Ranking the songs on Revolver | Page 7 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Tony Japanese said

1. 1. Taxman – George Harrison ‘s best song on the album, though I’m not sure how much of that can be attributed to Paul McCartney ‘s bass (stolen by the time-travelling McCartney from Start by The Jam) and ferocious guitar solo at the end. It was recorded around the same time as The Kinks’ Sunny Afternoon, so one can assume George and Ray Davies discussed their pay-slips one evening during the spring of 1966. 9/10

1. 1. Eleanor Rigby – The older I get, the more I love this song. In a complete contrast to Harrison’s ‘woe is me’, poor-rich man complaint, McCartney broadcasts the plight of two lonely people who inevitably come together at the end when it’s far too late. Even the instrumentation gives the song a sense of abandonment and abjection. 10/10

1. 1. I’m Only Sleeping – Is Revolver the last album where the band truly worked together as a quartet? I’m Only Sleeping couldn’t have been written by anyone except John Lennon (even his vocals are lethargic) but (like Taxman ) it wouldn’t be half-as-good without that game-changing (backwards) guitar solo – this time from Harrison. McCartney’s harmony during the bridge sections are brilliant too. 10/10

1. 1. Love You To – I can take or leave Harrison’s Indian obsession. On any other album songs like this would jar, but in the spirt of the decade Love You To feels no less out of place on a ‘psychedelic’ album than Yellow Submarine . They’re just at opposite ends of the same circle. 7/10

1. 1. Here, There And Everywhere – I’ve always thought this would be so much better if the production wasn’t so lacking in energy. The music just lacks any power, although it’s no doubt done deliberately to mirror the song’s theme etc. Supposedly inspired by Pet Sounds, the dates don’t add up. 7/10

1. 1. Yellow Submarine – The great thing about Revolver is that, even if you didn’t like the direction The Beatles were apparently taking with songs like Tomorrow Never Knows or Love You To , the whole family could still enjoy sing-a-longs to things like Yellow Submarine . It suits Ringo Starr ‘s ‘friendly Uncle’ persona perfectly, and the song is made infinitely better thanks to the contributions from his bandmates, particularly Lennon’s Goon-like backing vocals during the last verse. 8/10

1. 1. She Said She Said – Inspired by a comment made by Pete Fonda (imagine if John had been talking to Jane instead, we could’ve had a song about knowing what it’s like to do an aerobic work-out!) this is startlingly effective song, despite it’s apparent simplicity. Starr’s drumming is superb on this. I’ve also just decided the titular character of this song and the lyrics are about Julia Lennon. 9/10

1. 1. Good Day Sunshine – The Beatles were like sponges when it came to soaking up influences. This time, McCartney was inspired to write this ode to the summer by The Lovin’ Spoonful. It should be brilliant but instead it limps along with a kind of forced optimism. 7/10

1. 1. And Your Bird Can Sing – Again, this is another example of the band working together to produce something remarkable. The highlight of this song is the twin guitar playing of Harrison and McCartney, and this song has the energy and enthusiasm that Good Day Sunshine lacks. The version on Anthology 2 is great too. 9/10

1. 1. For No One – Suffers in the public eye perhaps, for not being Eleanor Rigby , this is one of McCartney’s understated gems. 9/10

1. 1. Doctor Robert – Nobody will ever pick Doctor Robert as their favourite song on Revolver because it isn’t very good. It’s the weakest track on the album and there’s a sense that Lennon was phoning it in by this point. 6/10

1. 1. I Want To Tell You –The most forgettable of Harrison’s contributions to Revolver , although it’s still better than the worst offering of Lennon and McCartney. That said, the line ‘I’ll make you maybe next time around’ sounds as though he was filling singing words to fill the necessary number of syllables; it doesn’t make any sense. 7/10

1. 1. Got To Get You Into My Life – The second song to be recorded for the album, McCartney’s ‘ode to pot’ is a tight, Stax/Motown influenced number that occasionally feels a little bogged down under the brass heavy mix. 7/10

1. 1. Tomorrow Never Knows – Written in 1956 by Lennon when he’d only learnt the one guitar chord, it’s impossible not to imagine George Martin’s slightly confused reaction when this was presented to him in the studio ten years later. Again, the other Beatles (particularly McCartney and Starr) deserve credit for the song’s brilliance, along with its composer. Sheryl Crow nearly covered it thirty years later. 10/10

Average rating – 8.2/10

  

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