In 1967, the year of Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band , The Beatles released one of their most techni-colored double A-sides. The pairing of the songs together was a display of creative genius, but also a great contrast between the writing of Lennon and McCartney. Both tracks are a take on their childhoods in Liverpool, but with rather variable perspectives. Paul McCartney’s “Penny Lane” is a whimsical pit-stop tour of a warm and vibrant Liverpool, while John Lennon sets a warped version of the city in his own illusions. Placed side by side, the two songs find the sweet spot between optimism and surreal depictions that ultimately became a defining feature of The Beatles.

John Lennon’s "Strawberry Fields Forever"

Image via Lionsgate

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