Album: Revolver (1966)

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Comments: 93

• Ken from Philadelphia, PaI am continuously amazed at the depth of the Beatles catalog. No matter how many times I listen and how many times I tell myself that I've now heard every song so many times that I have all properly rated in my head, it still shocks me how often a song that I've spent decades placing at the bottom of my
  list and treating like a step child, like "And Your Bird Can Sing", will suddenly work its way into the right spot deep in my subconscious and flip a switch that makes me hear it in a different way and recognize how amazing it is. And, now, all I can do is wonder how the heck this wasn't a monster hit.
  I think it is also a pretty important artifact of the Beatles'... and especially of John Lennon's... evolution. Although it really feels like it could be a hit today without substantive changes, it also, to me, feels like one of... if not the... very last of the Beatlemania-era Beatles songs. It's a catchy, peppy rocker that includes one of John's last uses (again if not the very last one) of his trademark double meanings in the chorus: "You don't get me..." (meaning both "you don't get to possess me" and "you don't understand me".
• Ken from Yellow RabbitListening to an earlier recording of this song on Anthology and then hearing the finished product with the twin solo guitar part, what a transformation. Maybe John didn't like his lyrics but I don't see how he could fault the music.
• James from San Diego, CaTo answer the question by Stephen of Anderson, SC about why this and other songs are not on his copy of "Revolver": Capitol Records engaged in the despicable practice of removing several songs off of the American versions of Beatles albums, and then creating extra Beatles albums for the U.S. market that were made up of songs that they had withheld from the original releases. To get Revolver with all the songs you need to buy the British version, which is widely available on several CD versions since the 1980s.
• Johan from Stockholm, SwedenThese are the top fourteen songs voted 2012 by MOJO readers and Beatles fans.
  1. Tomorrow Never Knows
  2 Hey Bulldog
  3. Rain
  4. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
  5. And Your Bird Can Sing
  6. For No One
  7. Dear Prudence
  8. It´s All Too Much
  9. Long Long Long
  10.I´m Only Sleeping
  11.You Know My Name
  12.Helter Skelter
  13.I Want You
  14.She Said She Said
  
  That is 10 Lennon, 2 McCartney and 2 Harrison
• Tom from Freiburg, GermanyMuch overlooked in this song is not only John's stunning rhythm guitar work, but also the less-than-perfect (yet very prominent) tambourine which misses the beat quite a few times during the take. Hard to imagine how this could have possibly escaped Mr Martin's trained ears.
• Pete from Kissimmee, FlTo Phillip, Fresno , CA
  I agree! "1964 - The Tribute" IS the best Beatles tribute band - I've seen all of them from Beatlemania thru Rain over the years and "1964" truly Rocks! If I had just one complaint it would be they should go past Revolver and do some of the later songs, but when you're listening to "1964" with your eyes closed, it's The Beatles all over again.
• Kendall from Modesto, CaNot mentioned here is the fact that one of the guitars playing one of the lead solos is likely to be capoed on the 2nd fret. The evidence is undeniable...listen to the ring of the F# on the high E string played in the repeated outro phrase...that F# sustains as only an "open" note can as the subsequent notes in the phrase are played thereby revealing the presence of the capo... the only alternative to the capo is that the phrase is played with the F# fingered through-out the phrase (thus giving the sustain)...which IS possible (I can do it!) but it involves maintaining a 4 fret stretch!
• Sydney from Dallas, TxI love the how the guitar is played. It's hard to listen to this song with out dancing or full out singing.
• Len from Los Angeles, CaOverlooked on this song is Paul's bass guitar work. Absolutely incredible.
• Steve from Alexandria, VaForrest, Rochester, MN is right on the money! The harmonies on the words, "You tell me that you've heard every sound there is....and your bird can swing" are my favorite three part pop harmonies of all time. All hail the other-worldly Beatles.....blessed by the All Powerful Creator of the Universe with the talent for giving us this amazing music! BEATLES FOREVER!!!
