Best Song on Beatles' "Revolver"

This isn't ILM. (I voted anyway.)

yes I like the occasional music post on ILE. "Taxman"

many good songs. 'i'm only sleeping'

"Tomorrow Never Knows" rules almost too much.

but yeah, there's nothing bad there, and a lot that's incredibly good.

And Your Bird Can Sing for me. But it's a tough decision.

Is this the album that's best balanced with great John and Paul songs?

Betcha the one I voted for gets one vote only!

"Doctor Robert"?

Yellow Submarine?

Got to Get You Into My Life is that sweet, sweet soul. My favorite Paul material after side two of Abbey Road.

ooh... side two of Abbey Road is a Paulstravaganza. But see that's what I mean, that's clearly a Paul album. The only other really balanced one I can think of is Help!, and John still owns it.

I chose For Noone, their nod to Herman's Hermits.

i grew up with my mum's cassette of revolver, bought for her by her older sister when she lived out there. it swaps 'yellow submarine' for 'your mother should know'. i hate 'your mother should know'.

I'm Only Sleeping.

If this were ILM I'd say Tomorrow Never Knows would almost certainly win, here it's a bit more unpredictable (ie better).

I could have chosen about five of these. In the end, its For No One - I agree that its Paul McCartney's best.

i grew up with my mum's cassette of revolver, bought for her by her older sister when she lived out there. it swaps 'yellow submarine' for 'your mother should know'.

this was a purchased cassette? was it a bootleg?

I picked "Eleanor Rigby".

'your mother should know'

Paul at his cloying worst, yes, agreed, awful.

I picked "Eleanor Rigby".

Paul at his very best.

I choose "She Said, She Said" because I like the story about John Lennon and Peter Fonda.

I thought that was about George Harrison and Tomorrow Never Knows?

Tomorrow Never Knows is groundbreaking, but you get bored of hearing it after a while. I think Taxman is great, but that might partly be due to the fact that I eventually heard it several years after two other songs I loved which I can now see were obviously influenced by it (Start by The Jam and Seagull by Ride). I've gone for Eleanor Rigy, though.

I like Yellow Submarine enough to vote for it, contrarian-wise, but perhaps I Want To Tell You is more underrated. There's too many bad songs on the thing and the production sucks.

Unlike a lot of PM's nostalgia exercises I don't think "Your Mother" is cloying at all - it's sweet. One of the things I like about Paul is his inclusiveness - of all the 60s pop stars he's the most eager to remind us that there's a world of old or square or lonely people out there where the party/head-trip isn't, but not in a guilt-tripping way, just tinged with sadness or (in the case of YMSK) the comforting knowledge that they had parties of their own.

Is this the album that's best balanced with great John and Paul songs?

Yes. And 3 great George songs as well. This is the hardest poll ever.

TNK

I feel like no one will vote for AYBCS, so there's my vote.

she said, she said by a nose from tomorrow never

I hate this album a lot

I don't like it that much either, but hey, might as well have a favourite.

Dr Robert is the only song worthy of no votes at all. All the others incredibly difficult. I Want to tell you edges it though.

Another vote for For No One. I like the way the song just begins.

I hate this album a lot

oh, why bother?

1) Just for the record, most of the backwards tape effects on Tomorrow Never Knows are Paul's work, not John's or George Martin's.

2) I'm not voting in this poll because I think it's kind of boring and it's on the wrong board.

3) TOMBOT, what styles of music do you like? I don't think I've ever been able to ascertain that!

and it's on the wrong board

no wai it's a whole different audience

I'm going with "Here, There, and Everywhere" but my answer could change on a daily basis.

There should be another ILM for ILM-haters.

I think ILM's got better since the polls have come in. I understand what they're on about slightly more often, at least.

but it's still kind of boring, k

it's the beatles. it's just baby steps. :)

Cool, you hate the album, so just ruin everyone else's fun.

I never liked this album that much. I mean it's fine. It's a Beatles album. They're all at least fine. But none of the songs are among my most favoritest Beatles songs.

I was listening to this album today and thought to myself, "God, every song is so ridiculously good." The opening 1-2-3 attack of Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, and I'm Only Sleeping might be the strongest opening to any rock album that I can think of. Those songs are so different and so amazing...but then again, so is the rest of the album. All the often-overlooked gems like "She Said She Said," "I Want To Tell You," and "And Your Bird Can Sing" just make this poll harder.

I don't think I can make a choice.

Gold: She Said, She Said
Silver: Love You To
Bronze: Taxman

The opening 1-2-3 attack of Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, and I'm Only Sleeping might be the strongest opening to any rock album that I can think of.

That's not totally crazy or anything. Though I'm sure if you reminded me of a better 1-2-3 opening, I'd probably agree to that, too.

How about side one of Boston? That's a pretty fucking kick-ass 1-2-3.

ok, I made it through "More than a Feelin" on the loudspeakers in my living room, but I kept it chill, because I'd heard that one plenty enough. About a second and a half into "Peace of Mind," I realized I needed earphones.

Ok, compared to "Foreplay/Long Time," "Tomorrow Never Knows" can go eat... some spoiled Korean food or something.

OMG THIS ROCKS SO FUCKING MUCH

I rescind my vote for "Tomorrow Never Knows" and cast it for "this poll is wrong and dumb."

"she said, she said" is the best song ever written about a fonda.

Isn't it the only song ever written about a fonda? :)

"in every little Honda there may lurk a Peter Fonda" - Elastica, Car Song

she said, she said

The opening 1-2-3 attack of Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, and I'm Only Sleeping might be the strongest opening to any rock album that I can think of.

By opening attack, do you happen to mean rock out really hard to Taxman and then roll over all quiet-like and take a nap for a few minutes? Because you'd not only be OTM, but you could continue napping through the next two songs as well. : )

For 1-2-3 punches, Beatles-wise, I'd choose Help > The Night Before > You've Got to Hide Your Love Away.

I'm rethinking killfiles. . .

What an excellent album.

I have voted for She Said She Said becasue it was the first one that came into my head. But I suppose Eleanor Rigby is Better.

For 1-2-3 punches, Beatles-wise

This should probably be its own poll thread on ILM (I know, I know, just what we needed, another poll thread), but I'd have to go with either Sgt Peppers->With a Little Help from my Friends->Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds or Back in the USSR->Dear Prudence->Glass Onion. I've never really cared much for "Taxman".

Sgt Pepper is the most overrated song on Sgt Pepper. If I never hear another cover of this song it will be too soon.

Back in the USSR->Dear Prudence->Glass Onion

ew. Back in the USSR is really very shitty. It kind of announces right up front that this record is going to suck. Then you get Dear Prudence, and it announces that this record is going to be incredible. And it's back and forth the rest of the way through.

"Back in the USSR" is kind of silly, but it's fun - which is more than one can say for "Taxman". I've never heard anyone overrate "Sgt Peppers" the song, or heard any covers of it, for that matter.

Agreed, Back In The USSR is a less-than-thrilling opening track.

Their best track 1 was A Hard Days Night (No Reply comes in 2nd)

There was a cover of Sgt Pepper on American Idol 2 weeks ago. U2 covered it at Live 8 with Macca. There are others that I can't think recall right now.

I've always felt conflicted about the Taxman lyric but it's a pretty hard-to-deny song, which I can say about little on the White Album. Sgt Pepper is definitely the best 1-2-3

If I never hear another cover of this song it will be too soon

so presumably you've already heard the Jimi version

The Hendrix version was muddy, bad sound quality.. it might have been better if it was produced more appropriately. But still, he covered it during the 60's. The mythical aura that surrounds that record wasn't quite as prominent at the time. I don't get why modern bands don't cover more recent songs. It seems this only happens when bands want to cover songs ironically, like Alanis Morrisette.

We don't need no stinking poll thread.

There's a strong case to be made for both of your choices O, Nate. These days, every time I put on Sgt. Peppers, I try to imagine what it must have been like for people back in 1967 upon hearing it for the first time. It drives me nuts, in the best of all possible ways

I don't really like Lucy much. The chorus seems a little forced and edged in to me. Something about the contrast between the quiet, bemused, lost quality of the verses and the riotous jubilation in the chorus. It's nothing new of course, but for some reason it seems inconsistent, rather than purposefully jarring.

