The Beatles — Revolution
Album: Past MastersAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1580
Length: 3:21
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Aaahhh!
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out?
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We all doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is, brother, you have to wait
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right, ah
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You'd better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out?
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We all doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is, brother, you have to wait
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right, ah
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You'd better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow
You know it's gonna be
All right
All right
All right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right
Comments (96)add comment
This is a far superior version of this song! Should have been THIS version on the White Album. Not the sluggish, druggy, sloppy, molasses version that ended up on the LP.
gjeeg wrote:
Although Please Please Me would do even today!
Less than four years from I Wanna Hold Your Hand....
Although Please Please Me would do even today!
joejennings wrote:
Well, this version was released as the "B" side to Hey Jude. Revolution 1 & 9 were on the White Album. Just pointing it out is all.
Originally released on The White Album in 1968.
Well, this version was released as the "B" side to Hey Jude. Revolution 1 & 9 were on the White Album. Just pointing it out is all.
Originally released on The White Album in 1968.
Not bad for a B side 45.
Crazy that they had the tracks panned so hard left and right. If you play just the left channel you get an "a capella" version with some drums.
Posted 5 years ago by Lazarus:
Cynaera wrote:
So, I'm in the middle of a very deep description of why the death penalty is both good and bad (bad because taxpayers still have to pay for death-row inmates' three-free; good because it eliminates that taxpayer-thing; bad because what if the guy being condemned to death is innocent; good because... well that emptying of cell-space...)
And then this comes on, and I totally forget what my case was, and I cranked up the stereo. And then, my case didn't even matter. Life happens, death happens, injustice and justice happen, but there's this music that has documented the generations, and suddenly, I realize that there are good points to living in the moment.
I still care about the death-penalty and those jerks who think they're above the law (and they probably are), but I have this circle of influence around me. I can make certain changes in my life, and everything outside my encircled arms is pretty much out of my control. I sorta trust in a higher power to make the big ugly decisions I can't bring my conscience to make, so I guess it's faith? Whatever the case, life and death go on, and one of the things we have as a distraction is music.
I vote for the Beatles - individually and collectively. They were so far ahead of their time - I wish they'd started their collective career just a little bit later, so they could have been prepared for the media-frenzy and the subsequent backlash. No wonder they chose the paths they took.
Guh.
Ann Lucas passed away February 6, 2012, at University of Utah Medical Center, at age 55 due to a subdural hematoma, which required surgery. She was put on life support, but after three days without signs of improvement, her family made the difficult decision to discontinue life support and donate her organs on the 6th.
Ann was born on Oct. 12, 1956, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Buss and Dorothy Stepp, who encouraged her to follow her dreams. One dream was to become a published author, which she achieved in 2010 with her novel "Life-Dance". She also wrote fan fiction for the television show "La Femme Nikita".
Ann was also a freelance correspondent for the "Elko Independent" newspaper and had a recurring column called "Shaking the Tree", as well as writing articles for "Elko Daily Free Press".
-------------------------------------------------------------
I miss both of yinz. I hope you are well Lazarus where ever your crazy spaceship, full of bow legged hippie muleskinners dancing their hearts out in that elevator, happens to be
It is time for a revolution in Russia, for sure!
I sense a trend, artistic subversive. 🥸
ipestell wrote:
Love this version, but Revolution #1 supersedes this. (Non-humble opinion)
#9 is... something else.
Ah ha, the right version - So much better than 1 and 9.
Love this version, but Revolution #1 supersedes this. (Non-humble opinion)
#9 is... something else.
OHMish wrote:
Couldn't agree more. Ringo's best quality (aside from being a rock-solid metronome back there who swung with the best of 'em) was his restraint. This song, best as I can tell, doesn't contain any hi-hat hits anywhere. That's extremely unusual, but it's also perfect.
Ringo was a GREAT drummer.
Not in the sense of so many others or todays "I can play anything! listen to me, and all the things I can do! Drumming is easy!".
He was a very tasteful, solid, minimalist drummer.
He backed up the songs in a very musical way.
Respecting the silence behind the notes/noise.
He deserves credit.
Couldn't agree more. Ringo's best quality (aside from being a rock-solid metronome back there who swung with the best of 'em) was his restraint. This song, best as I can tell, doesn't contain any hi-hat hits anywhere. That's extremely unusual, but it's also perfect.
I think it’s a fool’s errand to try to decide their best song. I LOVE this version of this song but IMHO it wouldn’t make the top ten
nelsonha wrote:
The jury will always be out on what is their "absolute best" song. Many of them? In any case, this is absolutely among their best.
