is Love" - their anthem that had been broadcast around the world via Satellite in June. "Baby, You're A Rich Man" and their current single, "Hello, Goodbye". The US release made # 1 in early January 1968 and stayed there for eight weeks. Its initial chart run lasted 59 weeks.

1967 had certainly been a year of great achievement but it was also tinged with sadness. Brian Epstein, The Beatles' manager since 1961 passed away on 27th August, 1967 at the age of 32.

The US configuration for Magical Mystery Tour was later adopted by many other countries (including the UK in 1976). When the Beatles catalogue was first issued on Compact Disc in 1987, Magical Mystery Tour joined the core list of titles.

If they aren't already planning so, the Beatles should start planning their next full-length film immediately. After watching a rough cut of their 'Magical Mystery Tour', which BBC viewers can see on Boxing Day. I am convinced they are extremely capable of writing and directing a major movie for release on one of the major cinema circuits. The film sequences for the musical numbers are extremely clever. For 'Blue Jay Way' George is seen sitting cross-legged in a sweating mist which materialises into a variety of shapes and patterns. It's a pity that most TV viewers will be able to see it only in black and white. 'I Am The Walrus' has four of them togged up in animal costumes switching at times to them bobbing across the screen as egg-men. A special word of praise for Ringo, who more than the others comes over very, very funnily. But praise to all of them for making a most entertaining film. I only wish they would now put out a sequel made up from the parts they left on the cutting-room floor. NME July 20, 1967

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

Behind the scenes of the beatles' 'magical mystery tour'.

David Bianculli

The Beatles look out of the Magical Mystery Tour coach skylight, on location in England in September 1967. Apple Films Ltd/Channel Thirteen hide caption

The Beatles look out of the Magical Mystery Tour coach skylight, on location in England in September 1967.

On Friday night on PBS, Great Performances presents a documentary about the making of a Beatles TV special from 1967 — Magical Mystery Tour — then shows a restored version of that special . Magical Mystery Tour has the music from the U.S. album of the same name, but it's not the album. It's a musical comedy fantasy about the Beatles and a busload of tourists taking a trip to unknown destinations.

It was written and produced in 1967, which was an incredibly fertile period for the Beatles. "Strawberry Fields Forever" came out that year, as well as "Penny Lane" and the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. That was followed, a month later, by the live TV premiere of "All You Need is Love," broadcast globally. The Beatles, it seemed, could do no wrong. And then they did Magical Mystery Tour, which was televised by the BBC the day after Christmas — on Boxing Day — as a holiday special. A quarter of the British population watched it — and many of those hated it.

Back then, the 53-minute program was filmed in color but wasn't broadcast that way. Imagine the Sgt. Pepper cover in black and white, and you can imagine how much was lost in the translation. Reception to the TV special was so poor that the show wasn't even picked up in the United States — just the soundtrack. Eventually, the special was syndicated to some local TV stations and toured the college film circuit along with Reefer Madness. That's when I first saw it. But on a national level, Magical Mystery Tour has never been televised in the United States — until now.

On Friday — as always, check local listings — Magical Mystery Tour will be preceded by the new one-hour companion documentary , Magical Mystery Tour Revisited. This may be the first case on record in which a documentary about a film is longer than the film itself — but it's worth it.

The documentary, produced by Jonathan Clyde of Apple Films and directed by Francis Hanly, is wonderfully thorough. It explains how the idea for Magical Mystery Tour came about, and how Paul McCartney originally drew the concept as a pie chart — then shows the chart. It covers the origins of each number written specifically for the show, from the title song and "The Fool on the Hill" to "I Am the Walrus" and "Your Mother Should Know." It presents lots of outtakes and new interviews with McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Martin Scorsese, Terry Gilliam and Peter Fonda. It also includes a vintage interview with George Harrison, whose assessment of the 1967 TV special is as unfiltered as the program itself.

More On The Beatles

The Fresh Air Interview

Paul mccartney blows 'kisses' to his father's era.

World Cafe Looks Back: The Beatles

Shots - Health News

The beatles' surprising contribution to brain science.

The Beatles Remastered, Not Just For Audiophiles

The Picture Show

Rare beatles photos: 1964-1966.

