The Beatles released Revolver on 5 August 1966, accompanied by a double A-side single called “Eleanor Rigby” / “Yellow Submarine“. It was the Beatles’ final recording project before they retired as live performers, marking their most overt use of studio technology since their late 1965 album Rubber Soul. Since its release, it has been recognized as one of the greatest and most innovative albums in the history of popular music, featuring a variety of musical styles, sounds, and lyrics.

Revolver was recorded after the Beatles took a three-month break at the beginning of 1966, since London enjoyed a reputation as the world’s cultural capital at that time. It is regarded by some commentators as the start of the group’s psychedelic period, reflecting their interest in LSD, Eastern philosophy, and the avant-garde, while also addressing themes such as death and transcendence. Having no plan to perform the new material live, the band made liberal use of double tracking, varispeed, reversed tapes, close audio miking, and instruments outside of their standard set-up. Among the tracks are “Tomorrow Never Knows“, which incorporates heavy Indian drone and a tape loop collage; “Eleanor Rigby“, which features a string octet as its only accompaniment; and “Love You To“, which incorporates Hindustani classical music. During the sessions, the band also recorded a non-album single, “Paperback Writer,” backed by “Rain“.

The 14 tracks on the album were gradually distributed to radio stations prior to its release in the United Kingdom. Capitol Records reduced Revolver to 11 songs in North America, with the omitted three appearing on Yesterday and Today in June 1966. The release of the album there coincided with the Beatles’ final concert tour and controversy surrounding John Lennon’s remark that the band had become “more popular than Jesus”. For seven weeks, the album topped the UK’s Record Retailer chart, and for six weeks, the US’s Billboard Top LPs chart. Despite the band’s outspokenness on contemporary issues, the UK press reacted highly positively to its music, while the US press was less so.

Psychedelic rock, electronica, progressive rock, and world music were all influenced by Revolver, which expanded the boundaries of pop music and revolutionized studio recording practices. Klaus Voormann’s album cover combines Aubrey Beardsley-inspired line drawing with photo collage and won the 1967 Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts. The 1987 international CD release of Revolver, which standardised its content to that of the original Parlophone release, contributed to the album’s status as the Beatles’ greatest. According to Colin Larkin’s book All Time Top 1000 Albums, it was rated first in 1998 and 2000, and third in Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list in 2003 and 2012. RIAA and BPI have both certified it double platinum. In 2022, a remixed and expanded version of the album was released.

• Release date: August 5, 1966
• Genres: Rock, Pop music, Psychedelic rock, Pop rock
• Label: Parlophone
• Nominations: Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Art
• Awards: Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts

Revolver tracklist

SIDE A

1. Taxman
   (Harrison)
2. Eleanor Rigby
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
3. I’m Only Sleeping
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
4. Love You To
   (Harrison)
5. Here, There And Everywhere
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
6. Yellow Submarine
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
7. She Said She Said
   (Lennon/McCartrney)

SIDE B

1. Good Day Sunshine
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
2. And Your Bird Can Sing
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
3. For No One
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
4. Doctor Robert
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
5. I Want To Tell You
   (Harrison)
6. Got To Get You Into My Life
   (Lennon/McCartrney)
7. Tomorrow Never Knows
   (Lennon/McCartrney)

• Published on 1966
• Author: Harrison
• Track 1 on “Revolver“

GEORGE 1980: “‘Taxman’ was when I first realized that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes. It was and still is typical.”

JOHN 1980: “I remember the day he (George) called to ask for help on ‘Taxman,’ one of his first songs. I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along because that’s what he asked for. He came to me because he couldn’t go to Paul. Paul wouldn’t have helped him at that period. I didn’t want to do it. I just sort of bit my tongue and said OK. It had been John and Paul for so long, he’d been left out because he hadn’t been a songwriter up until then.”

PAUL 1984: “George wrote that and I played guitar on it. He wrote it in anger at finding out what the taxman did. He had never known before then what could happen to your money.”

