The Beatles: "Taxman" - Vinyl Friday #63!
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- čas přidán 28. 02. 2024
- The Beatles breakdowns are back, baby! Welcome to the Revolver Odyssey.
The people spoke, and this was the chosen album. I couldn't be more pleased - this is a record that feels like it's in the fabric of my being. I am so excited to be doing a deep dive with you all.
I'll be rolling this out the same way we did for the Rubber Soul series, with fortnightly Beatles episodes alternating with our regular journey through the alphabet!
In this episode: all the correspondents come together to work out why "Taxman" is the perfect album opener for this iconic oeuvre.
Let's get stuck in.
For those of you with a burning desire to generally support what I do, I'm here to help you along in that journey: www.buymeacoffee.com/fathommu... (but no pressure, friends☺️)
Happy Friday, folks!
Want to look at pictures of what I'm working on? / fathommusicnz
Interested in purchasing music I've made? fathomnz.bandcamp.com
Fathom albums "The World to Breathe" and "Modern Reflections, Vol. 1" are also available on all streaming platforms. Tweed's album "High Brow Blues" is also ALSO available on all streaming platforms!
Thanks for your sharing your attention with me. :)
#beatles #thebeatles #revolver #vinyl #vinylcommunity #musicreview
I am a beatles fan all my life but because of your videos I can listen to the songs with new ears! Thank you so much! You are so good!❤
Thank you so much!
Hearing Revolver ring out in the summer of 1966 was an amazing experience - musically of course the sheer joy of creativity and expression
was embodied in every track - but I remember being elated by the breadth and weight of both the lyrical and aural qualities. As always the Beatles vocal craftsmanship was sublime with an unerring choice of harmony but their range of musical accompaniment reflecting each song's story/emotion was and is as near to perfection as mere humans can reach. The embodiment of that sunny day optimism, the dark
loneliness of an unfulfilled life, the almost indifferent regret of a love turned sour, the humour of life's strange turns with or without drug experimentation - to name but a few - meant that the songs carried a meaning that would be grasped with or without knowing what the lyrics were. That is musicianship and creativity at it's height and I've yet to hear anything that surpasses it since. So pleased you're doing your extremely skilled and enjoyable 'thing' for this album!
I consider myself a wordsmith, but damn, that was beautiful. Eloquent.
Fathom, you are by far the best recored music analyst, especially Beatles analyst, I've heard. Come on, come on, it's such a joy.Very Groovy.
love your knowldge, musicianship and love for this album, thank you
I’m shocked that your number of subscribers and likes is so low. I think your reactions are fantastic. They’re incredibly insightful.
"Revolver" is my favourite album of all time.
Loose solo!! YES I was always intrigued by that Stutter Feel!! Great catch and explanation!! WOW!! Look out Professor Of Rock!! Peace 🕊️☮️♾️😎
As a musician and studio guy and all of that for many years, absolutely love everything about your reaction. I mean every single aspect of it. It's so refreshing for people to get a bit more into musical and technical depth and the history and all that kind of thing. And it's fun the whole time. 😊
Thanks!
Thank YOU!
if i never skip run for your life i still prefer to have the guitars of if i needed someone jangling in my ears from RS : so when we get to this opener George is on a roll. they sound so loud here. i like the point you make about the opening being an indicator that the process of recording is what is being signified.
it's also the rickenbacker that is now giving paul punchier electronic options: you could never get that out of the hollow bodied hofner. the solo is astonishing in it's characteristic attack on our senses every single flipping time we hear it. your keyboard breakdown was a treat.
i think the shifting of their gears into politics is significant but they sort of chicken out ( Ian macdonald's book highlights the point). the wilson govt. would have increased taxation to spend on social programmes. including the heath reference when the conservative's weren't even in power ( conservatism would favour private wealth over public expenditure) diffuses the idea they are taking sides. problem is everyone wanted a slice of the beatles even those who were supposedly looking out for them: know what I mean ( nudge nudge say no more )?
2 points (yes they ARE necessary)
cat's are allowed to cause chaos. it's why they're worth having around.
and, octet correspondent is urgently required for ER.
thirdly (what?), Pepper removes the boundaries between popular and high culture at the atomic level: it's that important.
fourth...
OMG !! I'm late to the party , but loving it !
I just discovered your channel. I am an original Beatles fan , as I was 12 _ears old when they were on Ed Sullivan in Feb. Of '64. I soon after started taking drum lessons.
I was in two rock bands in H.S. plus the school concert and marching bands. Ringo changed my life ! As an adult I was a part time commercial radio D.J. and long time concert goer.
I love your reviews and your musical expertise.
Thank you ! I can't get enough of your content.
Rock on.
, Dean ( in Syracuse)
I was 10, but remember it like the much later televised moon landing.
GREAAAAAT!
George looked at LSD under a microscope and thought it looks like rope.. I’ll never put that in my brain again ! 🍳
As you have mention, with Revolver The Beatles were using the studio an instrument rather just a place to record their music. I am glad they decided to stop touring and making movies so they could focus on their music and moving it forward. Unlike Elvis the Beatles did not make cornball movies but instead they expanded into new creative areas in their music and gave us work that signal to other artist that in musical expression the sky was the limit.
