First there is the genius of the original material.
Then there is this new, amazing mix by George and Giles Martin. After listening all the way through several times in the 5.1 DTS mix, I BEG THEM to do a 5.1 mix on DVD for the full catalog. This leaves one final accounting of the material in today's state-of-the-art technology by its originating producer. Please, please, please! Our kids and grandkids need this even more than we.
Gentlemen, however did you keep track of this music, of each phrase, each effect? Your headaches at the end of each day must have been massive as you built each mix. How did you remember that the keys for such different pieces of music like "Goodnight" and "Octopus's Garden" matched so perfectly? How did you make me listen so closely again to music so firmly imprinted on my soul that I could sing it from a coma?
You have "Octopus's Garden" playing in three front speakers and the sound effects of "Yellow Submarine" playing in the two rear speakers — and it works brilliantly. Of course they would see the Octopus's Garden from the Submarine! Then there is the jarring sound of the ambulance going from left to right for Eleanor Rigby/Julia. And I cried because suddenly John Lennon's mother, Julia, died before my ears, having been run down while crossing the street.
Then there's the joy of hearing Henry the Horse dance the waltz AROUND ME in "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," with "She's So Heavy" and "Helter Skelter" blended together to punctuate its end. It's so psychedelic I can see a Walrus singing "Goo Goo Ga-joob" to me in FULL SURROUND SOUND, and not that artificial stereo that comes 3/4s of the way through the original. "Blue Jay Way" mixed with "Nowhere Man" and the key is perfect. EREH SEMOC EHT NUS GNIK! Indeed!
Three songs were real treats for me.
The first was "Strawberry Fields Forever." It begins with Lennon and guitar, which I've heard before on bootleg tapes. Then the Martins add one instrument at a time until, finally, we hear the original. They show us instrument by instrument how the original sound image was built. Absolutely brilliant.
The second is the mix of "Within You, Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows." The rhythm track is from "Tomorrow," and the lyrics track and drum are from "Within." The Martins made me listen to this again for the first time — really listen. And I realized that they are, indeed, the same song — in key structure and meaning, coming from the same SOURCE, and that we need not fear death because we come from and will return to that SOURCE, too.
The third wiped me out emotionally (well, a few did, actually).
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps," may be the most beautiful cut on the album. I don't believe it is from a Beatles recording session, but may be wrong. It is far slower than the White Album cut, without Clapton's work. The strings are lush and a very somber Harrison sings a very edgy verse not on the original:
