BEATLES: Revolution 9 - Their Craziest Song Explained

[@patgalvez4563]

At the end of Revolution 9 you can a hear a crowd chanting 'block that kick..block that kick'. When John's death was announced by Howard Cosell on MNF right afterward there was a field goal attempt that was blocked...And the kicker was an Englishman named John Smith....who was the only English field goal kicker in the NFL....

[@julianciahaconsulting8663]

Now that gets my Obscure Beatles Trivia Award for 2024 hands down.

[@nahte-]

I always thought they were saying “Suck that dick! Suck that dick!”

[@kenthetalkingpen2518]

OMG

[@marcofalzone6469]

That's just chaos theory SCARY 😂

[@craigharrison1274]

Or they just faked his death which really shouldn’t surprise anyone.

[@imnotac0p]

Revolution 1 is a kinda fun, really catchy way of asking the listener "Are you sure you want a revolution?" Revolution 9 drops the smile and asks again.

[@mr.moviemafia]

Pretty great way to sum up the dichotomy between those two tracks 😅

[@WatercraftGames]

The duality of the tone.

[@EmmanuelGoldstein3]

Okay, you made me go listen to Revolution 9 again for the first time in about 120 years. And it still seems to be what it always was: vaguely interesting for its weirdness, kinda fun to listen to once in a blue moon, but ultimately not really all that good. In terms of interpreting it, I tend to think it's best to not be too linear. It's not really a song that screams linear narrative, especially narrative buried so deep in the mix that you need special technology to retrieve it. And I don't see it as a call to revolution. The Revolution song that it's coupled with also doesn't seem a call to revolution, despite its title. It's more saying, calm down, things are complicated, we're all good people doing the best as we can, everything's going to be alright, you're just going to make things worse with violence and/or extreme revolutionary ideology. I've always interpreted Revolution 9 as fundamentally being about conflict. There's the constant quick hard panning back and forth, saying that there's this side and that side. The sides are in opposition, but both use the same football chants, suggesting that there's no fundamental difference between them notwithstanding their conflict. It's also an observation of how we use mock conflict as entertainment, how it's enjoyable to us vicariously identify with a tribe that does battle with against another. Similarly, neither of the voices is saying anything remotely intelligent, and yet they're just stepping on each other, neither listening to the other, just barreling ahead with their pointless points. And there are the military noises, which of course point to real actual war, rather than make-believe war. And I kind of see little digs at consumerism here and there, like in the enumeration of the dances punctuated with El Dorado, which can be seen as the dream that happiness can be achieved through wealth. The bit at the end about becoming naked makes me think about the idea (which was quite popular in that era) that sexual liberation would resolve society's problems. You know, make love, not war. It could also refer to the psychotherapeutic idea of letting go of our defenses in order to achieve personal growth. I really wouldn't read all that much into this sound collage. After all Lennon wrote I Am The Walrus as a mockery of those who were trying to discover profound meanings within his songs.

[@petehealy9819]

Well said.

[@dreammachine2013]

I second that emotion😊

[@WillEede]

that track reminds me to the music Mick Jagger made for Kenneth anger's My demon brother. Probably made around the same time.

[@unknown6390]

Stupid take

[@WatercraftGames]

For me, it's not the song itself, but hearing "wholesome" songs after R. 9 like HCTS feel completely different. A nightmare you can't wake up from.

[@mikemcintyre3961]

This was WAAAAY better a documentary than I expected. Subscribe to this guy. Excellent stuff.

[@JamieShogun1973]

In the early 90s , me and my pals would double drop purple ohms and listen to this track “number 9 , number 9 “ it was like being surrounded by dozen of strangers living in the speakers while we’re just out of sight , clinking glasses and talking in sentences that were not quite there . I’ve not listened to it in 30 years , not sure I want to . Great double album that aside

[@atk8758]

Numbah nine-uh, numbah nine-uh.

[@robinfoster7597]

It's not complicated, John talks about it in the Get Back film - it represents the sound you would hear after "the great calamity" i.e nuclear war. It was 1968 at the height of the cold war. John was a peace activist and this track is meant to be disturbing, for nuclear war is meant to be disturbing. It is the birth of sampling and something we take for granted today. It is years ahead of its time and a masterpiece.

[@PaulFormentos]

we may be living it NOW, Lennon was so COSMIC

[@williamneillgross3926]

Very interesting. I was listening to this song a few weeks ago. I first heard it in late '68 or early '69. The remarkable thing about it is that at this point I listen to it as I would a song. I know what part is coming next, which lyric I am going to hear, which sound will act as music. That it is listenable at all is remarkable enough since it is so chaotic and I would say unpleasant, but a testament to John and Yoko's artistic sensibilities as well as that of the Beatles that it has had such longevity. I agree with Paul, I would have left it off the album back then BUT I'm glad, after all these decades, that it made the cut.

[@philipmilburn5186]

Love your vids James and always looking forward to the next one

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Awesome, thank you!