On the other hand, the three opening tracks from the white album are totally money. Glass Onion creates awesome tension in the cello outro before Ob-La-Di/-Da, similar to the contrast between "I Want You" and "Here Comes the Sun."

I'd still stick with Help, even though I haven't heard it in a decade or so. I'm going to the record store to see if I can dig up a copy.

Incidentally, it's the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt Peppers today for about two and a half more hours. That's enough time to listen to Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band 3 and 4/5ths more times!

It was twenty years ago today, that Sgt. Pepper's was released on CD. I remember that radio stations were playing the albums in their entirety so listeners could finally hear them in CD quality (over an FM broadcast.)

It just seems weird to me today that they've been on CD for as long as it had been originally released before the CDs.

So the listeners could tape the record over their little sister's copy of "Grease" on a cheap memorex and the whole cycle of audio degeneration starts all over again...it's so..snif...beautiful. : )

I remember first hearing it on CD though, without the click and hiss of 20 year old vinyl. The most memorable was hearing the acid-gibberish bonus track for the first time. It generated complete confusion in my little mind.

I just heard this last night! "And Your Bird Can Sing" for the win...

I'm a little surprised that so few other people have repped for "For No One." I think it's really one of their most remarkable songs, with the cutting lyrics, brilliant melody, and lovely French horn.

I voted Tomorrow Never Knows cos it's still totally mind blowing. Last time I heard it was at a twee indie club of all places. On the way there I'd been listening to Can. More dots joined...

That track does seem to be a big influence on Kraut - the crazed seagull loops remind me of the vocal madness of the Faust Tapes, while the trance-out groove is very Can, minus the Velvet Underground and James Brown influences.

Also the Goons style piano at the end - I always thought it sounded like Italian House.

But as actual song I'd probably go with I'm Only Sleeping. Such a lovely languid feel, and so beautifully produced. It sounds so clear and fresh, as opposed to the opiated muzziness of I'm So Tired.

I totally share the She Said, And Your Bird, Dr Robert, You Won't See Me love. I love the sound of those tracks. You can hear that they'd been listening to the Byrds but decided to add some welly to the jangly guitars - surely the influence of what the Who, Kinks, Yardbirds and Stones were doing at the time, ie morphing r 'n b into rock. They rarely bettered their group playing on those songs. And Your Bird Can Sing is a particular marvel - George's lead guitar zig-zagging as Paul's bass cavorts gleefully.

For No One is a beauty for sure.

It's easily the most consistent and groundbreaking Beatles album, deserving of all the praise Sgt Pepper gets. Don't know if anyone saw the Guardian leader yesterday, praising Sgt Pepper. Within Without You May be a dirge but it introduced the west to the sitar, it proclaimed. Er, except the Beatles had already used sitar on Rubber Soul and Revolver and it wasn't like Indian Classical music was unheard of at the time...

That American Idol Sgt Pepper medley was horrid. It was exactly what you'd imagine, only with Joe Perry on wanky blues rock guitar for rock credibility.

I know this Revolver so well. I listened to it on repeat during a school exchange to France when I was 13. My exchange guy was a boring git and would come home to do a million hours of homework, and as he lived out of the school's catchment area in the boring suburbs there was little for me to do but sit about playing patience and listening to my 12 cassettes.

There is an EVEN WORSE Sergeant Pepper/Beatles medley than American Idol's...Ted Neely, Yvonne Elliman & Patti LaBelle + many more for Rolling Stone AND Sgt. Pepper's 10th anniversary special:

A DAY IN THE DECADE

Paul Anka's cover of "Got to Get You Into My Life" is actually pretty good!

Not included in that clip, tho; it was from that George Martin 'people covers my beetleds' album of a few years back.

It was only recently that I learned that that's a clavichord on "For No One."

Oh my word that is wonderfully awful. Who the hell are all those people?

Taken from the book "Beatlesongs" by Dowlding:

-The album was originally going to be called "Abracadabra", but it had already been used as the title of an album. Other titles considered: Beatles on Safari, Bubble and Squeak, Free Wheelin' Beatles, and Magic Circles.

