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Revolver | 
| Artist: The Beatles
Label: EMI
Category: Music
List Price: £14.99
Buy New: £7.47
as of 23/11/2009 05:10 GMT details
You Save: £7.52 (50%)
New (55) Used (6) from £7.20
Seller: encorerecords
Rating:  136 reviews
Sales Rank: 148
Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.3
UPC: 094638241720
EAN: 0094638241720
ASIN: B0025KVLTC
Release Date: September 9, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Taxman | | • | Eleanor Rigby | | • | I'm Only Sleeping | | • | Love You To | | • | Here There And Everywhere | | • | Yellow Submarine | | • | She Said She Said | | • | Good Day Sunshine | | • | And Your Bird Can Sing | | • | For No One | | • | Docter Robert | | • | I Want To Tell You | | • | Got To Get You Into My Life | | • | Tomorrow Never Knows | | • | Revolver Documentary |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only three stories worth knowing from the last 2,000 years of history: the life of Mohammed, the life of Jesus and the career of The Beatles. They invented all music ever. John was the best one; but Paul is--despite the knighthood and everything--still the most under-rated songwriter of the 20th century. This is the album with "Eleanor Rigby", "Here, There and Everywhere", "For No One", "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" on it--but then, you knew that anyway. We presume you have this album already and you're just getting a second copy in case you lose the first. i--Caitlan Moran/i
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
 The Beatles best album... and here's why October 22, 2005
nicjaytee (London)
44 out of 47 found this review helpful
Overshadowed by the massive adulation afforded to "Sgt. Pepper" - which for at least two decades after was considered the Beatles, and even rock music's finest hour - time has shown "Revolver" not only to be a better but much more pivotal work.pWhy? Well caught, in early 1966, between a global audience who simply wanted more of their peerlessly tuneful "pop" songs, and a musical mind-set that was a million miles away from where they'd been only a year or so before, the Beatles pulled off the extraordinary feat of pushing rock music's boundaries out to the edge while showing that musical innovation could still be integrated into a satisfying melodic framework. The result? Well at its most extreme "Revolver" has "Tomorrow Never Knows" "Love to You" (two of the mid-60's best avant-garde tracks) colliding head-on with "Here There and Everywhere" "Eleanor Rigby" "For No One" (three of the most beautiful MOR ballads ever made) with each sitting, quite comfortably, within what has to be the broadest musical canvas ever committed to disc.pBut it's what goes on between these extremes that makes "Revolver" such a brilliant album. In "Taxman", "I'm Only Sleeping", "She Said She Said", "And Your Bird Can Sing", "Doctor Robert" "I Want to Tell You" the Beatles took the explorations that others (most notably the Yardbirds and the Byrds) had started and then applied their outstanding song-writing skills to them to show just how good this new music could be. And, because it was so good, they catapulted it straight into "the mainstream", laying down a reference point which others were bound to follow. What happened over the following year of huge musical change, culminating in "Sgt. Pepper's" anthemic but far less challenging celebration of it, owed a huge debt to "Revolver" - not only the Beatles best album but the catalyst for a scale shift in rock music.pIf you haven't done so recently, play it and be amazed... and if you still don't own it, get it straight away.
Staggering April 16, 2006
John Heaton (Budapest, Hungary)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
There is so much to marvel at on this 1966 album that is it is difficult to know where to start. I think if one thing stands out it is the sheer melodic brilliance of Paul McCartney whose songwriting is at an absolute peak throughout. 'Here There And Everywhere' is just about his most affecting ballad, even perhaps topping 'Yesterday' from the previous year. The melody is made in Heaven and I don't use that word lightly. 'For No One' is a masterpiece with its descending chord sequence and beguiling melody. And this is from a man with no classical music training! And if that wasn't enough we have 'Eleanor Rigby'. No wonder Lennon was effusive in his praise of his partner on this album. The standard of these three songs is so high it's not even funny. McCartney would reach these heights in later years but when you've reached this level it is hard to equal. Here on this album his touch is one of sheer genius. The other two McCartney songs are hardly lightweights either: 'Good Day Sunshine' brims with optimism and colour, in the same way that Harrison's 'Here Comes The Sun' was to do 3 years later. And 'Got To Get You Into My Life' is a soulful classic with its distinctive horn refrains and thought-provoking and uplifting lyrics.
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br /And that's just Paul's contribution.
