From: enf1@ellis.uchicago.edu (Eric Fischer)
Subject: the First Concept Album?
Reply-To: enf1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 20:42:59 GMT

The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has long been 
called rock music's first "concept album," because its songs vaguely 
relate to a theme rather than simply having been placed on the same 
album for chronological reasons.  But the critics who assign it this 
title are ignoring an even earlier "concept" record, one which even 
contains a complete, if simplistic, story: side 2 of "With the Beatles."

This side of the record tells a love story with the following 
characters: the male lead, his rival, and the lead's friends.  There is, 
of course, the girl over whom the first two are fighting, but none of 
the story is told from her perspective.  The lead character, a rock 
singer, is played by the combined talents of George Harrison, Paul 
McCartney, and John Lennon (whose "well-matched voices" allow them to 
switch off), and the rival by Ringo Starr.

The story begins at a concert, where George sings "Roll Over Beethoven:"

     ... and if you feel it and like it
         get your lover and reel it and rock it....

Our sad and lonely hero sings these lines joyfully, but he knows in his 
heart he is alone and has no girlfriend with whom _he_ can dance.  Still 
having some hope, though, he finds a lonely-looking concertgoer during 
the intermission and begs her, "Hold Me Tight."  Amazingly, she accepts 
his offer.

All is not well with their relationship, though.  The hero knows he is 
in love, but he doubts that she loves him as he does her.  This he tells 
her in "You Really Got a Hold on Me:"

     ... Oh, you treat me badly
         I love you madly
         You've really got a hold on me...

         Oh, you do me wrong now,
         My love is strong now
         You've really got a hold on me....

Further trouble comes with Ringo's appearance.  He tries to woo the 
female lead away in his song, "I Wanna Be Your Man:"

     ... Love you like no other, baby,
         Like no other can
         Love you like no other, baby,
         I wanna be your man....

The hero's friends see that Ringo will emerge victorious, and tell him 
with "Devil in her Heart," against his protests, that his new love is in 
vain:

     ... She's got the devil in her heart
             But her eyes, they tantalize
         She's going to tear your heart apart
             Oh lips they really thrill me

             I'll take my chances
             Her romance is so important to me
             She'll never hurt me
             Won't desert me
             She's an angel sent to me

         She's got the devil in her heart
             No no, this I can't believe....

But after she has left our hero, she discovers that Ringo can't make her 
happy either and tries to return to her original lover.  But in "Not a 
Second Time," he tells her that this can't be:

     ... You hurt me then
         You're back again
         No, no, no, not a second time...

The disillusioned lead then slumps into cynicism, telling all the world 
in "Money" that all he can count on is materialism:

     ... Your loving gives me a thrill
         But your loving can't pay my bills
         Just give me money, that's what I want....


With this, the song cycle ends, concluding the Beatles' first complete 
narrative on an album and setting a precedent for the future.


Eric Fischer
enf1@ellis.uchicago.edu

Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles