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'''''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''''' is a 2017 [[concept album]], combining the music of every song on ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'' with lyrics describing the plot of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''. It was produced by Dan Amrich and Jude Kelley, under the name "Palette-Swap Ninja".
==Production==
Kelley and Amrich first met when they were in a band together in California. Their shared interest in video games led to a friendship which continued even after Kelley moved to Boston in 2007.<ref name=Berkeleyside/> At this point, they formed Palette-Swap Ninja, a long-distance musical collaboration<ref name=Polygon/> originally dedicated to parody songs about video games.<ref name=Berkeleyside>[https://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/1...-orchestra-and-palette-swap-ninja-in-berkeley These are the droids you’re looking for: Awesöme Orchestra and Palette-Swap Ninja in Berkeley], by Andrew Gilbert; in ''[[Berkeleyside]]''; published October 18, 2018; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> They soon realized that their most popular songs were those that had a narrative, and decided to make a concept album which would tell a complete story.<ref name=Examiner/>
Amrich's original idea was to combine the music from ''[[Tommy (The Who album)|Tommy]]'' by [[The Who]], with the plot of the documentary ''[[The King of Kong]]''.<ref name=Examiner>[https://beatlesexaminer.podbean.com...r-wars-with-dan-amrich-of-palette-swap-ninja/ Things We Said Today #235 - How Sgt. Pepper Met Star Wars with Dan Amrich of Palette-Swap Ninja], at BeatlesExaminer.podbean.com; interview with Amrich begins at 9:52; discussion of how the album was created begins at 11:24; posted July 6, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> In 2012, Amrich and his wife Katrin Auch visited Kelley in Boston. While the three were at lunch, Amrich confessed that he could not make the ''King of Kong''/''Tommy'' combination work, at which point Auch said that a successful project of that type would require components that were "bigger (and) more universally beloved,"
like ''Star Wars'' or ''Sgt. Pepper''. By the end of the meal, Amrich and Kelley had devised several of the song titles.<ref name=Polygon>[https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/3/15529324/star-wars-beatles-parody-album The five-year journey to create the definitive Star Wars parody of Sgt. Pepper’s], by Julia Alexander; at ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]''; published May 3, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
Amrich spent two years writing the lyrics,<ref name=Examiner/> after which he and Kelley began the task of replicating the music; this primarily involved software, including [[Logic Pro]], but also used some real instruments,<ref name=Berkeleyside/> including the same model of [[electric organ]] that featured in "[[Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds]]".<ref name=Consequence/>
Amrich and Kelley originally intended to release the album in December 2015, to coincide with the theatrical release of ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'', but felt that it was not ready; they similarly missed the December 2016 release of ''[[Rogue One]]''. They finally released the album free online in May 2017, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of ''Star Wars'' and the 50th anniversary of ''Sergeant Pepper'', which coincidentally were less than a month apart.<ref name=Billboard/>
==Reception==
''[[Rolling Stone|Rolling Stone France]]'' commended the album as a "surprisingly elegant mixture of two masterpieces".<ref name=RolStoFra>[https://www.rollingstone.fr/sgt-pepper-passe-du-cote-obscur/ Sgt. Pepper passe du côté obscur], by Jessica Saval, in ''[[Rolling Stone|Rolling Stone France]]''; published May 4, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024; "un mélange surprenamment élégant de deux chefs d’œuvre"</ref> ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' lauded it as "meticulously planned" and "more perfect than it deserves to be."<ref name=Paste>[https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/star-wars/some-genius-is-narrating-star-wars-to-the-tune-of This Album-Length Mash-up of Star Wars and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is Your New Favorite Thing], by Pete Mercer; in ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]''; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]'' praised Amrich and Kelley for "having told the film's story in order without futzing too much with each song's cadence and instrumentation."<ref name=Consequence>[https://consequence.net/2017/05/sgt...s-star-wars-in-ambitious-concept-album-listen Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band meets Star Wars in ambitious concept album — listen], by Randall Colburn, at ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]''; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
''[[Io9]]'' felt it was "most impressive" and "really good", and noted the inclusion of themes from [[John Williams]]' [[Star Wars (soundtrack)|''Star Wars'' music]].<ref name=io9>[https://io9.gizmodo.com/someone-has-turned-every-song-on-sgt-peppers-lonely-he-1794815698 Someone Has Turned Every Song on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Into a Star Wars Parody], by Katherine Trendacosta, at ''[[Io9]]''; published May 1, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> [[Jason Kottke]] called it "amazing".<ref name=Kottke>[https://kottke.org/17/05/princess-leias-stolen-death-star-plans Princess Leia’s Stolen Death Star Plans], by [[Jason Kottke]]; at Kottke.org; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]'' found its lyrics to be "clever", and observed that the music video begins with its own version of the [[Star Wars opening crawl|opening crawl]].<ref name=Slate>[https://slate.com/culture/2017/05/t...-band-took-fans-five-years-to-make-video.html Celebrate May the Fourth With This Brilliant ''Star Wars''–Themed Parody of ''Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band''], by Marissa Martinelli, at ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]''; published May 4, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
==Live performance==
In 2018, Amrich and Kelley — accompanied by the non-profit Awesöme Orchestra Collective — gave a free live performance of the album at the [[University of California, Berkeley]]'s Hertz Hall.<ref name=Billboard>[https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/beatles-star-wars-parody-palette-swap-ninja-8480679/ That ‘Star Wars’/’Sgt. Pepper’s’ Parody Album Is Coming to Life — With a Full Orchestra], by Steve Marinucci; at ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''; published October 18, 2018; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://www.paletteswapninja.com/music/ ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''] (official download page)
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8s6sSjUyaxUk3mCUqiNuJiMNxs9QdthO Playlist of the ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans'' music videos], at [[YouTube]]
*[https://www.paletteswapninja.com/extras/Palette-SwapNinja_MakingOfPLSDSP.pdf The Making of ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''] at PaletteSwapNinja.com
*[http://danandkattalk.com/?p=168 Special Episode 1: Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans], Amrich and Auch's podcast
[[Category:Cultural depictions of the Beatles]]
[[Category:Star Wars fandom]]
[[Category:Concept albums]]
[[Category:Filk albums]]
Okumaya devam et...
'''''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''''' is a 2017 [[concept album]], combining the music of every song on ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'' with lyrics describing the plot of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''. It was produced by Dan Amrich and Jude Kelley, under the name "Palette-Swap Ninja".
==Production==
Kelley and Amrich first met when they were in a band together in California. Their shared interest in video games led to a friendship which continued even after Kelley moved to Boston in 2007.<ref name=Berkeleyside/> At this point, they formed Palette-Swap Ninja, a long-distance musical collaboration<ref name=Polygon/> originally dedicated to parody songs about video games.<ref name=Berkeleyside>[https://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/1...-orchestra-and-palette-swap-ninja-in-berkeley These are the droids you’re looking for: Awesöme Orchestra and Palette-Swap Ninja in Berkeley], by Andrew Gilbert; in ''[[Berkeleyside]]''; published October 18, 2018; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> They soon realized that their most popular songs were those that had a narrative, and decided to make a concept album which would tell a complete story.<ref name=Examiner/>
Amrich's original idea was to combine the music from ''[[Tommy (The Who album)|Tommy]]'' by [[The Who]], with the plot of the documentary ''[[The King of Kong]]''.<ref name=Examiner>[https://beatlesexaminer.podbean.com...r-wars-with-dan-amrich-of-palette-swap-ninja/ Things We Said Today #235 - How Sgt. Pepper Met Star Wars with Dan Amrich of Palette-Swap Ninja], at BeatlesExaminer.podbean.com; interview with Amrich begins at 9:52; discussion of how the album was created begins at 11:24; posted July 6, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> In 2012, Amrich and his wife Katrin Auch visited Kelley in Boston. While the three were at lunch, Amrich confessed that he could not make the ''King of Kong''/''Tommy'' combination work, at which point Auch said that a successful project of that type would require components that were "bigger (and) more universally beloved,"
like ''Star Wars'' or ''Sgt. Pepper''. By the end of the meal, Amrich and Kelley had devised several of the song titles.<ref name=Polygon>[https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/3/15529324/star-wars-beatles-parody-album The five-year journey to create the definitive Star Wars parody of Sgt. Pepper’s], by Julia Alexander; at ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]''; published May 3, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
