Beatles Doc Clip Reveals Inspiration Behind ‘Penny Lane’
“Sgt. Pepper's Musical Revolution” airs Saturday on PBS
May 31, 2017
PBS is airing a rock doc this weekend to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The film, “Sgt. Pepper’s Musical Revolution,” purports to cover every aspect of the seminal album, from its genesis to its lasting influence on popular culture.
Rolling Stone offered a sneak peek at the documentary on Wednesday, publishing a clip featuring British composer Howard Goodall discussing the album’s iconic track “Penny Lane. He peels into the Paul McCartney-penned track “layer by layer,” showing how the past Stern Show guest and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee turned a Little Richard beat into the iconic track the world now knows and loves. Goodall also dug into the “Baroque-style” trumpet melody that Sir Paul added to the track after finding inspiration in a most unusual place: a Johann Sebastian Bach concerto he stumbled across on television.
McCartney, described by many as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, has discussed his creative process during past conversations with Howard. Click here for a look back at his 2013 Stern Show appearance.
“Sgt. Pepper’s Musical Revolution” premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on PBS. Click here for the clip and check out the trailer for the documentary (below).