[@dennisbishop3016]

I’m not into numerology, but there’s another 9 in John’s life. John was taken from us on December 8, 1980 at 10:50 PM New York time. The date was December 9 in Liverpool where he was born.

[@ray_ray_7112]

I was about to comment the same thing, but it was mentioned briefly in the video shortly after the 9-minute mark, at 9:29 to be precise.

[@dennisbishop3016]

Thanks. I actually missed that in the video because it was only in text on the screen, and I was mostly just listening to the audio. @@ray_ray_7112

[@waynejensen9634]

Wow! Incredible analogy! I've been obsessed with Revolution 9 since I bought the LP as a teen. We reversed it on a real to real player. My friends and I didn't sleep that night. Haunted by what it all could be. Your isolation of John and George's "lyrics" has solved a 55+ year desire to know just what the fuck were they saying. Super Appreciate all the research and the time you put into this project. I wish we lived close and could hang out with you in order to debate and discuss interpretation. 90% of yours are a match to mine. You never cease to amaze or open my eyes/ears to what I've missed lyrically and music- wise. You're absolutely AMAZING! THANKS SO MUCH for this!

[@waynejensen9634]

Reel to reel (fucking spellchecker) 🙂

[@birchsongsltd.6831]

I will never forget the first time I heard this track. I was high as a kite on really good weed provided by an older friend who got me stoned then said: "check this out." He started the track as I sat on the edge of a waterbed and closed my eyes. I had to have him stop it before it finished as I was literally feeling my head pop off my shoulders and float to the ceiling. I was all of 16.

[@hisalexness8478]

This is amazing! Please do more Beatles stuff. It’s amazing how much symbolism and meaning can be found in this band. Maybe the two sides are communicating via Telegram, as in the messaging app? A premonition!

[@zeitgeistyreport]

all the horrible ai art makes this post even creepier

[@LavaCreeperPeople]

Come on, they can't be that bad, right

[@bailey.mckinlay]

ruins it a bit for me

[@funlittlefish]

Love it when you talk Beatles, James. You have knack for unveiling things that even die hard Beatles fans have missed. You should check out a band from my home country (new zealand) called The Doublejumps. You'll love em mate. Cheers :)

[@BettyBoolean]

Yeah but will it play at your wedding?

[@JohnLennon99791]

@@BettyBoolean yes🤣

[@JillKnapp]

I play in an annual Beatles festival where we play all 217 Beatles songs they ever recorded/released... which means we also do a live performance of Revolution 9. We look forward to playing it every year. Half the audience is like "What in the sweet jesus is this?” and other folks are ridiculously stoked. 😁

[@4dultw1thj0b]

It's funny, when I was a kid I used to be so freaked out by the track that I would run out of the room if it came on. And yet now I've listened to it all the way through several times over, sometimes in one day, and even enjoyed it! Honestly even if there's not some "deep meaning" to it (though I think it can really mean whatever you bring to it or experience as a listener) I just think it's neat in its composition and the usage of samples. There are certain melody bits that have become my favorite and get stuck in my head, and I like imagining the creation in the studio being like a mix of a DJ and a mad scientist. I think it only sounds so scary when you don't know what to expect or when it doesn't sound like anything you've heard before, and when you come out on the other end there's a kind of appreciation for the journey. Also I like how after "take this brother, may it serve you well" it feels a bit like someone waking up from a bizarre dream in the middle of the night all groggy and disoriented, which makes Good Night all the sweeter afterward.

[@RicoCosta317]

When I was 9 year old kid (there's those 9's again! I too was scared of it because it reminded me of the bizarre lucid dreams I had, like a live representation of a nightmare. It still fills me with a sense of dread to this day.

[@JohnHancotte]

Your detailed analysis and ability to speak so fluently on this subject without stumbling is impressive. I have heard for many years how Revolution #1 degenerated into chaos and that it led into Revolution #9. I had also heard that #9 was John's first recording for the White Album (after the demos recorded at George's home) and that he couldn't consider doing anything else until it was completed. I had also heard that Paul wasn't impressed by it, perhaps because he was away and didn't contribute to it. I may be mistaken on some of these points; it's been a while and trying to recall from long ago. Thank you for giving us much to consider, particularly with your efforts in the isolated surround sound dialog tracks.

[@John-cr2tn]

Thank you for your patience in separating these tracks I've been listening to for years

[@eversosleight]

It really sounds like Martin is calling Taylor a "cheap b*tch," rather than a cheeky one. I've listened to this over and over and i just can't hear the two syllable cheeky, but cheap. This actually makes more sense given the context of a guy not bringing the wine. Anyone else hear it this way?

[@kennethnorman8079]

James, you are a better man than I, Gunga Din. I got the White Album when I was 7 about 4 years after it came out. Revolution 9 was so disturbing that I would take it off after about a minute. So often that I didn’t even notice “Good Night” until the CDs came out in the late eighties. I think that Revolution 9 has more to do with John’s obsession with the Goons and his jealousy that while he was married to Cynthia, Paul was going to avant-garde concerts and getting into Cage/Berios/Partch and making soundscapes just like this and pressing them in tiny numbers as Christmas gifts. Some of this stuff was eventually featured on Paul’s “Oobu Joobu” series.

