The Beatles seventh studio album – and the bridge between Rubber Soul and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – 1966’s Revolver is recognized as one of the Fab Four’s most groundbreaking as well as significant albums.
With producer George Martin, the group employed studio wizardry to bring their new songs to life – tape loops, automatic double tracking, close miking, use of varispeed and reversed tapes, among other techniques that would soon be imitated by countless others – as well as non-traditional instrumentation. It didn’t hurt, of course, that all of these innovations were in service of some of The Beatles’ strongest songs yet, including “Eleanor Rigby,” “Here, There, and Everywhere,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” “Taxman, “ ”Good Day Sunshine,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” and “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Engineer Geoff Emerick, who counted Revolver as his first work with the group, noted that it “changed the way everyone else made records.”
Now on October 28, Apple, Capitol, and UMe are offering the opportunity to hear it anew with a variety of remastered, remixed and deluxe editions overseen by producer Giles Martin (son of George) and engineer Sam Okell.
At the heart of the campaign is the new stereo mix by Martin and Okell, created from the original four-track master tapes. The undertaking has been possible due to advances in de-mixing technology developed by the team of Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films (who demonstrated this stunning work in Jackson’s multi-part Let It Be-era documentary Get Back in 2021). In addition to the new mix, the Super Deluxe formats include the original 1966 mono mix sourced from the original master tapes; 28 early and alternate takes; three home demos; and a four-song EP with new stereo mixes and the original mono mixes for the non-LP single “Paperback Writer” b/w “Rain.” Martin and Okell have also created a new surround mix in Dolby Atmos, but for the first time, the surround mix is digital only and will not be included in a physical package.
Every one of The Beatles was powerfully showcased on Revolver. The decision to quit touring led the group to fiercely pursue new sounds that couldn’t necessarily be replicated onstage at that time; they played their final traditional concert on August 29, 1966 just weeks after Revolver‘s release. Harrison shone on the snarling opener “Taxman” as well as his immersion into Indian music, “Love You To,” and the urgent “I Want to Tell You.” Ringo got a vocal showcase on the whimsical “Yellow Submarine” while McCartney introduced the gorgeous likes of “Here, There, and Everywhere” and “Eleanor Rigby” and the ebullient “Good Day, Sunshine.” Lennon ventured into psych-rock territory with “She Said, She Said” and the even more experimental “Tomorrow Never Knows.” A non-LP single was of the same remarkable quality as the album, offering the thrilling “Paperback Writer” (the final new song introduced by the Fabs on their final tour in 1966) and the experimental “Rain” featuring both reversed tape and one of Ringo Starr’s most indelible drum performances.
The Sessions discs feature more than two dozen rare and unheard takes which explore the making of these famous songs. These include The Beatles’ first take of “Tomorrow Never Knows” from the April 6 session and an alternative mono mix that was issued on a small number of albums before it was recut with the proper mix; “Taxman” with alternate lyrics and John and Paul on falsetto background vocals; the first version of “Got to Get You Into My Life” as well as a special mix emphasizing the brass overdubs; very different, early versions of “Yellow Submarine” and a mix of its offbeat sound effects; the first two takes of the “Paperback Writer” backing track; and two versions of “Rain”: Take 5 (one at the actual speed The Beatles played it and the other, a slowed down “evolutionary mix” used to create the master recording.)
Originally released on August 5, 1966, Revolver spent seven weeks at number one on the U.K. Albums Chart, while a double A-side single with “Eleanor Rigby” and “Yellow Submarine” topped the U.K. Singles Chart for four weeks in August and September. The U.S. only received an 11-track iteration as “I’m Only Sleeping,” “Doctor Robert,” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” had been plucked for the June release of Yesterday and Today. The truncated Revolver nonetheless spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top LPs chart.
The various editions all boast the original Grammy-winning artwork of Beatle pal Klaus Voormann. The Super Deluxe boxes on CD and vinyl include a foreword by Paul McCartney, an introduction by Giles Martin, an essay by The Roots’ drummer Questlove, and a lengthy essay by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett. Rare and previously unpublished photos and memorabilia images (handwritten lyrics, tape boxes, recording session sheets, print ads) and excerpts from Voormann’s graphic novel birth of an icon: REVOLVER rounds out the package.
