[Photo © Apple Corps Ltd.]
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That depends – are you a Beatles music collector who views the special edition hardcover book as a bonus, or a Beatles book collector who views the special edition CDs as a bonus?
On October 28, 2022, The Beatles release a special edition of Revolver which comes in six configurations. The release centers around the new mix of the album made possible “with the help of cutting edge de-mixing technology developed by Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd.”
As a writer, while I appreciate the new mixes and alternate takes offered in the new Beatles Revolver special edition 2022 release, I am more interested in the new 100-page book that comes in the Super Deluxe set.
I really enjoyed the 7-page introduction by Questlove. It is refreshing to hear a different generational perspective of how this musician became a Beatles fan. Who knew that The Beatles songs had been sampled by so many rap artists?
I enjoyed reading the backstory about different photographers who worked with The Beatles at that time, including Robert Freeman and Robert Whitaker. But for Revolver, they both got beat out by a graphic artist to do the cover for the album. That would be bass player and friend to The Beatles, Klaus Voormann.
[Photo © Apple Corps Ltd.]
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My favorite section of the book has to be the excerpt from Klaus Voormann’s graphic novel, Revolver: Birth of an Icon (see unboxing video below). This was only previously available through a Genesis Publications limited edition book from 2017, which has sold out.
Of course, there is much more to read in the deluxe book including the foreword by Paul McCartney, an introduction by Giles Martin, and detailed track notes by Beatles historian and author, Kevin Howlett, to name a few.
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After listening to the two “Sessions” CDs that offer alternate takes, rehearsals and demos, I was somewhat disappointed. What would be really interesting is to hear the evolution of many of the songs on Revolver. However, we only get this for a few songs.
You may think I am expecting too much for these Sessions discs. However, I have something to compare it to. Being an Elvis fan as well, I have been listening to the special series on Sirius XM where they take you through each of Presley’s recording sessions. They play you multiple takes of each song, which enables you to hear how the song progressed and changed. You literally hear how the magic of the song was created.
One of the few Revolver songs on the Sessions CDs where you can really experience the progression of the song is for “Yellow Submarine”. John Lennon’s original acoustic version of the song is fascinating for Beatles fans to hear. To learn how they changed the song by listening to the different versions is like witnessing magic!
On “Love You To” (Take 7), it is interesting to hear how Paul McCartney tried to add his harmony to this George Harrison song. While in most cases, Paul’s higher-pitched harmony greatly enhanced a Beatles song, in this case it didn’t work and they left it out of the final version.
The alternate take of “Got to Get You Into My Life” is fun to hear as well.
If only there were more instances like this on Revolver. Out of the 31 Sessions tracks, we get six instrumental/backing tracks, which perplexes me. I understand that there is limited space on CD or vinyl to present multiple incarnations of a song, but then why squander some of the real estate with instrumentals? Those tracks would be more interesting with vocal outtakes.
If you’re on a limited budget, you can’t go wrong with the two-disc set which comes with a 40-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book. Along with the 2022 mix of Revolver, you also get one disc of the “Sessions” outtakes. But of course you don’t get the fascinating “Yellow Submarine” acoustic version. For that you’ll have to splurge and get the Super Deluxe 5-CD set!
Here is the track listing for the Sessions CDs in the Super Deluxe set:
Sessions One
1: Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)
2: Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono mix RM 11)
3: Got To Get You Into My Life (First version) – Take 5
4: Got To Get You Into My Life (Second version) – Unnumbered mix – mono
5: Got To Get You Into My Life (Second version) – Take 8***
6: Love You To (Take 1) – mono
7: Love You To (Unnumbered rehearsal) – mono
8: Love You To (Take 7)
9: Paperback Writer (Takes 1 and 2) – Backing track – mono
10: Rain (Take 5 – Actual speed)***
11: Rain (Take 5 – Slowed down for master tape)
12: Doctor Robert (Take 7)
13: And Your Bird Can Sing (First version) – Take 2
14: And Your Bird Can Sing (First version) – Take 2 (giggling)
Sessions Two
1: And Your Bird Can Sing (Second version) – Take 5
2: Taxman (Take 11)
3: I’m Only Sleeping (Rehearsal fragment) – mono
4: I’m Only Sleeping (Take 2) – mono
5: I’m Only Sleeping (Take 5) – mono***
6: I’m Only Sleeping (Mono mix RM1)
7: Eleanor Rigby (Speech before Take 2)
8: Eleanor Rigby (Take 2)***
9: For No One (Take 10) – Backing track***
10: Yellow Submarine (Songwriting work tape – Part 1) – mono
11: Yellow Submarine (Songwriting work tape – Part 2) – mono
12: Yellow Submarine (Take 4 before sound effects)
13: Yellow Submarine (Highlighted sound effects)
14: I Want To Tell You (Speech and Take 4)
15: Here, There And Everywhere (Take 6)
16: She Said She Said (John’s demo) – mono
17: She Said She Said (Take 15) – Backing track rehearsal***
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***These are instrumental tracks
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You can compare that to the Sessions track listing on the 2 CD set:
CD 1: Revolver (New stereo mix)
CD 2: Sessions
1: Paperback Writer (New stereo mix)
2: Rain (New stereo mix)
3: Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)
4: Got To Get You Into My Life (Early mix)
5: Love You To (Take 7)
6: Doctor Robert (Take 7)
7: And Your Bird Can Sing (First version) Take 2
8: Taxman (Take 11)
9: I’m Only Sleeping (Take 2) – mono
10: Eleanor Rigby (Take 2)***
11: For No One (Take 10) – Backing track***
12: Yellow Submarine (Take 4 before sound effects)
13: I Want To Tell You (Speech and Take 4)
14: Here, There And Everywhere (Take 6)
15: She Said She Said (Take 15) – Backing track rehearsal***
[Photo © Apple Corps Ltd.]
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Click here to order:
2CD Deluxe set – https://amzn.to/3SCY26Z
5CD Super Deluxe set – https://amzn.to/3BmbDdt
Super Deluxe Vinyl plus 7 inch EP set – https://amzn.to/3B0wWjD
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