GEORGE 1987: “I was pleased to have Paul play that bit on ‘Taxman.’ If you notice, he did like a little Indian bit on it for me.”

About “Taxman”

The song was written by George Harrison, the group’s lead guitarist, helped by John Lennon for lyrics. It protests against the higher progressive taxes introduced in Britain by the Labour government of Harold Wilson, which resulted in the Beatles paying over 90 percent of their income to the Treasury. The song was chosen as the album’s opening track, and helped put Harrison on the map as a songwriter alongside the dominant Lennon-McCartney partnership. It was the group’s first actual song and the first political statement they made in their music.

The Beatles began recording “Taxman” in April 1966, a month after Wilson’s landslide victory in the 1966 general election. Coinciding with the song’s creation, Harrison learned that the band members’ tax obligations would likely lead to their bankruptcy, and he strongly opposed the government using their income to fund the manufacture of military weapons. In the song, which is influenced by 1960s soul/R&B music, the taxman is portrayed as relentless in his pursuit of tax revenue, and Wilson and Ted Heath, the chairman of the Conservative Party, are mentioned by name. The recording features an Indian-influenced guitar solo played by Paul McCartney.

“Taxman” has been seen as a forerunner of punk rock and had a significant impact on the growth of British psychedelia and mod-style music. The Jam significantly referenced the song in their 1980 top-charting single “Start!” Harrison modified the song’s lyrics to include reference to modern leaders while performing “Taxman” on tour in the early 1990s, emphasizing the song’s timeless nature beyond the 1960s. The song’s influence has spread to the tax sector and political discussions over taxes.

Meaning of “Taxman”

The song “Taxman” addresses the issue of taxation, particularly in the United Kingdom, where high tax rates were affecting high-income individuals, including the Beatles themselves. At the time, the top tax rate in the UK was over 90%, and this had a significant impact on the earnings of successful musicians like the Beatles.

In the lyrics, Harrison expresses frustration and resentment towards the tax system. He criticizes the high rates and even mentions specific percentages, such as 19 for the super-tax and 1 for the surtax. The song conveys a sense of discontent and serves as a somewhat tongue-in-cheek commentary on the tax situation in England during that era.

Here are the opening lines of the song:

“Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman“

Overall, “Taxman” is a clever and somewhat tongue-in-cheek commentary on the financial burdens faced by successful individuals, particularly musicians like the Beatles, who were among the highest-earning artists of their time.

Personnel

• George Harrison – lead vocals, lead guitar.
• John Lennon – backing vocals, rhythm guitar.
• Paul McCartney – backing vocals, bass guitar, lead guitar (solo)
• Ringo Starr – drums, cowbell, tambourine.

• Published on 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 5 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1972: “This was a great one of his.”

JOHN 1980: “That’s Paul’s song completely, I believe. And one of my favorite songs of the Beatles.”

PAUL 1984: “I wrote that by John’s pool one day. When we were working together, sometimes he came in to see me. But mainly, I went out to see him.”

PAUL circa-1994: “‘Here, There and Everywhere’ has a couple of interesting structural points about it… each verse takes a word. ‘Here’ discusses here, Next verse, ‘there’ discusses there, then it pulls it all together in the last verse with ‘everywhere.’ …John might have helped with a few last words.”

About “Here, There And Everywhere”

“Here, There and Everywhere” was primarily written by Paul McCartney with input from John Lennon. McCartney includes it among his personal favourites of the songs he has written. In 2000, Mojo ranked it 4th in the magazine’s list of the greatest songs of all time.

It was released on the 1966 album “Revolver,” which is considered one of the band’s masterpieces. The track is the fifth on the album and is known for its soft, melodic style, featuring intricate vocal harmonies that were characteristic of The Beatles’ sound.

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, the song is noted for its meticulous production, with layered vocal harmonies and a lush arrangement. It received widespread critical acclaim and is often regarded as one of McCartney’s finest compositions. It has been covered by numerous artists over the years and is considered a classic in popular music.

