June 1 marks 50 years since John, Paul, George and Ringo first unveiled Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and just in time to honour the milestone, the iconic Beatles album is being treated to a deluxe anniversary release. A massive new box set is due out on May 26 through Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe.
The album has been remixed and remastered in stereo by Giles Martin (son of George Martin) and Sam Okell at London's Abbey Road Studios, and expanded to include early studio takes and plenty of previously unreleased recordings.
A press release notes that this marks the first time Sgt. Pepper's has been remixed since its initial 1967 release, and the first Beatles' album to be remixed and expanded since 2003's Let It Be… Naked.
A number of special anniversary packages of Sgt. Pepper's have been announced, each one containing the newly mixed CD.
The super deluxe package is a six-disc box set, containing the new stereo mix of the album on Disc 1, with the second and third discs containing 33 additional studio recordings (most of which are previously unreleased), as well as a new stereo mix of "Penny Lane" and a 2015 stereo mix of "Strawberry Fields Forever."
Disc 4, meanwhile, boasts the original mono mixes of "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever," the U.S. promo version of "Penny Lane" and previously unreleased mono mixes of "She's Leaving Home," "A Day in the Life" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" that were recently uncovered during archive research.
The massive set is rounded out by Blu-ray and DVD discs that include 4K restored versions of the original promotional films for "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day in the Life," as well as The Making of Sgt. Pepper — a 1992 documentary that was never released after its initial broadcast.
Amazingly, that's not all. The super deluxe package is also accompanied by a 144-page hardcover book with introductions from Martin and Paul McCartney, and detailed accounts about each song, the design of the iconic album cover, historical context and more.
A slightly less intense deluxe package is also available; it's a 2-CD set featuring the new mix of the original album on Disc 1, and a second 18-track CD with 13 previously unreleased complete takes of the original songs sequenced in the same order, as well as new instrumental takes of "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever."
The deluxe vinyl package, meanwhile, will arrive on 180-gram wax, and features the new mix of the original album on LP 1, and the 13 previously unreleased alternate takes of the same songs in album order.
See the massive tracklisting for the super deluxe package down below, and get full details for all of the other options over here. Additionally, scroll down to the bottom of the page to check out a trailer for the upcoming release.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe box set:
CD 1 (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 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 2:
1. 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 3:
1. 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 4:
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Original Mono Mix]
2. With A Little Help From My Friends [Original Mono Mix]
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds [Original Mono Mix]
4. Getting Better [Original Mono Mix]
5. Fixing A Hole[Original Mono Mix]
6. She's Leaving Home[Original Mono Mix]
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! [Original Mono Mix]
8. Within You Without You [Original Mono Mix]
9. When I'm Sixty-Four [Original Mono Mix]
10. Lovely Rita [Original Mono Mix]
11. Good Morning Good Morning [Original Mono Mix]
12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) [Original Mono Mix]
13. A Day In The Life[Original Mono Mix]
14. 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):
1. The Making of Sgt. Pepper [restored 1992 documentary film, previously unreleased]
2. Promotional Films for "A Day In The Life," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Penny Lane" [4K restored]
The album has been remixed and remastered in stereo by Giles Martin (son of George Martin) and Sam Okell at London's Abbey Road Studios, and expanded to include early studio takes and plenty of previously unreleased recordings.
A press release notes that this marks the first time Sgt. Pepper's has been remixed since its initial 1967 release, and the first Beatles' album to be remixed and expanded since 2003's Let It Be… Naked.
A number of special anniversary packages of Sgt. Pepper's have been announced, each one containing the newly mixed CD.
The super deluxe package is a six-disc box set, containing the new stereo mix of the album on Disc 1, with the second and third discs containing 33 additional studio recordings (most of which are previously unreleased), as well as a new stereo mix of "Penny Lane" and a 2015 stereo mix of "Strawberry Fields Forever."
Disc 4, meanwhile, boasts the original mono mixes of "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever," the U.S. promo version of "Penny Lane" and previously unreleased mono mixes of "She's Leaving Home," "A Day in the Life" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" that were recently uncovered during archive research.
The massive set is rounded out by Blu-ray and DVD discs that include 4K restored versions of the original promotional films for "Penny Lane," "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day in the Life," as well as The Making of Sgt. Pepper — a 1992 documentary that was never released after its initial broadcast.
Amazingly, that's not all. The super deluxe package is also accompanied by a 144-page hardcover book with introductions from Martin and Paul McCartney, and detailed accounts about each song, the design of the iconic album cover, historical context and more.
A slightly less intense deluxe package is also available; it's a 2-CD set featuring the new mix of the original album on Disc 1, and a second 18-track CD with 13 previously unreleased complete takes of the original songs sequenced in the same order, as well as new instrumental takes of "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever."
The deluxe vinyl package, meanwhile, will arrive on 180-gram wax, and features the new mix of the original album on LP 1, and the 13 previously unreleased alternate takes of the same songs in album order.
See the massive tracklisting for the super deluxe package down below, and get full details for all of the other options over here. Additionally, scroll down to the bottom of the page to check out a trailer for the upcoming release.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe box set:
CD 1 (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 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 2:
1. 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 3:
1. 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 4:
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Original Mono Mix]
2. With A Little Help From My Friends [Original Mono Mix]
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds [Original Mono Mix]
4. Getting Better [Original Mono Mix]
5. Fixing A Hole[Original Mono Mix]
6. She's Leaving Home[Original Mono Mix]
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! [Original Mono Mix]
8. Within You Without You [Original Mono Mix]
9. When I'm Sixty-Four [Original Mono Mix]
10. Lovely Rita [Original Mono Mix]
11. Good Morning Good Morning [Original Mono Mix]
12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) [Original Mono Mix]
13. A Day In The Life[Original Mono Mix]
14. 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):
1. The Making of Sgt. Pepper [restored 1992 documentary film, previously unreleased]
2. Promotional Films for "A Day In The Life," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Penny Lane" [4K restored]