I like your focus on how much growth we can see/hear in the musicality of the Beatles between Rubber Soul and Revolver. It's clear and obvious that they are now a different, improved band over what they were before - astonishingly, only a few months before! The rate of their evolution and their total unwillingness to ever stand still is what sets them apart from everyone else.
Re your final question: For me, the obvious other choice to open the LP would be "Good Day Sunshine." It's not as good a song, but it's bright, it sounds fresh, and it seems like a natural energetic beginning.
So ready for you to tackle this one, I think it'll be a lot of fun to watch Revolver being given the odyssey treatment. This track really works for me as the opener because its familiar in that its guitar, drums, bass and has a verse-chorus structure so it would probably ease listeners into the experience (considering the next track is purely strings) but it also makes you aware this will be a totally different Beatles experience from anything before. BUT if I were picking something else to open the LP with it would be Got to Get You Into My Life. It starts off with a similar bang, is nice and poppy but also new, fresh and unpredictable. Much love ✌
Also didn't realise until you pointed it out how big of a deal the drum sound to this album is. Each kick and snare sound like cannons firing
Wow! Great analysis. As a huge Beatles fan knowing them for 50 years I needed to subscribe to your channel. By the way: I love this album too. I think it represents the real peak of the Beatles' work.
I'm loving your music breakdowns in these vids. Mostly because you give more reaction than "Oh, I like the vibe" and go into the "here's why I like the vibe" (something that we too often don't analyse - but that's for another day). As for an alternative Revolver opener - I would still defer to George Martin's "start with a banger, end with a banger" rule and go with either Got To Get You Into My Life or And Your Bird Can Sing - both kind of straddle the musicality of what was and what is to come. AYBCS has that "multi-guitar" riff that recalls their earlier 12-string guitar sound or even that Nowhere Man solo, and GTGYIML has that Paperback Writer riff in it plus the brass section which was also in keeping with the soul sound of the era
I am a monstrous Beatle fan, and have been one for 55 years. I love all the details that go with their lives and music, and have read tons of material. But I’ll have to say, your video felt fresh!! And that isn’t easy to do with the voluminous information there is out there on them. “Taxman” is a wonderful song, and I didn’t think I could love it any more than I already do, and now, thanks to you, I like it even better!!!😊 Bravo, young lady, that was awesome!!! And your creative cut aways to yourself doing different things and playing different roles, was great too.
P.S. - I wouldn’t open this album with any other song, it’s perfect. AND I wouldn’t want that song itself to open any differently but with the count in and the cough. It’s legendary!! P.S.S. - One of my favorite things you said was how Rubber Soul is more a continuation of HELP!, while Revolver was a hard left turn. And that’s not a knock on Rubber Soul, or anything early Beatles. I love all of it. But, I think you’re right about that. The jump between Rubber Soul and Revolver is much bigger than the jump between Help! And Rubber Soul. The difference between Rubber Soul and Help is another beautiful album of great and fantastic songs! The difference between Rubber Soul and Revolver is more revolutionary in music. I hadn’t quite taken note of that before.
I think Got to Get You into My Life could have been the opener... I also considered if it's movement from it's position on side B would be an issue. I think it could work!
Another great episode! Thank you
This would definitely make my shortlist, yeah. Can't wait to do that episode, I LOVE that song.
Ringo doesn’t explore fills? 🤯 I used to think the same but it’s not the case at all. Even as far back as Please Please Me he had tasty fills that only got tastier peaking with Magical Mystery Tour sessions ❤
Sh%t ! You know WAY more than i ever did about the first band I really dug (loved? We didn't say that back then!!). Cool !!
Nice work girl...your new friend Abby brought me here..
You're brilliant and this is great - that's my constructive criticism
Fabulous video.
The only other potboiler* that could open Revolver might be, And Your Bird Can Sing.
*George Martin phrase for a good rockin opener.
You have a lot of great musical insights into the songs and an obvious love of the Beatles music. I wish you would play the whole song in its entirety with the minimum amount of interruptions allowed under copyright laws. Then you’d be my favorite channel!
Thank you! Unfortunately, what I'm play is about as much as I am allowed under copyright laws - I've had a few videos blocked in the past because of copyright, frustratingly. The amount that I feature in my videos means that almost all my videos are demonetised, but it's more important to me that I get to play at least a bit of these songs. If I could play it all, I would in a heartbeat! 🙂
@@fathommusicnzThanks. I figured copywriters was the issue. It really refreshing to hear a musician talk about the Beatles work! I’m sending a link. You’ve probably heard it already. I’ll give you a hint. It’s a hypnotic raga. czcams.com/video/P3IuNGxGVXk/video.htmlsi=8UgHnHyqiLMPZXPx
As a taxman, I don't take this song personally. I'd just point out that tax bands and personal allowances have to be taken into account as well as tax rates. The lyrics might not quite flow quite so well though.