“Here, There and Everywhere” holds a significant place in the cultural lexicon and has been featured in various movies, television shows, and commercials. Its enduring popularity showcases its status as a timeless and emotionally resonant piece of music. Artists such as Frank Sinatra, Emmylou Harris, and Celine Dion have all covered the song, further demonstrating its universal appeal.

Meaning of “Here, There And Everywhere”

The meaning of the song is essentially a declaration of love and devotion. McCartney wrote it as a tribute to his then-girlfriend (and later, wife), Jane Asher. The lyrics express a deep and abiding love that is not confined by time or place, suggesting that the sentiment is present “here, there, and everywhere.”

The song’s lyrics evoke a sense of enduring love that transcends physical boundaries, emphasizing a feeling of being surrounded by the presence of the loved one no matter where one is. The gentle, timeless quality of the music and lyrics contribute to the universal appeal of the song. It has been covered by many artists and is considered a classic of The Beatles’ catalog.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – double-tracked lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bass, finger-snaps
• John Lennon – backing vocals, finger-snaps
• George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocals, finger-snaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, finger-snaps

• Published in 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 11 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1972: “Me. I think Paul helped with the middle.”

JOHN 1980: “Another of mine. Mainly about drugs and pills. It was about myself. I was the one that carried all the pills on tour… later on the roadies did it. We just kept them in our pockets, loose, in case of trouble.”

PAUL circa-1994: “John and I thought that was a funny idea– the fantasy doctor who would fix you up by giving you drugs. It was a parody on that idea.”

About “Doctor Robert”

“Doctor Robert” was released in 1966 on album Revolver, apart from in North America, where it instead appeared on their Yesterday and Today album. The song was written by John Lennon (and credited to Lennon–McCartney), although Paul McCartney has stated that he co-wrote it with him.

As musicologist Walter Everett notes, “Doctor Robert” contains the most overt drug references of any Beatles song until 1966, adding that the band “found musical ways to portray the doctor as a saint” in their recording. This character is reminiscent of a ‘Dr Feelgood’ who prescribed amphetamines under the guise of legitimate medical practice. According to music journalist Robert Fontenot, most agree the song is almost entirely John’s creation, even though McCartney might have helped him write the “Well, well, well” bridge.

According to Steve Turner’s book Beatles ’66, Lennon may have been inspired to write about a drug supplier after talking with Mick Jagger about “Mother’s Little Helper” from the Rolling Stones’ recent Aftermath album, after Jagger had attended Revolver sessions. Another song that may have served as an example for Lennon is Donovan’s 1965 track “Candy Man.” His friend Pete Shotton says Lennon seemed beside himself with glee when he played him the acetate of “Doctor Robert.”

It’s widely believed that the song is a veiled reference to Dr. Robert Freymann, a New York City physician known for catering to celebrities and influential figures during the 1960s. He was reputed to provide certain medications, potentially including amphetamines, which were popular among artists and musicians of the time.

Recording of ‘Doctor Robert’ began on Sunday, April 17, 1966. Seven takes of the backing track were recorded: lead and rhythm guitar, bass and drums, as well as overdubs of maracas, harmonium, and piano. Vocals were added two days later, on 19 April 1966.

Meaning of “Doctor Robert”

The meaning of “Doctor Robert” has intrigued Beatles fans for years. The lyrics paint a portrait of Doctor Robert, who holds a significant influence over those around him. The repeated refrain “Well, well, well, you’re feeling fine / Well, well, well, he’ll make you” suggests an air of allure and persuasion. The song is characterized by its clever wordplay and infectious melody. The playful repetition of “Well, well, well” and the rhyming scheme contribute to its memorable quality.

Given the era in which it was written, during a period of widespread experimentation with drugs, some listeners interpret the song as possibly alluding to substances and their potential effects. The lines “Take a drink from his special cup / Doctor Robert” might be viewed in this light.