[@matcoffidis1135]

Oobu Jubu. I thi k I heard of thst on The Beatles Channel on Sirius XM. I've only listened to Revolution #9 once. I found it rather hard to get through just that one time...

[@robertdillon6821]

One of the best pieces of work John did. Brilliant. Great video too. Well done!

[@scottsessions3240]

I've never listened hard enough to this track. I thought it was just a fill the groves of the record kind of thing. You've just unveiled to me the work that went into this track. Thanks a ton.

[@HauntedCJ]

James, you say "occult" like it's an friendly bacteria yogurt drink

[@ChorltonandtheWheelies]

True! 😆 Really entertaining video James! Please *please* keep exploring Beatles tracks - it's fascinating ✌

[@tastemaker_87]

Lmao

[@sitluxetluxfuit4481]

Occult simply means hidden

[@maxccfc1927]

Yakult

[@charlesbronson4282]

He says occult like it's a flavor of ice cream

[@RonMazasco]

I've listened to it many times and have always loved it. It's a sound collage, exciting, intriguing and just part of that magical group The Beatles. There's nothing crazy about it.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

It's totally crazy. It's still awesome.

[@ajdc88]

if you think Revolution #1 and Revolution #9 are completely unrelated, go listen to Revolution #5

[@stevenmacias3605]

I may never listen to Revolution 9 the same way again. I always thought that it was a way out song like "Tomorrow Never Knows". Now after watching this, I'll have to rethink that. Excellent video. 👍

[@234cheech]

why

[@tonygatos1]

Fantastic video! You've brought up ideas that need to be further explored. I'm always learning something new about the Beatles, even after being a fan for 60 years.

[@patrickbrett1552]

This is what TV should be. Fascinating. More please. Ta La.

[@GT380man]

Like many people, I disposed of my TV & have never returned to it. Why? I knew it was mostly nonsense but realised it’s totally lies and mind control during early Plandemic nonsense. Sick of being lied to and nudged.

[@hankwedelmusic9965]

I was gonna like this but look! NINE viewers already have!

[@loosi74]

strueth pat my pal !

[@pommelhorsepommelhorse8731]

there's a long history of experimental music that most beatle fans (or people in general) are aware of. R#9 has a place among the great experimental pieces of the 20th century. I've always found it amusing when 'fans' hate it because it's not "I Wanna Hold Your Hand".

[@bryack]

McCartney also has a #9 connection which I have never seen mentioned anywhere. In 1966 he crashed on a motorbike and chipped his upper left central incisor. His UK dentist will have identified it as UL1, but on an American dental chart it would have been #9. (Bryan Stack, Omaha, Nebraska, USA, 12 June 2024)

[@bjones8470]

I’ve always felt the same way about the number 9 starting with being born on the morning of February 9 1964. My father bought me my first Beatles album when I was 9 years old. I’ve always found the number fascinating like the integers in any multiple of 9 add up to 9 and when I was a child there were 9 planets ( I still consider Pluto a planet)

[@RaymondAndTheCircle]

I also thought this was great when I first heard it when it came out at age 11. I also remember that that submerged banter between John and George was supposed to be clues about Paul's "death." Especially those lines about needing a surgeon and going to a dentist instead. No wonder he died after blowing his mind out in a car.

[@Joe-v5x7t]

Fantastic job James, ripping this crazy song apart ! There's a lot of great videos on the Y-tube this one stands among the top 10... Fabulous Job....

[@stflaw]

LSD + Yoko = Revolution 9.

[@martinfenton1275]

The Yoko speech sounds the way it does because it was recorded from the speaker of a portable cassette recorder. There are bootlegs out there of her talking into her little mic at a Beatles session.

[@PaulFormentos]

"Satan look at me'

[@williamfurman2042]

Guitarist George, proudly shouting out the name of a model Cadillac, El Dorado, though he liked cars, he mostly only owned cars from the UK and Europe.

[@ajdc88]

if you think Revolution #9 is bad, you should hear Revolution #8

[@PaperBanjo64]

Is that number 8 burp?

[@PaulFormentos]

What does Number Eight sound like in reverse?

[@williamlangan5902]

@@PaulFormentos, tay rubmun! LOL

[@desertigloo2383]

Thgie

[@bigdunc228]

James I love the way your head works. I you are deep lad , I wish I still had your insight . P.S my mission is to get Lee M to speak with you . Seen him twice over Xmas.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Thanks mate, appreciate that I'd love to speak to Lee, but let's be honest... I won't hold my breath! Who knows eh? Might happen one day!

[@GT380man]

@@JamesHargreavesGuitarCan hardly believe that “The Las” is 35 years old now. Reminds me how old I am. Would love to hear a casual chat between you and Lee. Did you know Lee’s brother has a KZbin channel about old cars? Lovely guy. I think his name is Gary though I’m not 100%.