  
  
• George from Belleville, NjThis is a unique and classic rock song,a real standout in the way the song is structured and played.The double lead guitar part is genius.In this case it doesn't matter if John Lennon didn't like it.It matters that we who listen to and buy the records if we like it or not and you better believe we all like this one.
• Breanna from Henderson, NvI love this song so much! This is such a brillant song! One of the better songs off of Revolver.
• K from Nowhere, OnFELLOW APPLESCRUFF! I HAVE FOUND YOU! I should have lived in the 60s. Instead, I had to be born 28 years after this song (*cries*).
• Linda from London, United Kingdomthis is my favourite Beatle song always lifts your spirits on a dull day. Beatles are always there in my life. Applescruff
• Mitch from Melbourne, Australiathere is a version of this song on youtube where they all laugh hysterically (they were stoned at the time)
• Chloe from St. Louis, MoFunny, Julia, I always thought they were the same people...
• Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnCool song but I read somewhere that Lennon hated this song, filler he called it.
• Julia from Richland, WaI heard the Fab Four version of "Bird" and didn't like it as well as the Beatles version...
• Julia from Richland, WaI heard that on September 9, The Beatles Rockband is coming out... I hope that they put this song on there
• Julia from Richland, WaI absolutely ADORE this song!!!! It's practically my life song!! =)
• Linda from North Attleboro, MaI agree with Tony from Cleveland. I always thought this was an answer to Dylan's "Corinna, Corrina." I'm reading John Lennon's bio right now, and that scenario seems plausible. I do associate this song with the cartoon, but was it the theme? I thought the theme was just the open strings of a basic guitar tuning, and then a few notes reminiscent of "I Should Have Known Better."
• Superllama from Tallehase, FlI totally agree with Marcos. Great song!
• Bag from A Little Yellow Island, Neutral Zonemy bird sings out of tune
• Justin from Boston, Ma"Lagging" is the result of the 'group tension' they arrived at through constant re-adjustments to each other's sense of rhythm, especially John's. Ringo, also, deliberately plays micro-seconds "too Slow" to nail it all down: this is one of the things that made them sound Different. They WERE different. On purpose, consciously and in their creative process.
• Woman from Livonia, MiThe bassline in the final recording is similar to the bassline in taxman however, if you take a listen to the anthology version or type in "and your bird can sing take 2" into YouTube the bassline is much more complicated. The beatles must have beleived that the taxman sounding bass sounded better when the song was played faster as to the slower anthology version. I disagree.
• Modernrocker79 from Kearny, NjThe unsion twin guitar attack of this song predates Queen and Allman Brothers.
• Lennix from Hamburg, GermanyOh John - how could you say this is one of your worst songs?! I think it perfectly sums up that teenage feeling - you cant hear me, you dont get me. It's too brilliant for words!
• Rich from Livingston, NjAs a testimony to how great the Beatles were, this song is over 40 years old and we still listen to them today as if they were still around.
• Chanel from Somewhere, WaIs is just me or is the bass line in this song very similar to the bass in Taxman??
• Glenna from Gilbert, AzLike so many others here, this is one of my favorites. The lyric is just quirky enough to get you wondering about it, and the different accounts of what it all means...classic Lennon.
  As for the guitars...George was a master. Regardless of all the hype on McCartney's musical prowess, he didn't have the heart and emotion as an instrumentalist that George conveyed. Nuances abound in the Harrison solo work, especially as he matured.
  Paul is a wonder, to be sure. Sometimes it's worthwhile to just be wonderful.
• Rosario from Naples, FlLove the song, especially the guitar solo.
• Stephen from Anderson, ScRevolver is my favorite album they did. But I recently got the Revolver record and this song, "Dr. Robert", and "I'm Only Sleeping" are not on it. Does anyone know why?
• Stephen from Anderson, ScThis has to be one of my favorite Beatles songs. Makes me feel happy! The guitar solos are fantastic and Paul's bass is just amazing! And my understanding is that Lennon didn't like it as much? But anyway The Beatles rock my socks..God bless!
• Tony from Cleveland, OhI don't know if this is correct but Bob Dylan - Corrina Corrina has a lot to do with a bird singing, and The Beatles were influenced by Bob Dylan. I saw that nobody made the connection with the song, I could definitely see Lennon writing this after hearing Corrina Corrina.