Amrich spent two years writing the lyrics,<ref name=Examiner/> after which he and Kelley began the task of replicating the music; this primarily involved software, including [[Logic Pro]], but also used some real instruments,<ref name=Berkeleyside/> including the same model of [[electric organ]] that featured in "[[Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds]]".<ref name=Consequence/>
Amrich and Kelley originally intended to release the album in December 2015, to coincide with the theatrical release of ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'', but felt that it was not ready; they similarly missed the December 2016 release of ''[[Rogue One]]''. They finally released the album free online in May 2017, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of ''Star Wars'' and the 50th anniversary of ''Sergeant Pepper'', which coincidentally were less than a month apart.<ref name=Billboard/>
==Reception==
''[[Rolling Stone|Rolling Stone France]]'' commended the album as a "surprisingly elegant mixture of two masterpieces".<ref name=RolStoFra>[https://www.rollingstone.fr/sgt-pepper-passe-du-cote-obscur/ Sgt. Pepper passe du côté obscur], by Jessica Saval, in ''[[Rolling Stone|Rolling Stone France]]''; published May 4, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024; "un mélange surprenamment élégant de deux chefs d’œuvre"</ref> ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' lauded it as "meticulously planned" and "more perfect than it deserves to be."<ref name=Paste>[https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/star-wars/some-genius-is-narrating-star-wars-to-the-tune-of This Album-Length Mash-up of Star Wars and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is Your New Favorite Thing], by Pete Mercer; in ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]''; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]'' praised Amrich and Kelley for "having told the film's story in order without futzing too much with each song's cadence and instrumentation."<ref name=Consequence>[https://consequence.net/2017/05/sgt...s-star-wars-in-ambitious-concept-album-listen Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band meets Star Wars in ambitious concept album — listen], by Randall Colburn, at ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]''; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
''[[Io9]]'' felt it was "most impressive" and "really good", and noted the inclusion of themes from [[John Williams]]' [[Star Wars (soundtrack)|''Star Wars'' music]].<ref name=io9>[https://io9.gizmodo.com/someone-has-turned-every-song-on-sgt-peppers-lonely-he-1794815698 Someone Has Turned Every Song on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Into a Star Wars Parody], by Katherine Trendacosta, at ''[[Io9]]''; published May 1, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> [[Jason Kottke]] called it "amazing".<ref name=Kottke>[https://kottke.org/17/05/princess-leias-stolen-death-star-plans Princess Leia’s Stolen Death Star Plans], by [[Jason Kottke]]; at Kottke.org; published May 2, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref> ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]'' found its lyrics to be "clever", and observed that the music video begins with its own version of the [[Star Wars opening crawl|opening crawl]].<ref name=Slate>[https://slate.com/culture/2017/05/t...-band-took-fans-five-years-to-make-video.html Celebrate May the Fourth With This Brilliant ''Star Wars''–Themed Parody of ''Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band''], by Marissa Martinelli, at ''[[Slate (website)|Slate]]''; published May 4, 2017; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
==Live performance==
In 2018, Amrich and Kelley — accompanied by the non-profit Awesöme Orchestra Collective — gave a free live performance of the album at the [[University of California, Berkeley]]'s Hertz Hall.<ref name=Billboard>[https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/beatles-star-wars-parody-palette-swap-ninja-8480679/ That ‘Star Wars’/’Sgt. Pepper’s’ Parody Album Is Coming to Life — With a Full Orchestra], by Steve Marinucci; at ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''; published October 18, 2018; retrieved May 4, 2024</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://www.paletteswapninja.com/music/ ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''] (official download page)
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8s6sSjUyaxUk3mCUqiNuJiMNxs9QdthO Playlist of the ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans'' music videos], at [[YouTube]]
*[https://www.paletteswapninja.com/extras/Palette-SwapNinja_MakingOfPLSDSP.pdf The Making of ''Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans''] at PaletteSwapNinja.com
*[http://danandkattalk.com/?p=168 Special Episode 1: Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans], Amrich and Auch's podcast
[[Category:Cultural depictions of the Beatles]]
[[Category:Star Wars fandom]]
[[Category:Concept albums]]
[[Category:Filk albums]]
Okumaya devam et...