If I was to pick another opener off the album, I'd go for She Said, She Said. It rocks hard like an opener should, has the different lyrical content and an acid vibe.
Song to start the album (if not Taxman), first that came to mind Got To Get You Into My Life. It's still the choice. Because it's upbeat, great, not weird, strong. Robust, even. (great, strong and robust sound similar in meaning, but I know what I mean - that's the main thing, right?) For No One and Tomorrow Never Knows I prefer to Got To Get..., but they wouldn't work opening the album. Of course, you can't imagine Taxman not kicking it off. It's perfect
What a fantastic video have a wonderful day also happy leap year ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊
You presented your arguments very well and in entertaining fashion. I think Taxman is the best song to open the album, but if I had to choose another, it would be And Your Bird Can Sing.
WOW! Absolutely spellbinding reaction, as usual Fathom... Thanx so much!
I actually forget that I was only 11 when this lp came out, and I played it on my portable stereo over&over. I feel like I was a very "old" tweener.
Alternative opening song? How 'bout YellowSub, just to get the silliness over with? (And I remember driving my parents around the bend in the car when the pop station played the big hit Sub song; such a great singalong!)
Controversial choice! I like it. :)
What song could be used as the opener instead of "Taxman"..?
I guess maybe "And Your Bird Can Sing" or "She Said She Said"... but none of them would work anywhere near as well as "Taxman" in my view.
I think Paul may have used "Got To Get You Into My Life" as an opener in some live shows... but it wouldn't be nearly as good as "Taxman".
"Good Day Sunshine" would be a bright and sunny opener... It opens side two nicely - but "Taxman" was the right choice.
I think "She Said She Said" would be my next best, but truly, I don't know that anything could replace Taxman. I'm enjoying everyone's answers though!
Why are 5 Videos in your Revolver Playlist Hidden?
I love revolver !! I’d say my second favorite to the white album , so when you finish revolver do the white album … I command it !!!! Just kidding I’m just politely asking o’great fathom !!
I have also always thought that Revolver sounds miles ahead of Rubber Soul, but George Harrison always said that he felt the two albums could have been a side A and B of one album.
Sorry, George, love you to bits, but you were wrong on that one.
Just an opinion but that cough can be recognizable as one which might follow a deep inhale. What a splendid introduction to the altered state du jour!
Great vid. Subscribed 👍🏻
Welcome!
Nice job! I hope you are hip to Xtc and The Dukes of Stratosphere... check out Mole From The Ministry 😅
It's a looong time before we get to "X", but I assure you, we will be spending some quality time with them. :)
You just got a new subscriber! I'm a 68-year-old bloke from Liverpool, England and I've loved The Beatles since I was very young. I don't know if you're familiar with a band called The Jam, but they had a song called "Start!" and it is obvious that it was heavily influenced by "Taxman".
Thank you for watching, and welcome aboard!
@@fathommusicnz I'm always happy supporting CZcamsrs producing quality content. I have a couple of very tenuous links to the Beatles: -
For the first 11 years of my life I lived at 18 Fishguard Street in the Everton district of Liverpool. I discovered about 20 years ago that Paul McCartney's dad had once lived at 8 Fishguard Street, which was 5 doors away from our house. In Britain streets tend to have odd-numbered houses on one side and even-numbered houses on the other side.
I never went to the same school as any of the "Fab Four" but I did go to the same school as Pete Best, who was the original drummer with The Beatles. There were some other famous people who attended the same school, including Holly Johnson, who later on became the lead singer with Frankie Goes To Hollywood. He was at the school the same time as me but I think he's 3 or 4 years younger than me so I never knew him personally.
Keep up the good work!
my homework answer ms. is paperback writer could have opened. gotta get you into my life might have operated as a bright opener. idiosyncratically i would have started with here there and everywhere because that song doesn't deserve to wait in a queue.
Thanks for doing this, they are always interesting. Looking forward to the next ones.
At some point, somebody is going to note the "Taxman Take 11" recordings that have been published by the Beatles that show the original, "clean" ending that they ultimately decided to change. This is the version released with the recent 2022 project: czcams.com/video/kurdxfWMaF0/video.html
Fascinating! I love "anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money anybody got a bit of money" in particular.
@@fathommusicnz I'm fascinated by the process, too, particularly for a group like the Beatles and their production team like Martin and Emerick (and Neil and Mal, etc.). The mono mixes of the tracks and recent "super deluxe" releases add to that. (And some of the outtakes have circulated for a very long time.)
Hmmm?
Mmm!
While the Beatles did not venture into social commentary that much with their music, strange that the one song that was so politically charge was about how the government puts their hands deep in the pockets of its citizen in the form of heavy taxation all in the culture of rock and popular music where the liberal viewpoint was dominate yet the fabs come out with a conservative message of how the government is over taxing success as George explained it in his comment.
Two points. First, I think that solo sounds absolutely bitchin’ on piano. Second, women who play bass are fly with a capital “F”.
The way your editing your videos making me dizzy i wish people would go back to the other way of editing there videos with skipping frames i think you know what i mean love the Beatles since i was 4 years old .