Magical Mystery Tour

The song Magical Mystery Tour starts with a direct call, a "Roll up! Roll up!" that evokes the energy of a circus ringmaster. This phrase, according to Paul McCartney, was a spark inspired by that type of entertainer. But it's also given a twist, a more subtle reference to rolling a cigarette, playing with the idea of "rolling up" for the journey proposed by the chorus: "Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour!". The lyrics, in general, describe the premise of the film: a bus tour, something common in the United Kingdom when the Beatles were young. John Lennon and Paul McCartney took that idea and made it more fantastic, "a bit more surreal than a real one," as Lennon said.

The composition feels direct, one of the simplest in their repertoire. Paul arrived at the studio with the main idea, and together they added loose words and concepts, such as "Flash!!", "invitation", or "trip of a lifetime", which Mal Evans noted down. It's interesting to note that in this piece each member of the band sings a line of the lyrics, interpreting themselves. The recording of Magical Mystery Tour began on April 25, 1967, just a few days after closing the sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song was not yet finished when they started recording; a large part of that afternoon was dedicated to rehearsing, but by the end of the day they already had the basic rhythm.

On April 26 and 27, bass and additional vocals were added. On May 3, the brass parts and other elements were added. It was a somewhat disorganized session, where the trumpeters started without clear sheet music. According to Philip Jones, a friend of one of the musicians present, one of them ended up improvising and creating the musical lines that were finally incorporated. The song, with a duration of 2:46, was produced by George Martin. In the United Kingdom, it was released on December 8, 1967, as part of a six-track EP. In the United States, it was released on an LP that included five more songs, singles released during 1967, such as Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, and All You Need Is Love.

Later, in 1976, the American LP was also released in the United Kingdom. The version heard in the film has some differences, such as a re-recorded introduction and a monologue by John Lennon in the middle of the track.