"Revolution 9", which as we know is another version (I would call it a spinoff) of "Revolution", was a "sound collage" by John Lennon. John and George were the only Beatles to work on the song; Paul was out of the country at the time. Yoko Ono contributed as well. According to Wikipedia:
Lennon said he was trying to paint a picture of a revolution using sound. The composition was influenced by the avant-garde style of Ono as well as the musique concrète works of composers such as Edgard Varese and Karlheinz Stockhausen.
The repeated phrase "number 9" (in a voice that sounds like Ringo's, but isn't) provided ammunition for fans of the "Paul is dead" conspiracy theory; when played backwards, parts of the song apparently say, "Turn me on, dead man".
As an art history major in college, I studied Yoko Ono and her work as part of a contemporary art course. If I had to choose songs other than her own to represent her work, "Revolution 9" would definitely make the list. Her avant-garde influence is quite clear. The song paints a vivid picture (a thousand pictures, really) in the listener's mind, reaching in with many tentacles to stimulate different parts of the ear, the brain, and, if one closes one's eyes and lets the imagination fully take over, the eyes. All told, the song used 45 sound sources, which included Beatles songs, recordings, and even Yoko Ono's voice (she says, "you become naked" towards the end).
Overall, I'm a fan. However, I'm also a fan of contemporary art (whether it's an audio work, performance piece, or whatever other medium contemporary artists may use), which doesn't always appeal to the general masses. I can understand very well why "Revolution 9" wasn't a hit with critics or fans, and why Paul argued against including the track on the White Album.
That's all for today. Only one song left on the White Album, and then I'll be doing the usual album summary (which may be longer than usual by necessity :P ). Then, it's off to the next exciting album! See you then. :)
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Heard It Tally: 39
Songs Completed: 166
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