Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
History and Religion
Beatles’ “Revolver” ’22 Remix: Wondrous Ear Candy

Beatles’ “Revolver” ’22 Remix: Wondrous Ear Candy

Last updated on: June 6, 2026 at 12:01 am by Dave Armstrong

Beatles’ “Revolver” ’22 Remix: Wondrous Ear Candy 2026-06-06T00:01:00-04:00 Dave Armstrong

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Beatles’ album Revolver (which not a few fans consider their best) was released in 1966, and a new modern remix, done by George Martin’s son Giles Martin, was released on 28 October 2022. Here is my track-by-track analysis: focusing on audio sound quality and placement of singers and instruments in the new remix, and on how it compares to the previous “best” versions:
*
1. Taxman: the 2009 stereo remaster was absurd: most guitar, most drums, and bass on one side, and vocals, some percussion, guitar solo (which many don’t realize was performed by Paul), and some rhythm guitar on the other. The drums were particularly buried and unforgivably muffled. For these reasons, I think the best existing version before the ’22 remix was the 2009 mono mix: which puts it all in the “middle”, but has its own deficiencies and is not by any means great audio quality. The ’22 remix was released prior to the rest of the album on YouTube on 9-7-22. It’s vastly better, with drums, bass, and vocals in the middle, and rhythm guitar on the right (all sounding great).

My only criticism is that the left channel seems to oddly be almost unused, except for cowbells (!). Why couldn’t (for example) the guitar solo be placed in the left channel: just as in the 2009 stereo remaster it was separated? It makes perfect sense to me. But at least its placed in the center and can be distinguished from the rhythm guitar, so this now becomes the best mix. That’s the very sort of “jammed together” aspect that made the original stereo updated in the 2009 version less than ideal. I don’t understand the reasoning there. If it could be separated in the original mix, it certainly could have been again in this remix, to make it even more appealing and listenable.

*
2. Eleanor Rigby: this track had already been well-served by two “modern”-sounding and ear-pleasing stereo remixes: in 1999 on the Yellow Submarine “songtrack” and in 2015 for the remixed “1“: with the latter getting the nod because of the strings being out-of-sync in the 1999 remix (though it’s so slight that one hardly notices it). The new mix didn’t improve it all that much, since it was so good already, but it does seem to have a bit more vitality and energy and spaciousness, and the strings seem slightly more “biting” and Psycho-like menacing (which was intentional, I only recently learned) and clear.

*
3. I’m Only Sleeping: this wonderful, “could only have been from 1966” song from John wasn’t too bad in 2009 stereo, but it had an obnoxious right channel-only lead vocal. Therefore, I have preferred the mono mix from 2014, which is more satisfying and gives the drums the punch they deserve. Martin gives it much more “spaciousness” and warmth and “presence” with his studio magic, and the drums are just as punchy: whereas the mono sounds rather annoyingly tinny and “transistor radio-like” in comparison. So this is a most welcome and great improvement.
*

4. Love You Too: George’s “Indian” song had also been provided with a perfectly satisfying remix on the 1999 Yellow Submarine songtrack, and didn’t need much work. The ’22 mix sounds very similar, but I suspect that with repeated close listening, more details may “emerge” in the new version. I did notice that the bass string sitar sound at the end is more vivid, and an improvement.

*
5. Here, There, and Everywhere: Paul’s Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds-inspired song had been best in the 2009 stereo, which had nicely separated harmonies. But the new mix has the drums and guitar (as I fully expected) more discernible, accentuated, and incorporated into a better, fuller soundscape.

6. Yellow Submarine: it was very pleasantly remixed in 1999 on the Yellow Submarine songtrack and almost as well in 2015 for the remixed “1“: with the former being slightly superior, due to more spaciousness and “audio fun” during the “sea sound effects” interlude. For some odd and inexplicable reason the ’22 mix has significantly subdued (almost muffled) and less centered drums than the ’99 remix, which is a real “dealbreaker”, so that the latter remains (by a big margin) my favored version.

7. She Said She Said: this song had a typical “early rock stereo” annoying mix of guitars all on the right and a frustratingly muffled and wimpy drums on the left in the 2009 stereo remaster, so that the 2009 mono has been my preferred mix (mainly because I always want to hear drums as they ought to be heard in a rock song). Giles Martin has satisfyingly fixed these basic errors, with marvelous centered drums (it’s a great Ringo performance, similar to Rain: his own favorite drumming). and it’s now a wonderful complex, nuanced, “modern” soundscape that can appeal to and please our ears in 2022 in a purely auditory sense.
*

8. Good Day Sunshine: the 2009 stereo was highly separated and a bit “wimpy”: though not particularly annoying, as some other 2009 stereo Revolver cuts were. Nevertheless, it has now been improved a lot by being given the same sort of treatment heard in several songs above: a fuller and more nuanced and warm overall soundscape.
*

9. And Your Bird Can Sing: the 2009 stereo had a right-only vocal (that very few desire anymore) and anemic, “why bother even having them?” drums. Thus, I preferred the 2014 mono mix. Both deficiencies have been wonderfully rectified for a much better listening and marvelously “twangy” experience. The drums (though rather basic in this song), are as powerful as they should be. This delightful, “quintessentially Lennon” song richly deserved and will benefit from such an overhaul.

10. For No One: the previous best 2009 stereo suffered from no left channel at all in the beginning for about 20 seconds, and a tinny, very inadequate-sounding clavichord and piano on the right channel only (played by Paul), which has been vastly and thankfully improved. The French horn (now more centered) is from the renowned English classical musician Alan Civil.

