The Crazy Story of the Magical Mystery Tour LP - The Beatles BEST Capitol Album?

Unhappy with the thought of releasing the next Beatles album as a 2-EP set, Capitol Records put together one of their finest creations, the Magical Mystery Tour LP. Despite its unique mixes and superb packaging, its sound quality left a lot to be desired. Capitol's failure to secure the correct stereo mastertapes led in the 1970s and '80s to some of the worst sounding official Beatles pressings ever made. In this video, we'll tell you all about that and what is the best way to hear it today.

Other Magical Mystery Tour videos you may enjoy:

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[kgeo]

Magical Mystery Tour was the only post 1965 Beatles album in my Dad’s record collection. For years it was the only thing I knew about The Beatles following their Fab Four era. Without any awareness of Sgt. Pepper’s or the White Album it was wildly unique and I listened to it countless times. For that reason it has special significance for me.

[andrews]

The 1-2 punch of psychedelia in Flying/Blue Jay Way is severely underrated, and not to be missed.

[KevinTheCaravanner]

As a U.K. fan I thought MMT was only issued on double EP until I was rummaging through a record store in the late 70s and came across the LP. I was astonished such a thing existed. I was completely in shock. I bought it immediately and still have it today.

[terrytc]

I got the Capitol album for Christmas in 1967 and loved it. It was my first stereo Beatles album as I was in high school and was short of cash when Sgt Peppers came out and bought the mono album because it was $1.00 less than the stereo version! I was upset that the film was cancelled on American TV, but in the spring of 1968, a college near me had a showing at a local theatre for charity. The film wasn't great, but I felt special since I had seen it. A friend of mine got a copy of the UK EP from his brother when he visited London and I finally got a copy of the EP when my brother visited the UK in 1971.

[joelwright]

I absolutely love this album. In 1975 when I was nine years of age, I discovered the Beatles through my older sister who is eleven years older than me. I used to borrow her Beatles albums and play them on my kiddie record player. She didn’t have MMT in her collection but I became fascinated with Sgt Pepper and played that album to death. Don’t ask me why I loved the Beatles psychedelic period at age nine. Anyway, I’ll never forget that for my 10th birthday my parents bought me the MMT vinyl. It would be the very first album of my own of any artist in any format. Since, as I mentioned, my sister didn’t own this album, I had never heard any of the songs before. I was totally blown away and played this to death as well. Unfortunately I don’t know what happened to that album over the years. As a side note, it wasn’t until 2015 that I finally saw for the first time the live action TV production of MMT on DVD. Not great, but not terrible. The performance of I am the Walrus alone probably makes it worth seeing.

[williamhild]

For maybe the only time, Capitol was ahead of the curve as compared to EMI/Parlophone. And having the Capitol version become "canon" for the C.D. releases was the right call.

[allkindsofcollecting]

I LOVE THIS ALBUM! It is certainly one of my favourites in the cannon. For me, it is really a Best of 1967 album, as you get all of The Beatles’ singles and B-Sides from that year, which the buying public would already be aware of, as well as the new songs to promote, which you often get on a greatest hits compilation. Sometimes it places above Sgt Pepper on my list; it was the first Beatles CD I bought, along with Yellow Submarine, so I often had a very psychedelic view of The Beatles when I first heard their music, so it holds a special place in my heart!

[nathanverdin]

Great work Andrew! I’m still secretly hoping Giles will mix a new version of the album with studio outtakes like he’s done for the others. But one can dream 😭

[Parlogram]

Correction: The Vee-Jay EP was released in 1964.

[JacobKMusics]

Another awesome video, Andrew! My memories of this album were that inside the CD edition, when I opened it up and saw the band during the I Am The Walrus segment, I saw George playing his painted Fender Stratocaster, which later became known as “Rocky”. I wanted one like it. I couldn’t play guitar, but I knew I had to have one. I was in my first guitar lesson 4 months later, after George had passed away. Over 21 years later, Fender announced a recreation of the Rocky guitar, and I secured one, and it’s all thanks to this album for making a childhood dream come true.

Can’t wait to see what’s in store next week!

[riccardociofi]

Andrew, you’re the Encyclopaedia Britannica of The Beatles. 👍👍👍

[Parlogram]

I have been made aware of a sync issue @7:35 which was caused by YouTube's failure to re-process and edit correctly. However, the issue only seems to affect some devices so if it is out of sync for you, please try watching on a different browser or device. Thank you!

[michaelhiatt]

You know more about the Beatles than the Beatles. Your videos are always amazing! Thank you

[David_Hirsh]

Great video, Andrew. I think I've mentioned to you before that I'm a nurse (I specialize in dementia), and watching your updates on my breaks are always a highlight of often difficult days. Thanks from one lifelong fan to another. I'll be a member as long as your channel exists. To others reading - support this channel. It's not expensive, and out of many channels I follow, Andrew's is right at the top in terms of quality content.

[MrJohnBurger-JB]

Our family went to visit our mother's family in The Netherlands in 1984, and I bought 17 albums I couldn't find in the U.S. Although I had been able to buy all of the early Beatles LPs (except Help!) in their UK configuration, the German Magical Mystery Tour was elusive. I found it at the Bijenkorf in The Hague, and got up early the next morning to put on some headphones to listen to it on my aunt's stereo. The following day I listened to Etta James's Peaches. Two of my greatest, happiest purchases ever.

[TheFlickeringWindow]

This is one of the albums I didn't really get into initially due to practically all the tracks appearing on 1967-1970 (blue album) and Yellow Submarine Songtrack, but rediscovered when I got the mono CD box. In mono, it's a lot of fun and I'd even listen to it back to back with Sgt. Pepper for a while.

[renemies]

What a great video! This is the only time in my opinion that Capitol records made a good Beatles compilation that worked as an album. I love this version of the album.

[jasnoswarez]

Magical Mystery Tour was the first album I obsessed over as a child walking around with a discman . Before it I had no context for music, after I was set on my life’s path

[rundoetx]

As a first generation Beatles fan, regardless of the pressing (and I own quite a few) the Capitol LP of Magical Mystery Tour is still among my favorite Beatles albums. Side two is pure genius, the Beatles at the top of their game.

[timfisher]

Great video upload Andrew, I know the Beatles would not put out an album with "old tracks" on it to fill it out in the UK. But on face value the album is a triumph! I think the singles released in 1967 are the strongest for any of the years and with the eclectic songs from the film made for a very good album. 1967 was a brilliant year for Beatles fans whether you have the UK or USA releases look at the releases Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever, All You Need Is Love/Baby Your A Rich Man, Hello Goodbye, I Am The Walrus plus the SGT Pepper album and the Christmas flexi with Christmas Time on it. Penny lane had a picture sleeve, the brilliant Sgt Pepper sleeve with lyrics for the first time and the book with the Magical Mystery Tour plus the fan club flexi. Nobody could say the Beatles gave short weight. 1967 must rank as the most exciting year for Beatles fans. Liking the look of Skillshare too, I am a pastry chef and I am looking at creating a YouTube channel to plug my books via pastry and baking uploads. Great upload as always Andrew. Best wishes Tim