Revolution: What Is George Saying?

[JoJo]

The video for Revolution will be on Youtube shortly, it's processing as I write this.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOiqAuNB5QM

It was someone else who noticed this once, and so I got around to slowing it down. About 40 seconds into the video with the normal speed, George turns to Faul and yells something to him over the music.

Take a look at the slowed down version:

www.jojoplace.org/Shoebox/revolutionslowclip.mpg

Perhaps: Try to match me... (no guess on the last word, and the others are just a guess as well of course, but..)

Opinions?

[il ras]

"Try to match me", without remembering what u wrote

[mysteryboy]

Agreed. Probably an old joke between them when they use to share the mic in the early days. I noticed in one early Beatles performance that JPM kept looking at George and smiling as if to make sure George was doing Ok with his stage fright.

edit: I meant to add that it might be a joke about lip-synching also.
I noticed that the music is that actual WA recording but the vocals are a different in spots, but even there I think they were faking it, or at the very least had live mics on top of the pre-recorded vocals.

[JoJo]

I think maybe it's simply: Try to match this..OK?

Agreed. Probably an old joke between them when they use to share the mic in the early days. I noticed in one early Beatles performance that JPM kept looking at George and smiling as if to make sure George was doing Ok with his stage fright.

What's interesting here is how George seems to have moved to being the one in charge.. John just keeps on doing his own thing, which was always the case really. Also agree that it might be perhaps live mics over the studio version, as there may be a voice coming through during that part I perceive as George saying "OK".

I just think in the George/JPM scenario, George isn't ever telling JPM not to screw it up..

[Doc]

I think it's:

"Try to play in sync!", or "Try to match in sync!" I see the lips purse together for either a "pl" or an "m" sound. I think I see the pic form "ch" right after, but the frame stutters right then and it's too jarring for me to decide. So, maybe "match", or "play". "Try" and "sync" I feel convinced of.

[Doc]

jojo said:

The video for Revolution will be on Youtube shortly, it's processing as I write this.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOiqAuNB5QM

It was someone else who noticed this once, and so I got around to slowing it down. About 40 seconds into the video with the normal speed, George turns to Faul and yells something to him over the music.

Take a look at the slowed down version:

www.jojoplace.org/Shoebox/revolutionslowclip.mpg

Perhaps: Try to match me... (no guess on the last word, and the others are just a guess as well of course, but..)

Opinions?

I watched the slow mo.



Before "trying", as he turns his head, he may be saying a one syllable word.

"Quit trying to play, just sing."

Or not:

"Try to match in sync."

[JoJo]

Thanks Doc, you're good at catching this stuff.

"Quit trying to play, just sing."

Just do as you're told..

[Doc]

jojo said:

Thanks Doc, you're good at catching this stuff.

"Quit trying to play, just sing."

Just do as you're told..

And yes, that's where the potential for some friction and frankly, a little sublimated resentment
from Bill (understandable) might have grown from. It's like, he gets recruited in and accepted, coached and groomed, and he's putting in 100% or more to pull his own weight and prove himself, and then, sorry to say, John sinks into a creative, apathetic indolence and suddenly, NOBODY is leading, so that then even quiet, timid George hazards calling a few shots?

Bill was maybe thinking, like, OK, all of you got me INTO this thing, I work my ass off, and now you are the ones that begin to falter?

This would prompt most aggressive performers I know to begin to take a little charge, so the evolution of "Faul" or "Bill" to Macca (not a personal name but a "stage") is logical; he goes from eager compliance to a frustrated partner, trying to assuage little battles and egg on the work.

The video where McCartney'69 says, "You used to do it, lads", it's like he's pulling teeth trying to get a spark of teamwork going----Lennon seems left at the gate because his attitude has flagged completely. George Harrison is tentative when trying to punch things along because that was never his role in the first place, and I think he felt very awkward and presumptuous in that capacity due to his general nature.
Ringo customarily took a role as a follower, except when asked, out of his decorum and politeness.

So, this leaves a somewhat comfounded Bill having to punch the gas pedal a little.

But I think a larger issue is that they never learned to do things any other way. It was always James Paul and John work something out musically, and the other two are left to"fit themselves in," or played as they were requested, and I observe John just could not get started without a "starter", i.e., that was the job of James Paul until that ceased, and later, perhaps, Yoko. Yoko seems to fill the shoes of not only wife but, nursemaid, protector, motivator, organizer, and inspirational muse. Not a bad thing in itself, but that dependance of relationship is the crux of what soured his position in the Beatles, even if unintentionally. In later years, the late seventies, I think he tried to light his inner fire again but in vain; by the time of MMT and Pepper he had all but lost the will.

From White album through Let It Be, John is pantomiming his own role of being a Beatle.
I think he gets a spark or two going for Abbey Road, and then he is basically done with the Beatles, mentally.

I think he looked for a "spark-giver", though, in future years. He sought it in Harry Nielsson, though the two of them drove each other to more drink and partying than work; he sought it with Spector, whom I think availed with limited success to "reign John in" and finesse his musical efforts, Lennon found it maybe for a time with Jeff Lynne, but he never seemed to really get the old engine to musically rev again. Rev, how ironic.

Rev for revolution.

[plastic paul]

Not to rain on anyones parade, but I think that it's a very American thing to say "Quit" rather than "Stop" and personally don't think George is saying that.

[DarkHorse]

I see "Try to match in sync" also.

[JoJo]

I'm going back to the three first words being "try to match", there definitely is a word ending in "CH".

From Wiki:

A product of the recording sessions for The Beatles (aka The White Album), "Revolution" featured distorted guitars and an electric piano solo by session musician Nicky Hopkins. This track is said to be one of the loudest and most aggressive Beatles songs; it begins abruptly with a loud, overdriven electric guitar played by Lennon, a thundering, compressed drum beat from Ringo Starr and a wailing scream from Lennon (the scream was an overdub added when Lennon double tracked his vocal. McCartney performed the scream on the 'David Frost Show' semi-live television performance, because Lennon could not deliver the scream and catch his breath again in time to launch into the first verse.)....

...."Revolution" later appeared on the 1970 Hey Jude compilation album and other compilations. The Beatles performed the song semi-live (live vocals, recorded instrument track) on David Frost's television program, 4 September 1968.

So yes you were correct Mysteryboy.

There is a slightly different version, so I think one take wasn't enough:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LnIBkoHvOI

Before I uploaded it, I was unable to find the version with George mouthing those "instructions" or whatever they are on Youtube, guess it's the less common one?

Nicky Hopkins went on to work with John, at least on the recording of Imagine.