The lyrics of “Doctor Robert” can be approached from different angles. Some listeners see it as a critique of figures like Dr. Robert and their influence, while others view it as a celebration of the counterculture spirit that characterized the 1960s. In the end, “Doctor Robert” is a song that encourages interpretation and discussion. Its intriguing lyrics and infectious melody continue to captivate listeners, establishing it as a distinctive piece in The Beatles’ musical legacy.

Personnel

• John Lennon – double-tracked lead vocal, rhythm guitar, harmonium
• Paul McCartney – harmony vocal, bass guitar
• George Harrison – backing vocal, double-tracked lead guitar, maracas
• Ringo Starr – drum

• Published on 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 2 on “Revolver“
• Track 25 on “1962 ‐ 1966 (Red Album)“

PAUL 1966: “I was sitting at the piano when I thought of it. The first few bars just came to me, and I got this name in my head… Daisy Hawkins picks up the rice in the church. I don’t know why. I couldn’t think of much more so I put it away for a day. Then the name Father McCartney came to me, and all the lonely people. But I thought that people would think it was supposed to be about my Dad sitting knitting his socks. Dad’s a happy lad. So I went through the telephone book and I got the name McKenzie. I was in Bristol when I decided Daisy Hawkins wasn’t a good name. I walked ’round looking at the shops, and I saw the name Rigby. Then I took the song down to John’s house in Weybridge. We sat around, laughing, got stoned and finished it off.”

JOHN 1980: “Paul’s baby, and I helped with the education of the child… The violin backing was Paul’s idea. Jane Asher had turned him on to Vivaldi, and it was very good.”

PAUL 1984: “I got the name Rigby from a shop in Bristol. I was wandering round Bristol one day and saw a shop called Rigby. And I think Eleanor was from Eleanor Bron, the actress we worked with in the film ‘Help!’ But I just liked the name. I was looking for a name that sounded natural. Eleanor Rigby sounded natural.”

About “Eleanor Rigby”

“Eleanor Rigby” was primarily written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney and continued the Beatles’ transition from a pop-rock to an experimental, studio-based band. Featuring George Martin’s double string quartet arrangement and lyrics describing loneliness, this song breaks both musical and lyrical conventions. The single “Eleanor Rigby” topped the charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, and New Zealand.

It was McCartney who composed the melody and first verse of the song, which he presented to the other Beatles in the music room of John Lennon’s Kenwood home. Ringo Starr, Lennon’s childhood friend Pete Shotton, and George Harrison all listened to McCartney play his song. It was Harrison who came up with the “Ah, look at all the lonely people” hook. It was Starr who suggested that “Father McCartney” darn his socks by writing the words of a sermon that no one would hear. Shotton then suggested that McCartney change the name of the priest, in case listeners mistook the fictional character for McCartney.

McCartney was unable to decide how to end the song, and Shotton suggested that the two lonely people come together too late as Father McKenzie conducts Eleanor Rigby’s funeral. Initially, Lennon rejected the idea, but McCartney used it, later acknowledging Shotton’s contribution. According to Lennon, the lyrics were finalized in the studio after McCartney sought input from Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans, the Beatles’ longtime road managers.

The Beatles released the record in the United States at the same time as their final tour and a public outcry over Lennon’s remarks that the Beatles had become more popular than Christ; he also predicted Christianity’s demise and described its followers as “thick and ordinary”. Particularly in the southern US, some radio stations refused to play Beatles records or burn Beatles memorabilia in public bonfires.

The double A-side (Elenor Rigby/Yellow Submarine) topped the Record Retailer chart for four weeks, becoming their eleventh number-one single, and Melody Maker’s chart for three weeks. The song topped the charts in Australia as well. Other countries also charted the single, although “Yellow Submarine” was usually the listed side. After the radio boycott was lifted, disc jockeys in the US began to flip the single midway through the tour. Billboard’s Hot 100 ranked “Eleanor Rigby” at number 11 for two weeks, and “Yellow Submarine” at number 2.

Meaning of “Eleanor Rigby”

The song tells the story of two lonely individuals, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, who live in close proximity but are disconnected from each other and the world around them. Eleanor Rigby is a woman who lives a solitary life, and Father McKenzie is a clergyman who conducts church services to an empty congregation. The song highlights the theme of isolation and the challenges of human connection.