[@tom-kz9pb]

You don't "explain" surrealism. You don't "explain" poetry, You experience it, and get an intuitive, nonverbal impression from it.

[@dreammachine2013]

Perfectly right

[@unknown6390]

Thank you

[@michaelszczys8316]

Back in 1969 in Detroit I listened to local FM radio where well known DJ had a special program where he played a special recording of revolution 9. I remember hearing the part of John and George reciting poetry and telling the story of someone being in a car crash and getting burned, loosing a lot or all of their hair and going to the hospital. It was a clear recording as I remember, without all the covering noise. This was in 1968 or 69 and I never ever heard any of that version again. The best guess I came up with was back in the 1960s pre- recorded reel to reel tapes were available, I was only a kid but I remember seeing them in revord stores. I think even 4 channel versions were available but very rare and that disc jockey must have had connections. The program was basically the start of the ' Paul is dead ' hoopla.

[@stefaandeleeck4380]

In 'Don't Pass me By', the Ringo Starr song from the white album, there indeed is mentioned that someone was in a car crash and lost their hair. 😀

[@PaulFormentos]

Man, there are HUNDREDS of clues, many backmasked@@stefaandeleeck4380

[@sixteeschyl]

Pure art.Listening again decades later you can hear how John painted this revolution with sound.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

It's fucking brilliant. To others it sounds like a random collage of noise. To me it sounds very planned and carefully constructed. A genuine masterstroke and one of the most groundbreaking pieces they did.

[@PaulFormentos]

I often find myself humming it during the work day.....

[@78zappaf]

I was disappointed with the deluxe release that they did not include the dialogue session. The reels exists (Mark Lewisohn mentions it in the "Complete Beatles Recording Session"). They should have included it to represent Revolution 9 recording session. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who tried to isolate the dialogue from the surround mix. Revolution 9 track should be properly credited as Lennon/Harrison/Ono. George did supply lots of the loops, encouraged John to finish the mix, Yoko even confirmed that George participated a lot for the track, helping John on mixing the track. You have to listen to the acetate of Revolution 9. There is a bit of missing dialogue, and a weird speed change during the "number 9" sample. "Take this brother, may it serve you well" was not the last bit of dialogue George says something else after (again, only available on the acetate mix). Sad fact, John was pronounced dead on the 8th of December.. yet it was December 9 in England.

[@sjdrifter72]

John: "Take this, brother. May it serve you well." George: "Thank You........I'd just like to say." Yeah, the acetate mix was available here on KZbin for several years until it got taken down. Fortunately I downloaded the video and I also have it on a bootleg CD.

[@parkie101010]

This is quite good. Honestly, I’ve always felt it’s pretty great so many who own the white album also own a piece of avant-garde art I this track. Although I tend to skip it, I suppose I’m still glad it’s there.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

While I prefer conventional music, I DO love something like a #9 every so often. As a 5 year old, I thought it was the funniest thing I'd heard up to that point. Still think it's a riot.

[@riquiffer]

Would love a third part to The Masterplan Theory with Noel's first solo album

[@sidoughty428]

Always a piece that strongly contributed to the eerieness of the fabulous White album. I once found an official cassette copy of the album that reverses the last two tracks

[@matm4331]

Very interesting take and your work on it is appreciated...

[@tomtebby7408]

Excellent and informative video once again. Revolution take 20 is somewhat different to take 18 and gets a little more out there. It is also the final recording made in the studio of Revolution according to the recording sheet you can see in the background when you play take 18 on Spotify. Weirdly there is no mention of take 18 though. Take 20 is definitely worth seeking out.

[@julianciahaconsulting8663]

i think Rev take 20 is super cool, best of all the Revolutions actually; shoulda been on the White Album re issue

[@tonys9102]

Always sounded to me like John and George were reading snippets from newspaper articles and ad libbing on them. It would be interesting if someone collected the papers from the days before the recording to see if there was any match-up. By the way, during the Yoko/outro section, they're playing a record in the background -- Farid El Atrache's "Awel Hamsa." Anyway, nice to see this track analyzed. People might not like it, but it's the kind of thing that kept them from being just another pop band. Who else would put a sound montage on a record expected to sell millions?

[@allenjones3130]

"Revolution 9" is unquestionably the weirdest and most controversial track the Beatles ever issued.

[@stephenridley1153]

You know my name. Look up the number!

[@raddimusmcchoyber3362]

Number Eight BUUURRPP Number Eight BUUUURRPP Number Eight BUUURRRPPP

[@TEHORIGINALSTEVO]

"I'd like a single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man's hat."

