Battle Of The “Experts”

This month: Adams Miller and Anklewicz go head-to-head on a long debated topic: Which is the better Beatles album, Rubber Soul or Revolver?

Rubber Soul was the 6^th proper Beatles album, released on Capitol/EMI in December of 1965.  The album included: “Drive My Car,” “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),”  “You Won’t See Me,” “Nowhere Man,”  “Think For Yourself,”  “The Word,”  “Michelle,”  “What Goes On,”  “Girl,”  “I’m Looking Through You,”  “In My Life,”  “Wait,”  “If I Needed Someone,”  and “Run For Your Life.”

Revolver was the Beatles’ 7^th album, following just eight months later on Capitol/EMI, in August of 1966.  The album included: “Taxman,”  “Eleanor Rigby,”  “I’m Only Sleeping,”  “Love You To,”  “Here, There, and Everywhere,”  “Yellow Submarine,”  “She Said, She Said,”  “Good Day Sunshine,”  “And Your Bird Can Sing,”  “For No One,”  “Doctor Robert,”  “I Want To Tell You,”  “Got To Get You Into My Life,”  and “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

 

Miller: Rubber Soul and Revolver are both great albums.  I can't imagine my life without either of them, but I'd have to pick Rubber Soul over Revolver.

Anklewicz: For me, I always thought that Rubber Soul lacked a lot of the creativity that Revolver holds, so I must choose Revolver as the better of the two.

Miller: It's clear that drugs are more of a musical influence on Revolver, which clearly inspires some interesting musical effects, but I think it dates Revolver more, making it sound like a cloudy 1966 acid experiment.  Rubber Soul seems to have stood the test of time better, and remains more relevant and digestible, both lyrically and musically. 

Anklewicz: Lennon was heavily influenced by the LSD he was constantly taking during the writing of his songs from Revolver.  However, Rubber Soul was just as much influenced by the Beatles' drug use.  All of them were using a large amount of marijuana during the Rubber Soul era.  Lennon's style on Revolver was definitely inspired by LSD, but McCartney's songs encompass almost half of the songs on the album.  McCartney was not yet experimenting with LSD, and he was the one who designed the soundscape of loops that was “Tomorrow Never Knows.”  Harrison's songs start to get religious and topical, and he blows away anything he did before, even his tracks on Rubber Soul.  Rubber Soul doesn't have the same quality of writing. “Run For Your Life,”  “Drive My Car,”  “The Word,”  “What Goes On,”  “Michelle,”  and “Girl” are all poor songs in comparison to the rest of the album, and what they will do a few months later with Revolver.

Miller: LSD has a much more severe effect on the music, for better or for worse.  After all, marijuana was the drug of choice for Bob Dylan in his acoustic heyday, whom The Beatles began to pay tribute to during the Rubber Soul era.  While I agree that George's songs on Revolver are excellent and career highlights, one cannot deny the fact that "Think For Yourself" and "If I Needed Someone" are also among his best songs, particularly the latter.  George also plays a significant role on many of the other tracks, such as "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", one of the album's best tracks, on which he offers a sitar part.  As for writing, I'd argue that lyrically, Rubber Soul is a far superior album, especially the Lennon songs.  "Nowhere Man", "Norwegian Wood", and "In My Life" are some of the best lyrics John ever wrote.  "She Said She Said" and "And Your Bird Can Sing" are great Lennon songs from Revolver, but when it comes down to it, the lyrics make no sense!  I find I can relate much more to the lyrics on Rubber Soul. 

Miller:  But I suppose the main issue I have with Revolver is that it is an album that begs to be taken seriously.  By including "Yellow Submarine", I feel the album has been spoiled.

Anklewicz:  To base your argument on a drug that only half the members of the band were using is silly. McCartney is at least as much responsible for Lennon's masterpiece on that album (and in my opinion the Beatles' career), “Tomorrow Never Knows.”  Those sound loops are the music.  The lyrics, yes, are trippy, but the loops take you on a journey.  I will agree that Harrison's tracks on Rubber Soul are amazing, and yes, some of his best songs, but the sophistication that occurred between those two albums is enormous and he emerged as a rival to Lennon and McCartney, which he wasn't on Rubber Soul.  Those three Lennon songs you cite are amazing, great lyrics, great music, great melodies, wonderful harmonies on “Nowhere Man.”  But compare those to the lyrics to “I'm Only Sleeping” and “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and I think that Revolver wins. You also state that the lyrics to “She Said She Said” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” make no sense. I will argue that “And Your Bird Can Sing” is obviously stating that "You" are above John, but when "You're" down, he'll still be there for "You" (the subject). 

