Strawberry Fields Forever

This article was written for Funga by Cordelia Fleming

I first encountered the Strawberry Fields Forever music video on a summer evening at a friend’s house. He is a total sage when it comes to music, and his tales and knowledge of bands like The Beatles and The Grateful Dead made them seem less like musicians and more like cosmic explorers. As I watched the music video unfold, with the Fab Four dressed in obscure clothing, moving jerkily through a misty field with distorted colours, dissolving instruments and shapes, I was instantly drawn into their surreal, hypnotic world… just like a half-remembered dream.

Until then, I had always admired The Beatles from afar, aware of their legendary status but never fully grasping their deeper world and influence on culture. Watching the Strawberry Fields Forever music video changed that. Directed by British filmmaker Peter Goldman, he was known for his innovative use of visual techniques, together they create one of the most iconic and mind-bending visuals of the psychedelic era. This truly isn’t just a mad music video; it is an invitation to step outside reality, break free from conventional thinking and dive into their carefully curated, kaleidoscopic universe.

By the mid-60s, The Beatles had fully embraced psychedelia, with LSD playing a major role in their transformation as a band. Albums like Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s weren’t just records, they were mind-expanding journeys. Strawberry Fields Forever truly embodies this shift, with its layered sounds and surreal visuals that make you feel like you’ve stepped outside time and space. It was a whole new way of experiencing music.

A Still from the Strawberry Fields Forever Music Video

A Still from the Strawberry Fields Forever Music Video

The Beatles were ahead of their time in more ways than one. They didn’t just follow trends – they set them, pushing the boundaries of what music could be. They were pioneers in the studio, experimenting with new techniques like tape loops, non-traditional instruments, and electronic effects. They proved that music could be a doorway to a different dimension, not just entertainment.

But the real magic of their psychedelic era was how it redefined consciousness. The Beatles didn’t just make songs, they invited us to question the nature of reality itself. Through their music, they explored the fluidity of time, identity, and existence. As Lennon famously said, “Nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about.” Their work wasn’t about giving answers but about opening up a space where we could embrace uncertainty and let go.

A Still from the Strawberry Fields Forever Music Video

LSD wasn’t just a tool for exploration – it was transformative for The Beatles, altering their perception of life and music. John Lennon described the experience as, “It was such a mammoth experience that it was unexplainable. It was something that had to be experienced, because you could talk about it forever and not know what it was like.” Likewise, George Harrison, more spiritual than the others, saw LSD as a way to open the mind to new dimensions, saying, “LSD opened my mind, I really believe that, and it gave me a completely different perspective on life and things.”

The Beatles’ love of psychedelics didn’t just change their music – it influenced entire cultural shifts. As they embraced altered states of consciousness, their music, fashion and public personas reflected the changing swirling 60s landscape. Albums like Sgt. Pepper’s helped blur the lines between music, art and psychedelic visuals. Their eccentric clothing and long hair became symbols of the counterculture movement, rejecting old norms in favour of freedom and self-expression.

Beyond aesthetics, The Beatles sparked a broader conversation about spirituality and inner exploration. George Harrison’s interest in Eastern philosophy introduced millions to new ways of thinking about the mind, consciousness and transcendence. Psychedelics became a gateway to new ways of living, with The Beatles encouraging listeners to expand their minds and see the world through a different lens.

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Psychedelia in Britain had a unique vibe, especially compared to the American scene with bands like The Grateful Dead. While the West Coast bands focused on free-spirited, long jam sessions and a flower crown messages of peace and love, British psychedelia was darker, more surreal, and more introspective. The Beatles brought in Victorian whimsy, Indian mysticism and surrealism, blending them with the English landscape. It wasn’t just about escaping reality – it was about questioning, shaping and confronting it.

Strawberry Fields Forever is a perfect example of this. With its shifting, fractured visuals and dreamlike atmosphere, it invites you to see the world in a new way. It’s not about being “weird” for the sake of it, it’s about merging the dream world with the real world. The Beatles didn’t need to find grand cosmic truths, they just wanted us to understand that reality is ever-changing, fluid and open to interpretation and as Lennon famously sang, “Nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about.”