The chorus, “All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?” underscores the central theme of the song.

“Eleanor Rigby” is known for its poignant lyrics and melancholic melody, and it stands as one of the Beatles’ most enduring and emotionally resonant compositions. The song’s exploration of loneliness and the search for meaning in life has made it a classic in popular music.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – lead and harmony vocals
• John Lennon – harmony vocal
• George Harrison – harmony vocal

• Published on 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 7 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1968: “That was pure. You see, when I wrote that I had the ‘She said she said,’ but it was just meaning nothing. It was just vaguely to do with someone who had said something like he knew what it was like to be dead, and then it was just a sound. And then I wanted a middle-eight. The beginning had been around for days and days and so I wrote the first thing that came into my head and it was ‘When I was a boy,’ in a different beat, but it was real because it just happened.”

JOHN 1980: “That’s mine. It’s an interesting track. The guitars are great on it. That was written after an acid trip in L.A. during a break in the Beatles tour where we were having fun with the Byrds and lots of girls. Peter Fonda came in when we were on acid and he kept coming up to me and sitting next to me and whispering, ‘I know what it’s like to be dead.’ He was describing an acid trip he’d been on. We didn’t ‘want’ to hear about that. We were on an acid trip and the sun was shining and the girls were dancing, and the whole thing was beautiful and Sixties, and this guy– who I really didn’t know– he hadn’t made ‘Easy Rider’ or anything… kept coming over, wearing shades, saying, ‘I know what it’s like to be dead,’ and we kept leaving him because he was so boring! And I used it for the song, but I changed it to ‘she’ instead of ‘he.’ It was scary… I don’t want to know what it’s like to be dead!”

About “She Said She Said”

“She Said She Said”, credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by John Lennon with assistance from George Harrison. John Lennon described it as an “acidy song” with lyrics inspired by actor Peter Fonda’s comments during an LSD trip with the Beatles and the Byrds in August 1965. “She Said She Said” was the last track recorded for Revolver. Paul McCartney left the recording studio during the recording of the song after an argument over the song’s musical arrangement.

Lennon began working on “She Said She Said” in March 1966, just before the Beatles began recording Revolver. The song was recorded on acoustic guitar and titled “He Said” on his home recordings at the time. As a result of the Fonda episode, Lennon revised the song to use the pronoun ‘she’ instead of ‘he’.

Harrison remembered helping Lennon construct the song from “maybe three” parts. The process was described as “a real weld” by Harrison. In his 2017 book Who Wrote the Beatle Songs?, Todd Compton points out that Harrison and Lennon composed the songs.

Meaning of “She Said She Said”

The meaning of “She Said She Said” is somewhat elusive and has been subject to various interpretations. It is said to have been inspired by an actual conversation that John Lennon had with actor Peter Fonda during an acid trip in 1965. Fonda repeatedly stated, “I know what it’s like to be dead,” based on a near-death experience he had. This conversation deeply affected Lennon and played a significant role in shaping the song’s lyrics.

The song delves into existential reflection, touching on themes of mortality and the mysteries of existence. The recurring line “I know what it’s like to be dead” can be viewed as a contemplation on life, death, and experiences beyond our comprehension.

Given the song’s genesis during a period of intense experimentation with psychedelic drugs, its lyrics adopt a surreal and somewhat disjointed quality. This may reflect the altered states of consciousness often associated with psychedelic experiences. The repetitive, looping structure of the song’s melody and lyrics could be a manifestation of this influence.

Some interpretations suggest that “She Said She Said” also serves as a window into Lennon’s own inner struggles and conflicts. The lyrics convey a sense of confusion and unease, potentially mirroring the personal challenges Lennon was facing at the time.

Moreover, the title itself, “She Said She Said,” implies a conversation or exchange of words. The song may touch on the breakdown or difficulty in communication between individuals, possibly echoing Lennon’s feelings about the conversation with Peter Fonda.

In essence, “She Said She Said” stands as a complex and enigmatic song, open to a wide range of interpretations. Its evocative lyrics, combined with the distinctive musical arrangement, solidify it as a standout track on the “Revolver” album and a captivating piece in The Beatles’ repertoire.

Personnel

• John Lennon – lead and harmony vocals, rhythm guitar, Hammond organ
• Paul McCartney – bass guitar
• George Harrison – harmony vocal, lead guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums

• Published on 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 8 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1972: “Paul. But I think maybe I helped him with some of the lyric.”

JOHN 1980: “‘Good Day Sunshine’ is Paul’s. Maybe I threw in a line or something.”

PAUL 1984: “Wrote that out at John’s one day… the sun was shining. Influenced by the Lovin’ Spoonful.”

PAUL circa-1994: “‘Good Day Sunshine’ was me trying to write something similar to ‘Daydream.’ John and I wrote it together at Kenwood, but it was basically mine and he helped me with it.”

About “Good Day Sunshine”

“Good Day Sunshine” was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was intended to be in the style of the Lovin’ Spoonful’s contemporaneous hit single, “Daydream”. A vaudevillian mood is evoked by multiple pianos played in a barrelhouse style.

There are key changes and metric anomalies in the composition, and the song closes with voices chanting the title. The recording’s lyrics, which celebrate romantic love and sunshine, contrast with Revolver‘s more austere and experimental aesthetic. While some critics have praised the song’s lightheartedness, others see it as diluting the album’s strengths.

There have been covers of “Good Day Sunshine” by the Tremeloes, Claudine Longet, and Robbie Williams. For his 1984 film Give My Regards to Broad Street, McCartney re-recorded the song and has performed it regularly. Space Shuttle mission STS-135 used the song as its wake-up music. As part of a concert link-up to the International Space Station, McCartney played it live to the crew in November 2005.

Meaning of “Good Day Sunshine”

The meaning of “Good Day Sunshine” is fairly straightforward. The song is an expression of joy and positivity, capturing the feeling of a bright and sunny day. The lyrics convey a sense of happiness and contentment, celebrating the simple pleasures of life.

The song’s lyrics are filled with imagery of sunshine and its positive effects on the world. It’s often interpreted as a love song, with the sunshine serving as a metaphor for the warmth and happiness that love brings into one’s life.

“Good Day Sunshine” is considered one of McCartney’s optimistic and feel-good compositions. Its catchy tune and uplifting lyrics have made it a beloved song in The Beatles’ catalog. The track’s cheerful nature and memorable melody have contributed to its enduring popularity over the years.

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals, pianos, handclaps
• John Lennon – harmony and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, handclaps
• George Harrison – harmony and backing vocals, bass guitar, handclaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, supplementary drums and cymbal, handclaps
• George Martin – piano solo

• Published in 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 13 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1968: “We were doing our Tamla Motown bit. You see, we’re influenced by whatever’s going. Even if we’re not influenced, we’re all going that way at a certain time.”

JOHN 1972: “I think George and I helped with some of the lyrics. I’m not sure.”

JOHN 1980: “Paul. I think that was one of his best songs, too, because the lyrics are good and I didn’t write them. You see? When I say that he could write lyrics if he took the effort– here’s an example.”

PAUL 1984: “That’s mine– I wrote it. It was the first one we used brass on, I think. One of the first times we used soul trumpets.”

PAUL circa-1994: “I’d been a rather straight working class lad, but when we started to get into pot it seemed to me to be quite uplifting. It didn’t seem to have too many side effects like alcohol or some of the other stuff, like pills, which I pretty much kept off. I kind of liked marijuana and to me it seemed it was mind-expanding, literally mind-expanding. So ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ is really a song about that. It’s not to a person, it’s actually about pot. It’s saying, ‘I’m going to do this. This is not a bad idea.’ So it’s actually an ode to pot, like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret. I haven’t really changed my opinion too much, except if anyone asks me for real advice, it would be stay straight. That is actually the best way, but in a stressful world I still would say that pot was one of the best of the tranquilizing drugs. I have drunk and smoked pot and of the two I think pot is less harmful. People tend to fall asleep on it rather than go out and commit murder, so it’s always seemed to me to be a rather benign one.”

