U.S. Revolver?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Keith V, Oct 21, 2016.

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  1. SJB

    SJB Beloved Parasitic Nuisance

    I really don't hear any weak Harrisongs on "Revolver." "Taxman" is a classic, "Love You To" is the liveliest track in his Indian trilogy, and "I Want to Tell You" has its own groove. I love the discordant piano. I think George blossomed as a songwriter in 1966. In 1965, he was still finding his way around the composer's toolbox. "I Need You" comes across as "Check out my new tone pedal" (see also "Yes It Is"), while "If I Needed Someone" answers the question "Was George familiar with the Byrds' recording of 'The Bells of Rhymney'?"
     
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  2. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    The Lennon songs are amazing, but if you put them on Revolver, that messes up Yesterday and Today. Plus, the U.S. mono mixes of those three tracks are the best ones.

    The only changes I would make to the U.S. Revolver and Yesterday and Today would be to put "Paperback Writer" on Y&T and "Rain" on Revolver.
     
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  3. SJB

    SJB Beloved Parasitic Nuisance

    Back in ancient times, I made a 60-minute cassette of the Beatles' complete 1966 U.S. releases, with "Yesterday & Today," "Revolver," and both sides of "Paperback Writer."

    Bummer that the U.S. stereo mix of "I'm Only Sleeping" didn't make it onto the "U.S. Albums" CDs, but I've got a cassette copy of "The Beatles Box" so I could gently de-noise it from there.
     
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  4. tages

    tages Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    What I wouldn't give to hear that version of "Yesterday" with Paul playing chords on the organ.
     
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  5. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    I was talking about the US versions:righton:
     
  6. SJB

    SJB Beloved Parasitic Nuisance

    I know that, but a CDR of the US versions plus "Yesterday and Today" would include all 28 songs, so you would still need to take those timings into account. Using the UK timings is just a quick shorthand since I didn't have the US running times handy.
     
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  7. NumberEight

    NumberEight Came too late and stayed too long

    When Revolver was released, Capitol would have had no idea that they'd have to release the Beatles' next album without adding or subtracting any tracks. Which, presumably, is why they had to wait three whole years to recycle Paperback Writer and Rain...

    Paperback Rita, anyone?
     
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  8. Keith V

    Keith V Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Secaucus, NJ
    They should have taken A Day in the Life off Sgt. Pepper and added Misery :)
     
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  9. msza

    msza Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    I promise I'm not just trying to be difficult, but I actually prefer the US Revolver over the UK version.

    A couple reasons.

    1) Lennon's two songs coming at the end of each side actually seem to elevate his status on the album. To use a baseball term, he's like the 'closer' who comes in when the stakes are the highest and gets the job done.

    2) With the 3 Lennon tracks removed (I'm Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing, Dr. Robert), every song feels like it belongs to a different genre. It's like a mix-tape in the best way. The aforementioned Lennon songs, in contrast, feel like "more rock" and therefore dilute the mix-tape effect.

    Admittedly, the transition from Good Day Sunshine to For No One is kind of awkward. I'd maybe bump Yellow Submarine back to break those up, or I'd compromise for a 12-track Revolver with AYBCS tucked between the two.

    In short, US Revolver delivers concentrated eclecticism.

    And for the record, I heard the UK version first.
     
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  10. Keith V

    Keith V Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Secaucus, NJ
    Wow. Very nice review. And you heard the U.K. First. Wow. Thank you
     
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  11. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    Beautifully said. My very first listen of Revolver took place the week we were off from school for Christmas week, 1968. I borrowed it from my friend in 6th grade and listened to it virtually every day that week as i stared at that very cool back cover (which, at that time, seemed like it was shot at nighttime in a parking lot). Upon hearing the U.K. version about three years later, I *did* think the inclusion the three Lennon tracks was a very cool thing, but I didn't think they added much to the overall strength of the album. For me, Tomorrow Never Knows said it ALL andadditional songs weren't even all that necessary.

    Of course, over the years, my thoughts have changed on that...I'm Only Sleeping is integral to the albums' atmospheric eclecticism and AYBCS-to be honest-has become one of my top ten favorite Beatle tracks of all time (just a couple of notches below TNK).

    A classic, historic album either way...but that week of repeated initial listens of Revolver a la Capitol Records holds 'the" magic I'll never forget.
     
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  12. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    The UK Revolver will always be vastly superior because it has my favorite Beatles song, "I'm Only Sleeping," and the US doesn't. Omitting that song from the US version was pure idiocy, IMO.
     
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  13. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    Sure, but the Americans already had "I'm Only Sleeping" on Yesterday And Today for a couple of months by the time Revolver was released:righton:
     
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  14. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    The only thing I like better about the US Revolver is that even though John only has two songs it always seemed intentional because those two both closed a side out and both were very strange.
    That intention for closing each side with weird Lennon songs exists on the UK but on the U.S. it felt like John's sole purpose was to be weird.
     
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  15. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    People are using all kinds of strange logic and rationalization to defend the US Revolver over the UK. At the end of the day it's the UK - 3 key Lennon tracks.

    Next up: make a case for What Goes On being the best song on the UK Rubber Soul;)
     
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  16. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    Hey, man, around here anything's possible!:laugh:
     
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  17. HfxBob

    HfxBob Forum Resident

    Yesterday and Today deserves to be messed up. :cool:
     
  18. Psychedelic Good Trip

    Psychedelic Good Trip Beautiful Psychedelic Colors Everywhere

    Location:
    New York
    Not me. I know all here (myself included) in America grew up with the 12 track version, unfortunately.

    Me I'll take the 14 track UK release any day.


    I have both like many do here, they both have their own unique qualities.
     
  19. Fender Relic

    Fender Relic Forum Resident

    Location:
    PennsylBama
    I agree and BTW I was born at the hospital in your town so maybe it's a geographical thing.
     
  20. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Here goes....
    What Goes On is the perfect fit for the underrated melancholy interpretive skills of Ringo.
    It as well showcases that the band could not only cover a country song well (Act Naturally) but create their own and convincingly so.

    How was that?
    :D
     
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  21. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Maybe Today but not Yesterday
     
  22. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    I'm sold!

    What Goes On > Norwegian Wood
     
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  23. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    The US Revolver is a mess. Who was the genius who thought it was a good idea to put "Here There and Everywhere" on the same album with "Tomorrow Never Knows?" Probably the same fool who thought it was a good idea to put "Yesterday" on the same album with "Dr. Robert."
     
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  24. Hardy Melville

    Hardy Melville Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I can't make the case that the US version of Revolver is better while I am strongly of the opinion that the US version of Rubber Soul is. But that is a sequencing thing where inclusion of I've Just Seen a Face fits much more with the material, and the awful follow of What Goes On after Michelle on the cd version is avoided. It's Only Love is MUCH superior.

    The recent discussion of adding Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane to the Sgt. Pepper's new release imo goes to the heart of the problem with the discussion of Revolver and the US Yesterday and Today albums, and by that I mean why did Capitol again leave out the single songs of Paperback Writer and the excellent Rain from either when they had put the two sides of Day Tripper and We Can Work it Out on Y&S (as they had for other singles material, unlike UK versions, before)? If Capitol had put those two on its version, it would have been superior assuming one already had the US Y&S album including John's 3 songs.

    The ultimate answer for me is to make my own cd recording of the proper flow of songs from this period, meaning songs recorded before Strawberry Fields.
     
  25. slane

    slane Forum Resident

    Location:
    Merrie England
    Err.. the Beatles and George Martin (as on the UK Revolver).
     
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