  
  I got a bird that whistles,
  I got a bird that sings.
  I got a bird that whistles,
  I got a bird that sings.
  But I ain' a-got Corrina,
  Life don't mean a thing.
• Forrest from Rochester, MnOne of the greatest Beatles moments is between 1:19 and 1:25 of this song.
• Forrest from Rochester, MnExcept that it can't be because when it was written, John did not know Yoko.
• Steve from Princeton, NjWhen I read John Lennon's comment that he had no idea what this song was about even though he wrote it, I went over the song with a fine tooth comb---and I figured it out: This is a song in which Yoko is speaking to John.
• Peter from Stockholm, Swedenmaybe not one of their best songs, but a great one. Paul Weller once said, that it was the best song to play when you came home pissed from the pub :-)
• Kristen from Philadelphia, Pajohn lennon is amazing; i love him so much.
  this is an amzing song,
• Max from Vancouver, Canadathis just might be the best beatles song and the funny thing is how its relatively unknown to casual listeners. both musically and lyrically it represents some of their most complex stuff recorded together. it really reaches out and gets you to pumped up and feeling you can relate to it. whoever thinks srgt peppers was their best album needs to listen to more revolver...
• Michael from Kearny, NjI don't know exactly what the song is about, but I DO know that the origin of this song (at least the title) came from a gift that Cynthia presented to John: a mechanical singing bird in a cage, which John hated.
• Tristan from Philadelphia, PaBest song on Revolver, unless you have the American version, whereas it was put onto Yesterday and Today, a purely American make. Everytime I listen to this song, I am left lingering, I feel like it should be a little bit longer, but what else could there be? Its so good the way it is.
• Lauren from Ocala, FlI just posted this song as my song of the day on myspace. i have posted it before. it is not my favorite beatles song all the time. but, every once in a while, it is the best song i have ever heard in my life. the guitar solo is pretty sweet and the harmony is perfect as usual. it just makes me want to point my finger in someones face and say- 'so, there'
• Mark from Twin Cities Metro Area, MnThis is just about my favorite Beatles song. I see I'm not alone. This song doesn't get much air play (like a lot of other Beatle tunes). It's a shame. It's so up and hooky. A great pop song (even if Dr Winston O boogy didn't think so) It's the trangy guitar sound that gits me. The Beatles said they were influenced by the Byrds sound at that time. A few of their songs from 65 and 66 show that. Dr Robert, She Said She Said, I Feel Fine. All favorite Beatle songs of mine. I Really like the Byrds too. Hummm, wonder why??
  It's intresting that Paul played the dual lead. He was/is very talented, like the rest of the Beatles. His bass work is amazing along with his other talents
• Phillip from Fresno , Ca, Ca I want to add something re the comments about Joe Walsh and our fellow poster Jerry619 learning these riffs, I believe you guys for sure, I recently attended a show by the band "Tribute To 1964" , Rolling Stone Magazine calls them the greatest Beatles tribute band in history, I WAS BLOWN AWAY ... These British guys have been touring for 23 years, 140 shows a year, they play every Beatles song thru Revolver EXACTLY like the record; and they play the exact identical instruments , including the Vox 100 watt amps, the string guages, capos, drumsticks, and microphones. Their George-clone played so well he got ovations after every lead break! When he stomped the fuzztone and played "Your Bird" singlehandedly the audience was so blown away he got a standing screaming ovation! I left that show wanting to sell my vintage Teles, Strats and LesPauls and replace them with Rics and a Gretsch! I urge all Beatles fans to see this band, you will NEVER see anyone nail the exact Beatles sounds anytime, anywhere, I'll guarantee!!
  Kristina and Sylvia, I agree with your statements... you have excellent taste!
• Phillip from Fresno , Ca, CaTo all the guitar pickers out there: I'm a pro guitarist/record producer, my life's passion is playing The Beatles songs. And the more I play, the more I appreciate the genious of King George! As Michael from Kearny stated, these are two 6's, no 12 (sorry, Davy); and to Nessie, who feels the riffs are lagging and hurried, I agree, but "atrocious" NOT! remember, these boys practically ran thru the studio, playing live (no punch-in/punch-out) knocking out several songs a day - it's sad they didn't take the time to perfect anything; the TAXMAN took over 90 PERCENT of their earnings and they were actually suffering financially as they conquered America!
  The most incredible thing about George is that he was NINETEEN years old when he created arguably some of the greatest guitar music ever recorded!
  
• Trent Simpson from Portland, TnI was introduced to this song by my brother, the first time i heard it i thought it was great, but then it got annoying.But i do like listing to it sometimes.
• Carl from Eugene, OrIf I am remembering correctly, this was the theme song for The Beatles' cartoon show (1965).
• Dardo from Montevideo, South AmericaNo importa tanto la opinión de Lennon acerca de esta canción. Importa más que al publico le gusta, porque no hay duda que es buena y la guitarra de George suena limpia y alegre. Un tema asi le alegra el día o la vida a cualquiera.
• Andrea from Midland, MiI don't paticularly think that it is a great song, but it is ok. I don't think it was half as good as most other songs on Revolver, though.
• Vuk from Toronto, CanadaI don't agree with what John the Beatles were better than the Stones, I guess its just me, but I personally like the Stones much more than the Beatles.
• Sal from Bardonia , NyThis is a great power pop song and it has a great guitar sound it was achieved supposedly by using the guitars through a fuzzbox via a leslie speaker.The unison dual harmony guitar is one of the best pre Jimi Hendrix guitar playing I have heard and it's the the type of style that Thin Lizzy would be known for years later example The Boy's Are Back In Town.
  Sal, Bardonia, NY
• John from Millersville, MdRumor has it Joe Walsh learned how to play the double-tracked guitar by himself, and only after struggling to master it for years and finally managing to do it was he told that it was double-tracked.
• Emmie from Long Island, NyI really like this song. Lennon is an awesome singer/songwriter. Too bad the CD got scratched and this song wouldn't go onto my iTunes...
• Brian from Sydney, CanadaRobb, Hamburg, NY believe it. Not for the fact that the recording was done that way, but for the fact they never did perform the song after the finished studio version was completed.
• Brian from Sydney, CanadaThis song is one of the best in their catologue. Along with 'Golden Slumbers', 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Here, There and Everywhere', and 'Rain'-they do it for me, and that means a lot coming from me-a very big fan.
• Luis from Laredo, TxBy far my favorite and the most underrated song which could still pass as indie-rock (listen to Suzanna Hoff's recent interpretation and any Cure song)
  
  I'm still impressed that George and Paul pulled off such solo.
  
• Jennifer from Los Angeles, CaI like this song, even if John (at one time) claimed it was crap.
• Michael from Kearny, NjIt's not only George playing lead, but also Paul... It is a great guitar solo but most people here don't realize that it's actually two guitars played in harmony, Gearge taking the higher pitched notes and Paul the lower (there's no 12 string guitars here, both are Epiphone 6 string Casinos). And yes, Paul also played bass, which was recorded on the backing track earlier in the session.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI can see why he may not have liked some of his songs he wrote.
• Alan from Liverpool, EnglandI remember reading the playboy interview with John Lennon in which he said if he has the chance, he'd go back and re-record every single Beatles song. When he listens to them he just cringes. I suppose it;s a case of the saying "you are your own worst critic"
• Bram from Zoetermeer, NetherlandsI don't know what John thinked what isn't good about this song, because it's a great one. Perhaps not very difficult to understand, but a very nice melody, and the words are also not that bad.
• Paul from Sacramento, CaThis is one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs - I vividly remember it being used over the opening credits of the Beatles animated TV series, at least during its syndication in the late 60's. It is incomprehensible to me that Capitol Records left this song, "Dr. Robert", and "I'm Only Sleeping" off the US Revolver release, because they make it the masterpiece that it truly is.
