BW and the Beatles' Revolver

[The Song Of The Grange]

So I have heard so much about BW being blown away by Rubber Soul and being inspired to try to make an album that was even better.  But I haven't ever heard too much about BW's reaction to Revolver.  I wonder what BW thought of a song like Tomorrow Never Knows.  In some ways he kind of responded to that song with Mrs. O'Leary's Cow.  The two songs have a few similarities.  I also wonder when BW heard Revolver.  In America a good chunk of Revolver came out July, 16 '66 on Yesterday and Today.  The actual American version of Revolver (the UK album minus I'm Only Sleeping, Dr. Robert, And Your Bird Can Sing) didn't come out until 9/10/66.  But Brian was a pretty well connected guy, and I wonder if he would have scored (from Derek Taylor perhaps) a copy of the UK Revolver which came out 8/5/66.  I would imagine there was plenty for BW to dig on either the UK or US Revolver, especially tracks that showed his influence.  Strange that I haven't every read anything about his reaction, and there is so many references to BW and Rubber Soul.

PS
What version of Rubber Soul do you think blew Brian way that magical night in the fall of '65?  The Capitol Rubber Soul is a pretty different album, more folkish.  Oddly, unlike many of Capitol's mangling of Beatles records, the American Rubber Soul is a pretty smooth listen, even if it has a couple tracks that should have been on Help (It's Only Love and I've Just Seen a Face) and is missing, among others, Drive My Car and Nowhere Man.  I've always wondered which version of Rubber Soul is the one that hit BW so hard.

[variable2]

I saw a quote from him somewhere when somebody asked him which version of rubber soul he heard, uk or american and he said it was the american version.

[Wirestone]

Given that Brian has always said that it was the unity of sound that blew him away on Rubber Soul -- and that the unity of sound exists pretty much only on the U.S. version -- that's undoubtedly the one.

Ironic that he was inspired to make his grand concept album in response to an album that was actually sequenced by the record company.

[Rocker]

What is the tracklist of the US Rubber soul?

[LostArt]

Side one

1. "I've Just Seen a Face"   
2. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" 
3. "You Won't See Me"   
4. "Think for Yourself"
5. "The Word"   
6. "Michelle"  

Side two

7. "It's Only Love" 
8. "Girl"   
9. "I'm Looking Through You"   
10. "In My Life"   
11. "Wait"   
12. "Run for Your Life"   

[A Million Units In Jan!]

What's funny is that when I first read about Brian's comments regarding Rubber Soul, I realized that was exactly how I felt about it-all the songs fit perfectly together. The UK version isn't nearly as good, IMO.

As far as Revolver, I believe that's the album he's referring to in the 'Hello, Surfing..' article.

'I'm doing the spiritual sound, a white spirtual sound. Religious music. Did you hear the Beatles album? Religious, right? That's where I'm going. It's going to scare a lot of people'.

And you know, for someone like Brian who was always into spirtuality and love and making music people would emotionally relate to, that quote seems pretty strange....

[SG7]

One could wonder if stuff like Tomorrow Never Knows was interesting enough to Brian to do the kind of experiments he did in the studio.

[Aegir]

I read something pretty funny once. Something like, "Brian Wilson has said Rubber Soul inspired him because it was a perfectly crafted statement from the band. It should be noted, however, that Wilson had heard the American version, which was assembled by Capitol Records with no input from the Beatles."

[Rocker]

Side one

1. "I've Just Seen a Face"   
2. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" 
3. "You Won't See Me"   
4. "Think for Yourself"
5. "The Word"   
6. "Michelle"  

Side two

7. "It's Only Love" 
8. "Girl"   
9. "I'm Looking Through You"   
10. "In My Life"   
11. "Wait"   
12. "Run for Your Life"   

Damnit ! Ths would've knocked me out too ! Much more so than the UK-version which I have. Thanks for posting.

[Dancing Bear]

Nah, too samey. Give me variety, like in Rubber Soul (UK), Help (UK), Today and Summer Days. You see, this American Rubber Sould screwed the band's career. It was all downhill after Per Sounds. 

[Wilsonista]

Nah, too samey. Give me variety, like in Rubber Soul (UK), Help (UK), Today and Summer Days. You see, this American Rubber Sould screwed the band's career. It was all downhill after Per Sounds. 

You also lose the punchline of the album's title.You can't call it Rubber Soul if you take something that's R & B influenced as Drive My Car and replace it with the folksy I've Just Seen A Face.

[Dancing Bear]

Nah, too samey. Give me variety, like in Rubber Soul (UK), Help (UK), Today and Summer Days. You see, this American Rubber Sould screwed the band's career. It was all downhill after Per Sounds. 

You also lose the punchline of the album's title.You can't call it Rubber Soul if you take something that's R & B influenced as Drive My Car and replace it with the folksy I've Just Seen A Face.

