Revolution 9 -

[Bassman_2]

I have recently and for the first time listened to the entire "song" by John, George, and Yoko. It was dark and I thought it was incredibly creepy and nightmare/headache inducing, especially the way "Number Nine" seems to swing from one ear of the earphone to the other. It's also 8 minutes long of seemingly random voices and clips of cheering, chanting, and music.


What is this in your opinion? A valid piece of art? A good valid piece of art? A bad valid piece of art? A creepy valid piece of art? A weird piece of art?

 

[DirtyMagic]

Ah yes, The Beatles. My favorite band still.
And inevitably one comes acroos Revolution 9 and the insane amount of theories that fans throw at it.
It is a true piece of high octane nightmare fuel, that's for sure.
And in some way I can see some form of art and/or beauty in it.
But mostly, I think they made it to screw with us. Just a bit of "hey, let's see them figure THIS one out". Followed by a lot of laughing.

Preferably listened to on an acid trip or something.
But that may not be a good idea since it will make you paranoid as heck.
No experience with that, but I can HIGHLY imagine.

Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9.

 

[Bassman_2]

Ah yes, The Beatles. My favorite band still.
And inevitably one comes acroos Revolution 9 and the insane amount of theories that fans throw at it.
It is a true piece of high octane nightmare fuel, that's for sure.
And in some way I can see some form of art and/or beauty in it.
But mostly, I think they made it to screw with us. Just a bit of "hey, let's see them figure THIS one out". Followed by a lot of laughing.

Preferably listened to on an acid trip or something.
But that may not be a good idea since it will make you paranoid as heck.
No experience with that, but I can HIGHLY imagine.

Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9. Number 9.

John was always one to make hints at McCartney's death, but I can't imagine why he'd become attracted to that man's voice or line without knowing beforehand it would sound "Turn me on, dead man".

 

[DirtyMagic]

Heh, I sincerely hope the real sir Paul McCartney is still with us to this day.
He probably still is. And for some reason, I think they all really enjoyed the fact that a lot of people thought he died.
I mean, if I was part of such a huge band with such a huge influence on everything that moves...

I might also want to exploit it while throwing in a little mindfuckery.
And that's what's so great about them. They just went along with it and fueled the fire.

Or you know, Paul really IS dead.

 

[Bassman_2]

Heh, I sincerely hope the real sir Paul McCartney is still with us to this day.
He probably still is. And for some reason, I think they all really enjoyed the fact that a lot of people thought he died.
I mean, if I was part of such a huge band with such a huge influence on everything that moves...

I might also want to exploit it while throwing in a little mindfuckery.
And that's what's so great about them. They just went along with it and fueled the fire.

Or you know, Paul really IS dead.

We can all still deduce that the walrus was Paul. John said so. And three letters in Paul's name is in walrus!

 

[KingCrInuYasha]

I fall under the category that sees the piece as "So Bad It's Good".

Though I once saw an Evangelion AMV that used "Revolution 9", and suddenly, the song and the show somehow started to make sense.

 

[HerbertTheHamster]

It does sound fucking awful, that's for sure.

Random sound effects do not make good music. anyone who calls it great because of "art" is a bloody idiot.

 

[VicunaBlue]

It does sound fucking awful, that's for sure.

Random sound effects do not make good music. anyone who calls it great because of "art" is a bloody idiot.

You clearly lack the massive swelling intellect required to interpret the post-modern avant-garde genius that is expressed in this haunting and beautiful expression of the soul.I truly pity you, knowing that you can understand nothing more than the plebeian knick-knacks and jingles that you call art and music.

JK, I agree with you completely. Doesn't belong on a record with so many good songs.

 

[Bassman_2]

It does sound fucking awful, that's for sure.

Random sound effects do not make good music. anyone who calls it great because of "art" is a bloody idiot.

And somehow, this "song" has still been covered somehow. By yelping and playing randomly, I'd imagine.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Holy shit, why haven't heard this before? The Beatles could be this good?

Well, you've proven to me that The Beatles could be interesting...simply awesome.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

And somehow, this "song" has still been covered somehow. By yelping and playing randomly, I'd imagine.

I have a recording of it being covered by a jazz group called the Neil Cowley Trio. It actually kind of works, but only because they didn't bother to even try and copy the track save for the 'number 9' bit. I would post a link to the song but I can't find it anywhere on the Internet.

As for my opinion on the song, I think that it really works as a piece of music at all. It's kind of important for me as it's an early example of tape loops and samples being used and as someone studying Music Tech that matters in regards to my exam in the summer, but as music instead of an example of what can be used in music, I feel like it falls on its face there.

If they did have to include it as a track, I think it would've worked better as a hidden track at the end of the album, instead of being listed as an actual song.

 

[Bassman_2]

And somehow, this "song" has still been covered somehow. By yelping and playing randomly, I'd imagine.

I have a recording of it being covered by a jazz group called the Neil Cowley Trio. It actually kind of works, but only because they didn't bother to even try and copy the track save for the 'number 9' bit. I would post a link to the song but I can't find it anywhere on the Internet.

As for my opinion on the song, I think that it really works as a piece of music at all. It's kind of important for me as it's an early example of tape loops and samples being used and as someone studying Music Tech that matters in regards to my exam in the summer, but as music instead of an example of what can be used in music, I feel like it falls on its face there.

If they did have to include it as a track, I think it would've worked better as a hidden track at the end of the album, instead of being listed as an actual song.

I have heard of Neil before covering some Beatles songs, but, like R9, it's not exactly easily recoverable on the web.

I hear Paul was against the inclusion. As a hidden track, it would be even more forgettable, I'd imagine, but less forgettable than "Her Majesty".

 

[FalloutJack]

Funny, when I think of a name like Revolution 9, I think of one of Zidane Tribal's abilities.

(Solution 9)

 

[jaoblia]

I for one love the Beatles and I enjoy this song somewhat because i enjoy trying to figure out a meaning to it. It sounds random, yet at the same time cohesive, like someone trying to tell you something in a dead language. I REALLY hope theres some actual meaning to it, if not I would be INCREDIBLY pissed.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

I have recently and for the first time listened to the entire "song" by John, George, and Yoko. It was dark and I thought it was incredibly creepy and nightmare/headache inducing, especially the way "Number Nine" seems to swing from one ear of the earphone to the other. It's also 8 minutes long of seemingly random voices and clips of cheering, chanting, and music.

What is this in your opinion? A valid piece of art? A good valid piece of art? A bad valid piece of art? A creepy valid piece of art? A weird piece of art?

A valid piece of art.

And a fairly crappy song.

It's good that they COULD produce this and release it on an album, but when I listen to the Beatles, I do NOT listen to that track. Ick.

 

[zehydra]

it's a piece of art, although I'm not sure I'd call it "Music".

 

[Bassman_2]

go even farther and you will make noes on several of their album covers and the infamous phone number that for a time gave out creepy hints at things.


I do think Paul did pass away, but what better way to have a friend remembered than to fuck with fans of your band by leaving hints that he may still be alive or something of that nature?

Thing is, if they did replace him, why would he have worn sunglasses and have broken teeth in "Paperback Writer" and would later grow a 'stache if he was supposed to be a look-alike anyway?

 

[DustyDrB]

I love The Beatles, and have all their albums and singles. I'm even the kind of guy who loves some dissonance (my favorite album is Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which has many songs that sound like the band tried to sabotage: "Poor Places" being a good example). I also love noise rock and several bands that push the boundaries of being called music. But "Revolution 9" is just a chore for the ears. It's a product of the era, super stardom, and copious amounts of drugs.

Art? Sure. Music? No.