It's a fine documentary — better, to be honest, than Magical Mystery Tour itself. But Magical Mystery Tour is so much fun to watch if you're a Beatles fan, that it serves up one joy after another. John Lennon serving shovels of spaghetti as a waiter in a dream sequence. John and George in a strip club, watching the house band singing a song called "Death Cab for Cutie" — which, incidentally, inspired the name of a much more recent rock band. And the closing production number, "Your Mother Should Know," which has the Beatles in white suits, dancing in unison down a giant staircase.

In addition to the PBS double feature, Magical Mystery Tour is also now available as a deluxe boxed set from Apple. It includes Blu-ray and DVD versions of the original special, a vastly shortened version of the documentary, and lots of extras, including outtakes and complete scenes that were cut out of the program before its 1967 premiere. These extras are every bit as entertaining as Magical Mystery Tour, and one segment is a minor revelation: singer-songwriter Ivor Cutler, seated at an ornate white organ in the middle of the English countryside, performing his composition "I'm Going in a Field." It must have been hypnotically bizarre then. It's hypnotically bizarre now .

It's no secret that I'm almost ridiculous in my enthusiasm for the Beatles. But for me, all this new Magical Mystery Tour material -- the restored TV special, the documentary, the boxed set — is like a perfectly timed holiday gift. The boxed set is expensive — but the Great Performances double feature is free. All you need is ... a TV set.

• The Beatles

JOHN LENNON.

Magical Mystery Tour

The Beatles Produced by George Marting

Site Search

Search our website to find what you’re looking for.

Select Your Language

You can select the language displayed on our website. Click the drop-down menu below and make your selection.

The Magical History Tour Member Preview

A beatles memorabilia exhibition, special event at henry ford museum of american innovation®.

• April 29, 2016

This members-only event is FREE. Just enter the museum and show your membership card at the flex gallery.

Be the first to see this exciting new exhibition!

The Beatles changed pop culture and the world of music forever. Were you an original Beatlemaniac? Or are you simply inspired by their music today? Either way, you’ll have the chance to experience the creativity, love and curiosity of the Fab Four firsthand as The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition makes its U.S. premiere at The Henry Ford. Don’t miss the most comprehensive Beatles exhibition ever assembled, featuring instruments, clothing, rare original photos and many never-before-displayed artifacts!

Follow the Beatles' iconic story from the very beginning, through the throes of Beatlemania, to the years of experimentation and dissention, and finally to their far-reaching inspiration today. This amazing story is told from the perspective of the Beatles, and visitors will experience pivotal points in their lives through this exhibition.

Your experience includes

Instruments, equipment and other personal belongings, including the original Quarrymen drum kit.

Letters, memos and pivotal documentation of the Beatles’ career, including the official “break-up letter” typed by John to Paul's lawyer and signed by John, George and Ringo.

Rare photographs from the Beatles’ touring years, including many that have never before been seen.

A vast collection of Beatles merchandise and memorabilia, including the album signed by John Lennon to his eventual killer hours before his death.

Variety named the Beatles the Icons of the 20th Century . Experience why in this immersive, educational and fun exhibit — only at The Henry Ford.

This members-only event is FREE!

No need for members to register in advance. Just enter the museum and show your membership card at the flex gallery.

Event brought to you by our Sponsors:

• search anything

Home » Exhibitions » The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition

The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition Claimed

Exhibition overview, the magical history tour: a beatles memorabilia exhibition, description, the magical history tour | a beatles memorabilia exhibition.

There are few musicians in recent history who have influenced pop culture and the music industry as much as The Beatles did.

This collection of Beatles artifacts, the most comprehensive collection ever displayed under one roof, takes visitors on a highly interactive journey through the history of one of the world’s most beloved musical groups, from the band’s genesis to its final days and beyond.

Popular culture has yet to experience another worldwide phenomenon on the scale of the Beatles since Beatlemania took the world by storm. The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition allows visitors to explore the entire Beatles story through an inspirational journey of creativity, curiosity, and love. This one-of-a-kind experience will present the most exhaustive Beatles exhibition ever assembled: an immersive and educational retrospective driven by the music and the culture that the Fab Four produced.

EXHIBITOR RESOURCES

The Beatles and their story continue to change and inspire the world today.

The Magical History Tour fosters historical, cultural, artistic, and musical learning for all ages in both the museum and the classroom, all while maintaining a fun and engaging atmosphere.

Come along, join the international tour, and trace the steps of the lads of Liverpool from the genesis of the Beatles, to their break up and beyond.

EXHIBITION INCLUDES:

• Hundreds of artifacts, including personal items, letters, pivotal documentation, instruments and equipment

• Four sections with immersive environments: Beginnings, Influences and Life in Liverpool; Life on the Road; Innovation in the Studio; and The Decade of the Break-up

• Rare photographs from the Beatle’s touring years including many never-before-seen by the public

• A vast collection of Beatles memorabilia

• Marketing and PR kits

• Retail/merchandise program

EXHIBITION SIZE:

7,500 square feet (750 square meters)

Shipping domestic: 5 trucks

Installation: approx. 15 working days

Deinstallation: approx. 10 working days

VR and App Content

General information, exhibition type, this is an exhibition listing, produced by.

Exhibits Development Group

Your compare list, new enquiry, global search, touring stories newsletter, sign up for updates.

Stay tuned for announcements and receive our Touring Stories newsletter.

Why the Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' Was Scattered, but Essential

The Beatles were on a roll in 1967.

They not only had released what many fans consider their best-ever album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band , they also were writing and recording new songs at such a pace that those fans – not to mention radio and retailers – could hardly be expected to keep up with them.

In fact, six weeks after Sgt. Pepper’s came out in late May 1967, the Beatles released a new single, “All You Need Is Love,” backed with “Baby, You’re a Rich Man.” Those two songs, along with a pair of tracks recorded at the start of the Sgt. Pepper’s sessions and other more recent tracks, ended up on the U.S. edition of Magical Mystery Tour , which was released on Nov. 27, 1967.

In the U.K., the 11-song LP was pared down to a six-track double EP that came out almost two weeks later, on Dec. 8, and included only the songs recorded specifically for the Magical Mystery Tour film project the group aired on British television that Christmas. The remaining five cuts, pushed to Side Two of the U.S. release, were released as singles between February 1967 and all the way up to just a few days before the album came out.

It’s a tricky release history that suits the scattershot nature of Magical Mystery Tour in general.

Following the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on May 26, 1967, the Beatles – no doubt feeling invincible after the rapturous reception to the album – wanted to make a movie about themselves that included new music. The idea was to load a whole bunch of people onto a bus (including the four Beatles, John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr ) and take them on a day-long trip. Along the way, they would stop so the group could perform, or rather lip-sync to, some of those new songs.

The movie, a 52-minute special that aired on the BBC on Dec. 26, 1967, was a notorious mess . There was no script, no director to speak of and no discernible point to the self-indulgence on display. There were new Beatles songs, however, and that was enough to salvage the project.

Still, as an album , Magical Mystery Tour feels like a letdown after the recent creative landmarks Rubber Soul , Revolver and Sgt. Pepper – and the ones to come, like the White Album (their next proper LP released the following year) and Abbey Road . And that’s mainly because it was never intended as an album, but an EP designed to tie in to a holiday TV special.

Watch the Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’ Video

So, while Side One of the album – which includes the title track, “The Fool on the Hill,” “Flying,” “Blue Jay Way,” “Your Mother Should Know” and “I Am the Walrus” – flows as an occasionally spotty soundtrack, Side Two sounds like what it is: a hodgepodge of recordings the group assembled over the past year. They’re all great songs, but within the LP’s context, “Hello, Goodbye,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love” come off like one of those sketchy Beatles albums Capitol Records put together in the States from leftover U.K. singles and album tracks.

Still, Magical Mystery Tour completed fans’ collections by gathering some great songs that weren’t previously available on any album – especially “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane,” both of which were recorded for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band but released five months before the LP came out to satisfy record-company demands for new product.

And it is an essential collection of Beatles songs, even if the concept and context is occasionally flawed when measured alongside the band’s other albums from the era. Not that it mattered much to fans. Magical Mystery Tour shot straight up the U.S. chart and stayed at No. 1 for two months. And these days it’s considered a part of the Beatles’ core catalog; the U.S. album has been remastered and reissued along with the group’s 11 original U.K. albums.

It belongs there. Just don’t expect it to fall together as seamlessly as the others.

Click here to view photo gallery

The Beatles Are One of the Bands Who Hated Their Own Album

Next: All 227 Beatles Songs Ranked

• Concert Dates
• About The Artists
• About The Show
• Merchandise

Connect with Us

Sign up for our mailing list.

• The Beatles’ songs – complete A-Z list

Magical Mystery Tour

Recorded just four days after the completion of the Sgt Pepper album, ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was Paul McCartney ’s attempt to maintain momentum within The Beatles and to give them a new direction and sense of purpose.

