August 5, 1966 - Revolver

Less than a year later, the Beatles are at it again with their seventh studio album "Revolver", released August 5, 1966. However in the time since "Rubber Soul", the Beatles decided they would no longer tour and play concerts. They had grown tired of playing in front of screaming fans and wanted to create albums without limitations. This was a groundbreaking decision, but it opened them up to use different studio instruments and effects that they would not be able to replicate live. This includes tape looping, multiple overdubs, horns and strings. This album also marks a shift in style for the Beatles. There are much less references to love than usual for the Beatles, and much more experimental and psychedelic music than the radio hits of their early career. This was evident in the two singles that were chosen off the album, "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine", which are both very different from each other and from any previous work the Beatles had done. 

Side 1 begins with George Harrison's "Taxman", not surprisingly about how he was unhappy with the amount of taxes high-earners like the Beatles had to pay. It features a nice little guitar solo from Harrison and is relatable to everyone: who doesn't hate taxes? McCartney sings lead on "Eleanor Rigby", a song that has no Beatles playing any instruments. Instead, a string octet are the only instruments you'll hear, making this a first for the Beatles. The theme of loneliness throughout the song and the somber sound of the strings give this song a much sadder feel than any of McCartney's previous songs, and a seemingly odd choice for a single. However, the song sounds beautifully sad and is one of their best in my opinion. Lennon takes over lead on track 3's "I'm Only Sleeping", a very lazy, psychedelic sounding song. The guitar solo played by Harrison was played in backwards order during recording, and then the tape was reversed, giving the notes an almost sucking sound. With no live shows to play, the Beatles went all out with the studio effects on "Revolver". Harrison is singing lead again on the next track "Love You To", which is his second song using the Indian sitar, after Norwegian Wood last year. It sounds very trippy, and clearly shows the influence on Harrison that Indian music was having. Harrison shows some excellent sitar work and I especially like the amped-up part at the end. The "revolving" door of lead singers continues as McCartney sings lead on his ballad "Here, There and Everywhere". It continues the theme of the last song about living in the moment and enjoying love and life. Track 6 is Ringo Starr's sole lead vocal on the album, yet it is the other single "Yellow Submarine". It's a very simple song about voyaging at sea with friends, but it's undeniably memorable and became a huge hit in the U.S. A great drinking song. Side 1 ends with another Lennon song, "She Said She Said", another psychedelic sounding song driven by electric guitar. 

Side 2 begins with "Good Day Sunshine", a song with McCartney on lead vocals as well as piano. It's a very happy song with a nice tune. Lennon is on lead again with "And Your Bird Can Sing", a song about someone who has everything, but can't understand him. It's driven by some cool guitar and even a little solo. Track 10 is McCartney once again with "For No One", which features both clavichord and French horn, adding to the variety of instruments the Beatles used with no worry of needing to replicate the music live. I think the French Horn sounds great on this song and McCartney just seems to be brimming with new ideas on this album. They return to a more general rock song with Lennon's "Doctor Robert", a song about a celebrated New York doctor. Harrison's only track on side 2 follows, "I Want To Tell You". He said it was about "the avalanche of thoughts" he had, but couldn't express them all into words. Harrison offers some more great guitar in this one. McCartney's last song on the album is "Got To Get You Into My Life", which features a whole horns section. While it sounds like a love song, McCartney later said it was "an ode to pot". It certainly sounds like it's about a girl but certain lines like "I just want to hold you" are great double entendres. The horns sound great on this song, and I love McCartney's rock-and-roll yelling that fades out the song. The album closes with the Lennon-sung "Tomorrow Never Knows", which is widely regarded as the first true psychedelic rock song. It has a number of features, only some of which include reversed guitar, looped tape effects, Indian instruments sitar and the tambura, and a Mellotron! It has some very odd noises, and is definitely unlike anything the Beatles had done before. It is truly a trippy song and would become indicative of some of their work to come, and would inspire countless others to make this kind of music. That concludes "Revolver", the only release from 1966 in my library. 

Favourite song of 1966: "Eleanor Rigby" is a close second, but I have to give the nod to "Got To Get You Into My Life". It's a great rock song and as I said before, the ending is really great.

Now the next big question is: which was better, Rubber Soul or Revolver? With much more variety among song styles, I think "Revolver" is the better album of the two. I think there's a lot more happening on "Revolver", not surprising considering their newfound freedom to record anything, and the quality of songs overall is just better.  Less lovey-dovey and more experimental tracks means that I think the Beatles are headed in a direction that I'm only going to enjoy even more. See you all in 1967, where I have a feeling there are some new artists on the horizon.