It's funny when a song that's not their absolute best still gets plenty of 9s and 10s. It just goes to show how much talent they had.
The jury will always be out on what is their "absolute best" song. Many of them? In any case, this is absolutely among their best.
It's funny when a song that's not their absolute best still gets plenty of 9s and 10s. It just goes to show how much talent they had.
John at his contradicting rebel best.... pure genius, love his cracking vocals !
Ah ha, the right version - So much better than 1 and 9.
I usually don't comment on the Fab Four, but this song really kicks it!
...but it's going to take a lot of attention/focus/commitment/work...just to be clear, yes?
Cynaera wrote:
So, I'm in the middle of a very deep description of why the death penalty is both good and bad (bad because taxpayers still have to pay for death-row inmates' three-free; good because it eliminates that taxpayer-thing; bad because what if the guy being condemned to death is innocent; good because... well that emptying of cell-space...)
And then this comes on, and I totally forget what my case was, and I cranked up the stereo. And then, my case didn't even matter. Life happens, death happens, injustice and justice happen, but there's this music that has documented the generations, and suddenly, I realize that there are good points to living in the moment.
I still care about the death-penalty and those jerks who think they're above the law (and they probably are), but I have this circle of influence around me. I can make certain changes in my life, and everything outside my encircled arms is pretty much out of my control. I sorta trust in a higher power to make the big ugly decisions I can't bring my conscience to make, so I guess it's faith? Whatever the case, life and death go on, and one of the things we have as a distraction is music.
I vote for the Beatles - individually and collectively. They were so far ahead of their time - I wish they'd started their collective career just a little bit later, so they could have been prepared for the media-frenzy and the subsequent backlash. No wonder they chose the paths they took.
Guh.
And then this comes on, and I totally forget what my case was, and I cranked up the stereo. And then, my case didn't even matter. Life happens, death happens, injustice and justice happen, but there's this music that has documented the generations, and suddenly, I realize that there are good points to living in the moment.
I still care about the death-penalty and those jerks who think they're above the law (and they probably are), but I have this circle of influence around me. I can make certain changes in my life, and everything outside my encircled arms is pretty much out of my control. I sorta trust in a higher power to make the big ugly decisions I can't bring my conscience to make, so I guess it's faith? Whatever the case, life and death go on, and one of the things we have as a distraction is music.
I vote for the Beatles - individually and collectively. They were so far ahead of their time - I wish they'd started their collective career just a little bit later, so they could have been prepared for the media-frenzy and the subsequent backlash. No wonder they chose the paths they took.
Guh.
Ann Lucas passed away February 6, 2012, at University of Utah Medical Center, at age 55 due to a subdural hematoma, which required surgery. She was put on life support, but after three days without signs of improvement, her family made the difficult decision to discontinue life support and donate her organs on the 6th.
Ann was born on Oct. 12, 1956, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Buss and Dorothy Stepp, who encouraged her to follow her dreams. One dream was to become a published author, which she achieved in 2010 with her novel "Life-Dance". She also wrote fan fiction for the television show "La Femme Nikita".
Ann was also a freelance correspondent for the "Elko Independent" newspaper and had a recurring column called "Shaking the Tree", as well as writing articles for "Elko Daily Free Press".
The late 1960s and early 1970s cultural blossoming, especially in music, can be looked at as the peace dividend from the defeat of the Axis powers in WW II.
gjeeg wrote:
Less than four years from I Wanna Hold Your Hand....
Now that is truly amazing! Thanks for the subtle reminder of their genius, gjeeg.
That's still amazing. It also points up how quickly social, cultural and artistic change occurred in the 60s. It's a shame that we don't have the same kind of ferment and positive upheaval, despite having access to computing power and means of communication that flower children could have only dreamed of.
This one gets played regularly at the Trump rallies. I still love it!
what ? a beatles track I've never rated ?
10, what else could this be ?
10, what else could this be ?
YESSS!! now that's a godlike 10 all day long.. 
Next in the song cue...Ball of Confusion by The Temptations.
Nope, some Prog instead. Oh well.
Nope, some Prog instead. Oh well.
Ha ha....does anyone sense a theme :^ )
gjeeg wrote:
Harrison said he didn't like the fuzz on Lennon's guitar
Harrison was a nerd
John makes his fucking guitar SPEAK !
Harrison said he didn't like the fuzz on Lennon's guitar
Harrison was a nerd
You can count me out
in
in
Bill
watch out or the man will be on your ass with all this subversive music you've been playing.
It is quite the run
oh and keep up the good work
watch out or the man will be on your ass with all this subversive music you've been playing.
It is quite the run
oh and keep up the good work
derekd wrote:
"Sir Paul had a band before Wings?"
Funny true story:
The Beatle's Yellow Submarine was on the radio at work. A very young kid was on the computer at his cube, listening. He then said, "These are the dumbest lyrics I've ever heard. Who IS this group?" Ah..the generation gap.
The Beatle's Yellow Submarine was on the radio at work. A very young kid was on the computer at his cube, listening. He then said, "These are the dumbest lyrics I've ever heard. Who IS this group?" Ah..the generation gap.
"Sir Paul had a band before Wings?"
Ringo was a GREAT drummer.
Not in the sense of so many others or todays "I can play anything! listen to me, and all the things I can do! Drumming is easy!".
He was a very tasteful, solid, minimalist drummer.
He backed up the songs in a very musical way.
Respecting the silence behind the notes/noise.
He deserves credit.
Not in the sense of so many others or todays "I can play anything! listen to me, and all the things I can do! Drumming is easy!".
He was a very tasteful, solid, minimalist drummer.
He backed up the songs in a very musical way.
Respecting the silence behind the notes/noise.
He deserves credit.
MY GAWD this is good music!
gjeeg wrote:
Well said.
John makes his fucking guitar SPEAK !
Well said.
I think I blew my speakers....oh never mind, they meant for that sound....Genius!
So, I'm in the middle of a very deep description of why the death penalty is both good and bad (bad because taxpayers still have to pay for death-row inmates' three-free; good because it eliminates that taxpayer-thing; bad because what if the guy being condemned to death is innocent; good because... well that emptying of cell-space...)
And then this comes on, and I totally forget what my case was, and I cranked up the stereo. And then, my case didn't even matter. Life happens, death happens, injustice and justice happen, but there's this <b>music</b> that has documented the generations, and suddenly, I realize that there are good points to living in the moment.
I still care about the death-penalty and those jerks who think they're above the law (and they probably are), but I have this circle of influence around me. I can make certain changes in my life, and everything outside my encircled arms is pretty much out of my control. I sorta trust in a higher power to make the big ugly decisions I can't bring my conscience to make, so I guess it's faith? Whatever the case, life and death go on, and one of the things we have as a distraction is music.
I vote for the Beatles - individually and collectively. They were so far ahead of their time - I wish they'd started their collective career just a little bit later, so they could have been prepared for the media-frenzy and the subsequent backlash. No wonder they chose the paths they took.
Guh.
And then this comes on, and I totally forget what my case was, and I cranked up the stereo. And then, my case didn't even matter. Life happens, death happens, injustice and justice happen, but there's this <b>music</b> that has documented the generations, and suddenly, I realize that there are good points to living in the moment.
I still care about the death-penalty and those jerks who think they're above the law (and they probably are), but I have this circle of influence around me. I can make certain changes in my life, and everything outside my encircled arms is pretty much out of my control. I sorta trust in a higher power to make the big ugly decisions I can't bring my conscience to make, so I guess it's faith? Whatever the case, life and death go on, and one of the things we have as a distraction is music.
I vote for the Beatles - individually and collectively. They were so far ahead of their time - I wish they'd started their collective career just a little bit later, so they could have been prepared for the media-frenzy and the subsequent backlash. No wonder they chose the paths they took.
Guh.
azdcryan wrote:
Yeah — He sure wrote a few good tunes eh ; -))) Unbelievable variety.
saw paul last night in AZ...lovely evening
Encore: Encore 2:
- Venus And Mars
- Rock Show
- Jet
- All My Loving
- Got To Get You Into My Life
- Highway
- Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady (Jimi cover tease outro)
- The Long And Winding Road
- Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
- (I Want To) Come Home
- My Love
- I'm Looking Through You
- Every Night
- Two Of Us
- Blackbird
- Here Today
- Dance Tonight
- Mrs. Vandebilt
- Eleanor Rigby
- Something
- Letting Go
- Sing The Changes
- Band On The Run
- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- Back In The USSR
- I've Got a Feeling
- Paperback Writer
- A Day in the Life / Give Peace a Chance
- Let It Be
- Live And Let Die
- Hey Jude
- Day Tripper
- Lady Madonna
- Get Back
- Yesterday
- Helter Skelter
- Sgt. Pepper's (Reprise)
- The End
Yeah — He sure wrote a few good tunes eh ; -))) Unbelievable variety.
gjeeg wrote:
Now that is truly amazing! Thanks for the subtle reminder of their genius, gjeeg.
