Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise): Introduction

“Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” is a modification to the opening song on The Beatles’ “Sgt Peppers” album, of course. However, this version is slightly different, with a quicker tempo, different lyrics, and more rousing instrumentation.

The full title of the song is too long for a blog post. Therefore, we shall shorten it to “Sgt. Pepper’s Reprise” for the purposes of this information page.

In Detail

Release Date: May 26, 1967
Recorded: April 1, 1967
Studio: EMI Studios, London
Genre: Rock
Track Duration: 1:18
Record Label: Parlophone, Capitol, and EMI
Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick

Performers And Instruments

Paul McCartney: lead vocal, bass guitar, and also the Hammond organ
John Lennon: lead vocal, also rhythm guitar
George Harrison: lead vocal, also the lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine, maracas

Where To Find “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”

You can still buy this song because it is available on the following albums:

**Only the Sgt. Peppers album has the original version of this track. However, if you are a record collector, then why not purchase the lot?

Sgt Pepper’s Reprise: Background

Of course, the idea behind the reprise was to “bookend” the album with an opening song and a similar ending track. The Beatles’ assistant, Neil Aspinall, said because there was a “welcome song” on the album, there should be a “goodbye song” too. Aspinall says:

“I said to Paul [McCartney], ‘Why don’t you have Sgt Pepper as the compère of the album? He comes on at the beginning of the show and introduces the band, and at the end, he closes it.

A bit later, Paul told John [Lennon] about it in the studio, and John came up to me and said, ‘Nobody likes a smart-arse, Neil’… That was when I knew that John liked it and that it would happen.”
Neil Aspinall

Of course, the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album ends with “A Day In The Life.” However, just like the opening “Sgt Pepper’s” song leads perfectly into “With A Little Help From My Friends,” this track does a similar thing. In short, the album can now finish with that famous end chord in dramatic style.

Recording Studio

The Beatles started recording “Sgt Pepper’s Reprise” on April 1, 1967, in Studio One at the EMI Studios in London during the 7 p.m.–6 a.m. session. They chose the last of the nine takes for the rhythm track, with Paul McCartney singing the guide vocal. Overdubbing began for the mono mix with further instrumentation and vocals, with the stereo mix beginning on April 20th.

For those who like to hear outtakes, then the mono mix from Take Five is also on the Beatles’ “Anthology 2” album. Then there is another remix of this track on their “Love” album. With the Love album having 26 songs (28 on the download version), “Sgt Pepper’s Reprise” is obviously a significant track in The Beatles’ catalogue.

Take A Listen

Here is the song to sink your teeth into. Once you listen to it, please consider leaving your thoughts below.