• Josh from Plainview, Nyalso this is from Revolver. Yesterday and Today is a BS American album released to so that the record company could make more money by splitting up British albums into more American albums.
• Steve from Fenton, MoIf you are looking to buy a book telling the meaning or origins of the lyrics of The Beatles songs, check what the book says about And Your Bird Can Sing. If the explanation says the song is about a bird rather than a girl, don't waste your time or money with the book. The author clearly doesn't know what he/she is writing about.
• Jerry from Portland, OrDon't believe everything you hear about John not liking his own Beatles compositions. As George Martin once said, John "changed his opinion more often than he changed his socks." And in some of his interviews, if someone else criticized his work (e.g. Jagger), he was quick to defend it. Also the 1970 interview was in Rolling Stone mag, and the Playboy one was in 1980.
• Jerry619 from San Diego, United Statesthis song is awsome this is why the beatles are the greatest band of all time look at the two guitars playing apart from eachother yet sounding so together then listen to mccartnys bass showing why he is the best bass player of all time hes all over the place on this song and yet sounding so together i can play the lead guitar part on this with my fender stratocaster and a delayed pedal its not two guitars like the song facts state,harrison is just working the pedal very well
• Lauren from Some Place, DeThis song always makes me feel happy, whenever I hear it.
• Robb from Hamburg, NyI'm not sure why John hates it. It really is a beatiful song. How could they play this live which Harrison Mccartney and Lennon? Who plays bass then? The bass line is important to this song, as it is in many songs, so i can't believe they did that.
• Sylvia from London, EnglandLooove the song, mostly because of George's awesome guitar solo. But what I am REALLY annoyed about is that Rolling Stone only gave George (or any of the Beatles) ONE place in the whole countdown of '100 Greatest Guitar Solos'! And #69? What's up with that? George had lots of awesome riffs, and they only give him one?! He is so underestimated! That's one of the many reasons I love him so much.
  I also love the Anthology version when John and Paul are laughing their heads off. It makes me laugh too!
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThose guitar solos help make the song.
• Kristina from Small Town, NeHarrison's guitar solo is what really drew me into this song. It is one of the best solos I have ever heard on a Beatle album. George was really cued in on Revolver.
• Steve from Fenton, MoI think "and your bird can sing" is a song about Phil Specter...and the bird is his wife Ronnie Specter of the Ronettes. It was John in his adolescent style of humor telling Specter...you may be this big producer but you don't get to produce the Beatles. The part about the bird being green, there is a passage in a biography about Ronnie Specter that told that the first time John met Ronnie at the height of Beatles popularity, John tried to put the moves on her and she acted like she wasn't interested and didn't know what he was wanting to do. So from John's point of view, being able to have any woman he wanted...it was Ronnie being "green" rather than her resisting his charms. This coincides with a visit to L.A. where John spent time with Peter Fonda, the inspiration for She Said...She Said. And of course after the Beatles split and John was coming forth with explanations for his Beatle songs, since Specter was producing John's (and George's) solo work and had done some work with the Let It Be album, it would have been awkward, to say the least, to admit the song was about Specter.
  Steve, Fenton, MO
• Davy from G.r., Mioh by the way. in my opinion. georges solo on "and your bird can sing' really should have rated higher in the top 100 greatst solos . or what ever it is. its a "Masterpiece'
  like #99...
  
• Davy from G.r., MiI really need to tell everyone that george played the lead part to "And your bird can sing " alone on a 12 string electric rik. thats it .. thankyou.
  Davy
  mi.
• Charles from Bronxville, NyOhhh- LOVE the bit about Mick! Could be!!! Actually while listening to this song while under the influence (many years ago)it occurred to me that he was singing this song to himself. The lyric is pretty obvious - the first person is telling the second person that although they can afford to surround themselves with material goodies, they can't get him. I think that when John wrote this, the part of his subconcious that was the young, hungry John, held some disdain for what he'd become. "You've got the mansion, the MBE, the psychadelic Rolls, and pretty much anything you want, but you don't have the driven hungry youth. I'm still here, but you'll have to work to find me." I think its a song about regret. I dont think John was ever prepared to talk about songs that held deep meaning for him. When he first started therapy, he was asked my his therapist to look back on all his Beatle lyrics for clues to his feelings about his Mum and Dad. When you look at songs like "Tell Me Why" and "If I Fell" and relate them to his childhood, it becomes very painful. He didn't know it while writing it, but I believe it's all there...
