Remember When: The Beatles Released 3 Different Versions of "Revolution"
The song so nice The Beatles recorded it thrice? In a manner of speaking, although not many people would likely describe any version of the song “Revolution” as “nice.” Thought-provoking, maybe, or perhaps confrontational.
But it is true that The Beatles released three different takes on the song, all in 1968, and each one wildly different from the others. Here is the story of a song that divided the fans, divided The Beatles, and even divided itself. Lennon Speaks Out.
The year 1968 saw great tumult in the world, and John Lennon didn’t want The Beatles to ignore it. In the years when Brian Epstein managed the group, they were dissuaded from speaking out on any issues. But with Epstein gone, Lennon, whose relationship with Yoko Ono had begun to fire up his social consciousness, was ready to make his point within The Beatles’ music, specifically in the song “Revolution.”
Although the word “revolution” is in the title, the song is quite level-headed. Lennon’s lyrics preach caution, explaining he’s not about to jump forward for any cause or promote any method of change without first understanding all points of views. He famously hedged his bets in the initial version of the song about the need for radical action: ‘Cause when you talk about destruction / Don’t you know that you can count me out, in.
Concocting an arrangement that included some drowsy horns, Lennon kept the tempo slow on the initial version of the song—which would be known as “Revolution 1”—so that people could focus on the lyrics. He wanted the song to be a Beatles single, but both Paul McCartney and George Harrison balked, worried about both the pace and the political nature of the song. But Lennon wasn’t done with this song, or this fight, by any stretch.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
