The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour
Album and Television Film

The Beatles’ ninth album, Magical Mystery Tour, was actually released initially in the UK as a double-EP on December 8, 1967. The UK album wasn’t released until November 1976. It featured 11 original songs, including one instrumental written by all four members of the Beatles. The first six songs are featured in the soundtrack to the Magical Mystery Tour film.

Track Listing

1) Magical Mystery Tour (Lennon/McCartney)
2) The Fool on the Hill (Lennon/McCartney)
3) Flying (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr)
4) Blue Jay Way (Harrison)
5) Your Mother Should Know (Lennon/McCartney)
6) I Am the Walrus (Lennon/McCartney)
7) Hello Goodbye (Lennon/McCartney)
8) Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon/McCartney)
9) Penny Lane (Lennon/McCartney)
10) Baby You’re a Rich Man (Lennon/McCartney)
11) All You Need Is Love (Lennon/McCartney)

EP: Magical Mystery Tour/Your Mother Should Know/I Am the Walrus/Fool on the Hill/Flying/Blue Jay Way (released December 8, 1967)

The EP featured a 24-page color booklet featuring photographs from the film.

Singles: Hello Goodbye/I Am the Walrus (released November 24, 1967)

Remastered:

Magical Mystery Tour (Remastered)
(released September 2009)

Beatles Remastered Stereo Box Set

Beatles Remastered Mono Box Set

Magical Mystery Tour: iTunes Digital Download (released November 2010)

Beatles iTunes Digital Box Set

Watch the Beatles music video for “Hello Goodbye”

Magical Mystery Tour Movie

On the way back from a trip to San Francisco in April 1967, Paul McCartney got the idea for the next Beatles movie. However, Paul never got a chance to discuss his idea with the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. After Brian died, the Beatles decided they would manage themselves. Paul said, “No one could possibly replace Brian.”

Paul, being a workaholic and the most enthusiastic member of the group, gathered the Beatles together and proposed his idea.

This magical mystery trip was filmed during the Fall of 1967, and aired on British television on December 26, 1967. The Magical Mystery Tour film was a flop. Critics blasted it saying it was “blatant rubbish.” It was the Beatles first failure. Of course, the film’s soundtrack was remarkable as usual.

The official DVD/Blu-Ray release of the Magical Mystery Tour film was released in 2012 and features a director’s commentary by Paul McCartney and behind the scenes footage and interviews

The Beatles create
their own company, Apple

In 1967, The Beatles were urged by their accountants to invest in businesses or real estate to lessen the tax burden. The concept of Apple arose in which the Beatles would form a utopian company which nurtured artistic freedom within a business structure. Apple would have several divisions including music, filmmaking, publishing, design and electronics.

The Beatles were adamant about giving unknown artists their big break without restricting them for commercial interests. They suggested they would be giving out money freely to any artist with a good idea.

On May 15, 1968, John and Paul appear on the Tonight Show in the U.S. to explain the concept of Apple and to solicit ideas from creative people.

One of Apple’s first ventures is a boutique filled with clothing designed by The Fool, a three-person design team. The store is opened at 94 Baker Street in London in December 1967.

Watch video from the opening of the Apple boutique

However, the store is run so poorly that the boutique is closed 8 months later with all the merchandise given away for free.

The division of Apple Records was formed in 1968 and signed several artists which garnered mediocre success. Of course, the Beatles made Apple Records the most successful division in the company due to their own record releases.

However, on the whole, Apple kept losing money very fast. This financial disaster would contribute to the Beatles’ breakup and future legal battles.

NOTE: In 2010, remastered versions of 17 albums from Apple were released in a box set on CD and digital download. An Apple greatest hits CD was also released.

For more on the history of Apple Records, watch the first of a 3-part video series by Apple record producer, Peter Asher, on YouTube

Continue to the tenth Beatles album, The Beatles (The White Album)