Popular Culture Review Vol. 12, No. 1, February 2001 | Page 9

Unreal “Fields”: Constituents of the
Lasting Popularity of The Beatles’
Strawberry Fields Forever
Were the Beatles slipping creatively as 1967 dawned? A swelling chorus of
critics and fans were saying so (Aspinall, “Real”)- The Beatles’ recording of
“Strawberry Fields Forever,” one of their most peculiar (see Mellers) but nonetheless
popular song-recordings, had been designed for inclusion in their Sgt. Pepper's
L on ely H ea rts Club B a nd album. But, disappointed by the lukewarm critical
reception and unimpressive sales of their previous Ip and keen to prove they still
had their creative “chops,” the Beatles authorized the release of the song as a single.
Released February 13, 1967 it was in the Top 40 for seven weeks, entering on
March 11, 1967, peaking at No. 8” (Dowlding 149).
“Strawberry Fields For