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br /Meanwhile Lennon is exploring other avenues such as the world of dreams in 'I'm Only Sleeping' and 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and when one hears these songs presented alongside Paul's melodic masterpieces, one can truly wonder if this is the same band. Here John and Paul perfectly compliment eachother and although the styles are different, it makes for a captivating listen. On this album, The Beatles were at the peak of their powers and believe it or not were still touring the world singing 'She Loves You' at this point. No wonder they quit touring. They saw it first on 'Rubber Soul' from 1965, that there was another world to discover in the studio, away from the screams and adulation. Where they could reach artistic heights only dreamt of previously. There is still some evidence of the rock and roll days from Lennon on the blistering 'And Your Bird Can Sing' and 'Doctor Robert' both featuring some great electric guitar and harmonies to boot. 'She Said She Said' may not be much of a song but the delivery is electric. And Loud.
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br /And then we come to The Quiet One. George Harrison. 'Taxman' is one hell of an opener and timeless in its message and about the most pulsating thing Hari Georgeson has committed to vinyl. Even Roy Carr and Tony Tyler were impressed. The other two George tracks are weaker for sure but fit the format perfectly.
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br /And somwhere buried in here is 'Yellow Submarine' which many people have slighted over the years. OK so it's a children's song which sounds a bit lost amidst it heavier brothers here. But in its way it is timeless. And after all it led to the film of the same name which must stand as one of the greatest animated films for kids. Ever. Ask any Blue Meanie if you're not convinced of this.
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br /And Ringo. Well he learnt to play chess on Sgt Pepper. Here he is more than once called upon to produce the goods, particularly on 'She Said She Said' and 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. And on the single 'Paperback Writer/Rain' single released at the same time but not featured on the album. On these tracks his drumming is massive. No wonder this is the accepted pinnacle of The Beatles' entire career. Up against some pretty stiff competition for sure but song for song I struggle to see how any band could topple this album. Not even The Beatles. One word to sum it up? So many spring to mind but I will settle for one. Staggering :-)
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the most important album ever made February 21, 2003
Janan Ganesh
27 out of 29 found this review helpful
In 1966, the Beach Boys released their masterpiece, 'Pet Sounds', after being inspired by the Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' which had been released the previous year. It presented a creative challenge to the Beatles, and the world waited to see whether they could respond with an album worthy of restoring their primacy in the compelling artistic competition between the two bands. With 'Revolver', they did that and more. pHere we have the most important exponents of popular music captured at the peak of their powers. Containing the finest moments of Lennon ('Tomorrow Never Knows'), McCartney ('Eleanor Rigby') and Harrison ('Taxman'), 'Revolver' is not merely the best album by the Beatles, but quite possibly the best album by anyone. pMore seamlessly than any of the Beatles' albums, 'Revolver' combines entertainment with innovation. Even its poppiest tracks, such as 'And Your Bird Can Sing' and 'Doctor Robert', feature pioneering qualities - the most notable of which are the aggressively guitar-driven melodies. Indeed, for the prominence of the lead guitar, this is the most Harrisonian of all their albums. Even more original is McCartney's 'Eleanor Rigby' - in my opinion the greatest of all the Beatles' songs. That a normal human being like you or I could produce something so special with a violin, a voice and 120 seconds of recording tape is extraordinary.pThe motherlode of imagination, however, is Lennon's 'Tomorrow Never Knows' which, despite being the first track to be recorded in the 'Revolver' sessions, provides the album's finale. Built on a recurring drum loop and backed by psychedelic sound effects, Lennon's vocal soars (reaching a glorious zenith with "love is all and love is everyone") despite being engineered to sound remote and detached. 'Tomorrow Never Knows' achieves the impossible in being both psychedelic and perfectly coherent and convincing. And this, remember, was pretty much their first attempt at psychedlia. p'Revolver' represents the genesis of modern rock. It is integral to the history and development of popular music, and should be passed down from generation to generation as solemnly as a family heirloom. Maybe if the Beatles hadn't recorded it, someone else would have eventually come along and made something of similar quality and importance. We, however, cannot know and must therefore revere this plastic disc as Christians revere the Bible.
The ultimate pop album April 28, 2000
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
Revolver has always played second fiddle to the Beatles' famous masterpiece, Sgt Pepper. It is true to say that Revolver does not have the same cohesiveness of its successor (nor does it have that song to end all songs, A Day in the Life), but in general, Revolver has the better tunes.pIt starts with the proto-punk satire of Taxman (famously borrowed by the Jam in Start), only to follow with the wintry strings and tragedic lyrics of Eleanor Rigby. The album then varies between early psychadelia (I'm Only Sleeping), Indian ragga (Love You To), childhood singalong (Yellow Submarine) and soul (Got to Get You Into My Life). Here, There and Everywhere is one of the Fabs' most beautiful songs (although their own version is a little sickly) and For No-One is a hidden gem, perhaps one of MacCartney's 5 best songs.pShe Said, She Said, Good Day Sunshine, And Your Bird Can Sing - all add to the summery, West-coast vibe of the album, and then something weird happens.pApparently it's only distorted laughter, but what sounds like a flock of seagulls descends from the heavens, a thumping drum-beat starts up and Lennon's highly-compressed vocal commands that you sit up and pay attention. This isn't the happy-chappy mop-tops any more - this is the real deal, the point where they were truly on top of the world. Tomorrow Never Knows is so far ahead of its time that even the cutting-edge Chemical Brothers have shown themselves to be in debt to the piece. From here, the Beatles would go onto Strawberry Fields Forever, the afore-mentioned A Day in the Life and other musical masterpieces. Just think how incredible their transformation was - in 1963 they were singing She Loves You, and just 3 years later they deliver this record. That's the equivalent of Boyzone evolving into Einsturzende Neubauten in a couple of years - no I don't think it'll happen either!pThis album would put all but a handful of other bands' greatest hits collections to shame, and yet the Beatles could rustle it up within a couple of months. Listen and be amazed.
