Plainview

It's pure genius. Has there ever been a pop song that melds that nostalgic Victorian era music hall waltz ideology with psychedelia? The actual elements of it are pretty simple, with Paul's Bass playing really making it what it is. Lennon's lyrics give it a really exciting, whimsical imagery. The whole song is one of Pepper's highlights in my opinion. If only pop music had such imagination nowadays.

Discuss.

Pet_Sounds

That organ bit in the middle is pretty amazing. I prefer the version on Love.

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Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Plainview

I'd forgotten about Love. Although I'm not huge fan of all of the renditions on there, it definitely works well for Kite. And yeah, the whole of the middle instrumental break part is brilliant.

ribbons

"And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz!" I believe the waltz-middle of the song consisted of Lennon and George Martin playing different organ patterns recorded at half-speed, further condensed by overlaying more organs, harmonicas of different sizes, and harmoniums to create the carnival atmosphere. George Martin and Geoff Emerick (engineer) created an effects tape with snippets of real calliopes and steam organs playing various songs, with each snippet later distorted so that the original songs were unrecognizable. This culminated in an ingenious (for the time) aural recreation of “Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal".

Plainview

Interesting post, thanks. I appreciate images too. What I wouldn't give for that poster.

DeadChannel

I used this as backing music for a talent show thing I did in the 3rd grade. Really terrific song

Zhanteimi

I like the version of "Kite" performed by Eddie Izzard in Julie Taymor's Across the Universe.

Jathon Delsy

A meeting of psychedelically variegation with music hall um-pa-pa. The middle section is a collage of various circus organ recordings, somewhat Stockhausenesque in its conception, and a precursor to modern sequenced sampled music. The nostalgic lyrics paint a vivid word picture to perfectly compliment the swirly-whirly colours. McCartney's ever creative bass line provides an earthy counterpoint to ground these airy soarings.
They certainly don't make them like this anymore. Or if someone did it would sound too contrived, too polished, not a naturally organic spontaneous happening like this magical music.

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Black Francis

Great song, luv it but i don't agree it is the pinnacle of music excellence.

Paul's bass although fitting its pretty formulaic
It uses a traditional chord structure that's not really of their own invention the organ in the song is alot more original imo

What i like about the song is not really how original it is, it's how well they executed the concept of the song.
Right away the premise of the song is executed flawlessly and captures all the references that influenced the song perfectly and while i give them credit for that, the vibe of the song is not really something of their own invention.

The vibe and the music arrangement is something that has been done in other songs before they just used the format of it cause it fits the concept of the song.

I luv The Beatles and don't mean to diminish their talent but i don't consider them to be super human musicians that are above every influence that came before them.

This particular song while great for what it is to me it's just a concept song well executed

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