John and I remembered mystery tours, and we always thought this was a fascinating idea: getting on a bus and not knowing where you were going. Rather romantic and slightly surreal! All these old dears with the blue rinses going off to mysterious places. Generally there’s a crate of ale in the boot of the coach and you sing lots of songs. It’s a charabanc trip. So we took that idea and used it as a basis for a song and the film.

Inspired by Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and their LSD-fuelled bus, McCartney decided The Beatles should try something similar. He devised a rough concept for the new project, which would involve the group travelling around the England in their own coach, filming whatever took place.

I used to go to the fairgrounds as a kid, the waltzers and the dodgems, but what interested me was the freak shows: the boxing booths, the bearded lady and the sheep with five legs, which actually was a four-legged sheep with one leg sewn on its side. When I touched it, the fellow said, ‘Hey, leave that alone!’ these were the great things of your youth. So much of your writing comes from this period; your golden memories. If I’m stuck for an idea, I can always think of a great summer, think of a time when I went to the seaside. Okay, sand sun waves donkeys laughter. That’s a pretty good scenario for a song.

The resulting TV film was a mess, and critically panned, though the soundtrack double EP (expanded to a full album in the US) was a best-seller.

‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was co-written by John and I, very much in our fairground period. One of our great inspirations was always the barker. ‘Roll up! Roll up!’ The promise of something: the newspaper ad that says ‘guaranteed not to crack’, the ‘high class’ butcher, ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ from Sgt Pepper . ‘Come inside,’ ‘ Step inside, Love ‘; you’ll find that pervades a lot of my songs. If you look at all the Lennon-McCartney things, it’s a thing we do a lot.

The title track was McCartney’s initial idea, based on ideas written on an overnight flight from America on 11 April 1967 , though what he took to the studio was little more than the title and three chords. He attempted to rouse the other Beatles into contributing lyrics, but their enthusiasm was low and later completed the lyrics alone.

Because those were psychedelic times it had to become a magical mystery tour, a little bit more surreal than the real ones to give us a licence to do it. But it employs all the circus and fairground barkers, ‘Roll up! Roll up!’, which was also a reference to rolling up a joint. We were always sticking those little things in that we knew our friends would get; veiled references to drugs and to trips. ‘Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away ,’ so that’s a kind of drug, ‘it’s dying to take you away’ so that’s a Tibetan Book of the Dead reference. We put all these words in and if you were just an ordinary person, it’s a nice bus that’s waiting to take you away, but if you’re tripping, it’s dying, it’s the real tour, the real magical mystery tour. We stuck all that stuff in for our ‘in group’ of friends really. ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was the equivalent of a drug trip and we made the film based on that. ‘That’ll be good, a far-out mystery tour. Nobody quite knows where they’re going. We can take ’em anywhere we want, man!’ Which was the feeling of the period. ‘They can go in the sky. It can take off!’ In fact, in the early script, which was just a few fireside chats more than a script, the bus was going to actually take off and fly up to the magicians in the clouds, which was us all dressed in red magicians’ costumes, and we’d mess around in a little laboratory being silly for a while.

In the studio

The first ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ session took place on 25 April 1967 . The Beatles spent much time rehearsing and improvising the song, with Paul McCartney at the piano suggesting ideas to the others in the group.

Eventually they recorded three takes of the basic rhythm track: two guitars, piano and drums. Take three was the best. After this they raided the Abbey Road sound effects collection, creating a tape loop of the sound of coaches to be added at the mixing stage.

On 26 April McCartney recorded his bass part, and all The Beatles plus Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans played percussion instruments, including tambourine, maracas and cowbell. McCartney, John Lennon , and George Harrison also taped extra vocals.

The following day still more vocals were added. McCartney taped his lead, with backing from Lennon and Harrison.

An overdub of four trumpets was added on 3 May . The session began by McCartney humming notes to the brass players to let them know what he wanted, but he mostly failed to get his intentions across.

In the end the players were sent away while McCartney and George Martin worked out the notation on the piano in Abbey Road’s studio three. One of the trumpeters, Gary Howarth, reportedly became so impatient that he wrote a score himself. According to Philip Jones, a friend of the session musicians, that was the idea The Beatles ended up using.