11. Doctor Robert: the 2009 stereo was decent, but still objectionably had the dreaded right-only lead vocal. My previously preferred mono mix from 2014 has slightly punchier drums than the new mix and a very satisfying mono soundscape, but the big improvement in the ’22 mix is in the vocals, which are considerably better-sounding and more in balance. The separation of the guitars is also superior to the mono listening experience and more true-to-life.
*

12. I Want to Tell You: George’s song is similar in “format” to #11, and able to be improved in the same manner. I’ve preferred the 2009 mono. It’s never been one of my favorites. McCartney’s repetitious and “mindless” piano annoys me to no end. It’s a little softer in the ’22 mix. The vocals are much better and the drums are crisp and sharp (the way they always ideally should have been).
*

13. Got to Get You Into My Life: the 2009 stereo was fair enough, but the drums were again too soft (though not as badly as in some of these songs), and the right channel-only trumpets sounded like they were coming out of a toy record player or lousy transistor radio from 1966. The 2009 mono only slightly improved both problems, so there was no good or sufficient choice, until now. Now the whole thing (especially the horns) sounds much better and catchier, like the “white soul” that it is, by modifying the overall balance in the usual “modern” fashion.

*
14. Tomorrow Never Knows: this wonderful Lennon song that virtually began the psychedelic craze, was one of the better-sounding stereo cuts in its 2009 remastering, but the sound effects in particular needed to be made more clear and distinct. Martin has made it more “fun” and interesting to listen to, with the current state-of-the-art studio “trickery” and pure sound capabilities. The sound effects are better, and some of the drums can be heard separately, with a better echo. This trend-setting and influential song now sounds full and glorious and more clear: like today’s superior sound.

15. Paperback Writer: this is from the same period, and included in the new set. It was given a satisfying, much-improved and “rocking” remix in 2015 on the revised “1.” But in the new mix, both the bass and vocals seem a bit more clear and distinct, which makes it more satisfying overall.
*
16. Rain: I love this “trippy” and unique song in the Beatles’ catalogue (B-side to Paperback Writer). The formerly best 2009 stereo suffered from an obnoxious left-only lead vocal and not-very-clear harmony vocals on the right. Both are thankfully corrected, as fully expected, and the marvelous drum performance sounds better and no longer muffled. The wonderfully jangly, Byrds-like sound of the guitars and the bass are also improved and more distinct. Ringo’s masterpiece now has an audio quality to match the excellent-as-always musicianship.
*
Conclusion: the entire album has been significantly improved and is a joy to hear for any Beatles fan. The only dud is Yellow Submarine. But we have the existing 1999 remix to make up for that deficiency.
*
***

Related Reading

Review of US Version Beatles Albums: 1964 (lots of interesting comparisons of US and UK tracks) [12-1-04]

Beatles Update (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2) [5-23-06; at Internet Archive]

Amazon Review of the 2009 Beatles Stereo and Mono Box Sets [9-13-09]

“Beatles Heaven” Again (New “1” Album) (see Amazon review) [11-9-15]

Amazon Review of Sgt. Pepper (50th Anniversary Edition) (See also my own posting at Patheos) [5-26-17]

Review of The White Album (Beatles): 50th Anniversary Remix (see the review on Amazon) [11-14-18]

Best-Sounding Beatles Songs: All 211 [11-28-22]

Beatles’ Rubber Soul: Best Remixes (As We Await the Official Remix) [12-21-22]
*

Photo credit: The Beatles in 1966 [Flickr / public domain]
*
***
*
Summary: My review of the new remix (by Giles Martin) of the Beatles 1966 album Revolver: which is considered by many people to be their best album. Just one “dud”!

Beatles album Revolver

Previous Post

October 26, 2022

Martin Luther vs. Sectarianism and Fanaticism

Next Post

November 1, 2022 Defense of Immortal, Conscious Souls (vs. Lucas Banzoli): #1

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category & Last Things About Me Anti-Catholicism Atheism & Agnosticism Baptism and Sacramentalism Bible and Tradition Blessed Virgin Mary Books by Dave Armstrong C. S. Lewis Calvinism & General Protestantism Catholic Apologetics Catholic Apologists Catholic conversion Catholic converts Christmas Church (Ecclesiology) Church History Conversion and Converts Development of Doctrine Eastern Orthodoxy Ecumenism & Christian Unity Eucharist & Liturgy Fathers of the Church French Translations G. K. Chesterton Hell Hell & Satan Hell & Satan & Last Things Heresies & Comparative Religion Holistic Health Inquisition & Crusades & Scandals James White Jews & Judaism & Old Testament John Calvin John Henry Newman Liberal / Modernist Theology Life Issues Literary Resume Lutheranism Mariology Martin Luther Music Orthodoxy Papacy & Infallibility Personal Page Philosophy & Science Political & Ethical & Moral Issues Protestant Persecution & Intolerance Protestantism Purgatory Purgatory & Penance Romantic & Imaginative Theology Saints & Purgatory & Penance Salvation Salvation & Justification Satan & Last Things Sexuality and Gender Issues Spanish Translations Traditionalism vs. Radical Catholic Reactionaries Traducciones al español / tradução para português Trinitarianism & Christology Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 April 2010 March 2010 December 2009 October 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 March 2009 February 2009 October 2008 September 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 May 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 October 2005 June 2005 April 2005 February 2005 July 2004 May 2004 April 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz