Ray Davies reviews "Revolver" in 1966.

I found this to be very entertaining, if taken in good fun (as it was obviously intended)...​

Ray Davies reviews the Beatles LP

'Really, it's a load of RUBBISH'

THE BEATLES and Brian Epstein were so delighted with "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine", two of the tracks on the new "Revolver" LP out next Friday (August 5), that they're also being issued a single for the same date.​

But if that celebrated songwriter Ray Davies is a reliable judge, the Beatles have made a big mistake. Ray thinks Miss Rigby was definitely dedicated to John and Paul's music teacher back in primary school; while "Submarine" should sink into a dustbin. "It's a load of rubbish, really", remarks Ray.​

Disc and Music Echo decided to turn over the task of reviewing the "Revolver" album - and the Kink certainly spoke his mind.​

Here's the album, track by track, with Ray's inter-round summaries:​

Side One: "Taxman" - "It sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman. It's a bit limited, but the Beatles get over this by the sexy double-tracking. It's surprising how sexy double-tracking makes a voice sound."​

"Eleanor Rigby" - "I bought a Haydn LP the other day and this sounds just like it. It's all sort of quartet stuff and it sounds like they're out to please music teachers in primary schools. I can imagine John saying: 'I'm going to write this for my old schoolmistress'. Still it's very commercial."​

"I'm Only Sleeping" - "It's a most beautiful song, much prettier than 'Eleanor Rigby'. A jolly old thing, really, and definitely the best track on the album.​

"Love You Too" - "George wrote this - he must have quite a big influence on the group now. This sort of song I was doing two years ago - now I'm doing what the Beatles were doing two years ago. It's not a bad song - it's well performed which is always true of a Beatles track."​

"Here There and Everywhere" - "This proves that the Beatles have got good memories, because there are a lot of busy chords in it. It's nice - like one instrument with the voice and the guitar merging. Third best track on the album."​

"Yellow Submarine" - ""This is a load of rubbish, really. I take the mickey out of myself on the piano and play stuff like this. I think they know it's not that good."​

"She Said She Said" - "This song is in to restore confidence in old Beatles sound. That's all."​

"Good Day Sunshine" - "This'll be a giant. It doesn't force itself on you, but it stands out like 'I'm Only Sleeping'. This is back to the real old Beatles. I just don't like the electronic stuff. The Beatles were supposed to be like the boy next door only better."​

"And Your Bird Can Sing" - "Don't like this. The song's too predictable. It's not a Beatles song at all."​

"Dr. Robert" - "It's good - there's a 12-bar beat and bits in it that are clever. Not my sort of thing, though."​

"I Want To Tell You" - "This helps the LP through though it's not up to the Beatles standard."​

"Got To Get You Into My Life" - "Jazz backing - and it just goes to prove that Britain's jazz musicians can't swing. Paul's sings better jazz than the musicians are playing which makes nonsense of people saying jazz and pop are very different. Paul sounds like Little Richard. Really, it's the most vintage Beatles track on the LP."​

"Tomorrow Never Knows" - "Listen to all those crazy sounds! It'll be popular in discotheques. I can imagine they had George Martin tied to a totem pole when they did this."​

So, after listening to each track three or four times, the Ray Davies verdict:​

"This is the first Beatles LP I've really listened to in it's entirety but I must say there are better songs on 'Rubber Soul'. Still, 'I'm Only Sleeping' is a standout. 'Good Day Sunshine is second best and I also like 'Here, There and Everywhere.' But I don't want to be harsh about the others. The balance and recording technique are as good as ever."​

Disc and Music Echo Magazine, August, 1967 ​

 

Waiting for the swarm of people jumping in saying Ray doesn't know what he's talking about, and missing the entire point of when this was written.

 

I think Ray's being funny with most of it. More than a few compliments dispensed as well.


Also, he has a few critical points that are pretty spot-on.

 

This has to be from 1966, not 67 as stated.
Fascinating though. Thanks for posting
Would love to have read John's review of Preservation!

 

Very enjoyable read and very in the moment. Makes some interesting points.

 

I don't know what he thought about that, but I read somewhere that he loved their "Wonderboy" single.

 

"Jazz backing - and it just goes to prove that Britain's jazz musicians can't swing."

Ooh that's cold. I wonder if that came back to haunt him when he did "Come Dancing?"

 

Is, the August, 1967 date a typo? And what about For No One? I want to ask follow-up questions to find out more clearly, what he was thinking. For example, would he have identified And Your Bird Can Sing as a Byrds' song, given the opportunity to add a little more?

 

I wish Ray reviewed Blonde on Blonde and Pet Sounds while he was at it.

What a great review, and while I read it before somewhere on the forum, his point about Taxman sounding like a cross between the Who and Batman is wonderful.

 

True though - imagine if they had recorded that one with Stax sidemen instead of classical players patiently waiting to collect their pay checks.

 

Well, by highlighting the "load of rubbish" quote out of context, it makes it seem as if he didn't like the album. Clearly he thinks it's good. H ejust prefers some songs to others - just like everyone else who has ever listened to album feels. It's interesting, but only in hindsight.

 

Huge Ray Davies fan, but I sense some jealousy here from him.
I imagine all of those artists were very competitive and the Beatles were the group to beat.

 

Exactly - hence the "I don't want to be harsh about the others" comment tacked on at the end, along with some praise for the production. Noteworthy, as Ray Davies would take over production of Kinks LPs after the release of Revolver (did he fire Shel Talmy, or was their contract over?)

 

I've read this before, and I remember when I read it then it was pretty clear Ray was bitter. The most patronising quote has to be "they have good memories for all those chords" as well as the condescending "this was the sort of thing I was doing two years ago".

No-wonder Ray's so difficult to work with.

 

Great review. He had to be listening to it in mono or he wouldn't have got passed Taxman.

 

Oh Ray

 

Wasn't there a song called Norwegian Wood on this album? Wonder how he missed it?

 

Yeah but the whole quote is

" This sort of song I was doing two years ago - now I'm doing what the Beatles were doing two years ago. "

which is kind of interesting in itself.

 

That was on Rubber Soul

 

Revolver is a load of Rubbish. Something Else and Village Green is where its at.

 

When I make a mistake, I don't fool around.

 

I suspect there was a lot of mutual respect between The Kinks and The Beatles back in those days. Ray's just taking the piss here, which is very British.

 

Favorite line, "...they had George Martin tied to a totem pole when they did this."

 

To me it's interesting that the 3 best songs according to Ray (I'm Only sleeping, Here There..., and Good Day...) are songs I could have totally seen him writing/singing.

 

(Revolver is one of the best albums ever made--just wanted to clear that up). The Kinks and The Beatles were two different bands. Mind blowing in different ways.