First released: 1966, August 5

Original Vinyl Recording Remastered (2012)

Sheet music, guitar tabs, song books at Sheetmusicplus.com

Songs recording date and information:

1. Taxman - Recorded 20th April 1966 - 4 takes ... all discarded. Recorded 21st April 1966 11 new takes (Takes 1-11). Recorded 22nd April 1966 overdubs, creating Take 12. Final mix - take 12
2. Eleanor Rigby - Recorded 28th April 1966 in 15 takes. Vocals added to vacant track 29th April 1966 (still, Take 15) Final vocal overdub, 6th June 1966. Final mix - take 15
3. I'm Only Sleeping - Recorded 27th April 1966 in 11 takes. Overdubs added to take 11 - 29th April
   Overdubs added to take 11 - 5th May. Overdubs added to take 11 - 6th May making takes 12 & 13. Final mix - take 13
4. Love You to - Original working title, "Granny Smith". Recorded 11th April 1966 in 6 takes. Recorded 13th April 1966 one more take, Take 7. Final mix - take 7
5. Here, There and Everywhere - Recorded 14th June 1966 in 4 takes. Recorded 16th June 1966 - 10 takes (5-14). Final mix - take 14
6. Yellow Submarine - Recorded 26th May 1966 in 5 takes. Sound effects overdubs 1st June 1966 onto take 5. Final mix - take 5
7. She Said She Said - Recorded 21st June 1966 in 4 takes. Final mix - take 4
8. Good Day Sunshine - Recorded 8th June 1966 in 3 takes, backing track only. Vocal overdubs onto take 1. Final mix - take 1
9. And Your Bird Can Sing - Recorded 20th April 1966 - 2 takes. Remake recorded 26th April 1966 11 takes (Takes 3-13). Final mix - take 10 and take 4
10. For No One - Recorded 9th May 1966 in 10 takes. Overdubs added 16th May ending with takes 13 & 14. More overdubs 19th May onto take 14. Final mix - take 14
11. Dr. Robert - Recorded 17th April 1966 in 7 takes, backing track only. Vocal overdubs onto take 7 (on spare track). Final mix - take 7
12. I Want to Tell You - Original title, "Laxton's Superb", then entitled, "I Don't Know". Recorded 2nd June 1966 in 5 takes. Final mix - take 4
13. Got to Get You Into My Life - Recorded 7th April 1966 - 5 takes. Recorded 8th April 1966 - 3 takes (Takes 6-8). Overdubs and vocals added 18th May 1966 - 3 takes (9-11). Final mix - take 9 with the brass from take 8
14. Tomorrow Never Knows - Original working title, "Mark I" What a start ... dare I say, the most innovative track on the album - years ahead of it's time, and yet, the very first track recorded at the start of the Revolver sessions. Recorded 6th April 1966 in 3 takes. Take 1 is sensational ... seek it out. Take 2 was a breakdown. Final mix - take 3 with further overdubs made on 7th and 22nd April

Revolver is the album which, by common consent, shows the Beatles at the peak of their creativity welding very strong, economical but lyrically incisive song material with brave studio expermentation. Today, in the late 1980s, it remains one of those rare albums which is albe to retain its original freahness and vitality. Revolver is a pop masterpiece.

Hindsight also affords us the opportunity to see Revolver as the vital lateau between the Beatles' touring activities and what was to become known as their 'studio years'. Although the group had been immensely productive at Abbey Road since 1962, recording the best and most evocative songs of the era, their output had always been worked around other activities, principally inter-continental concert tours, films and marketing stratefies like four singles per year and an album at Christmas.

But the Beatles had grown to loathe their concert appearances, sub-30 minute blasts to a distant sea of Beatlemaniacs, forever stufked by screams of adoration through which only rarely could they hear themselves play. In the recording studio the Beatles were striving increasingly for innovation and perfection. On stage they were injecting the basic minimum of care, playing out of time and tune and fluffing lyrics. Worse still, they knew that if their audience could hear the screaming and adulation would not diminish one jot because the fans were there merely to pay homage to the group, not hear the music. For four rapidly growing musicians it was an anathema they could no longer bear.

The Beatles' very last concert tour commenced in Chicago on 12 August 1966. As ludicrous as it may seem by today's standards - where most artistes tour only to promote a new album - the Beatles did not perform a solitart song from Revolver , released just four days earlier in the USA (and just seven days earlier in the UK). Paperback Writer was included but that was the only concession to 1966, the other songs including I Wanna Be Your Man , Long Tall Sally and Baby's In Black , all a mere two or three years old but an eternity in the history of Beatles recordings.The problem was that three guitars and a drum kit couldn't oissubky reproduce Tomorrow Never Knows on stage.

THe punning Revolver was just one of a number of potential album titles the Beatles toyed with before they cabled EMI with their final decision from Japan [where they were giving concerts] on 2 July. It could have been 'Abracadabra' but that had already been used by someone else. 'Magic Circles' and 'Beatles on Safari' were other alternatives.

Both Revolver and the single Eleanor Rigby / Yellow Submarine were number one hits worldwide. The latter was another double A-sided disc, Ringo thus securing his first lead vocal on a UK Beatles single.

- Mark Lewishon "The Beatles Recording Sessions"