Log In
Register
1.13pm
26 January 2017
Offline
Bear with me, but I’d like to share some thoughts on how I view Revolver in the context of the Beatles’ canon. This is the first time I’ve put this into words so my thoughts may be a little jumbled.
Here’s what I think: Revolver , being released in the month they stopped touring, serves less as an actual LP ‘project’ like Pepper or the White Album , but more as a showcase for everything they were doing at this point.
If you think about it, virtually every single style they would develop and reprise in the following three years is there in some shape or form in these tracks: be it the rockers like Taxman , the classically influenced baroque pop songs like For No One , the Indian songs like Love You To , the psychedelia on songs like Tomorrow Never Knows etc etc etc.
Another thinking point – every single song on here has at least one or more songs later in the canon that seem like a progression or an elaboration on that idea. For example, Yellow Submarine and it’s music hall singalong style get pulled back on many songs such as With A Little Help From My Friends , When I’m Sixty-Four , ecetera.
When you consider the timing of this release (added to by the fact none of these songs were played live), it’s possible to think of this LP as the Beatles taking a breather, gathering their thoughts and ideas into one showcase album to present to the public before they put these ideas into practise on big projects like Pepper.
Also, the fact that every song is roughly 2 minutes aids my point – they were being concise with their ideas, not running away with themselves.
The following people thank QuarryMan for this post:
vonbontee, Beatlebug, sir walter raleigh, Martha, WeepingAtlasCedarsI've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
1.18pm
9 March 2017
Offline You could say the same thing about Sgt. Pepper and The Beatles. In fact, i think those albums are more of a showcase album than Revolver because they have a little bit of everything as well.
If you're reading this, you are looking for something to do.
1.34pm
1 December 2009
Offline
Yeah, my takeaway from the album is that of a box of assorted chocolates…and the fact that it comes closer than any other Beatles album to an even JPG split is a big factor
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
Beatlebug, QuarryMan, WeepingAtlasCedars, Elementary PenguinGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
1.44pm
26 January 2017
Offline 
I agree that they were in the perfect position to display their songwriting ability combined with cutting edge recording processes that were being done at the time. Call it what you will, its a perfect album.
Edit: funny that @QuarryMan has prompted me to say the phrase “its a perfect album” twice in one day. I can’t help myself when both Pet Sounds and Revolver are brought up. In my opinion they are the only two albums that are truly perfect.
The following people thank sir walter raleigh for this post:
QuarryMan, vonbontee, TheWalrusWasBrian"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"
-Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues
"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"
-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl
3.16pm
26 January 2017
Offline Not exactly, @Dark Overlord (hello, pattie!) as I wasn’t basing my judgement entirely on simply the variety, moreover the timing of the album as it separates the two main eras.
And what about Dark Side Of The Moon, @sir walter raleigh ?
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
3.43pm
26 January 2017
Offline Imperfect in my eyes. Theres about a minute and a half of On The Run that doesn’t meet the standard set by the rest of the album. It gets too comfortable.
I’d say the same about Abbey Road with Maxwells Silver Hammer that I do about On The Run. It isn’t that I don’t like the songs, but musically they stay in the same place and to me are clearly below the songs that make their respective albums masterpieces.
Pet Sounds and Revolver have no such songs. Its also important to note that I think The Beatles reaches perfection through its imperfections, but I wouldn’t classify it with the “showcase” albums like Dark Side Of The Moon or Abbey Road despite liking it more than both. The Beatles is a whole different beast.
"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"
-Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues
"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"
-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl
6.14pm
26 January 2017
Offline Interesting. I have to agree that I’m not too fond of On The Run but it’s nothing more than a linking song, so it doesn’t tarnish the album in my eyes. I think most great albums I would rate as near perfect despite having one or two dud songs , because the good ones make up for it. And I wouldn’t say an album needs to be perfect to be among the best. I think Pepper is better than Revolver , even though it has more weak tracks and has always felt unfinished to me, it’s still the greatest album of all time.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
6.42pm
26 January 2017
Offline QuarryMan said
Interesting. I have to agree that I’m not too fond of On The Run but it’s nothing more than a linking song, so it doesn’t tarnish the album in my eyes. I think most great albums I would rate as near perfect despite having one or two dud songs , because the good ones make up for it. And I wouldn’t say an album needs to be perfect to be among the best. I think Pepper is better than Revolver , even though it has more weak tracks and has always felt unfinished to me, it’s still the greatest album of all time.
I agree. But I’m saying that along with being great albums, Pet Sounds and Revolver are perfect.
"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"
-Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues
"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"
-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl
9.50am
19 January 2017
Offline I agree that Revolver was the essential building block for every album that followed, however I think you can say the same for Rubber Soul , Sgt. Pepper and the White Album .
If I wanted to show someone a Beatles album that encapsulated their sound then it would probably be Revolver though, just because it was so significant.
"And life flows on within you and without you" - George Harrison
5.15pm
1 December 2009
Offline I’m not sure how often the pre-rubbersoul Beatles recorded songs without any “lead” vocals, but RS had a couple, which makes their disappearance on R more noticeable. Along with the fact that no song on the LP is without a lead vocal, no singer gets two consecutive leads. So it’s kind of a lead-vocal spotlight album too – each one of these guys could carry a song on their own! and even maybe a #1 single someday!
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
MarthaGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
6.36pm
14 November 2017
Offline vonbontee said
Yeah, my takeaway from the album is that of a box of assorted chocolates…and the fact that it comes closer than any other Beatles album to an even JPG split is a big factor
That’s exactly the way I’ve always thought of the White Album . Like a box of chocolates, there’s something in there for everyone,no matter your preference of ‘type’ of songs. The Beatles versatility and combined genius really shone on that album.
Re Revolver , I’d say for sure that it’s pretty similar,in terms of the types of song on there. I also love that they left Tomorrow Never Knows till the very last track on the album, teasing us, and then hitting us with the most mind blowing song when we least expect it. People probably bought the album at the time expecting a lot of love songs and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand ‘ type songs, and are then hit with that gem right at the end. Genius
The following people thank Father McKenzie for this post:
QuarryManStill writing the words to the sermon that no one will hear......
1 Guest(s)