Revolution 9 (aka Number Nine, Number 9, Revolution #9 or #9) is track 12 on the Beatles' self-titled album (more commonly called the White Album). The bizarre combination of sound effects and editing (stereo panning and fading) creates a strange mood, evoking psychedelic images.

"Revolution 9" is compiled solely from sound clips and tape loops. It's a piece of musique concrete credited to the usual Lennon-McCartney, though it's certainly far from a conventional song and furthermore quite unlike anything else the group ever wrote or recorded. One music critic writes that "Revolution 9" demonstrates "the influence of Yoko Ono on principal composer John Lennon".[1]

After a brief piano introduction, a tape loop of longtime Beatles producer George Martin is introduced, saying "number nine" repeatedly. This loop fades in and out thoughout the song as a sort of Leitmotif.

As some portions of "Revolution 9" are recordings of other music (bits of Sibelius and Beethoven, for example), the piece can be seen as an early example of sampling. Other audio elements include various bits of apparently nonsenical dialogue, various found sounds, reversed sounds and recordings of soccer chants.

"Paul is Dead" Significance

Revolution 9 played an important part in the infamous "Paul is Dead" controversy. If one listens carefully, the "babble", as many believe, includes hints left by the band about Paul's alleged death. As the "Paul Is Dead" rumors were quickly debunked, these "clues" are creative misinterpretation of "Revolution 9", and are an interesting footnote to the Beatles' history.

Hints and clues cited include:

• A conversation between John Lennon and George Martin about slipping the hints in: (John) "I'm sorry.... Will you forgive me?" (George) "Mmm... Yes..." (In reality, it is not John that is speaking. It is actually Alistair Taylor on an unknown topic.)
• "My fingers are broken and so is my hair", a reference to the car crash which supposedly killed Paul.(It really says "My wings are broken...)"
• "...his voice was low and his eye was high and his eyes were closed.."
• "...Paul died.." (Actually says "all right".)
• "I'm not in the mood for wearing clothing..."
• "...maybe even dead..."
• ...you become naked...
• Also, a car crash can be heard with Paul yelling "Get me out! Get me out!", as well as flames and sirens.

Perhaps most notorious is the suggestion that "Number nine... number nine"--when played backwards--is said to become "Turn me on, dead man".

External link

• A minute-by-minute summary of the piece
• Certain clips of the song can be played and looped here
• A Recording of Revolution 9 played backwards
• Lyrics