Revolver

Full disclosure, Revolver is my personal favorite Beatles album and is in my top three “desert island” albums, ever. I don’t throw the term perfect around lightly, this album is however, just that pure perfection.
The Fab Four started down this path I feel with the tune “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” from Help! In early 1965. A song that showed Lennon’s best Dylan inspired attempt. The band grew leaps and bounds with late 65’s Rubber Soul and Revolver is an even more substantial continuation of that evolution.

The first tune written and recorded for the record is the albums most adventurous, “Tomorrow Never Knows.” The band fully embraced the potential of the recording studio without consideration for reproducing the results in concert. Lennon drew inspiration from his various LSD experiences, and from the 1964 book by Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert and Ralph Metzner, The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
The album opens, unconventionally with a George Harrison number, Taxman. The song has an abrasive tone and can be seen as a precursor to Punk, along with the 1-2-3-4 count in. Lennon called out names of several real, politicians (how is the not considered the mother of Punk Rock?!). McCartney ended up playing the jangled guitar solo.
“Eleanor Rigby” deals with loneliness and depression. It’s a drastic departure from the earlier McCartney love songs and is a real group effort as all four contributed lyrics. While Lennon and Harrison supplied harmonies beside McCartney’s lead vocal, no Beatle played on the recording.
“I’m Only Sleeping” the song sounds like a painting come to life. Lennons vocal is distorted to an almost “Old McDonald” cadence. Harrison guitar was recorded backwards giving the song a dream like quality. The song has been attributed to drug praise by is, according to Lennon, is about the joys of legitimately sleeping.
“Love You To” is Harrison’s first foray into Hindustani classical music. Rubber Soul’s “Norwegian Wood” introduces the sitar to the band’s world but “Love You To” is completely new territory for the band. A truly George composition as minimal contributions from Starr and McCartney, and no input from Lennon are made on the track.
“Here, There and Everywhere” often considered the bands best balled and it’s hard to argue it’s not. McCartney wrote towards the end of the Revolver sessions. Inspired by Brian Wilson “God Only Knows” who was inspired himself by his heavy playing of Rubber Soul. The song is truly a masterpiece and explains the greatest gift we as a species have, love. It’s also Art Garfunkel’s favorite song.
“Yellow Submarine” the Lennon/McCartney piece specifically written as a Ringo showcase. With a little help from Donovan on the final lyrics. They sought to create a children’s song. The festive nautical atmosphere added by sounds such as chains, bells, whistles, tubs of water and clinking glasses.
“She Said, She Said.” The lyrics reflect a part that they all went to. Along with The Byrds (that would explain the very McGuinn esq guitar) and Peter Fonda in LA August of 1965. All took LSD together.
The lyric was inspired in part by a conversation that Lennon and Harrison had with Fonda who told them over and over during this party that he indeed knew what it was like to be dead.
Side two opens with the infectious “Good Day Sunshine” quite literally sunshine pop perfection. The verses reflect vaudeville, while McCartney also acknowledged the influence of the Lovin’ Spoonful on the composition as well.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is 100% inspired by The Byrds with a healthy heap of “Positivity 4th Street.” An absolute masterpiece of that is certainly one of the best Lennon/McCartney collaborations.
“For No One” The recording features only half the band. Ringo on drums and McCartney playing piano, bass and clavichord. It’s one of McCartney’s best vocal performances (and that’s saying a lot).
“Doctor Robert” a Lennon tune that was inspired when he read about a New York doctor who gave his patients amphetamines, sometimes without their knowledge. Our doctor here isn’t quite so harsh. Instead, his patients are treated (take that anyway you’d like) with LSD.
“I Want To Tell You” Harrison wrote the tune yes, while under the influence of LSD about his many thoughts he had racing along with his newfound self-consciousness. An often overlooked classic.
“Got To Get You Into My Life” is Paul’s love letter to pot. The tune is heavily inspired by Motown.
This to my ears is best blend of pure pop and my beloved psychedelic rock. The impact of this record could not be overstated. It is quite simply one of the most influential and important albums in existence. This shows the world that this wasn’t merely just a fad, but these four men had something to say.

DJ Madness

Steve Gier