Beatles on Safari September 22, 2004
Dl Fairey (Sheffield, UK)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Tentatively entitled Beatles on Safari, the album which thankfully would become known as Revolver comes very high in polls announcing The Best Pop/Rock Album of all time, and deservedly so, for frankly, it is better than anything that went before, and most certainly anything that came after. And yes, that includes Pepper where the first cracks of the Beatles' demise are evident. Revolver is the finest group recording of the Beatles. Their eponymous offering two years later runs mighty close, but the songs that made up the White Album were mainly solo offerings aided and abetted by the help of whoever else happened to be in the next studio.pThis is the Beatles at their creative height. They had conquered the world, they were about to ditch touring once and for all and concentrate their efforts in the studio, instead of rushing through two 25 minute sets of two and three year old songs poorly played and hardly audible anyway.pRevolver finds all four Beatles - for the last time - pulling in the right direction. McCartney echoes the melodies of Bach, his lyrics for once don't let hime down (For No-One) and his bass playing, mainly thanks to his new Rickenbacker is inspired and melodic. Lennon is high on acid (She Said She Said) or asleep (I'm Only Sleeping) or simply out there somewhere else (Tomorrow Never Knows). George's playing is tight and gritty, the metalic guitar sounds of She Said.., the grossly overlooked And Your Bird Can Sing, the sweet lines in Here There and Everywhere, yet he was prepared to step aside and let Macca take over on George's own vitriolic Taxman, where Macca's fine Epiphone Casino lead sounds shapr enough to cut you. Incidentally, that same solo appears three times on Revolver: twice on Taxman and later, played backwards on Tomorrow Never Knows.pGeorge was also maturing as a songwriter, showing more variation than both Lennon and McCartney at this point. Witness the material anger of Taxman (Ha! Ha! Mr Heath!); the Indian drone of Love You To (why does everyone spell this title incorrectly?) and the strange I Want To Tell You, featuring that metallic guitar sound once again. Add to that his find lead break on Macca's motown inspired Got To Get You Into My Life and it's a good day in the office from George.pRingo performs superbly on Revolver. His drumming on Tomorrow Never Knows is spot on (great sounds as well. The Beatles were truly searching for new soudns at this point). Likewise on Got To Get You Into My Life, Taxman and I Want To Tell You. His BEST contribution bashing the skins was recorded at this time but didn't appear on the album. Ringo rates his drumming on Rain (a b-side of all things!) as his finest ever. He's probably right although it's a shame that the recording techniques evident on Abbey Road were'nt yet available where for once, the bass drum is punchy and in the dead centre of the mix. Still in 1966, the bass drum is hardly audible in comparison.pRevolver is the work of four men who knew exactly what they both wanted as individuals but more importantly, how to contribute to their collegues' desires. The Beatles sound great, play superbly and the album has that overall feel that connects each song together. In other words, you can tell the songs were recorded at the same time, for the same album. Note also, the influence of Indian music on this album. The drone of Love You To (where the song remains in one key [C#m in this case]), appears also - to a lesser extent admittedly - on Macca's Got To Get You (in G)and on Lennon's Tomorrow Never Knows (in C major). Also, the guitar solos, whether performed by George or Paul, have an Indian feel to them trying to emulate the sounds of the sitar.pFor me, Revolver is simply where you aim if you are a musician. You want a good tight sound, good lyrics, melodies and cracking songs. Yes, you want Lennon's up and at it with Macca's moments of reflection. You want some kind of uniformity in your sound yet want to experiment with new sounds all the time. You want good singing and fine craftmanship with your instruments.pTwo points before I sign off. a) For No-One is Macca's finest contribion to the Beatles and is lyrically staggering. The way it ends, with a question mark leads me to point b) Note how many songs end in a key different to the key the song started in!pThe Beatles were venturing up every avenue in the studio. Soon, they'd make a bit of a U-turn before the wheels fell off. It was all downhill from hereon because frankly there was nowhere else for them to rise to!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
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