REVOLVER

The first version of this album that I bought, in January 1982, was the U.S. version which lacked three songs in comparison to the original English version: "I`m Only Sleeping", "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Doctor Robert" (coincidentally the three songs were composed by John Lennon). As I knew months later when I listened to a series of FM Radio programmes about the history of The Beatles, the original English album has these three songs, and despite how good the U.S. L.P. version sounded (very good quality in sound), I was disappointed that these three songs were not included, but were previously included in an U.S. album called "Yesterday...and Today", with different mixes . Also, it was until then than I learned that their English and U. S. discographies were somewhat different. So, it was until 1987, when the original L.P. was released in the C.D. version, that I finally had the original "Revolver" album as it was released in England in 1966.

I consider this album as very influential in the development of Progressive Rock music. By 1966, The Beatles were a "mature" band, they had a lot new ideas to experiment in the studio, they were tired of touring, and they couldn`t play many of their new songs on stage as a quartet, because their new songs included a lot of instruments and arrangements which a quartet couldn`t play without additional musicians. George Martin again was very important in the production ideas and in the arrangements done with the Beatles. His role became even more important with this album.

The album starts with "Taxman", composed by George Harrison. This song has very good lyrics, IMO, and maybe these lyrics were not liked very much by the taxmen themselves in England and in othe parts of the world!

"Eleanor Rigby", composed by Paul McCartney, also has very good lyrics about loneliness and a very good string quartet arrangement by George Martin..

"I`m Only Sleeping", composed by John Lennon, is a "dreamy" song, maybe linked to the use of some "substances". It has a lead guitar part played "backwards".

"Love You To", composed by Harrison, is a song played with sitar and other instruments from India with the help from Indian musicians. It is also an interesting song. Harrison`s influence started to be more important to the band. He contributed with his own musical ideas to the development of the music of the band.

"Here, There and Everywhere" is a ballad composed by McCartney, played by the band without the help from other musicians. A simple but very good ballad, but I have listened to better versions recorded by other bands, one in particular recorded by a band called The Lettermen, which includes a very good orchestral arrangement. (If someone is interested, this version was released in a various artists Capitol Records album called "Greatest Songs of The Beatles", in 1972; this was one of the first Quadraphonic albums that I listened in 1973, when my father bought it to play it in his own Quadraphonic sound system).

"Yellow Submarine" is a Lennon-McCartney song sung by Ringo Starr. It is a simple song but it has interesting sound effects and arrangements.

"She Said She Said", composed by Lennon, tells the story of a drug trip using LSD. I read that McCartney didn`t like the lyrics very much and wasn`t interested to record the song, but in the end he played the bass guitar, but Lennon sang the lead vocals accompanied by Harrison on backing vocals.

"Good Day Sunshine", composed by McCartney, has very good vocal arrangements sung by Paul, George and John, but the instruments were only played by Ringo and Paul plus George Martin playing another piano part.

"And Your Bird Can Sing", composed by Lennon, has strange lyrics, but musically it is a more "conventional" Rock song.

"For No One", composed by McCartney, is one of my favourite songs from this album. It has very good arrangements, particularly a horn arangement played by Alan Civil.

"Doctor Robert", composed by Lennon, has lyrics about a real Doctor which prescribed psychedelic drugs to his patients.

"I Want to Tell You" is a song composed by Harrison. It is also a good song which includes a piano part played by McCartney.

"Got to Get You Into my Life", composed by Paul, has very good wind instruments arrangements.

"Tomorrow Never Knows", composed by John, was the very first song tried for "Revolver", but the song had many changes in arrangements, with the final version being this one. The first version, more "experimental", was finally released in the "Anthology 1" album in 1995.

"Revolver" was released in August 1966, when The Beatles were doing their last tour, which was problematic due to very known facts. In that tour they didn`t play any songs from his album, but they played "Paperback Writer", a song recorded during the same recording sessions but which was only released as a single in 1966.

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