WCSX Classic Cuts : Strawberry Fields Forever
WCSX Classic Cuts
The Beatles: “Strawberry Fields Forever”
The Hook: He and John always loved the name of the Salvation Army hostel next door to where John lived.
Year: 1967
Album: Released as a double A-sided single with “Penny Lane,” months later it was included in the U.S. version of Magical Mystery Tour
Writers: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Stats: While “Penny Lane” topped the Billboard Hot 100, “Strawberry Fields Forever” only peaked at number-eight.
Background: Paul McCartney explains why, even though he didn’t write it, “Strawberry Fields Forever” means a lot to him.
Paul McCartney on “Strawberry Fields Forever.” OC:…them together. :31
“’Strawberry Fields’ is special to me just because it’s one of John’s greatest songs, I think. There’s a place in Liverpool where John used to live right next door to, this Salvation Army place called Strawberry Fields. We always loved the name and during the psychedelic ‘60s it kind of felt like it meant something more than just this little hostel for underprivileged kids. John got that together and it was great fun recording it, fairly crazy. The actual recording is two completely different takes, but we liked the first half of one and the second half of the other, so we just stuck them together.”
