The Beatles ‘Revolver’ Turns 60: Is It Their Best Album?
Story by:
Chris Guest
1966 was a banner year for music, especially if you were a fan of British Invasion groups – specifically, that movement’s greatest band: The Beatles. 60 years ago, the group released what is widely believed to be one of their finest albums: Revolver.
Stuffed full of innovative studio experimentation and first-of-its-kind recording techniques, does this album hold up over a half-century after it first shocked and flabbergasted audiences with its inimitable songcraft and singular technical wizardry?
Revolver 60th Anniversary
In a word? Yes. Yes it does.
Frome the first track (George Harrison’s “Taxman”) to the last track (one of John Lennon’s finest achievements, “Tomorrow Never Knows”), the album is arguably the band’s most consistent, which is saying a lot, as The Beatles were nothing if not tremendously consistent throughout their entire recorded output.
Beyond that, the album is replete with technical innovations, courtesy of the group’s boundless intellectual curiosity as well as the masterful production wizardry via producer George Martin (easily the “Fifth Beatle,” fight me on it).
Whether it was the first example of close-miking an entire string section on the powerhouse melodramatic baroque pop song “Eleanor Rigby,” the scintillating use of repeated tape loops in “Tomorrow Never Knows,” (which more or less birthed sampling), or the reversed, womb-like guitar parts in “I’m Only Sleeping,” the album is chock-full of some of the most original and striking sounds ever put to wax in the 1960s.
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Revolver Represented The Beatles Hitting Their Stride
Beyond the staggering technical achievements of the album, the songcraft on display was also sublime, and Revolver allowed all four Beatles to get a showcase. Ringo Starr gets the flawless novelty song “Yellow Submarine,” which is still a fun romp – especially for young ones.
![The Beatles - The Beatles - Yellow Submarine (Official Music Video) [Remastered 2015]](https://livemusicblog.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fm2uTFF_3MaA%2F0.jpg)
George Harrison achieves three writing credits for the first time in Beatles history, even getting lofty “track one” status with the incredible (and still relevant) “Taxman,” though Paul McCartney takes over the lead guitar role for the blasted ostinato guitar solo.
Beyond that, Lennon and McCartney showcase their astounding songwriting chops throughout, with this writer’s favorite one-two punch on the album being the rollicking Lennon-penned “And Your Bird Can Sing” (arguably the best workout for a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar in recorded history) followed by McCartney’s “waltz in 4/4 time” For No One, featuring a perfectly aloof horn solo, representing the tragic end of a sad love affair.
Does Revolver Contain The Beatles’ Best Song?
Ultimately, the Beatles would (arguably) hit greater commercial heights and critical heights one album later with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but a strong argument could be made that despite not having a cohesive “narrative” as the group’s 1967 follow-up does, Revolver is actually the better collection of songs – meaning it should be deemed the Beatles’ best album, and, by extension, the best album of all time.
A final feather in its cap: it features arguably the group’s finest track ever, the gorgeous love song “Here, There, and Everywhere,” a McCartney-penned ballad that can be safely described as both flawless and transcendent.
“Here, There and Everywhere” is not just a fan favorite. It is one of those rare Beatles songs that earned full-throated endorsements from those actually responsible for creating it. Paul McCartney has named it as a personal favorite, George Martin praised it as one of McCartney’s best, and John Lennon reportedly called it the best tune on Revolver, later describing it as one of his favorite Beatles songs ever.
The Beatles’ Revolver: “Timeless” Describes It Well
Whether this album is 60 years old or 160 years old, it will still remain a vital part of pop music history, and it will continue to solidify the relevance and sheer power of The Beatles’ music. Though postmodern society, art, and culture remains a true free-for-all, The Beatles’ discography floats above it all – much like the sunshine-y vibes of “Good Day Sunshine,” or the achingly beautiful melody of “Here, There, and Everywhere.”
Revolver has it all, and 60 years later is as good a time as any to delve into this landmark release from the greatest band of all time.
Photo Courtesy Iberia Airlines via Wikimedia Commons
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