The recording of ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was completed on 7 November . During the editing of the film, Lennon had added a spoken introduction: “Roll up, roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour! Step right this way! Hurry, hurry, hurry!” It was decided that this should be added to the record release too.

McCartney recreated Lennon’s spiel, although he left out the “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” section. A tape loop of traffic noise, assembled back on 25 April, was also added. The song was then mixed in stereo and mono.

Latest Comments

Hi all! Does anyone know what mix of this song was used in the ‘Anthology’? I have the original vinyl (Canadian) and the remasters, and the mix in ‘Anthology’ definitely has different panning; in my two versions the electric guitar is on the left with the drums, percussion, etc. In the ‘Anthology’ clip (chapter 7, 23:20-24:06,) the drums appear in both speakers, the percussion and piano remain on the left and the electric guitar is hard-panned to the right with the trumpets. By giving greater exposure to the electric guitar, piano and percussion in this way (the guitar and piano notes being in roughly the same range,) the mix “moves” more than the other one, creating more of a rock song. Does anyone A) notice this difference and B) know where to find this mix in its entirety? Thanks…

i’ve just checked my Anthology and it’s not on there as i thought, but the version of this song in the film is different to the released version, maybe it’s this mix you refer to? as it has been widely bootlegged.

i think the Anthology was the movie version. I myself have 3 versions of the song.

‘Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away,’ so that’s a kind of drug, ‘it’s dying to take you away’ so that’s a Tibetan Book of the Dead reference.’

I love Paul as a musician, but quotes like this are just stupid.

no its not. its really true. with a comment like that we can see , you know nothing about the beatles…

It’s not so stupid… ingesting LSD and other psychedelics produces a state of consciousness paralel to the one the brain experiences when it is dying. Hence the tibetan book of the dead reference.

No you are stupid not him. You clearly know nothing about the drug and the book yet u made a silly clueless comment.

Thank you dude Someone had to say it

Yeh I agree, I feel the fact John is constantly held up as the lyrical genius gets to him, and he feels the need to prove himself (including with his new book!). Such a talented musician, he doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone.

Yeah, I feel that way too. It’s the same as with “Got To Get You Into My Life”, which I don’t really believe was a love-letter to pot, despite Paul’s claims. Paul, to me, seems to feel the need to prove his edginess and counteract any suggestion that he’s a lightweight – like it’s not enough to be a brilliant musician and songwriter

Agreed, 100%. A real shame Paul made these retrospective comments…or felt he needed to. Lyrically, the songs don’t even fit the story he put out. ‘Got to get you into my life’ is the classic example…it’s a great uptempo love song and that’s it.

I disagree completely… just read the lyrics of the first verse! Even John posited that Got To Get You Into My Life was about LSD, so if anything Paul is retreating and making himself less edgy by saying it was pot. I think it’s telling when people conclude deceitful motives when none are apparent… sometimes you see what you want to see.

You are correct. It’s about acid, but Paul has downplayed that to say it’s an ode to weed, which is fine. Whoever said it’s just a love song is clueless.

I Think Paul knows what He wrote his songs about than us. Even Lennon said Got To Get You Into My Life was a drug song.

The rest of the song is good, but oh God just that coda in the end is sooo magical… incredible really. 😮

That’s always been my favorite part of the song, the haunting piano coda!

Who wrote/played that coda? It has a very emotional effect on me

Paul played the piano at the end there, I believe

Isn’t it, though? Amazing little thing. Beautiful

It really is, sounds like something that The Doors might do :] But what’s most impressive to me is drumming and this part, kind of 8 when Paul sings: “You got everything you need…”. It’s really good.

That piano coda sure sounds like Mike Garson. Listen to the piano solo in Aladdin Sane.

Paul gave John significant credit for helping to write this “Paul” song – one of the few examples where he does that.

Love Me Do, Paperback Writer, What You’re Doing, Here There And Everywhere, Good Day Sunshine, Penny Lane — even When I’m 64 could also be mentioned, but you’re right; there aren’t *that* many…songs that Paul seems to give John more credit than John himself seemed to feel he deserved.

John, it has to be said, did take *a lot* of credit. Was he right to? Possibly, but slightly more would be pushing it a bit, and I guess the same goes for Paul.

I am one of the rare people who actually likes this song better than SGT. Pepper. You gotta love the raw, heavy guitar on Pepper but there is just something about MMT, especially on the remasters. Also, its obvious that the beatles (other than Paul, and maybe Ringo) quit on there potential on some of their later songs. Too bad because MMT could have really been a masterpiece. I love Johns chorus at the end. His voice tone really cuts into me and I absolutely love the second part where he says “…dying to take you away…” Just think how much better this song could have been if he and George werent so distracted by this point.

Is that really John singing the last two “The Magical Mystery Tour is … “? I always thought so.

I agree, Nolan. Just think about how much better the entire MMT ALBUM would have been if John and George had been at least a LITTLE more enthusiastic. I imagine these recording sessions being dominated by Paul (partly out of necessity), while John and George yawned and constantly glanced at their watches. If they had been more “into it,” the whole album would have ended up more, uh… “magical.” Of course, Paul probably DID come off like an overbearing alpha dog, so the distaction of the rest of the group is not surprising.

Frankly the only “magic” in the soundtrack portion of MMT for me is John’s “I Am The Walrus” and George’s “Blue Jay Way”. I am grateful for the contributions of the “distracted” ones. As for the 1967 singles portion of MMT, John’s contributions of “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “All You Need Is Love” (plus his half of “Baby, You’re A Rich Man”) are outstanding to say the least.

I agree with you, Joseph Brush. I think “Strawberry Fields Forever” and especially “All You Need Is Love” are the great songs. But I don’t like Blue Jay Way.

well Fool on the Hill and Your Mother Should Know, not to mention the previously-released Hello Goodbye, are all very typical Paul songs with great sing-along qualities and each has a bit of weirdness to keep it in line with the whole concept of the film/album. Add the singles and it’s really a great, great album. I don’t know if it’s fair to single out the John and George compositions and simply write off Paul’s efforts on this one.

I have to say that “Walrus” and “Strawberry Field” are phenomenal compositions by John and George Martin with the rest of the band doing their thing to back them up flawlessly. I just give Paul the slight overall edge in his contributions. He represents the frontman for me…Looking at all the beatles post work including Paul’s, it doesn’t even matter. Without all 4 of them together with the chemistry they had in relationship to one another, inspiring and demanding eachothers A+ game no matter what was going on, we wouldn’t even be having ongoing conversations like this 40 years later. Granted there are exceptions and if I ever get bored enough with their compact and complete catalogue, I would get a kick in naming the top 50 or 100 worst beatles songs. Paul would dominate that list as well but he also takes the cake in many of my all time favorite beatles songs. That’s why I love Paul’s work the most. He could afford produce some real clunkers because he could always make up for it ten times over with masterpiece after masterpiece. Hearing the remastered mono recording of MMT is really like experiencing this song for the first time for me. Comparing it to the 87’s is simply put an absolute disaster vs and absolute work of art. I always liked this song as a young boy. But I never loved it like the seemingly hundreds of other fantastic Beatles songs I got to experience over and over growing up.

“I am the Walrus” is certainly a fantastic song, but the most magical moment on MMT is the title song’s coda melting into “Fool on the Hill.”

I always liked the Walrus , Strawberry Fields and A Day in the Life. Lennon’s backing vocals make certain songs sound quite awesome. See how they run? It couldn’t get no worse? She’s leaving home ,bye,bye. I too felt the impact The Beatles made in the 60’s. They definitely had a different sound than their contemporaries. Obviously they were better together than apart. MMT was an interesting album. Capital records made a good decision by putting 1967’s singles on one side. Baby You’re a Rich Man is underrated. I agree with you regarding the mono mixes.

Dying is the ultimate Magical Mystery experience.

Love this song. It is just so fast paced and catchy.Basically a McCartney song. I also love the EP , film and album of the same name.

And the bassline, all the way through. One of Macca’s absolute best performances

Great title track for film, E.P. and album. Very 1967, would have been a hit if released as a single.

favorite song of all time, especially love John’s slow verse

Needless to say, I did ‘roll-up’ for the Magical Mystery Tour.

Which Beatle is the one giving the “Roll up” introduction at the beginning of the song? Does anyone out there know?

It was John in the film, but Paul on the record. Paul’s version was recorded on 7 November 1967 .

On the Cheap Trick cover of this song, on the bridge section I can clearly hear two voices overlapping, one is saying “Mystery Tour”, the other “Taking aTrip”. It’s harder to disentangle on the Beatles’ version, but is that what is happening? It actually sounds like Mystery Trip, but I think Cheap Trick have done us all a favour ?