CD1: Revolver (New stereo mix)
01. Taxman (2022 Mix) (2:38)
02. Eleanor Rigby (2022 Mix) (2:06)
03. I’m Only Sleeping (2022 Mix) (3:00)
04. Love You To (2022 Mix) (3:00)
05. Here, There And Everywhere (2022 Mix) (2:25)
06. Yellow Submarine (2022 Mix) (2:39)
07. She Said She Said (2022 Mix) (2:36)
08. Good Day Sunshine (2022 Mix) (2:09)
09. And Your Bird Can Sing (2022 Mix) (2:01)
10. For No One (2022 Mix) (2:00)
11. Doctor Robert (2022 Mix) (2:14)
12. I Want To Tell You (2022 Mix) (2:28)
13. Got To Get You Into My Life (2022 Mix) (2:29)
14. Tomorrow Never Knows (2022 Mix) (2:58)
CD 2: Sessions
01. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) (3:33)
02. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono Mix RM 11) (3:06)
03. Got To Get You Into My Life (First Version / Take 5) (4:10)
04. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version / Unnumbered Mix) (2:36)
05. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version / Take 8) (2:43)
06. Love You To (Take 1) (2:40)
07. Love You To (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (1:35)
08. Love You To (Take 7) (2:55)
09. Paperback Writer (Takes 1 & 2 / Backing Track) (3:38)
10. Rain (Take 5 / Actual Speed) (2:39)
11. Rain (Take 5 / Slowed Down For Master Tape) (3:13)
12. Doctor Robert (Take 7) (3:00)
13. And Your Bird Can Sing (First version / Take 2) (2:15)
14. And Your Bird Can Sing (First version / Take 2 / Giggling) (2:24)
CD3: Sessions Two
01. And Your Bird Can Sing (Second Version / Take 5) (2:20)
02. Taxman (Take 11) (2:38)
03. I’m Only Sleeping (Rehearsal Fragment) (0:48)
04. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 2) (2:28)
05. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 5) (2:43)
06. I’m Only Sleeping (Mono Mix RM1) (3:07)
07. Eleanor Rigby (Speech Before Take 2) (2:12)
08. Eleanor Rigby (Take 2) (2:20)
09. For No One (Take 10 / Backing Track) (2:24)
10. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting Work Tape / Part 1) (1:05)
11. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting Work Tape / Part 2) (4:43)
12. Yellow Submarine (Take 4 Before Sound Effects) (2:37)
13. Yellow Submarine (Highlighted Sound Effects) (3:04)
14. I Want To Tell You (Speech & Take 4) (1:25)
15. Here, There And Everywhere (Take 6) (2:30)
16. She Said She Said (John’s Demo) (1:10)
17. She Said She Said (Take 15 / Backing Track Rehearsal) (3:25)
CD4: Revolver (Original mono master)
01. Taxman (Mono) (2:41)
02. Eleanor Rigby (Mono) (2:09)
03. I’m Only Sleeping (Mono) (3:02)
04. Love You To (Mono) (3:08)
05. Here, There And Everywhere (Mono) (2:25)
06. Yellow Submarine (Mono) (2:42)
07. She Said She Said (Mono) (2:39)
08. Good Day Sunshine (Mono) (2:12)
09. And Your Bird Can Sing (Mono) (2:03)
10. For No One (Mono) (2:02)
11. Doctor Robert (Mono) (2:16)
12. I Want To Tell You (Mono) (2:31)
13. Got To Get You Into My Life (Mono) (2:39)
14. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono) (2:57)
CD5: Revolver EP
01. Paperback Writer (2022 Stereo Mix) (2:19)
02. Rain (2022 Stereo Mix) (2:59)
03. Paperback Writer (Mono) (2:26)
04. Rain (Mono) (2:59)