About “Got To Get You Into My Life”

“Got To Get You Into My Life” is a Motown-influenced song written by Paul McCartney. Featuring brass instrumentation and psychedelic lyrics, it pays homage to the Motown Sound. The song took some time to get right in the studio – the Anthology 2 album has a version from the first day’s recording, 7 April, played on a harmonium and sounding quite different to the final arrangement heard on Revolver.

On the following day, The Beatles tried a different arrangement, settling on the rhythm track. They overdubbed a guitar part on 11 April, but the song remained untouched until 18 May. They added the song’s brass and woodwind parts, along with two lead vocal parts, tambourine, and organ on that day. The Beatles hired two members of Georgie Fame And The Blueflames, whom John Lennon and Paul McCartney knew from the London club scene. In addition to Eddie Thornton and Peter Coe, other freelance jazz musicians performed as well.

Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers’ 1966 cover version, produced by McCartney, reached number six in the UK. Six years after the Beatles disbanded, the song appeared on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Music compilation album in 1976. A 1978 cover version by Earth, Wind & Fire reached number nine in the US.

Meaning of “Got To Get You Into My Life”

The song’s meaning revolves around the theme of love and an intense desire to be close to someone. The lyrics express a passionate yearning to bring that special person into one’s life, to experience the full depth of their love. Throughout the song, there’s an overwhelming sense of affection and longing. The recurring refrain “Got to get you into my life” conveys a feeling of urgency and a strong desire to be with the person they hold dear.

On a deeper level, the song can be seen as a celebration of love itself. It speaks to the transformative power of romantic relationships and the profound impact that love can have on an individual’s life. Metaphorical language is employed throughout the song to describe the experience of love. Lines like “I was alone, I took a ride” and “What can I do, what can I be” evoke a sense of journey and self-discovery often associated with falling in love. While it’s not explicitly confirmed, it’s believed that the song may have been influenced by McCartney’s own experiences with love and relationships.

In essence, “Got to Get You into My Life” is a powerful love song that encapsulates the intensity and excitement of falling deeply in love. Its soulful musical style and heartfelt lyrics have contributed to its enduring popularity among fans of The Beatles.

Personnel

The Beatles

• Paul McCartney – double-tracked lead vocal, bass
• John Lennon – rhythm guitar
• George Harrison – lead guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine

Additional musicians

• George Martin – organ, producer
• Eddie Thornton – trumpet
• Ian Hamer – trumpet
• Les Condon – trumpet
• Alan Branscombe – tenor saxophone
• Peter Coe – tenor saxophone

• Published on 1966
• Author: Lennon/McCartney
• Track 3 on “Revolver“

JOHN 1980: “It’s got backwards guitars… that’s me dreaming my life away.”

PAUL circa-1994: “It was a nice idea– ‘There’s nothing wrong with it. I’m not being lazy, I’m only sleeping, I’m yawning, I’m meditating, I’m having a lay-in.’ The luxury of all that was what it was all about. The song was co-written but from John’s original idea.”

About “I’m Only Sleeping”

Credited as a Lennon–McCartney song, “I’m Only Sleeping” was written primarily by John Lennon. This track features the first backwards lead guitar part ever recorded on a pop album, played by George Harrison.

The song has appeared on Revolver in North America since the Beatles’ catalog was standardized for international CD releases in 1987. Outtakes from the Revolver sessions are included on the 1996 Anthology 2 compilation, including a vibraphone instrumental version. Time Out London ranked “I’m Only Sleeping” number 12 on their list of the best Beatles songs of 2018.

