A rough mix of The Beatles' Revolution 1, which reveals how the latter song evolved into Revolution 9, has surfaced on the internet.
The mix, numbered RM1 of take 20, was recorded on 4 June 1968. It begins with a studio engineer announcing the take and John Lennon commenting "Take your knickers off and let's go".
Listen to the song (the audio cuts in and out before the music begins):
The recording is similar to the White Album version of Revolution 1, with various differences including the absence of the opening lead guitar. There are also a number of sound effects and vocals which didn't make the final version, including a chorus of "Mama, dada, mama, dada" sung by George Harrison and, possibly, Paul McCartney's then-girlfriend Francie Schwartz.
The music lasts for a little more than 10 minutes. The most fascinating part, however, begins where the album version fades out. In this mix the track becomes a bed for improvisations and ad-libs, which later formed the basis of Revolution 9. Although it lacks many of the sound effects of Lennon's sound collage, the links between the two recordings can be clearly heard.
This rough mix was taken away by John Lennon after it was made. A previous version of the mix has been available for some time, but featured a Yoko Ono monologue over the top of much of it. This clean mix, of better quality than previously-heard bootlegs, is being heralded by Beatles fans as a significant find.
An alternative mix of Revolution 9 has also appeared. We're being spoilt! Anyone know if this is from the same source as Revolution 1 Take 20?
Is there an official/unofficial release of this anywhere available on CD?
In bootlegs is the song. But i think that on CD no.
all mp3 links are gone to but it is on a bootleg album called revolution...take you knickers off. i just wish revolution 9 alt. mix was on cd but its not.
I have been a fan for 40 years, and have never heard this. I have known about it, but this really puts it in perspective.
Thanks for the post!
John was so full of heroin at this time that it's hard for me not to find some dirty drug reference or a sleazy Yoko sex innuendo jumping out of the grooves. As much as I love John's music the more I read about him upsets me.