Wow! I clearly hear “taking a trip” at slightly less volume than “mystery tour”. For years I’ve wondered what that garbled sounding second vocal was singing and now I know. Thanks!

It always sounded like ” a mystery trip” to me. (shrug).

There is no lead guitar in this song. Just two rhythm guitar parts.

Hello everyone! Can anyone explain why Magical Mystery Tour (song) is not treated as a Beatles hit, since the double EP with this recording as the title track entered the singles chart and shot to number 2. After all, this is an achievement equal to the success of the singles Please Please Me, SFF/PL or Let It Be. Moreover, like the single Please Please Me, in top music weekly newspaper Melody Maker, it reached number 1 for one week (January 13, 1968).

Even though the Magical Mystery Tour EP got to number 2 in the UK singles chart it is considered an EP and not a 45 stand alone single and therefore it does not qualify as a hit single.

Thanks for your reply, I know all of what you wrote, but my question still doesn’t have a clear, convincing answer. It is obvious that MMT was a double EP from a formal or technical point of view, but in terms of musical competition, i.e. classification on the charts, it was undoubtedly treated as a single. Thus, the title track should be considered another huge hit by The Beatles.

I understand what you say and ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ is a very well known song but as I said previously it was not a single. It was a Double EP. EP’s would often climb into the singles chart as all the early Beatles EPs did. ‘Long Tall Sally’ EP from 1964 is another example. It got to No.1 in the singles charts but is not considered a huge hit in the UK. The ‘All My Loving’ EP from 1964 also reached No.1 but ‘All My Loving’ is not considered a single. The fact that they wrote ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ makes no difference. All EPs were considered as singles in as much as they got into the singles chart in the UK and they all had single chart placings. ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ gets plenty of airplay on radio. I don’t think it gets treated any differently apart from the fact that it was not a single so is therefore not included on Beatles single compilations. See Here for more info. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_play?wprov=sfti1

Sheldon, thank you kindly. The matter is clear to me now.

Leave a Reply

• Opening Times
• Buy Tickets
• Cavern Club
• Cavern Live Lounge
• The Cavern Restaurant
• Opening times & prices
• Visitor Reviews
• Resident Bands
• Magical Mystery Tour
• Private Beatles Tours
• Visit Liverpool
• London Beatles Tour
• Play The Cavern
• Hire The Cavern
• Work for the Cavern

Step aboard the colourful Magical Mystery Tour bus for a fun and fascinating 2 hour tour of Beatles Liverpool.

Tours Times

Monday to Thursday 10 am – 2 pm Friday to Sunday 10 am – 2 pm

Monday to Sunday 9:30am – 4 pm

Additional tours operate throughout August and September. Please check here to see available tours on your chosen date.

Step aboard the colourful Magical Mystery Tour bus for a fun and fascinating 2 hour tour of Beatles Liverpool. You’ll see all the places associated with John, Paul, George and Ringo as they grew up, met and formed the band that would take the pop world by storm.

Tours start at the Albert Dock – meet your guide at the Magical Mystery Tour Ticket Office in Anchor Courtyard just a few metres from the bus stop where you will get on board the colourful Magical Mystery Tour coach for an unforgettable 2 hour tour. See the Beatles childhood homes, schools and colleges and get up close to places that inspired some of their most memorable songs – Penny Lane and Strawberry Field  CLICK HERE FOR FULL TOUR ITINERARY . You’ll be kept entertained along the way by one of our professional Beatles Guides and some Fab Four tunes.

Please enquire about arranging an exclusive private 2 or 4 hour tours  for groups in one of the Magical Mystery Tour vehicles.

Marketing Permissions Please select all the ways you would like to hear from :

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp’s privacy practices here.

Tickets Times & Packages

Adults – £19.95

Child (Age 2 to 16) – £10.00

Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children (16 and under)) – £50.00

Babies (0 to 2) – Free

Group discount ticket for 10 also available.

Advance booking recommended – BUY TICKETS ONLINE  or call in to the Magical Mystery Tour Ticket Office, Anchor Courtyard, Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AS Open daily 10am-4pm , Tel: 0151 703 9100 or email: [email protected] Tickets also available at the Cavern Pub in Mathew Street CLICK HERE FOR MAP

Due to transport regulations every person on board the Magical Mystery Tour requires a ticket (including children and babies). A complimentary ticket can be organised for children under the age of 2 (subject to availability). Please call our ticket office directly if you would like to book for a child  0151 703 9100

Evan Evans package day trips from London by train including Beatles Magical Mystery Tour ticket Golden Tours package day trips to Liverpool from London by train with Beatles Magical Mystery Tour ticket My Bus package day trips & overnight breaks from London to Liverpool by train including the Magical Mystery Tour

Printed translations of the tour are available in English, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Swedish, Indonesian and Spanish and can be purchased at the Ticket Office.