TAXMAN:
Lennon: "I remember the day he called to ask for help on 'Taxman', one of his first songs. I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along, because that's what he asked for.

ELEANOR RIGBY:
McCartney: "Then I took it down to John's house in Weybridge. We sat around, laughing, got stoned, and finished it off."
Lennon: "I wrote a good lot of the lyrics, about 70 percent"
"The first verse was his and the rest are basically mine..."
McCartney: "I saw somewhere that (John) says he helped on 'Eleanor Rigby'. Yeah. About half a line."
Pete Shotton: "Though John was to take credit, in one of his last interviews, for most of the lyrics, my own recollection is that 'Eleanor Rigby' was one 'Lennon-McCartney' classic in which John's contribution was virtually nil."

HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE:
Lennon: "That was a great one of his", "One of my favorite songs of the Beatles."

SHE SAID SHE SAID:
Lennon: "I like this one...It's a nice song, too" "It's an interesting track. The guitars are great on it."

GOOD DAY SUNSHINE
McCartney: "Wrote that out at John's one day - the sun was shining. Influenced by the Lovin' Spoonful."

- Praised, particularly for its construction, by Leonard Bernstein in a 1967 documentary.

AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING
Lennon: "Another horror", "Another of my throwaways"

FOR NO ONE
Lennon: "Another of his I really liked"

DOCTOR ROBERT
Shotton: "When John first played me the acetate of 'Doctor Robert', he seemed beside himself with glee over the prospect of millions of recrod buyers innocently singing along."

GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE
Lennon: "I think that was one of his best songs, too, because the lyrics are good and I didn't write them"

TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS
Lennon: "This was my first psychedelic song"
McCartney: "The was an LSD song. Probably the only one."

AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING
Lennon: "Another horror", "Another of my throwaways"

I love how John & Paul are so self-critical, but it also kind of makes me sad that they hated songs of theirs which are very much in my heart forever.

John was always the most dismissive but one * about "It's only Love" which I thought wonderous.

*the but one was "run for your life" fair enough bad song.

I like the harmonies and the tamborine in Run For Your Life. When I was like 12 I read John's quote "I always hated RFYL" and I decided to hate it as well so I could be just like John Lennon, but I secretly never thought it was all that bad.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

She said she said? Really?

I thought For No One might do better. Still, equal fourth is respectable.

Errr... equal fifth being slightly less respectable.

I think this is the only poll I've seen where nothing got 0.

Oh, except for the best Spice Girl one.

glad to see 'i'm only sleeping' is so popular.

I am a bit surprised that "And Your Bird Can Sing" got the silver, and very nearly the gold. I like the song, but it's a bit on the lightweight side...the next five listed are all way stronger tracks, IMO.

I like the song, but it's a bit on the lightweight side.

That kind of sums up the modern preference for Revolver over Sgt Pepper in a nutshell though, maybe. So it's fitting that AYBCS did so well, and I'm not too surprised. There's a cleanness and lightness of touch about the whole album, even when it's at its most experimental or dark-hearted.

I love ABYCS, tho my pick for this record would have been She Said, She Said or ER

oops AYBCS

"Yellow Submarine" seems to be the most underrated by ILE of this list. I voted for "AYBCS", but I didn't feel that strongly about it. The lyrics don't mean much to me, but the music is about the most joyous and catchy on the album, I think.

predictable result but some things are predictable for a reason, right?

Everyone has their reasons

Is ILE now turning into ILM-For-A-Day? Are the two boards collapsing into one another? Will this increase their gravitational pull? Will ilxors suddenly gain mass as the boards collide? Stay tuned.

Kind of amazed "Taxman" rated so low. I feel like if you were in a room watching the Beatles play Taxman live it would be like seeing Television in 1966.

i love TNK but i feel like the real pull for me on this album is "i'm only sleeping"

i love TNK but i feel like the real pull for me on this album is "i'm only sleeping"

― marcos

Yeah it's my favourite. The production is just as cool and original as TNK in a quieter way.