[@robynsegg]

EXACTLY!!! APU AND SKINNER'S EYE ROLLS, THOUGH!!!! 🤣

[@rogandbingofbingalahtravel3680]

I've always felt that Revolution Number 9 is a highly underrated masterpiece which, over time, will be considered among the greatest of works. John said, at one point, that is was just a picture of what he thinks will happen. But, as I weave all three songs together, I interpret it to mean that we are in the middle of a ninth Revolution. That revolution being the cultural revolution of the era. We hear what sounds to be a guitar lic with cheering crowds very similar to Beatlemania. We hear social unrest. We hear of financial imbalance. We hear outakes of the 1968 national Democratic convention where riots occurred. The slow version, Revolution 1, says, "we all doing what we can" followed by guitars and 50's rock and roll, doowap sounds. My interpretation of all three versions is that we are in the middle of a social revolution, throwing out the old establishment and ringing in the new. "Christianity will die", Lennon said. The sexual revolution, whose anthem is rock and roll (originally referring to fornication, according to Little Richard and others) is underway. John can be counted out now but in later, for the final climax of a social, violent revolution. "Don't you know, it's gonna be alright". In other words, it will all take place in it's own time. The church is eerily chanting in the background with serene vocals in Revolution 9. Happy Christmas, OUT SPELLS OUT! Like a child being punished..be out of here, now! "A Spaniard in the Works" was a foretelling of John's antithesis to Christianity, just as pepper is an antithesis to "ye are the salt of the earth". Interestingly, Magical Mystery Tour precedes the white album and Yellow Submarine follows, both with references to magic in song and story lines. (And, of course, the infamous witch Allister Crowley showing dead center in the album cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band". Personally, I have felt that John's revolution began at an early age where he would purposely try to divide families, such as Paul's family, as he admitted in his Rolling Stone interview. His revolutionary tendencies spread into the culture and influenced an entire generation around the world. The Beatles are now a vital part of our world's history, for better or worse, or both.

[@julianciahaconsulting8663]

i agree. It remains a totally unique piece of work. Nothing else sounds like it.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

Ian MacDonald who wrote Revolution in the Head rated this highly. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

[@cono4949]

Burguers?

[@CV-qy5qi]

I’ve appreciated your analyses. This one is particularly brilliant. For my money I am the Walrus captures the zeitgeist of the middle sixties as well.

[@jimpefferly2514]

I love your videos! Fascinating insight! One thing I always heard different was the Broken Wings part. I always thought it ended with, "I'm not in the mood for Wording". I took it to mean, "I'm not able to say anymore." See what you think.

[@Housemartinuk]

Intyeresting analysis. I enjoyed listening to/watching that. I am always dismayed when people - including fans - think that The White Album should have been a single album. If it was a single album, it wouldn't be the White Album as we know and love it. The most disliked tracks - "Wild Honey Pie", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" and "Revolution 9" - are *essential* to the album, IMO. "Revolution 9", especially, gives The Beatles a dimension that they would otherwise not have had. I have grown to love the track over the years and see it as part of a trilogy with "Cry Baby Cry" and "Good Night". A great way to end my favourite album of all-time.

[@dreammachine2013]

Brilliant hypothesis and analysis, James! At the very least you managed to extract an interesting story out of this mad recording (song?)🎉 As I do remember May and June 68 in France quite well, the overlapping timelines of recording and revolutionary activities in France that had Predident de Gaule secretely fleeing to Germany seems to support your story and analysis supremely well. John would have appreciate your video❤

[@AgataDDDD]

Great light and background of your video ❤

[@CraigABuchanan]

Didn’t he live on Menlove Ave with Mimi when he was starting The Beatles?

[@SEGAClownboss]

I still think that Ian MacDonald wrote the best analysis of this track than any other person. His writing of it really made me value this particular piece as the climax and culmination of the Beatles' entire personal evolution. It's like the final boss of the Beatles discography. "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road" are the post-game content.

[@OroborusFMA]

I've never understood why John didn't do more of this during his solo career. Yes, he get experimental on Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band but its just traditional song structure and Yoko's tortured child screaming. Yoko is actually tolerable reading/speaking as on Revolution 9.

[@Datsunofthebeach]

Really enjoyed this! I believe that Russia has invaded Czechoslovakia during this very same time? And I also want to say, that there is a passage here of a Syrian Lebanese song, that I believe was first recorded in 1951. I am very proud to say that I have found this record Inside of my grandmother’s 78 record collection from the Middle East. I’m trying to find out what the translation would be, in respect to your story and timeline!

[@bukeksiansu2112]

#9 Dream is one of my favorite song

[@sethfoster9866]

Flower power.

[@monkface]

I just realized that I watched this video today January 9......oh.....my......Gosh.....

[@TigerRogers0660]

Fascinating analysis!!

[@nicksmith4340]

Loads of stuff happened in the beatles career and inevitably loads of it happened on dates with 9 in it. The same significance can be attached to all numbers! Interesting to hear his personal connection though.

[@ray_ray_7112]

Yeah, that's how I see how things work with Numerology. Once you see a couple of coincidental numbers that show up, you can go to extents to find that number appears more often. John was obviously obsessed with the #9. Who knows if he would have actually changed his middle name to Ono if it hadn't been for the fact that he needed 2 more Os to have 9 of them in his name.

