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8.18am
18 November 2011
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I think it’s arguably “The Word “, with its strange harmonies, “whimsical” sounding piano and droning harmonium. The effect is even better with the “full ending” on the Rockband version, with the little guitar flourish.
Furthermore, it’s supposedly one of the few numbers J&P actually wrote under the influence.
12.20pm
9 May 2012
Offline12.29pm
26 March 2012
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Nowhere Man . For sure. It’s not overtly psychedelic, and it hardly takes the atmosphere to the degree of any of the songs on Revolver ; but from a musical feel you’ve got the lilting melody, the shimmering harmonies and John’s sluggishly laconic vocal delivery contributing to a “trippy” feel. Even more so, the lyrics suggest a kind of drifting, ego-less state; the very enlightened, guru-like “please listen, you don’t know what you’re missing… the world is at your command.” In sound and execution it’s only a few steps away from Rain for me, and it’s certainly the most traditionally psychedelic song on RS.
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6.14pm
8 August 2012
Offline The Word , Nowhere Man , Rain – psychedelic?
I think they’re first were the ones on Revolver , such as: Love You To , She Said She Said , Tomorrow Never Knows …
7.50pm
24 August 2012
Offline I can understand some songs from Rubber Soul having some psychedelic influence, but when I saw this question, the first song that came to my mind was “Tomorrow Never Knows .”
You make your own dream.
8.06pm
26 March 2012
Offline tkj said
The Word , Nowhere Man , Rain – psychedelic?
If not Nowhere Man , then Rain surely? The Eastern sound, the reverse vocals, the distorted feel to the guitars and vocals, the hypnotic drumming- how is it not psychedelic?
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8.15pm
12 November 2012
Offline The first psychedelic song has to be “The Word .” The lyrics say it all. I also think that the guitars on “Paperback Writer ” have a psychedelic sound to them. 
THE WORD IS LOVE!
"The world is a very serious and, at times, very sad place - but at other times it is all such a joke."-George Harrison
11.08pm
9 May 2012
Offline tkj said
Rain – psychedelic?
Um… yes? Psychedelic guitar riff, first song with backwards playing, Lennons voice etc..
thewordislove94 said
The first psychedelic song has to be “The Word .” The lyrics say it all. I also think that the guitars on “Paperback Writer ” have a psychedelic sound to them.THE WORD IS LOVE!
Paperback writer is definitely not psychedelic song…
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
6.36am
20 December 2010
Offline I would say the first psychedelic song would be from Revolver . They really started pushing the envelope on this album. I would say ‘Love You To ‘ or ‘Tomorrow Never Knows ‘ would be the first song and all this happened a full year before the Flower Power year of 1967.
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3.20pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline I would say Tomorrow Never Knows with its backwards loops, hypnotic drums et al, one of the reasons being the first recorded for Revolver .
The Word has very profound lyrics but, to me, its not psychedelic and wouldnt go as far as to say Nowhere Man with its chiming guitars and 3 part vocals is either.
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1.13am
12 January 2013
Offline The Incedibly True Story THat Never Ends. By Sam.
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Me: The Beatles
Best Friend: Go Figure
7.13pm
1 February 2013
Offline “Psychedelic” is subjective, so if you’re saying the FIRST technically speaking, it is with no doubt Tomorrow Never Knows . Lyrics in The Word or Norwegian Wood don’t really constitute a song, their songs, as psychedelic. Paperback Writer was deemed it because of the echo break at the chorus but that was just a mix US vs Britain issue of LP. We all have both versions, I wouldn’t consider that song officially Psychedelic. They can be interpreted that way sure but Tomorrow Never Knows was the first deliberate attempt and who better to illustrate that direction in their music or anyone else’s at that time than John.
7.35pm
26 March 2012
Offline I’m actually tempted to change my original nomination of Nowhere Man and move even earlier, to Ticket To Ride . Again it’s not overtly psychedelic in any way, but listen to that woozy, staggering rhythm, droning guitars, the somewhat exotic percussion, and tell me that it isn’t a massive precursor for the sort of stuff they’d be doing on Revolver .
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8.13pm
Reviewers
29 November 2012
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It’s gotta be Rain , in the truest sense of the word psychedelic, and it came out before Revovler.
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9.01pm
1 December 2009
Offline True, “Rain ” beat Revolver to the street; but “Tomorrow Never Knows ” was recorded first, so that’s got to count for something!
I really don’t hear very much psychedelia in “The Word ” at alll, aside from maybe the harmonium drone. Rhythmically it’s got too much R&B bounce to soar angelic, and there’s nothing terribly trippy about universal-love lyrics.
I think there’s too much grey-area to get a truly definitive answer (it’stomorrowneverknows) as to the absolute first. “Norwegian Wood ” was a definite signpost in that direction, and so was “Rain “. If Ben Ramon can trace it back to “Ticket To Ride “, I can take it a step further to “Eight Days A Week ” – that faded-in intro is pretty trippy for 1964!
(Of course, we have to overlook the fact that those latter two songs predate the band’s actual psychedelic experiences, if that matters…)
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
12.53am
21 November 2012
Offline First song that came to my mind was Tomorrow Never Knows .
10.15pm
19 April 2010
Offline I suggest that the opening to Ticket To Ride is the beginning of their psychedelic stage-it’s mild for sure – but that’s why I say it’s the beginning. Those chords with the drum beat, that early psychedelia in my book.
In the same way that Day Tripper ‘s opening guitar lick is the very beginning of heavy metal. To me.
"She looks more like him than I do."
6.16am
27 December 2012
Offline robert said
I suggest that the opening to Ticket To Ride is the beginning of their psychedelic stage-it’s mild for sure – but that’s why I say it’s the beginning. Those chords with the drum beat, that early psychedelia in my book.In the same way that Day Tripper ‘s opening guitar lick is the very beginning of heavy metal. To me.
I agree with both of the points mentioned above. The drum beat is simple and easy but it still sounds psychedelic, especially when it goes with the guitar riff.
Day Tripper , heavy guitar sound but not as heavy as the present Metal we have today.
2.26pm
19 April 2010
Offline Gerell said
robert said
I suggest that the opening to Ticket To Ride is the beginning of their psychedelic stage-it’s mild for sure – but that’s why I say it’s the beginning. Those chords with the drum beat, that early psychedelia in my book.In the same way that Day Tripper ‘s opening guitar lick is the very beginning of heavy metal. To me.
I agree with both of the points mentioned above. The drum beat is simple and easy but it still sounds psychedelic, especially when it goes with the guitar riff.
Day Tripper , heavy guitar sound but not as heavy as the present Metal we have today.
I agree – that’s why I said that Day Trippers is the very beginning of heavy metal
"She looks more like him than I do."
2.57pm
1 December 2009
Offline Hm, I don’t think “Day Tripper ” is quite as metallic as either of The Kinks’ two big 1964 singles. But then, I’ve always said that Howlin’ Wolf (and his overamped guitarist Willie Johnson) invented metal back in 1951!
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
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