Revolver turns 50 today.

Good morning, and a happy Golden anniversary Friday to you all,

Released in 1966, Revolver has been prized as one of best albums our acclaimed Beatles ever made. Innovative is an understatement, so much so, the lads drifted from their fascination formula.

Example, George was blown away he had been given the green light for three tracks, Taxman, Love You Too, and I Want to Tell You, spotlighting his musical composition style. A little side note––Harrison had a different approach how he wrote his songs compared to John and Paul. John usually started on lyrics, being a witty personality having a way with words, then added music to the lines of rhymes. Paul usually started with a melody, attach the flair to complementary chords, and build lyrics around the lead vocal to fit the notes necessary syllables.  George, however, would first figure out a nice combination flow of chords patched together, then try tasteful melody patterns well-suited to circle around the triads sequence, and then integrate matching words. I use the same method as George when writing my own songs.

Another example how the fascination formula took a back-seat is Yellow Submarine. A standard policy that helped propel the Beatles sales often consisted pushing out a hot, top of the charts single, to pave the way for a new album. By tradition, John insisted their new albums should allow for all new tracks without the latest two 45rpm songs issued beforehand. He took a stand it was like charging their fans twice and whenever possible he snubbed the practice. However, no such single of totally different songs to counterpoise a scramble for Revolver existed. Unlike the last time where on a Friday, December 3^rd to be exact, Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out, the first ever pronounced double A-side single, opened massive purchasing power floodgates straight to Rubber Soul, a separate Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby disk, which both were included on the new album, was pressed into a 45 single and issued alongside Revolver, also on a Friday, August 5^th. . . coincidental matching this fiftieth-year anniversary by falling on a Friday.  Brian Epstein demanded the course of action to pressing the single in haste, believing it had enormous commercial appeal, and didn’t like the idea another recording artist might lift it high on the charts. In addition, Yellow Submarine positioned for the first time, Ringo to sing lead on a hit single, reaching number 1 in the UK and number 2 in the States, at which management assumed John’s remark how the Beatles were more popular than Jesus quote, must have slowed sales. But all the same, the hit single ended up on the album and that alone caused the 45 disk a road to nowhere.

Since the band no longer covered tunes by people they idolized, Paul felt pressure to whip up something for Ringo. As was the custom, his lead vocal got featured on one song per album. Paul hit it out of the park convinced a children’s song could shine a brighter star on Mr. Starr. This simple little ear-catching tune took more hours in the studio than recording the Beatles entire first album. A few of the reasons make perfect sense, in that the night they started, George Martin was home bedridden from a wicked dose of food poisoning, which was like showing up at work and finding a message from your boss saying, “Hold down the fort as best you can, I’m away on personal business.”  And of course, all those sound effects throughout the song had to be found, tested, and perfected taking lots of precious studio time. Plus, we can’t forget the chorus of people invited to sing along––you know, the friends Ringo sings about that are all aboard. For instance, that’s Pattie Harrison voicing the loudest shrill on the second verse, even though her husband George never contributed with a guitar, but instead played tambourine, sang vocals and used sound effects. Staff from the studio inner office received invites to join the choir with Mrs. Harrison, including phone calls for Donovan, Marianne Faithfull, Mick Jagger, and Brian Jones.  Did you know Revolver had a ridiculous working title called, Abracadabra? Thank God some other musical group already had chosen that name as an earlier label, so it ended up tossed. With tongue in cheek, Ringo suggested After Geography as a response to the Rolling Stones recent album, Aftermath.  Some idiot suggested Beatles on Safari, can you believe it? Maybe a prayer to ride the same wave as Brian Wilson’s Pet Sounds studio album that made a huge splash on May 16, 1966. Perhaps Thinking of Linking Surfing Safari. Finally, a title struck promise, Four Sides of a Circle, and from there came Revolver. Longtime friend, Klaus Voorman was asked to use his artistic talent and design the cover. He did for 40 English pounds and later that year, won the Grammy for best cover art. This award opened doors to freelance design covers for other pop groups such as the Bee Gees, who requested his service for their first album. . . if he wasn’t away touring as the bass player for Manfred Mann. I got to meet Klaus at a Los Angeles Beatlefest event in the mid-70s. There I learned he had turned down invitations to play bass for the Hollies and the Moody Blues. He went on to say he became a session musician near the Fall of 1969 and moved to Los Angeles in 1971. I guess we both were members of Musicians Union local 47 in Hollywood by then.

Hey, although Revolver entered the Record Shops just before the band took flight for their last North American Tour, not a single track from the new release found a spot on the show. The boys admitted they were too difficult to perform live. Ugh, pulling out the old songs routine must have been a downer compared to the vast improved material just recorded and surely added a sour note on the amount of reasons as to why continue stadium concerts. I bet they all could have pulled off my favorite song from the album, And Your Bird Can Sing, in front of fifty thousand ticket holders––it’s number nine on the playlist. I’ve got a feeling this was also John’s favorite new song at the time.

Inside my novel, Beatlemaniac, I’ve written a section of dialog between two characters that spells out an eerie theme connecting many of the 14 tracks from Revolver in a dark way. Sorry, no spoilers will ever come from me. Just three dollars will pave the way unfolding the mystery. See My Shop page for details.

 An ending thought to ponder. It seems the playfulness humor that so easily bounced off each other brought the four Beatles back to their roots inside the studio and just like the first album Please, Please Me blasts the sendoff rocker, I Saw Here Standing There, into orbit through the speakers with a four count, likewise we hear Taxman given a same four-count to jumpstart the music onward. 

Enjoy the weekend!