Less than four years from I Wanna Hold Your Hand....
Now that is truly amazing! Thanks for the subtle reminder of their genius, gjeeg.
LastChance wrote:
Ney, it is all 'bout saturating the mikes and input line.
I understand that the way they got the guitar to sound that way was to kick some holes in the speakers and then crank the volume all the way up.
Ney, it is all 'bout saturating the mikes and input line.
saw paul last night in AZ...lovely evening
Encore: Encore 2:
- Venus And Mars
- Rock Show
- Jet
- All My Loving
- Got To Get You Into My Life
- Highway
- Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady (Jimi cover tease outro)
- The Long And Winding Road
- Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
- (I Want To) Come Home
- My Love
- I'm Looking Through You
- Every Night
- Two Of Us
- Blackbird
- Here Today
- Dance Tonight
- Mrs. Vandebilt
- Eleanor Rigby
- Something
- Letting Go
- Sing The Changes
- Band On The Run
- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- Back In The USSR
- I've Got a Feeling
- Paperback Writer
- A Day in the Life / Give Peace a Chance
- Let It Be
- Live And Let Die
- Hey Jude
- Day Tripper
- Lady Madonna
- Get Back
- Yesterday
- Helter Skelter
- Sgt. Pepper's (Reprise)
- The End
Overrated....just kidding!
LastChance wrote:
Those Punks!!
I understand that the way they got the guitar to sound that way was to kick some holes in the speakers and then crank the volume all the way up.
Those Punks!!
I am 9 yrs old in the summer of 1970 and my mom gives me a buck for the snack shop at the local community pool. I get change for my buck and pump 4 quarters into the jukebox and select Revolution 4 times. That was the day I learned a jukebox of that vintage could not play a song more than once in a row. I was one bummed out kid that afternoon.
I understand that the way they got the guitar to sound that way was to kick some holes in the speakers and then crank the volume all the way up.
So it was circa 1970 and my buddy "Chip" would get out his sister's stack of 45's and we would sit and listen to them. He would play the short guitar intro of Revolution over and over, but never the whole song. Dambit Chip! Why? I never was clear on that. 
Antigone wrote:
I just experienced the same thing.
I can't believe I've never rated this song. I've fixed that oversight!
I just experienced the same thing.
I bought the white album for this song. Oh well, I found a lot to love on it anyway. Still one of my favorites of any band at any time.
Funny true story:
The Beatle's Yellow Submarine was on the radio at work. A very young kid was on the computer at his cube, listening. He then said, "These are the dumbest lyrics I've ever heard. Who IS this group?" Ah..the generation gap.
The Beatle's Yellow Submarine was on the radio at work. A very young kid was on the computer at his cube, listening. He then said, "These are the dumbest lyrics I've ever heard. Who IS this group?" Ah..the generation gap.
Papernapkin wrote:
romeotuma wrote:
So funny!
It's either timeless or not, but not so timeless.
romeotuma wrote:
That's not so true...
So funny! romeotuma wrote:
This song is so timeless...
It's either timeless or not, but not so timeless.
This song is so timeless...
It's either timeless or not, but not so timeless.
had to bump to 10 since I've been rockin out to this since I was about 8 or 9 and it still sounds phenomenal
...you can count me out (in)....
Giving it a 10 because it was the song dedicated to me in my high school annual - wow, that seems like a long time ago. Anyway, still one of my favorite songs and the sentiments seem even more appropriate today.
One of the very few Beatles songs I genuinely like.
lemmoth wrote:
He may have been talking about this one.
Well actually......it's not on the album. This is the single. Revolution 1 is the album version with these lyrics in a slower bluesy style. The of course the album has number 9...number 9....number 9
He may have been talking about this one.
Less than four years from I Wanna Hold Your Hand....
John makes his fucking guitar SPEAK !
Alrighhhtttt !
It's EVOLUTION !!!!!!!!!!!
I'd love to see the PLAN !!!!!!!!
It's EVOLUTION !!!!!!!!!!!
I'd love to see the PLAN !!!!!!!!
I recall vividly—and can probably still find it on You Tube, the repository of all videos ever—Lennon chewing gum like a fiend as he sang (or lip-synched?) this on, I think, The Ed Sullivan Show. Man, he looked like a badass—ready to rumble.
timc wrote:
You make it sound like using both channels is a bad thing. I like putting on a pair of headphones and rocking out to mixes like this. It kinda sucks if you're deaf in one ear though.