Car parking – Liverpool ONE, Liverpool L1 8LT is just 5 minutes walk from the tour start and finish points.

Toilets – the majority of the tour is through the suburbs of Liverpool.  There are toilets at Britannia Pavilion, Albert Dock before you join the tour or on Mathew Street at the end of the tour.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more .

Accept & Close

The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition

The Magical History Tour Brings the Beatles to Central New York

Syracuse, New York welcomes  A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition for a limited time only at the new Muzium in Destiny USA. 

Destiny USA’s latest attraction located on the third floor, The Muzium, opens up for the first time with the largest collection of Beatles memorabilia.

The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition will be open from November until January, telling the infamous story of the Beatles and their long-lasting impact on the music industry, as well as history.

The collection will take fans and visitors back to Liverpool in the late 50s, and through the formative years of the Fab Four. They will be able to experience the screaming fans, quirky fashion trends, traveling the world on tour, and most importantly, the revolutionary music making.

“After more than 50 years, the greatest cultural force the world has ever seen is back in Syracuse to amaze guests all over again,” said Destiny USA’s Marketing Director Aiden McGuire in a press release. “We are excited for our guests from all over the world to experience the Beatles’ incredible musical career through the most comprehensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia ever seen in this one-of-a-kind exhibition at The Muzium,” he added.

The exhibit is broken down into galleries, including:

• Beginnings, Influence and Life in Liverpool
• Life on the Road
• Innovation in the Studio
• The Decade of the Break-up

Visitors will have the opportunity to read personal documents and letters, take a photo at Abbey Road, admire the band’s early instruments, mix their own Beatles music, experience one of their legendary concerts, explore the entertaining fashion and merchandise, and fully immerse themselves into the Beatles culture.

Paul Davie, executive director of BeatleCuse Productions, Inc., said, “from their days growing up in Liverpool, UK to ‘invading’ America on the Ed Sullivan Show and Shea Stadium, and all the way through Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road and the rooftop, this exhibit is a Beatles fan’s dream come true!”

[slideshow_deploy id=’11245′]

The exhibit’s grand opening will take place on Friday, November 10th from 6 to 8PM at the Muzium on the third floor of Destiny USA. Following a free concert featuring Paul Davie & the BeatleCuse All-Stars.

Making Music

https://Makingmusicmag.com

Instead of being dedicated to one instrument, young musicians, or professionals, MakingMusicMag.com is a lifestyle resource for all music makers, regardless of age, instrument, or ability. We focus on providing educational articles teaching people how to play an instrument, but we also favor travel pieces, music related health articles, interesting news stories, and plenty more.

Related posts

10 Reasons ‘Abbey Road’ Is Still So Important 50 Years On

Yellow Submarine Premiered in New York 46 Years Ago

Pieces of john lennon’s guitar up for auction.

America Meets the Beatles! at Bethel Woods

Beatles Albums Lamp

Leave a reply.

Your browser is not supported for this experience. We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

• THE BEATLES – ONLINE COURSE
• THE BEATLES – ON CAMPUS COURSE

The Beatles: A Magical History Tour

Instructors.

Dr. Tranquilino

The digital textbook for the history of the beatles begins in america with the blues, rockabilly and the birth of rock ‘n’ roll. the lives and music of the beatles and their monumental role in the revolutionary decade of the 1960s is be discussed in detail. the textbook also includes a complete list of their albums and songs. to purchase and access the textbook/course materials, click on take this course in the blue box. notice: by clicking on the take this course link you are not taking or purchasing a course. the link allows you to create an account with our website in order that you may purchase the textbook..

• $ 75.00

Accessibility Bar

visibility_off Disable flashes

title Mark headings

settings Background Color

zoom_out Zoom out

zoom_in Zoom in

remove_circle_outline Decrease font

add_circle_outline Increase font

spellcheck Readable font

brightness_high Bright contrast

brightness_low Dark contrast

format_underlined Underline links

font_download Mark links

Reset all options cached