The Beatles - Revolver POLL

I guess you could say they were Proto-Selfie.

The whole Hair Peace Bed Peace thing what is that but a 2014 viral youtube video?

just stop

the performances of the musicians don't feel as "vibey" (for want of a better word).

I don't care about this myself tbh I was just pointing out an odd shift in Lennon's compositional approach that is not reflected in the work of the others'. Paul's solo material is pretty consistent with his Beatles work in terms of how he wrote lyrics, melodies etc. George too (altho he did abandon the sitar). John's the one whose songwriting seemed to go through some major shifts - not all of them positive imo - and the rhythmic thing I noted is part of that.

another article from back in December 1967:

http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-aow/column2.php

This one from Robert Christgau provides some nice cultural context.

I'm not a huge fan of Got to Get You Into my Life as it is in the actual record but the demo version that appears on Anthology is amazing. More subtle and I enjoy much better Paul closing the chorus with 'somehow, someway'. Unfortunately, you lose the solo freakout at the end of the Revolver version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YarB2VkpzYw

It's weird that they cut the 'somehow, someway' completely in the final song. After hearing the demo the chorus sounds incomplete.

I didn't mean solo freakout I meant Paul singing freely, no idea how that's called.

from 2:00 onwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxhhFOnXs2M

The ideal version of GTGYIML for me would be a mix between both, getting rid of the horns completely.

I imagine that the "somehow, someway" got junked for a couple of reasons: firstly, it'd get in the way of the horn hook, and secondly, it's unnecessary! Glad those backing vocal ideas got junked, too. I like the "I need your love, I need your love" part, though... wish they'd found a way of getting that in somewhere.

Got to Get You into My Life 0
Good Day Sunshine 0
Taxman 0

0__o

brings the lols

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P2I3qA7Oag

the guitar sound on this album is just the best. how did they do that?

"she said she said" is so heavy and scary and strange i always forget it's even on the album, always feels like such a kick in the head when it comes on.

Mixolydian Mode plus distortion and backwards?

i always expect that he's gonna say eleanor rigby is wearing her socks, instead of her face

I just noticed that "Taxman" is basically "yeah, I'm greedy"

George loves his dough

don't republicans/libertarians like that song?

Is it true they were liable for a 95% tax bill? "1 for you, 19 for me".

my friend said the other day that yellow submarine should have been kept off revolver. is he right? i don't think so

No he's not right.

Light and shade.

yeah I think the tax level was pretty crazy for them (and other big bands, like the stones and their bankruptcy that made them leave for the south of france).
and the fact that they were quite ignorant (and often not well managed) in tax matters certainly didn't help !

Post war tax rates were in the 90's for the rich in both the US and UK. People forget they were still in the 70's until Reagan came out and knocked them all the way down into the 20's at one point. How else do you think the US built all those damn freeways, nukes and rockets with minimal national debt?!

George loves his dough

The taxman's taken all of it and left him in his stately home.

all you need is love, but i myself am a different story

also classic moptops: "don't ask me what i want it for" on an album that later name-checks the national health

It's almost as if he is human and can hold multiple points of view at once.

it's almost as if i'm human and will mention it

tou che

But still, the "George is greedy" line is BS unless you consider it completely fine and fair to have to pay a 90% tax rate.

If he was actually paying that, which I doubt. Greedy, tight-fisted, if the cap fits...

completely fine and fair to have to pay a 90% tax rate.

given that everybody in that tax bracket was still absolutely filthy rich I kind of do

while George is my favorite Beatle, I can't dig the sentiment of "Taxman" at all. Paul makes the song imo.

In any case, George is whining about the tax rate being 95%!

as octobeard points out a 90s tax rate for people as rich as the beatles seemed perfectly natural before we got all this extra freedom

it's true that kids with guitars didn't have the best heads for paperwork, or for eluding predators, and okay i don't know what george's personal finances were like in 1966. suspect he was doing okay but even if he wasn't i'll be damned if i let that keep me from the pleasure of speaking uncharitably of the beatles

Those are marginal rates anyway, right? I mean somehow poor George managed buying that mansion, etc.

George grew up working class and he earned all those millions so I give him a pass. It's not like he's griping about inheritance taxes or offshore accounts or something, this is money he made through blood sweat and tears.

Blood, Sweat & Tears didn't form until 1967 though, and my understanding is that George cooked the books to make them appear a write-off. Market fluctuations destroyed the value of his holdings in any case, a fact the band mockingly pointed out in their own lyrics once they'd ousted George and regained majority control.

Those are marginal rates anyway, right? I mean somehow poor George managed buying that mansion, etc.

yes and yes. so he wouldn't have to pay 90 percent of everything. just 90 percent of what he made over a certain amount. and i'm guessing he made a lot over that certain amount.

but the important thing is, it's a great song. i disagree with the specific politics of it, but i do not disagree with the presentation, and i especially don't agree with that bass line.

i mean i don't DISagree with that bass line!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o60XmAvwHSY

Love how he goes against the beat for the middle-8 following that 2nd chorus. SO GOOD.

my head is filled with things to saaaaayy

often "I Want to Tell You" is my favorite Beatle George song. I love the offhand discordance.

I've never quite understood the whole "living outside of the UK for a year to avoid paying taxes" thing.

Isn't the NHS reference on the White album?

Remind me what it is?

i was thinking of doctor robert--"my friend works for the national health"--but there might be a ref on the white album, idk. (savoy truffle? nah.)

That's just word play from Lennon.