I thought I was pretty clear about it, saying "not that it's a bad thing".
You make it sound like using both channels is a bad thing. I like putting on a pair of headphones and rocking out to mixes like this. It kinda sucks if you're deaf in one ear though.
I thought I was pretty clear about it, saying "not that it's a bad thing".
MUST
STAY
ON
THE
BUS
STAY
ON
THE
BUS
RadioDoc wrote:
You make it sound like using both channels is a bad thing. I like putting on a pair of headphones and rocking out to mixes like this. It kinda sucks if you're deaf in one ear though.
Stereo HiFi was a relatively new concept back when this was released, and as such it fell victim to many gimmicky mixes designed to take advantage of both channels. Not that it's bad thing, but you'll find this on a lot of tunes released in the 60's...the Beatles and George Martin are just good examples.
You make it sound like using both channels is a bad thing. I like putting on a pair of headphones and rocking out to mixes like this. It kinda sucks if you're deaf in one ear though.
lemmoth wrote:
Well actually......it's not on the album.
This is the single. Revolution 1 is the album version with these lyrics in a slower bluesy style.
The of course the album has number 9...number 9....number 9
I thought this sounded different from the version I normally hear.
I really like this one.
Well actually......it's not on the album.
This is the single. Revolution 1 is the album version with these lyrics in a slower bluesy style.
The of course the album has number 9...number 9....number 9
I thought this sounded different from the version I normally hear.
I really like this one.
Ick, Grandaddy cover is much better IMO.
From one revolution to another revolution. Like it!
Stereo HiFi was a relatively new concept back when this was released, and as such it fell victim to many gimmicky mixes designed to take advantage of both channels. Not that it's bad thing, but you'll find this on a lot of tunes released in the 60's...the Beatles and George Martin are just good examples.
lemmoth wrote:
Well actually......it's not on the album.
This is the single. Revolution 1 is the album version with these lyrics in a slower bluesy style.
It was also released on the "blue album", their later greatest hits.
On_The_Beach wrote:
I've noticed George Martin did a lot of that total separation in his mixes. I always found it kind of annoying too. But hey, I think the good outweighs the bad in his case!
It's very much a stereo mix, not a binaural mix - which is why it sounds bizarre on headphones. On a stereo system, you probably wouldn't notice as it fills the room or car.
lsherida wrote:
My left and right ears are so confused. Guitar right, percussions left... It's maddening! Make it go away!
I've noticed George Martin did a lot of that total separation in his mixes. I always found it kind of annoying too. But hey, I think the good outweighs the bad in his case!
I registered so I could say that last seque, of BRMC and The Beatles, was MOST DELICIOUS. Thanks.
This shows that The Beatles could rock with the best of the bands.
I can't believe I've never rated this song. I've fixed that oversight!
nigelr wrote:
Monster track from a prodigious album.
Well actually......it's not on the album.
This is the single. Revolution 1 is the album version with these lyrics in a slower bluesy style.
The of course the album has number 9...number 9....number 9
Ha! Loved the segue from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club!
This was the first song I ever heard by the Beatles. I bought it as a 45 at our church bazaar. I loved it, and the flipside Hey Jude. I liked it so much that Jude became my nickname for years afterward.
lsherida wrote:
My left and right ears are so confused. Guitar right, percussions left... It's maddening! Make it go away!
It's called "stereo"
lsherida wrote:
My left and right ears are so confused. Guitar right, percussions left... It's maddening! Make it go away!
What is with that guitar anyway? I thought my speakers were jacked for a minute.
Nice. Rarely hear the single.
Good antidote for the SOTU this week
Monster track from a prodigious album.
My left and right ears are so confused. Guitar right, percussions left... It's maddening! Make it go away!
I love the beatles.... but for me this is not one their best.... the message was nice, the music not so!
When my son was born we brought our own CD-player. This is the song that was playing when he came out..
One wonders,only 4 comments on, BY FAR,, THE BEST SONG EVER 
Ahhhhh .. our paradigm anti-war song of the '60's.
Rock on boys ...
All Right!
Chinju wrote:
I don't understand... what differentiates this from Revolution 1 off the White Album, which is separately listed here at RP?
The White Album version was not the single released version and it is slower and not a hard rocker like the single Revolution. I like the slower version too but I like the hard rock one even better.
I don't understand... what differentiates this from Revolution 1 off the White Album, which is separately listed here at RP?
This song is awesome! I love it!
Still, in my life, I've found that people who don't like the Beatles and/or the Stones tend to be really boring.