 When manager Brian Epstein pressed Martin for a new Beatles ' single , Martin told Epstein that the group had recorded " Strawberry Fields Forever " and " Penny Lane " , which in Martin 's opinion were their two finest songs to date . Epstein said they would issue the songs as a double A @-@ side single , as they had done with their previous single , " Yellow Submarine " / " Eleanor Rigby " . The single was released in the US on 13 February 1967 , and in the United Kingdom on 17 February 1967 . Following the Beatles ' usual philosophy that songs released on a single should not appear on new albums , which wasn 't always the case , both songs were ultimately left off Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band . Martin later stated that this was a " dreadful mistake " , even though both were given a belated album appearance on side two of the LP of " Magical Mystery Tour " . It was released as a double EP in the UK , but in the USA the LP had the whole soundtrack on side one with the 1967 singles released on side two ; however , the US LP version is now the CD version . 
