The Taxman Cometh

3.25.2007

Plugs.
Plugs over the past couple of day, since I missed yesterday. Sunshine was updated with episode 22. Hex sent me some more yesterday, so their is another 20 or so new episodes a coming. Also, perhaps the most offensive episode of Friday Night RPG Cartoons (at least according to Dr. Murk) is up, episode 1.8.

You are Listening too . . .
Taxman, by the Beatles off of their big masterpiece Revolver. And may I say a pretty appropriate song for the time of year.

First Revolver. It has been argued to be not only the best Beatles album (along with Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper and the White Album) but one of the, if not the best album of all time. The album took off from Rubber Soul, and really began showcasing and experimenting with new stylistic developments which would become even more pronounced with later albums.

There were a number of innovative and new techniques used in the recording of the album. It is one of the first instances of backmasking and backward recording in music history, and not just with lyrics. The album was also one of the first to use the breakthrough technique of Automatic Double Tracking. This allowed a voice to be double recorded, as opposed to singing the song twice. This quickly became a modern music staple after this album. This was also the first album to have not so hidden drug references.

Musically this album runs the gamut even more that it predessecor. From meloncholic Elanor Rigby to the almost whimsical Yellow Submarine, to the Here, There, and Everywhere, which could almost be from their early 1963 music, to a song that even by today's standards seems ultra modern in Tomorrow Never Knows (the wife heard it for the first time the other day and thought it was Beck, until of course the voice), there is a strange mix of music on the album, and it is almost like listening to multiple albums. This is also the last time that the US and UK version of the album were different. I will be exploring a number of songs off this album.

Revolver also heralded Harrison's growth as a songwriter. He contributed 3 songs to the album, incuding this opening track Taxman. As compared to past Harrison pieces, these songs had much more maturity, and artistic growth. The song has a very simple inspiration, taxes . . and as the early American colonists discovered it was very high in jolly old England. It seems, England at the time, had a graduated income tax based upon earnings, and the Beatles were at the top; a 95% tax level. Harrison did most of the song himself, Lennon contributed some lines, specifically the ones calling out then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Harold Wilson, and Edward Heath, the upcoming Prime Minister. McCartney is actually responsible for the guitar solo and the lead guitar. Also, Harrison stated that the chorus was a play of the 60's Batman TV. Show.

Because the song began the album, a fake count in was added to the song. Very distorted deep voice counts in along with Harrison, and listening closely, you can hear McCartney shouting the count in under the distorted one. Harrison's vocals is also double tracked.

The album was also released in the midst of the "Beatles are Bigger than Jesus" controversy, and is also released three weeks before their last live concert. More history tomorrow.

That's right Mammoud.
Stick to your guns, that is why, you are Malach favorite most insane world leader. Keep it up and you too can have your own little screwed up corner of the Middle East . . . well more than it already is.

I feel sorry for them Yankees.
Well, not really.

Malach's Quote of the Day.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. - Abe Lincoln

I am Malach, down with the Taxman.