Exactly. I may be known by my bad taste, but I'm just not ready to cheer for the substitution of 'Drive My Car' for filler like 'It's Only Love'.

[Rocker]

Nah, too samey. Give me variety, like in Rubber Soul (UK), Help (UK), Today and Summer Days. You see, this American Rubber Sould screwed the band's career. It was all downhill after Per Sounds. 

You also lose the punchline of the album's title.You can't call it Rubber Soul if you take something that's R & B influenced as Drive My Car and replace it with the folksy I've Just Seen A Face.

Exactly. I may be known by my bad taste, but I'm just not ready to cheer for the substitution of 'Drive My Car' for filler like 'It's Only Love'.

I think both songs are killer (IOL is probably my very favorite Lennon-song). But imo "Drive my car" rocks a little too hard compared to the rest of the album

[Wilsonista]

What I never figured out was if Capitol intended the US Rubber Soul to be the Beatles' folk rock album, why did they not include If I Needed Someone? George practically stole the Byrds's verson of Bells of Rhymney for IINS.

I'd agree with It's Only Love being filler. I'd also add I've Just Seen A face to the filler list. But then again Beatles filler is better than most 60's band's killer songs. At least I think so.

[pixletwin]

Weird. I know its a song which Lennon always labeled as one of his most embarrassing songs, but it has always been one of my faves... but then again I love When Girls Get Together. There is no accounting for taste. 

[GLarson432]

I won't begin to judge the merits of its inclusion on Revolver but I can sure say that it made a great opening number on Paul's recent tour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjII3yywsUg

BTW, for those in the US... if/when you see the Cowboys' game Sunday night against the Giants realize that the scoreboard (which a lot of us have heard about) in that stadium cost twice the expense of the entire former Cowboys' stadium built in 1971 in Irving, TX.

[Wilsonista]

I won't begin to judge the merits of its inclusion on Revolver but I can sure say that it made a great opening number on Paul's recent tour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjII3yywsUg

You mean Rubber Soul.

[Surfer Joe]

What I never figured out was if Capitol intended the US Rubber Soul to be the Beatles' folk rock album, why did they not include If I Needed Someone? George practically stole the Byrds's verson of Bells of Rhymney for IINS.

I'd agree with It's Only Love being filler. I'd also add I've Just Seen A face to the filler list. But then again Beatles filler is better than most 60's band's killer songs. At least I think so.

Interesting thought on "IINS"- hadn't thought of it that way. 

"It's Only Love" is a huge favorite of mine- I think Lennon focused on disliking the lyrics, which lack his usual edge- but I liked for him to write without that edge sometimes.  "Run For Your Life" was a big favorite of mine when I was a kid, and I think Lennon hated that one too, possibly for cribbing a few lyrics from "Baby, Let's Play House".  But no real crime there.

[Aegir]

I won't begin to judge the merits of its inclusion on Revolver but I can sure say that it made a great opening number on Paul's recent tour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjII3yywsUg

You mean Rubber Soul.

You mean Yesterday and Today.

[The Song Of The Grange]

I wonder which song on Revolver BW was referring to as "religious music"?  Tomorrow Never Knows has the Tibetan Book of the Dead influence, which I guess counts as religious.  Maybe it is certain qualities in the music of many songs on the album that he thought had a spiritual sound, like church music or something.  Maybe something like Here There and Everywhere.

[sleeptalk]

Maybe something like Here There and Everywhere.

which was directly inspired by pet sounds, was it not?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Maybe something like Here There and Everywhere.

which was directly inspired by pet sounds, was it not?

According to Kim Fowley, which of course makes it immediately suspect. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

I wonder which song on Revolver BW was referring to as "religious music"?  Tomorrow Never Knows has the Tibetan Book of the Dead influence, which I guess counts as religious.  Maybe it is certain qualities in the music of many songs on the album that he thought had a spiritual sound, like church music or something.  Maybe something like Here There and Everywhere.

Ummm... care to show me the quote that explicitly states Brian was referencing Revolver when he said that ?  He just mentions the band. This is how myths evolve - from something that wasn't said in the first place.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

I wonder which song on Revolver BW was referring to as "religious music"?  Tomorrow Never Knows has the Tibetan Book of the Dead influence, which I guess counts as religious.  Maybe it is certain qualities in the music of many songs on the album that he thought had a spiritual sound, like church music or something.  Maybe something like Here There and Everywhere.

Ummm... care to show me the quote that explicitly states Brian was referencing Revolver when he said that ?  He just mentions the band. This is how myths evolve - from something that wasn't said in the first place.

This is true.

[punkinhead]

I took a listen to the two filler tunes added the US Rubber Soul album....it is a great folky feel...and I agree drive my car is a bit pop-ier than the rest of the album...

but I'd love to see someone construct a fan-edit of Rubber Soul with IJSAF and IOL and DMC, NM, and IINS; in their own places of course..mabye with alt/outtakes? or add 12 - bar original to it? (the 12 minute version   )