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What's better: Revolver or Sgt Pepper's?
It's a question that has been documented at tedious length. Rock critics have argued about it for decades, and Q has (predictably) talked utter mince about it. But no-one has come to a widely accepted conclusion.
But everyone admits that they're both rather good.
By 1966, The Beatles were no longer involved in crippling long tours. This meant that they were able to spend more time in the studio, where they started to experiment with more advanced recording techniques (including samples and loops) and more exotic instruments (sitars etc.). And, even more importantly, drugs had entered the scene: John favouring LSD, and Paul marijuana. While those two dabbled, George was getting interested in Indian music and religion, and Ringo started singing the comedy songs (on this album, "Yellow Submarine"; later on "With a little help from my friends", etc.) All in all, the Beatles were broadening their horizons.
Therefore,
in many ways, Revolver marks the end of the Beatles' "pop" era, and heralds the start of a more complex, "rock" orientated sound. It's a massive leap from the previous year's "Rubber Soul", and it also paved the way nicely for "Sgt Pepper's".
The opening track, George's "Taxman", is everything an opener should be, and more: attention-grabbing, catchy, tuneful, while at the same time making an intelligent social comment: "Taxmen are bad".
Next is "Eleanor Rigby". This is the first in a group of McCartney's "storybook" songs (see also "Lovely Rita" on Peppers, "Paperback Writer", etc.). While this type of song was later mocked by Lennon - he called them "boring songs about boring people and their boring lives" - I would say that they're some of the best Beatles songs, and certainly a darn sight better than some of Lennon's. Anyway, he was just jealous of "Yesterday". But getting back to Eleanor Rigby; it was also one of the most daring pop songs ever written, shunning guitars and drums for a group of instruments from a different era: the string quartet. And it's a superb string part too; not quite challenging Beethoven, as McNeill would be quick to point out, but getting close.
"Here There and Everywhere" was voted the greatest song of all time in Mojo magazine, but Mojo talk guff. However, it's undoubtedly a genius song, and one of McCartney's finest ballads, of which there were many. "Yellow Submarine" follows, its simple, classic tune and silly lyrics making it "the greatest kiddy’s song ever". It also sees the start of The Beatles using a lot of samples, most of which they wrote/made themselves; there's a brass band in there, some posh English chap (probably John with a silly voice) and lots of sea noises.
The effects of Lennon's dabblings in acid are obvious on several tracks. On the spiraling, wonderful "And Your Bird Can Sing", the brilliant riffs and guitar-playing make it one of the Beatles' best guitar songs. And Lennon doesn't even remember writing it. "She Said She Said" was influenced by Peter Fonda of "Easy Rider" telling a freaked-out, drugged-up Lennon that he "knew what it was like to be dead". "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Doctor Robert" ironically both feature anti-drug themes, despite having their roots in acid.
But the influence of LSD is unmistakable on the album's closing track, "Tomorrow Never Knows". Again new techniques and instruments are at the fore; at the start of the track George tunes a sitar, and Paul's laughter is looped backwards so that it sounds like a bird’s squawk. John sings “Turn off your mind and float downstream”, and then it’s almost three minutes of sheer twisted genius.
Whatever people may say about The White Album and Abbey Road, I believe that the two year period which gave birth to Revolver, Pepper’s and the Magical Mystery Tour (1966 to 1967) was the Beatles greatest, most creative period, and probably the most exciting two years in the history of rock and pop. Arguably, they peaked just between Revolver and Sgt Pepper's, with the classic double A-side single "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane".
What's better: Revolver or Sgt Pepper's? For me, Pepper gets it, but only just. And I don’t see why one should be chosen as the greatest and the other regarded as inferior. I mean, why not enjoy them both?
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