[@efficiencygaming3494]

I like the way your brain works! I would have never attempted to find the meaning in the seemingly nonsensical mess of lyrics in this track, let alone find a common theme linking them together in a way that makes sense. Nice interpretation. I know many will argue that the White Album would have been better off without "Revolution 9", but there really is a good reason for it to exist. Knowing what was going on in the world at the time, this would have been an appropriate soundtrack. It's 1968 in musical form - it's the sound of pure chaos.

[@andrewweatherhead4127]

Great album. Interesting from start to finish. 😊

[@rednezke7646]

I thought no way I’d watch this whole video. And yet I totally did

[@BeatlesCentricUniverse]

It was great, wasn't it?

[@jedidrummerjake]

Even more interesting is listening to it backwards. The whole Paul is dead thing tells a horrible story including the car crash, "get me out" during the fire and so on. Do an episode of that!

[@PaperBanjo64]

It's even more terrifying backwards.

[@jedidrummerjake]

@@PaperBanjo64 yes that is what I stated. Backwards.

[@-dugair]

Our very close friend (he was like a brother) was killed in a horrible car crash. Let's have fun with it! A game combining auditory pareidolia with where's Waldo type visual clues into a sort of dead beatle Rorschach inkblot test. At least we still have Ringo! Peace & Love! Long live the oldest and last to join Beatle... Long live Sir Richard! Three Cheers!'*`′•,.-•°*''*'*

[@PaulFormentos]

"Getting better" and "I'm So Tired" are hidden songs in reverse, WILD

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

I remember, as a little girl, being really scared by this track. "Turn me on dead man" and all the theories about Paul having died in a car crash, etc... but knowing Yoko's influence on john I understand it now. It's very much like David Byrne and Brian Eno's "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" where they used found sounds off the local radio and tv channels in San Francisco from the early 1980's. As a matter of fact I always wanted to do a home made video to "America is Waiting" which was about the hostage situation.

[@ChrisDavis-zt6zb]

I first heard Revolution 9 when a friend played it for me not long after he had purchased the White Album. I was a teenager at the time and I found it not only strange but a little disturbing. After I got my own copy of the album, I would pick up the tone arm of my stereo when it reached this track as I simply didn't want to hear it. As the years went by however, I came to not only appreciate Revolution 9 but was fascinated by it. To me, it was like tuning through the band of an AM radio late at night. Although its meanings are very open to interpretation, I think the part in which Lennon discusses someone getting teeth and then going to sea, he's talking about his father, Alfred Lennon, who was a merchant seaman. Thank you for posting this James and thank you for all of your hard work helping to make some sense of Revolution 9.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Cheers Chris, you're very welcome :)

[@Kjt853]

I too was a teenager (15, to be exact) when the album was released. I found the track extremely unsettling, but what unsettled me even more was the way it faded into “Good Night.” That was the creepiest part for me then, and truth to tell, it still is.

[@dreammachine2013]

I got the same impression that John was talking about his father, when the teeth come up.

[@anotheryoutubed]

12:45 That's not typically how stories go though, the climax happens and then the last act is the results of the climax, not just an immediate, that's it, the end, 'thanks for reading'.

[@briannazareth4609]

Brilliant work. Very insightful.

[@AllenJones-w3p]

Cosell should not have announced Lennon's death. Cosell was a sportscaster, not a newscaster.

[@pagano60]

Side note: Before the CD of the White Album - with its presumably official banding - came out, I always thought of Paul's snippet "Can you take me back...?" as the beginning of "Revolution 9," rather than as the end of "Cry Baby Cry." I thought of this brief musical bit as a gentle lead-in by the crowd-pleaser Paul to the more demanding sounds of John's "musique concrète" in "Revolution 9." Nevertheless, placing the two disparate tracks next to each other makes for an intriguing contrast.

[@PaulFormentos]

that Paul bit in reverse "I'll be DEAD today but it won't be forever I'll be DEAD today"

[@dreammachine2013]

As I listened to the album since end of 68 and only recently to a CD version, I don't care who okayed the CD. For me Paul's "Can you take me back" Only makes sense as an intro to Revolution like they did in the old days when joining opposing points of view into a great song like "We can work it out". Paul genuinely loved John and tried to help

[@iansmith8454]

Listening to this in bed trying to sleep. James: ‘Lennon’s voice is the loudest so that’s the one I’ve attempted to transcribe..’ “Have you been scammed, call CEL solicitors”. Turns out it was an unfortunately placed ad.

[@7karlheinz]

You missed the “9” reference in the First Region of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s “Hymnen” (for Concrete and Electronic Sound).Stockhausen’s electronic music influenced the sound elements of Revolution #9 more than any numeral reference. As a genre Revolution #9 is classic concrete music (started in the 1950s to early the 1960s) where the composition is derived entirely from previously recorded sounds. Stockhausen was used as a reference for Frank Zappa’s “Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny” from “We’re Only In it for the Money” LP which was a parody of the Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” album which features Stockhausen on the cover, to which Zappa made an audio response with Kontake-type electronic sounds at the conclusion of “Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny” Revolution…in music via electronic technology!