In the first draft of his lyrics for “I’m Only Sleeping”, Lennon appears to have been talking about the joys of sleeping rather than drug euphoria sometimes portrayed in the lyrics. When Lennon wasn’t on tour, he often slept, read, wrote, or watched television, often under the influence of drugs, and was woken up by McCartney for their songwriting sessions. A friend of Lennon wrote in the London Evening Standard on 4 March 1966: “He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England. ‘Physically lazy,’ he said. ‘I don’t mind writing or reading or watching or speaking, but sex is the only physical thing I can be bothered with any more.’”

Meaning of “I’m Only Sleeping”

The lyrics of “I’m Only Sleeping” convey a sense of lethargy, daydreaming, and a desire for solitude. The narrator expresses a strong preference for staying in bed and taking things easy, valuing the introspective and creative moments that come with relaxation. The song suggests a need for mental rest and a break from the demands of everyday life.

Here are the opening lines of the song:

“When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I’m still yawning
When I’m in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream“

Overall, “I’m Only Sleeping” is often seen as an ode to the benefits of taking time for oneself, allowing for contemplation and imagination to flourish. The song’s dreamy and introspective nature has made it a favorite among many Beatles fans.

Personnel

• John Lennon – lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar
• Paul McCartney – bass, harmony vocals
• George Harrison – acoustic guitar, backwards lead guitars, harmony vocals
• Ringo Starr – drums

• Published in 1966
• Author: Harrison
• Track 12 on “Revolver“

GEORGE 1980: “…about the avalanche of thoughts that are so hard to write down or say or transmit.”

About “I Want To Tell You”

“I Want To Tell You” was written and sung by George Harrison and it was his third composition for Revolver, following “Taxman” and “Love You To“. It was his first time contributing more than two songs to a Beatles album, reflecting his continued growth as a songwriter alongside John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

In writing “I Want to Tell You”, Harrison was inspired by his experience with the hallucinogenic drug LSD. As he later described it, the lyrics express what he calls “the avalanche of thoughts that are so hard to write, say or transmit”. It is Harrison’s stuttering guitar riff and dissonance in the melody that reflect the difficulties in achieving meaningful communication in conjunction with the song’s philosophical message. In this recording, McCartney played his bass guitar part after the band completed the rhythm track for a song, a technique that became commonplace on subsequent Beatles albums.

There has been much praise for the Beatles’ performance on the track among music critics and Beatles biographers, particularly McCartney’s use of Indian-style vocal melisma. Harrison performed “I Want to Tell You” as the opening song of his 1991 Japanese tour with Eric Clapton. This version appears on the album Live in Japan. Jeff Lynne performed the song at the Concert for George tribute in November 2002, a year after Harrison’s death. Other artists who have covered the track include Ted Nugent, the Smithereens, Thea Gilmore, and the Melvins.

Meaning of “I Want To Tell You”

The song’s meaning centers around the theme of struggling to communicate and express oneself. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration, as if the speaker is grappling with an inner turmoil, desperately wanting to convey their thoughts and feelings but finding it difficult to do so. Lines like “But how can I when you won’t take it from me?” suggest a feeling of being unheard or misunderstood.

Despite this frustration, there’s a clear yearning for connection and a desire to bridge the gap in understanding. The lyrics hint at a deep inner world, with phrases like “I want to tell you, my head is filled with things to say” and “I’ve got no time to take a picture” conveying a sense of urgency and inner turmoil.

In the context of George Harrison’s broader interests in Eastern philosophy and spirituality, which were becoming more pronounced during this period, “I Want to Tell You” can be seen as touching on themes of introspection and the importance of genuine communication. This aligns with Harrison’s growing exploration of deeper philosophical questions.

Overall, “I Want to Tell You” is a poignant reflection on the challenges of effective communication. Its introspective character, combined with George Harrison’s personal touch, contributes to the song’s significance within The Beatles’ body of work.

Personnel

• George Harrison – double-tracked vocal, lead guitar, handclaps
• John Lennon – harmony vocal, tambourine, handclaps
• Paul McCartney – harmony vocal, piano, bass, handclaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, maracas, handclaps