• Nessie from Sapporo, Japan"George's solo in this song was number 69 in the 100 Greatest guitar solos Album I AGREE!!" It's a well-written solo, but it's played atrociously. The lead lags the beat, and George and Paul sound like they're frantically trying to catch up. Strangely enough, this is even more true for the Paul Weller cover, but then Paul Weller has always been more of a songwriter than a player. What makes the song outstanding is the intersting chord progression, including fine arpegiation, and the vocal overdubbing, which sqeezes the harmonic possibilities for every last ounce of juice.
• Jack from St. Paul, MnThis song isnt about Mick Jagger at all. It was just a song making fun of people who tried to find deep meanings in johns songs, like i am the walrus. Its really just meaningless pyschedelia.
• Maddie from Knoxville, TnI wonder why John didn't like this one. I love it, it makes me really happy :D
• Jude from Los Angeles, CaGeorge's solo in this song was number 69 in the 100 Greatest guitar solos Album I AGREE!! Check it out in this site..http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm this song rules I just saw it on the beatles album lyrics and the name was catchy and when i heard it it was AWESOME!!
• Kristen from Aurora, IlI love this song. George and Paul are AWESOME and it's nice to break away from the usual McCartney Lennon credit.
• Michael from Kearny, NjJohn Lennon only stated once that he disliked this song, and that was during his Playboy interview in 1970 while he was still very bitter about the Beatles. Bear in mind that during this interview John also said that the Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road albums were garbage. Later, years later he met up with Geogre Martin who was very upset with John for those comments. John apologized to George Martin, claiming he was out of his head at that period.
  Most likely, John attacked this song because Paul and George (Harrison)worked out the intricate harmony guitar work, and this song really showcases Paul and George as very accomplished musicians, much to John's envy later on after the breakup.
• Daniel from Leeds, EnglandGeorge Harrison kicks butt on this.
• Jo from Toronto, CanadaIn 1960s England, a "bird" was a girl/woman, but I doubt that's how it's meant here. I've always wondered it the song refers to John's defiance toward recording companies who wanted to "catch him" to record for them, but he didn't want them to limit his creativity and "cage him like a bird" so to speak.
• Erin Lennon from Toronto, Canadai love the version on the anthology!! when they are all cracking up! it makes me so happy when they laugh! cuz they are all such charming boys, and if they do anything it makes me happy! they are a brilliant guys, who can make anyting sound good
• Robb from Hamburg, NyI dont understand why john considers this one of his worst. Its a beatiful song with great harmony. Its one of my favourite Lennon compositions.
• Loretta from Liverpool, EnglandI like the guitar intro.
• David from Lansing, MiAnthology 2 has a version where the singers keep cracking up (perhaps they were stoned). The music's different in that version, also - sounds a bit like The Byrds. I know John said he never liked the song, but it's one of my favorite songs of all time by any band. Great guitar work, great vocals, and I love the lyrics.
• Martin Bonica from Sterling, VaIt's a metaphor or something. The "and your bird can..." is basically saying "and you've got all this stuff you think is important". He's saying "you have all this stuff you think is important, but you're not paying attention to me- when your material posessions leave you, I'll be here."
• Natasha from Chico, Cai dunno if i'm being a little naive here or not, but could someone tell me what this 'bird'is? Revolver Rocks!
• Helen from Dublin, IrelandIrish singer/songwriter, David Kitt, does a great cover of this on his latest album, the black and red notebook. Well worth checking out - www.davidkitt.com
• Rj from Rockville Centre, NyThis is one of the few Beatles songs that's great to drive to. Pure fun. I read somewhere that Paul and John don't even remember recording this song...any veracity to this statement?
• Marcos from Fort Worth, Txgreat song. it's definitely one of the most underrated songs by the Beatles.

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