[@deepvoodoo]

John didn’t take over the world again in 1982. On the other hand, an album Paul appeared on did take over the world starting that year.

[@casperbacon1423]

probably in the majority of 1, but one of my favourite tracks on the white album. I find a lot of the stuff on the album dull and deffo only a single album quality wise. but then I always preferred the weirder still

[@vickielawson3114]

4:51 - John was mistaken about his own birthdate. He was born in the TENTH month, October. Shame he was so superstitious as well.

[@paulanthonystakelin4121]

The initial version of 9 did not have Yoko on it iuntil the very end, her parts taken from the recordings she and John made for 'Two Virgins'. He is incorrect. I have the recording.

[@thomaslytle5519]

Fascinating. Thanks James. I recall reading about John’s fixation with the number 9 in a Beatles book years ago. I love the White Album, but Revolution 9 is where I always turn the record off. It’s just not pleasant to listen to, no matter what it means 😂 Cheers

[@Musicradio77Network]

“Revolution 9” is quite interesting to hear, but it has a potpourri of sounds. What’s interesting is that it contains clues on the “Paul Is Dead” rumor, and when you play backwards, you can utterly hear “Turn me on, dead man”. This also works with quadraphonic systems as a sound test. As you know, quadraphonic was a 4-channel sound format which was introduced in the 1970’s and it was a total failure. Quadraphonic uses SQ, QS and CD-4 matrix systems. And if you play “Revolution 9”, the speaker will go all around both front and rear speakers rather than regular stereo which were left to right as it moves back and forth. “Revolution 9” works on all four speakers with my Sony SQD-1000 SQ decoder and another amplifier and it still sound perfect. I used to have my Sony SQD-1000 SQ decoder, but I gave it away and replaced with my Yamaha RX-V379 AV receiver and it plays SQ encoded quadraphonic records which is compatible. And in addition, another interesting fun fact, these sounds used in “Revolution 9” were from 3-LP set called “118 Authentic Sound Effects” which was put out by Elektra Records. They used many of the sounds which were used in “Revolution 9” was on there. I go through many of the tracks and I found those sound effects that came from “Revolution 9”. Elektra gave permission to use it for the “White Album”.

[@Au66125]

It’s unfortunate so many supposed Beatles fans do not give credence to the content the Beatles sewed into their music. The Beatles and George Martin were auditory geniuses, nothing they did was by chance.

[@-dugair]

If you cut magnetic tape into little sections and then throw them up in the air... pick them up and randomly splice the pieces together (some will be back to front) the result on playback would be the very definition of created by "chance". I believe this primitive sampling technique was used by The Beatles at some point. I could be wrong though... it's happened before. Peace, Love & Cheers! -dugair PDXtc

[@gabirius]

You are talking about events in the US and France, and forget 'The Battle of Grosvenor square' on the 17th March 1968, with some 80k people protesting the Vietnam war and a violent group of Maoists attempting to break into the American embassy. 'Revolution I' is fairly critical of *these* events, and the Maoists are clearly identified ('If you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao / you ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow'). But the rest of the movement is patronized in the song as well. So I'd say that Revolution 9 is neither prophecy nor call to arms, but just a depiction of what was happening. Per Revolution I: When you talk about destruction Don't you know that you can count me out? Don't you know it's gonna be all right?' And yeah, for 'the revolution' that seemed to work so well in France, exposure to London proved to be a difficult thing.

[@Xune2000]

9:49 Shops opening at 9am, what madness is this?! 🙄

[@EddieG1888]

Got to say, this is a very brave subject to tackle! A hard track to analyse, I don't think there's any logic in it, just John & Yoko messing about in the studio, with help from George, and stealing some of the extended musical passages of Revolution, such as John's yelling "alright!" But I wouldn't put any weight in Sean's birthdate, because Yoko was induced so that he would be born on the same day as John.

[@m9078jk3]

No wonder John Lennon was fittingly born on October the 9th.

[@vickielawson3114]

But October is the 10th month, so there’s that.

[@RedVynil]

First off, there was a second mix of this made that shed's more light on some of the things heard and said. I've always heard John saying, "I'm not in the mood for words". I've often wondered if George was actually saying, "Odorono", the name of a British deodorant. He DOES sound like he's rattling off a list of things to get at a store. As for the football crowd, I'd think that was a British crowd, not an American one. I don't know of any American football crowd that would keep chanting, "Block that kick!" or "Hold that line!" which also appears in the Harry Nilsson song, "Poli-High". There's was a British movie back then, I'm not sure when it came out but, it WAS about a revolution carried out by a bunch of students in a school. It was called, "If...". Could it be that some of John's inspiration for R9 be that movie? If you listen to take 20 of R1, you SHOULD be able to clearly hear that a large part of the chaotic second half is in R9.