Anklewicz:  If you look at any album from Rubber Soul and beyond by The Beatles, you will see that the style varies so drastically.  “Yellow Submarine” is just another example of this. I think it is the listener who is putting it in the context of Revolver wanting to be taken seriously, I don't think “She Said She Said” is a very serious song, yet it is passed over. 

Anklewicz:  We've argued Lennon's and Harrison's songs. What of McCartney's songs?  Revolver features major highlights of McCartney's vast career.  “Eleanor Rigby,” “Got To Get You Into My Life”, and “Here There And Everywhere” are some of the best songs that McCartney has ever written.  “Drive My Car” and “Michelle” pale in comparison.

Miller: The songs off of Revolver that you mention are definitely excellent, but I wouldn't discount McCartney's contributions to Rubber Soul.  Despite its lack of popularity, I think "You Won't See Me" is an excellent McCartney song, and at that point, it was the longest track they had recorded.  "I'm Looking Through You" is one of the most interesting accounts of love "disappearing overnight."  I personally love "Drive My Car", though I agree that is on the poppy side.  I believe, however, that we could easily argue that Rubber Soul is Lennon’s album and Revolver is McCartney’s.

Anklewicz:  I do agree that “I'm Looking Through You” and “You Won't See Me” are two amazing songs.  But if you compare the consistency of McCartney's songwriting between the two albums you will see that Revolver is the superior.  I can't agree that Revolver is McCartney's album. Yes McCartney had a greater influence on Revolver and was taking control of the band at this stage. However, I do see Lennon's songwriting as being much stronger on Revolver. I think “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” and “I'm Only Sleeping” to be among best songs that Lennon has ever written.

Miller:  While the Lennon songs you cite are enjoyable, I feel they pale in comparison to “Norwegian Wood”, “Nowhere Man,” and “In My Life.”  Even Lennon admits that "And Your Bird Can Sing" is mediocre when compared to his other songs.  Clearly there are reasons beyond popularity alone, that “Norwegian Wood” and “In My Life” are heard much more often.  The songs are universal and can be related to by nearly everyone. 

Anklewicz:  John Lennon also looks at “Run For Your Life” as one of his worst songs.  I think that Lennon's eyes are tainted because of how close he was to the songs and shouldn't be used to judge the songs, though I do agree with him about “Run For Your Life.”  If I were to compare my favourite Lennon compositions from the two albums side by side, I'd get “Tomorrow Never Knows” vs. “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” and “I'm Only Sleeping” vs. “In My Life.”  In that battle, I think that the Revolver songs are the superior. I think that “Tomorrow Never Knows” is experimental while still holding true to The Beatles’ pop sensibility.  It is an experience and a journey. “Norwegian Wood” is a great quirky story, but I think that “Tomorrow Never Knows” has more going for it. It's a harder battle between “I'm Only Sleeping” and “In My Life,” but I think that “I'm Only Sleeping,” while being about dreading the future and staying in the comfort of his bed, is also about enjoying the present.  “In My Life” is a song about reminiscing about the past, and as brilliant as it (and those haunting vocals) is, I do think that I'm Only Sleeping stands above it, barely.

Miller: Wow, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree there.  For me, I would have picked “Norwegian Wood” and “In My Life” in those match-ups.  No contest.  "Tomorrow Never Knows" retains pop sensibility?  How???  The song is entirely in a single chord (not pop)! 

Miller:  Oh well, I suppose we should move onto our closing remarks.  Clearly Rubber Soul and Revolver both represent a major transitional period in The  Beatles career.  Which one is better is up for debate, and I suppose we have just attempted to do so without any solid victory, but that doesn't matter.  I will likely continue to consider Rubber Soul my favourite and the group's best, while you will continue to consider Revolver your favourite and the group's best.

Anklewicz: The Beatles' sound was built around pop. “Tomorrow Never Knows” was built around that sound. The drums, the loops all have a flowing pop sound, there is still a strong melody which John sings fantastically. I think it's a great example of experimental pop.  Compare “Tomorrow Never Knows” to The Velvet Underground’s “The Gift” or “Sister Ray.” Compare it to The Byrds’ “2-4-2 Fox Trot” and you will see that the Beatles’ pop holds true while with other bands, the pop is clouded over.

Anklewicz:  Now to the closing remarks. Rubber Soul and Revolver are great albums.  Lennon, McCartney and Harrison shine through as brilliant songwriters.  However I must stand by my claim that Revolver is their best album, and possibly the best that rock 'n' roll has ever given us.

Rubber Soul and Revolver are both widely viewed as essential albums of The Beatles career, and indeed of 20^th century popular music itself.

Both are available for purchase on Amazon.