Ray Davies reviews Revolver (ca. 1967)

[jpgray]

BEATLES and Brian Epstein were so delighted with "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine", two of the tracks on teh new "Revolver" LP out next Friday (August 5), that they're also being issued a single for the same date.

But if that celebrated songwriter Ray Davies is a reliable judge, the Beatles have made a big mistake. Ray thinks Miss Rigby was definitely dedicated to John and Paul's music teacher back in primary school; while "Submarine" should sink into a dustbin. "It's a load of rubbish, really", remarks Ray.

Disc and Music Echo decided to turn over the task of reviewing the "Revolver" album - and the Kink certainly spoke his mind.

Here's the album, track by track, with Ray's inter-round summaries:
Side One: "Taxman" - "It sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman. It's a bit limited, but the Beatles get over this by the sexy double-tracking. It's surprising how sexy double-tracking makes a voice sound."

"Eleanor Rigby" - "I bought a Haydn LP the other day and this sounds just like it. It's all sort of quartet stuff and it sounds like they're out to please music teachers in primary schools. I can imagine John saying: 'I'm going to write this for my old schoolmistress'. Still it's very commercial."

"I'm Only Sleeping" - "It's a most beautiful song, much prettier than 'Eleanor Rigby'. A jolly old thing, really, and definitely the best track on the album.

"Love You Too" - "George wrote this - he must have quite a big influence on the group now. This sort of song I was doing two years ago - now I'm doing what the Beatles were doing two years ago. It's not a bad song - it's well performed which is always true of a Beatles track."

"Here There and Everywhere" - "This proves that the Beatles have got good memories, because there are a lot of busy chords in it. It's nice - like one instrument with the voice and the guitar merging. Third best track on the album."

"Yellow Submarine" - ""This is a load of rubbish, really. I take the mickey out of myself on the piano and play stuff like this. I think they know it's not that good."

"She Said She Said" - "This song is in to restore confidence in old Beatles sound. That's all."

"Good Day Sunshine" - "This'll be a giant. It doesn't force itself on you, but it stands out like 'I'm Only Sleeping'. This is back to the real old Beatles. I just don't like the electronic stuff. The Beatles were supposed to be like the boy next door only better."

"And Your Bird Can Sing" - "Don't like this. The song's too predictable. It's not a Beatles song at all."

"Dr. Robert" - "It's good - there's a 12-bar beat and bits in it that are clever. Not my sort of thing, though."

"I Want To Tell You" - "This helps the LP through though it's not up to the Beatles standard."

"Got To Get You Into My Life" - "Jazz backing - and it just goes to prove that Britain's jazz musicians can't swing. Paul's sings better jazz than the musicians are playing which makes nonsense of people saying jazz and pop are very different. Paul sounds like Little Richard. Really, it's the most vintage Beatles track on the LP."

"Tomorrow Never Knows" - "Listen to all those crazy sounds! It'll be popular in discotheques. I can imagine they had George Martin tied to a totem pole when they did this."

So, after listening to each track three or four times, the Ray Davies verdict:
"This is the first Beatles LP I've really listened to in it's entirety but I must say there are better songs on 'Rubber Soul'. Still, 'I'm Only Sleeping' is a standout. 'Good Day Sunshine is second best and I also like 'Here, There and Everywhere.' But I don't want to be harsh about the others. The balance and recording technique are as good as ever."

[deutsey]

1. Taxman "sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman."

LOL.

I like the song, but Davies' comment made me laugh...

[jpgray]

6. I never thought about the "TAXMAN!" "BATMAN!" similarity before this

Thank you, Ray Davies. :patriot:

[deutsey]

7. Same here...

But, by God, it's there!

:evilgrin:

[sundog]

2. kick

:kick:

[Aristus]

3. Fred Astaire? Nah, he'll never go anywhere. He can't sing, can't act,

he's going bald...oh, but he can dance a little.

:+

[enigmatic]

4. what a cheeky monkey

That's hilarious...

[asthmaticeog]

5. Thanks for posting this.

Great stuff. :thumbsup:

[jpgray]

10. Live to serve

[Tyrone Slothrop]

8. He's right about two things

1. I'm Only Sleeping is the best track on the album. (Maybe my fave Beatles song)

and

2. Rubber Soul does have better songs than Revolver.

[jpgray]

14. I'd agree that Rubber Soul has more good songs overall

But Revolver has higher points.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

9. normally i'd trash the critic, but it's ray

in my opinion the most briliant songwriter of the 60s, so he gets a pass

[DUHandle]

11. If I remember right

Davies splits his songwriting royalties with the band.

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. reads like a pretty good, and pretty accurate review to me.

I hate yellow Submarine.

[jpgray]

13. And Your Bird Can Sing kicks all kinds of ass, however

Even if Lennon called it a "horror" later in life. He's dead on about I'm Only Sleeping being the best track of the album, though.

[mulsh]

15. this explains why,

according to Ray, the only thing John Lennon ever said to him was, " fuck off." Read it in an interview back in the 80's.

[gbate]

16. I'll argue anyone to the death about this being the best Beatles album. It rocks.

It's got it all. Upbeat, happy songs, trippy songs, love songs, and everything else. Man, I love Revolver. My favorte is "For No One." I wonder why he didn't comment on that one.

[musiclawyer]

17. There's no bigger fan of Ray than me

But he got it wrong. There are more than three great songs on Revolver If it was my first listen I might have got it wrong too. Revolver is a masterpieve. Even the songs I don't like are beloved by others. I think Ray would retract a lot of what he said if he was asked to do it again.