Revolver

1966: Revolver

(Parlophone/August 5, 1966) PMC 7009 (mono) PCS 7009 (stereo)

Produced by George Martin All songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, unless otherwise noted.

Side 1:

Taxman (George Harrison)
Eleanor Rigby
I'm Only Sleeping
Love You To (George Harrison)
Here There And Everywhere
Yellow Submarine
She Said She Said

Side 2:

Good Day Sunshine
And Your Bird Can Sing
For No One
Dr. Robert
I Want To Tell You (George Harrison)
Got To Get You Into My Life
Tomorrow Never Knows

The Beatles goes psychedelic! Also, George goes to India! From this CD onwards the original stereo-mixes have been used. So what you hear on this CD is what they heard in the 60's :)

Taxman

basic recording- 21 Apr 1966
additional recording- 21,22 Apr, 16 May 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 21 Jun 1966. edited
stereo-mixed: 21 Jun 1966, remastered and remixed in 1995 for "Anthology 2"

Two sections were added later: the slow countdown intro, and the repeat of the same guitar solo at the ending. While Lewisohn calls them edits, they seem to be overdubs from a second tape deck instead, since both overlap original sound-- a faster, quieter countdown, and the last word of the lyric. This is similar to the backward vocal overdubs on Rain.

The mono mix is more powerful, with all the instrumental tracks louder. The cowbell, which is not loud in either mix, starts after "5 per cent appear too small" in mono and later, at "I'm the taxman" in the second refrain, in stereo. The guitar is a little louder in the countdown intro in mono.

The Anthology 2 mix is deliberately different. It has the intro edited on (done June 21 on the original mixes), but otherwise shows the state as of April 21, without the cowbell and with a different backing vocal at the "Mr Wilson" and "Mr Heath" lines, with some guitar in the first verse mixed out elsewhere, and with the real ending. The real countdown intro is more easily heard since it and the main instrumental tracks are mixed to the left.

Eleanor Rigby

basic recording- 28 Apr 1966
additional recording- 29 Apr, 6 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 22 Jun 1966.
stereo-mixed: 22 Jun 1966, remixed in 1995 for "Anthology 2", remastered and remixed in 1999 for the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" release. Digitally remixed in 2000 for "1".

The ADT (artificial doubletracking) in stereo (1966) continues into "Elean" in 1st verse, a really glaring mistake. The lead vocal, perhaps too prominent in both mono and stereo (1966), sounds stronger in mono. The "Anthology 2" mix omits the vocals, and remixes the string tracks. The 1999 stereo-remaster takes a beautiful song and makes it better. The strings are separated, like on the Anthology-mix, but here Paul's vocals are added, and we get the feeling he's sitting in the middle of the string octette.

Quriously, the year after that, the new "1" compilation CD reverted back to the 1966-mix, although digitally enhanced into 24-bit. Why on earth did they remix it so beautifully in 1999 and then forget all about it?

I'm Only Sleeping

basic recording- 27 Apr 1966
additional recording- 29 Apr, 5,6 May 1966
master tape- 4 track
mono-mixed: 12 May 1966 (mix A) and 6 Jun 1966 (mix B)
stereo-mixed: 20 May 1966 (mix C and D)

Mix A is on the mono USA release "Yesterday... and Today", mix B is on the mono UK "Revolver". This CD uses the stereo mix D, as did the original UK stereo "Revolver". Some later issues of "Yesterday.. and Today" have the US stereo mix C. The backwards guitar effect is heard in different places in the four mixes, and a lead guitar track is mixed differently throughout the solo and at the end. An alleged fifth mix, the "French EP", is just mix B.

verse 1:
no backwards guitar on any mix
verse 2:
mix A: no backwards guitar
mix B: backwards guitar on "where at such a speed" and "there's no need"
mix C: backwards guitar on "running everywhere at such a speed" and "till they find there's no need"
mix D: backwards guitar on "everywhere at such a speed" and "find there's no need"
verse 3:
mix A: backwards guitar on "time" and "ceiling"
mix B: backwards guitar on "staring at the ceiling"
mix D and C: no backwards guitar
solo:
mix A: guitar continues into words "please don't" at end of solo
mix B: and D: guitar ends at end of solo
mix C: guitar fades in 2 bars later, continues into "please"
verse 4:
no backwards guitar on any mix
end:
mix A: guitar starts 4 beats after the last word "sleeping"
mixes B C and D: guitar starts immediately after last word "sleeping"

Some later issues of "Yesterday.. and Today" have the US stereo mix (mix C). They are:

1. All tape format copies since 1966 (reel-to-reel YT-2553, eight-track 8X2T-2648 and later 8XT-2553, cassette 4XT-2553, and even the four-track 4CL-2553!)

2. Capitol record club LP copies beginning in 1968,

3. Many general release LPs pressed at the Winchester plant [indicated by -<| the sideways wine glass] since 1973, the date I use for the LP reissue. The use of old LP stampers with fake stereo, however, continued as late as 1988, the end of LPs.

Love You To

basic recording- 11 Apr 1966
additional recording- 11,13 Apr 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 13 Apr 1966. edited
stereo-mixed: 21 Jun 1966, remastered and remixed in 1999 for the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" release.

Mono has a much longer fade, by 13 seconds. The edit is of mixes with and without ADT, details not given in Lewisohn-- curiously both mixes are done that way. The 1999 remaster is another remasterpiece, and clearly the best mix yet. The fuzzy guitar is a lot clearer here. It didn't however, restore the 13 extra seconds from the mono mix.

Here There And Everywhere

basic recording- 16 Jun 1966
additional recording- 16,17 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 21 Jun 1966
stereo-mixed: 21 Jun 1966

In the last line the lead voice is "You'll be there, and everywhere". In mono the backing voice is heard to sing "I'll be there" instead, not audible in stereo but possibly there very softly. The vocal backing is missing in mono on the last chord.

Yellow Submarine

basic recording- 26 May 1966
additional recording- 26 May, 1 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 3 Jun 1966
stereo-mixed: 22 Jun 1966, remixed in 1995 for "Anthology 2", remastered and remixed in 1999 for the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" release. Digitally remixed again in 2000 for "1".

The guitar comes in right away in mono but after "in the town" in original stereo. At the start of verse 3, a splash sound effect is faded away quickly in mono as the vocal starts, but continues over "and we live a life" in original stereo. John is heard repeating the vocal after the first line of verse 3 ("life of ease") in mono but not until the next line ("all we need") in the original stereo mix. The last line of verse 3 sounds like "in our yellow clubmarine" in mono but "slubmarine" in the original stereo mix. The official lyric is just "submarine".

The "Anthology 2"-mix is deliberately different, and starts by fading into an intro not used elsewhere before a hard edit to the standard version. The first guitar strum is missing as in original stereo. The mix inverts that mix by having the vocal and rhythm tracks centered, and the sound effects, including some not heard elsewhere, to the left and right and relatively louder. John's "life of ease" is heard in verse 3, and Ringo says "slubmarine".

Then 1999 comes along and paints a new picture of the song in vivid colours. It restores the "life of ease" vocal from John, which has always been missing in stereo. John's replies are also being panned across the stereo image from right to left, creating an effect that the submarine is sailing by us. The sound effects are also brought more to the fore on this version.

She Said She Said

basic recording- 21 Jun 1966
additional recording- 21 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 22 Jun 1966
stereo-mixed: 22 Jun 1966

The mono mix seems more powerful, although the rhythm track can be heard fading down during vocal lines and back up in between.

Good Day Sunshine

basic recording- 8 Jun 1966
additional recording- 8,9 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track
mono-mixed: 22 June 1966
stereo-mixed: 22 June 1966

The bass drum is missing at the very end in stereo

And Your Bird Can Sing

basic recording- 26 Apr 1966
additional recording- 26 Apr 1966
master tape- 4 track
mono-mixed: 12 May 1966 (mix A) and 6,8 Jun 1966 (mix B) both edited
stereo-mixed: 20 May 1966 (mix C and D) both edited

The editing adds the instrumental ending from a different take. Of the mono mixes, mix A has louder handclaps than mix B, and the guitars seem to drop a little more in volume during the verses in B.

Some later issues of "Yesterday.. and Today" have the US stereo mix (mix C). They are:

1. All tape format copies since 1966 (reel-to-reel YT-2553, eight-track 8X2T-2648 and later 8XT-2553, cassette 4XT-2553, and even the four-track 4CL-2553!)

2. Capitol record club LP copies beginning in 1968,

For No One

basic recording- 9 May 1966
additional recording- 9,16,19 May 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 21 Jun 1966.
stereo-mixed: 21 Jun 1966

The vocal comes across louder in mono

Dr. Robert

basic recording- 17 Apr 1966
additional recording- 19 Apr 1966
master tape- 4 track
mono-mixed: 12 May 1966 (mix A) and 21 Jun 1966 (mix B) both edited
stereo-mixed: 20 May 1966 (mix C and D) both edited

The editing removed 43 seconds of the song in all four cases.

At the very end of the fade, US mono (mix A, on the original mono USA LP "Yesterday.. and Today") seems to reach the true end of the song, and then has John (?) saying "OK Herb" (?), which is not even on the mock stereo made from it (the original stereo USA LP "Yesterday.. and Today"). The "well well well" parts are also mixed differently here than on the other mixes.

The UK mono (mix B) seems to have the vocal mixed louder than mix A, but perhaps it is better to say the guitar backing is quieter during the verses, while the vocal and rhtyhm section is more powerful.

Some later issues of "Yesterday.. and Today" have the US stereo mix (mix C). They are:

1. All tape format copies since 1966 (reel-to-reel YT-2553, eight-track 8X2T-2648 and later 8XT-2553, cassette 4XT-2553, and even the four-track 4CL-2553!)

2. Capitol record club LP copies beginning in 1968,

I Want To Tell You

basic recording- 2 Jun 1966
additional recording- 2,3 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 rack
mono-mixed: 3 Jun 1966
stereo-mixed: 21 Jun 1966

The piano comes through more noticeably in mono.

Got To Get You Into My Life

basic recording- 8 Apr 1966
additional recording- 11 Apr, 18 May, 17 Jun 1966
master tape- 4 track 2d generation
mono-mixed: 17,20 Jun 1966
stereo-mixed: 22 Jun 1966

Mono has a noticeably longer fade (8 seconds) that helps, and louder bass and percussion. The brass sound on mono was augmented on June 20 by lifting brass sound from the master and overdubbing onto the mix done on June 17. This overdub, being on the mix tape, was not done in stereo. The mono and stereo mixes have different vocals at the fade, the line "every single day of my life", which may be the use of different vocal tracks of the doubletracking.

Tomorrow Never Knows

basic recording- 6 Apr 1966
additional recording- 6,7,22 Apr 1966
master tape- 4 track
mono-mixed: 6 Jun 1966 (2 different mixes)
stereo-mixed: 22 Jun 1966

The first of the two mono-mixes is extremely rare, and is believed to have been manufactured on only the first day of UK pressing. Most copies have matrix 606-2 or 606-3 on side B, and are the standard version heard on all copies of other countries' pressings. The "Revolver" LP with matrix 606-1 on side B is mono remix 11 while the standard version is remix 8. In the rare mix, the vocal is louder and clearer over the effects, the fade is slightly longer and has more piano, and the effects are faded up quite differently (whereas the regular mono-mix and stereo-mix are pretty similar).
The similarity in the tape loop effects in the more common mixes suggest that they were recorded into one of the 4 tracks of the master. The general trend is that in mono the transition is faster, so sound comes up to full volume almost suddenly and then goes completely out. The common mono-mix starts with the loop track at full volume while the stereo-mix fades in on it. The guitar sound in the break sounds more processed and full in mono. At the start of the second vocal section stereo has a feedback whistle in "love is all and love is everyone" which is missing in mono.

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