The Beatles, ‘Revolver,’ 1966
Eleanor Rigby died in the church
and was buried along with her name nobody came
Father Mackenzie
Wiping the dirt from his hands as
He walks from the grave no one was saved
The Beatles’ seventh studio album, Revolver, marks a significant departure from the Beatles’ earlier work, signaling the end of their pop phase and the beginning of their psychedelic period. The album’s central theme revolves around death, both literal and metaphorical, which is explored through various lenses across its tracks. This thematic exploration is evident in songs like Eleanor Rigby, which poignantly addresses loneliness and mortality, and Tomorrow Never Knows, which delves into the concept of transcendence and the dissolution of the ego. The album’s title, Revolver, is a multi-layered pun that reflects the band’s evolving musical direction and their desire to “revolve” or change their sound. This notion of transformation is a recurring motif throughout the album, both in its lyrical content and its innovative production techniques.
The lyrics on Revolver showcase the Beatles’ maturation as songwriters, with each member contributing distinct and memorable compositions. George Harrison’s Taxman opens the album with a biting critique of the British tax system, reflecting his growing interest in social and political issues. Harrison’s other contributions, Love You To and I Want to Tell You, further demonstrate his fascination with Indian music and philosophy, incorporating traditional Indian instruments and themes of spiritual exploration. Paul McCartney’s Eleanor Rigby is a masterclass in storytelling, painting a vivid picture of isolation and despair through its haunting lyrics and string arrangement. McCartney’s other tracks, such as Here, There and Everywhere and For No One, showcase his ability to craft deeply emotional and introspective songs that resonate with listeners on a personal level. John Lennon’s contributions to the album are equally compelling, with I’m Only Sleeping capturing the dreamy, introspective quality of his songwriting, and She Said She Said reflecting his experiences with LSD and the resulting shifts in perception. Lennon’s Tomorrow Never Knows highlights his interest in Eastern philosophy with its stream-of-consciousness lyrics and avant-garde production techniques. The song’s repetitive, mantra-like lyrics aim to evoke a sense of transcendence and spiritual awakening.
Revolver is notable for its diverse and experimental approach to composition and instrumentation. The album features a wide range of musical styles, from the rock and roll of Taxman to the baroque pop of Eleanor Rigby and the psychedelic soundscapes of Tomorrow Never Knows. Also, one of the most striking aspects of Revolver is its use of non-traditional instruments and studio techniques. George Harrison’s Love You To features the sitar, tabla, and tambura, played by members of the London-based Asian Music Circle, creating an authentic Indian sound that was groundbreaking for Western pop music at the time. Similarly, Eleanor Rigby eschews the typical rock band setup in favor of a string octet arranged by George Martin, highlighting the Beatles’ willingness to experiment with different musical textures and arrangements. The closing track, Tomorrow Never Knows, is a sonic adventure that incorporates tape loops, reversed vocals, and a droning tambura. The song’s hypnotic rhythm and surreal lyrics create an otherworldly atmosphere, pushing the boundaries of what rock music could achieve. Revolver has had a lasting impact on the music industry and has been recognized for its role in advancing the principles of the 1960s counterculture and inspiring the development of various musical subgenres, including psychedelic rock, electronica, and progressive rock. The album’s influence extends beyond music, affecting cultural and social movements of the time. It played a crucial role in bringing psychedelia into the mainstream, thereby shaping the aesthetic and ideological landscape of the late 1960s.
Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining, it is shining
That you may see, the meaning of within
It is being, it is beingThat love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing, it is knowing
That ignorance and hate may mourn the dead
It is believing, it is believing
The Smiths, ‘The Queen Is Dead,’ 1986
The Smiths’ magnum opus, The Queen Is Dead, captures the zeitgeist of the 1980s while delivering a timeless critique of British society, the monarchy, and personal alienation. The album’s title is a bold statement that signifies the end of an era and a disillusionment with traditional institutions. Morrissey’s lyrics often reflect a sense of being an outsider, a theme that resonates deeply with many of his fans. The title track, The Queen Is Dead, opens with a sample from The L-Shaped Room, a British black-and-white social realist film from the early ’60s. This sample sets the tone for a complex allegory about arrested development on both individual and national levels. It critiques a society obsessed with superficialities, from the monarchy to the media, contrasting it with the individual’s search for genuine experience. Morrissey’s lyrics are rife with wit and melancholy, taking jabs at the establishment while expressing a deep sense of personal disconnection. Morrissey’s poetic lyricism is evident in tracks like I Know It’s Over, which begins with the haunting line, “Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head.” This line is repeated with increasing desperation, defying the misery-mockers to scoff at the song’s emotional depth. Tracks like Frankly, Mr. Shankly are a lark, an ambitious gofer’s resignation set to a light, Kinks-like shuffle. It critiques the emptiness and resentment caused by want and desire, all delivered with Morrissey’s ethereal voice. The album also explores themes of death, loss, love, and adolescence. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is a melancholic yet iconic song that captures the essence of youthful longing and despair. Johnny Marr’s guitar work on The Queen Is Dead is nothing short of revolutionary. His arrangements strike a balance between spareness and intricacy, creating a sound that is both lush and jangly. Marr’s guitar overflows with sparkling melody, while the rhythm section, consisting of Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, provides a solid foundation and frolic, proving indispensable to the group’s magic. Their contributions are particularly evident on tracks like The Boy with the Thorn in His Side, where Rourke’s melodic bass lines and Joyce’s dynamic drumming add depth and texture to the song.
U2, ‘The Joshua Tree,’ 1987
U2’s Grammy Album of the Year winner album, The Joshua Tree, is deeply rooted in the American experience, both geographically and culturally. The album’s title and visual imagery were inspired by a photo shoot with Anton Corbijn in the Mojave Desert, where the band encountered the resilient Joshua trees, named after the Old Testament prophet. Bono, U2’s lead vocalist and primary songwriter, was determined to use America as the central theme for The Joshua Tree. His extensive touring in the U.S. and humanitarian visits to countries like Egypt and Ethiopia influenced his perspective on America’s global influence and internal struggles. The album attempts to portray the “bleakness and greed of America under Ronald Reagan” while also capturing the spirit and resilience of its people. Bono’s writing on this album is more focused and eloquent than in previous works, addressing themes of disillusionment, hope, and the search for meaning. The album’s opener, Where the Streets Have No Name, uses the metaphor of a city without names to explore themes of unity and transcendence. Bullet the Blue Sky is one of the album’s most confrontational tracks, addressing American military intervention in Central America with raw, aggressive guitar work by The Edge. In contrast, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For is a gospel-influenced song that delves into spiritual longing and the quest for faith. Musically, in The Joshua Tree, the band aimed for a “cinematic” quality, embedding American scenery as a backdrop to their soaring soundscapes and lyrics. The Edge’s guitar work on the album is particularly noteworthy, utilizing a delay effect to create an echoing, atmospheric sound that became a signature of U2’s music. Songs like With or Without You and Where the Streets Have No Name exemplify this technique, blending rock and ambient elements to create a unique sonic landscape. The band also incorporated elements of American folk and blues music, as seen in tracks like Running to Stand Still, which features a bluesy guitar riff and a haunting piano ballad. This fusion of styles helped U2 create a sound that was both innovative and deeply rooted in musical traditions.