[@dreammachine2013]

If was hugely popular at that time!

[@RedVynil]

@@dreammachine2013 Okay, thanks! Then, maybe that proves my point. Who knows? I don't recall ever hearing about John seeing the movie or, if he did, when he saw it, or even if he was inspired by the movie but, I'd almost bet that one had nothing to do with the other. It's just POSSIBLE that it did.

[@theburntcrumpet8371]

Did you know let it be was originally called let it three

[@kypekka]

The song may be the picture of a revolution. But certainly not John"s. He made that absolutely clear in Revolution 1. "When you talk about destruction, don't you know that you can count me out." I see no room for interpretation there. Very interesting video nontheless.

[@MassiveFish-hp4pm]

He says count me out but then says 'in' afterwards

[@janhommer]

As I keep saying, listening to this brilliant album is like watching a well-written film in my head, with Revolution 9 as the (nerve wrecking) showdown and "Good Night" as the happy ending 😄 Ironically, there's a huge chance that George Martin (who, I believe was once again in charge of the song order, or am I misinformed there?) made Revolution 9 the second to last track because he hated it so much and always put what he considered the weakest tracks as close to the end of the album as possible, but (!) was always eager to have the actual last (!) track be a stronger one, which, in the case of "Sgt. Peppers" meant "A Day in the Life" and in this, I guess, something relatively pleasant to listen to., plus fittingly called "Good Night". He did a brilliant job considering he didn't even like the album, "accidentally" turning the whole thing into a compositional masterpiece, and especially those last two tracks wouldn't have worked nearly as well anywhere else on the album and in combination with anything but each other!

[@PaperBanjo64]

I always thought Good Night was last because it was supposed to be a calming song after the insanity of Revolution 9.

[@danielgrubb9668]

100 years from now, when someone’s asks, “Who were the Beatles?”, the answer will be-the group who recorded Revolution No. 9.

[@benmeltzer]

5:14: On June 9, 1957, for what were the Quarrymen auditioning at the Empire Theatre (perhaps for a gig before a paying audience)?

[@robertochiang8057]

I grew up listening to this song. (I was 15 years old in 1968) First time I listen to it I didn't understand anything, but they were "The Beatles" and it HAD to be right. Listening time and again on all this years (and not skipping this one from my L.P., C.D. AND DVD) I have thought for decades about its meaning. O.K., I know we can interpret an artistic work in many ways (in fact any way we want) and that make your vision of it interesting to me. I could never understand what their were saying (thank you for your work in unraveling the dialogues) and only could listen to the sounds. Having read on (1970, Playboy) Lennon's interview him saying it was an unconscious portrait of what the revolution will be like, I described it for myself as a gradual process from an initial calm (even with church chorus) to a state of armed confrontation (with machine guns included). The final piece was to me, Yoko weaking John from a dream (at least he makes sounds like he`s being woken up) to a reality not so far from what he has been dreaming of. I agree with your comments about the world on 1968. On these days we REALY thought WE were changing the world! (French students overthrowing a right-wing ruler who had been associated with power for 20 year, was no small thing). The joke overseas was, "Youth rebellion is difficult in a country like the UK, were the police are not even armed", but we were convinced that change would came everywhere and Lennon's statements coincided with that vision.

[@dennisp.beckley2146]

Just a thought. They were into the occult. Talking about revolution, the tower. Injured people. Angry man joining the navy etc...And many other possible references...Love the beatles. Dont want to dampen them or the song. But could it be worked theoretically as a vision of 911. Satan worked within and without these unsuspecting minstrels. And many songs over the years by dozens of artists write and sing as if they see into the future and have knowledge beyond. And inadvertently painted these visions in music. But I love your analysis. And anyone's guess. That's what makes interpretation so interesting. Fantastic job!

[@PaulFormentos]

Crowely on Pepper cover, and HELP cover has Fabs in thelema positions

[@steveb6093]

James we need your thoughts on the Liam/Squire colab!

[@paulartifice]

I heard John was born 9 months after he was conceived. But seriously, little known fact: Lennon was a huge Chaplin fan (that's not the little known part). Back in the early days of The Beatles, (Sutcliffe/Best era) he even sported the iconic Chaplin mustache. Until they played their first gig in Hamburg and when he took off his scarf as he took the stage, people started shouting "9!" and threw bottles of Lowenbrau at him, 9 of them...

[@peteroates2908]

To me it's a great story you have hit the nail on the head,,only I always have thought that the crowd chanting BLOCK THAT KICK and then the chant of EVERTON EVERTON EVERTON 😮 XX.

[@PreacherAtArrakeen]

He did it to piss off Paul.

[@PaulWherry]

Another great episode , I always thought it was about the French Revolution myself , ever since I first heard this in the 90s . I didn't even realise the dates of the recording and the Revolution matched up so well . Thanks for all you do with your analysis , always very interesting