"Taxman" (Harrison – August 8, 1966)
Revolver – Side 1, Track 1 (2:39)
"Taxman" is a song written by George Harrison released as the opening track on The Beatles' 1966 album Revolver. Its lyrics attack the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labor government of Harold Wilson.
1997 – Recording of orchestra overdub for "Beautiful Night" at Abbey Road Studios, London.
Revolver – Side 1, Track 1 (2:39)
YouTube (George Harrison and Eric Clapton live)
From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, About.com, and Google –
From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, About.com, and Google –
"Taxman" is a song written by George Harrison released as the opening track on The Beatles' 1966 album Revolver. Its lyrics attack the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labor government of Harold Wilson.
Composition and recording –
Harrison said, "'Taxman' was when I first realized that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes. It was and still is typical." The Beatles' large earnings placed them in the top tax bracket in the United Kingdom, liable to a 95% super tax introduced by Harold Wilson's Labor government (hence the lyrics "There's one for you, nineteen for me"). In a 1984 interview with Playboy magazine, Paul McCartney explained: "George wrote that and I played guitar on it. He wrote it in anger at finding out what the taxman did. He had never known before then what he'll do with your money."
In 1980, Lennon recalled in an interview with Playboy magazine, "I remember the day he [Harrison] called to ask for help on 'Taxman', one of his first songs. I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along, because that's what he asked for. He came to me because he couldn't go to Paul, because Paul wouldn't have helped him at that period. I didn't want to do it... I just sort of bit my tongue and said OK. It had been John and Paul for so long, he'd been left out because he hadn't been a songwriter up until then."
The backing vocals' references to "Mr Wilson" and "Mr Heath," suggested by Lennon, refer to Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, who were the leaders of the Labor Party and the Conservative Party, the two largest parties in British politics. Wilson, then Prime Minister, had nominated all four of The Beatles as Members of the Order of the British Empire just the previous year. The chanted names replaced two refrains of "Anybody got a bit of money?" heard in take 11, an earlier version released on Anthology 2 in 1996.
Recording began on 20 April 1966, but this was left unused and ten new takes occurred on 21 April 1966, the four tracks being filled that day with drums and bass, Harrison's distorted rhythm guitar, overdubs of his vocal and Lennon and McCartney's backing vocals. The ending was created on 21 June.
In 1980, Lennon recalled in an interview with Playboy magazine, "I remember the day he [Harrison] called to ask for help on 'Taxman', one of his first songs. I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along, because that's what he asked for. He came to me because he couldn't go to Paul, because Paul wouldn't have helped him at that period. I didn't want to do it... I just sort of bit my tongue and said OK. It had been John and Paul for so long, he'd been left out because he hadn't been a songwriter up until then."
The backing vocals' references to "Mr Wilson" and "Mr Heath," suggested by Lennon, refer to Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, who were the leaders of the Labor Party and the Conservative Party, the two largest parties in British politics. Wilson, then Prime Minister, had nominated all four of The Beatles as Members of the Order of the British Empire just the previous year. The chanted names replaced two refrains of "Anybody got a bit of money?" heard in take 11, an earlier version released on Anthology 2 in 1996.
Recording began on 20 April 1966, but this was left unused and ten new takes occurred on 21 April 1966, the four tracks being filled that day with drums and bass, Harrison's distorted rhythm guitar, overdubs of his vocal and Lennon and McCartney's backing vocals. The ending was created on 21 June.
Musical characteristics –
The song is in the key of D Major and in 4/4 time. The recording begins before the actual song with coughing and counting (pointedly cut short — the real count being heard in the background[10]) that McCartney described as sounds that were on the tape, and that Lennon "thought [the listeners] would like to hear."
The chords stress the flat VII (C-natural in the key of D major) and frequently involve a major/minor I chord (D/Dm), which evoke either Mixolydian or Dorian modes. There is one flat-III (F chord) near the end, but unusually no V (A) chord. The song is also notable musically for its use of both a 5th string voicing of the Dominant seventh sharp ninth chord to embellish the tonic D7 chord at the end of each two-line verse (at 0.12 and 0.19secs), and a 6th-string form to create a complementary "jarring dissonance" with the lyrics in the subdominant (IV) G chord (to a G7#9) at 1.29 (after the solo) on "Cause I'm the taxman, yeah — I'm the taxman". McCartney's bass line has been considered to imitate Motown bassist James Jamerson in its active lines and glissandi (at 0.55-1.08) In the third verse McCartney doubles his own pentatonic bass line while outlining the jarring Iflat7 chord in octaves (at 1.32-1.44).
Paul's guitar solo utilizes what Pollack describes as "fast triplets, exotic modal touches, and a melodic shape which traverses several octaves and ends with a breathtaking upward flourish". Everett considers that McCartney's solo is in the same Dorian mode adapted by Harrison in Love You To. In 1987, Harrison stated: "I was pleased to have Paul play that bit on 'Taxman'. If you notice, he did like a little Indian bit on it for me." Ian MacDonald praised McCartney's contributions to the song saying his guitar solo was "outstanding" and his bass part was "remarkable".
The chords stress the flat VII (C-natural in the key of D major) and frequently involve a major/minor I chord (D/Dm), which evoke either Mixolydian or Dorian modes. There is one flat-III (F chord) near the end, but unusually no V (A) chord. The song is also notable musically for its use of both a 5th string voicing of the Dominant seventh sharp ninth chord to embellish the tonic D7 chord at the end of each two-line verse (at 0.12 and 0.19secs), and a 6th-string form to create a complementary "jarring dissonance" with the lyrics in the subdominant (IV) G chord (to a G7#9) at 1.29 (after the solo) on "Cause I'm the taxman, yeah — I'm the taxman". McCartney's bass line has been considered to imitate Motown bassist James Jamerson in its active lines and glissandi (at 0.55-1.08) In the third verse McCartney doubles his own pentatonic bass line while outlining the jarring Iflat7 chord in octaves (at 1.32-1.44).
Paul's guitar solo utilizes what Pollack describes as "fast triplets, exotic modal touches, and a melodic shape which traverses several octaves and ends with a breathtaking upward flourish". Everett considers that McCartney's solo is in the same Dorian mode adapted by Harrison in Love You To. In 1987, Harrison stated: "I was pleased to have Paul play that bit on 'Taxman'. If you notice, he did like a little Indian bit on it for me." Ian MacDonald praised McCartney's contributions to the song saying his guitar solo was "outstanding" and his bass part was "remarkable".
Personnel –
George Harrison – Lead vocal, lead guitar
John Lennon – Backing vocal
Paul McCartney – Backing vocal, bass, lead guitar solo
Ringo Starr – Drums, tambourine, cowbell
George Martin – Producer
John Lennon – Backing vocal
Paul McCartney – Backing vocal, bass, lead guitar solo
Ringo Starr – Drums, tambourine, cowbell
George Martin – Producer
Geoff Emerick – Engineer
Legacy –
In the show Love, the guitar solo was sampled in the piece "Drive My Car"/"The Word"/"What You're Doing".
"Taxman" was included in Harrison's concert repertoire during his solo career; on his tour of Japan in 1991 with Eric Clapton, "Taxman" was on the set list. "It's a song that goes regardless if it's the sixties, seventies, eighties or nineties," Harrison declared. "There's always a taxman." Harrison added more lyrics on that tour, such as "If you're overweight, I'll tax your fat."
In the US, radio disc jockeys and TV news reporters annually feature the song in the days leading up to 15 April, the date by which US income tax returns must usually be filed. Some post offices have even been known to sardonically play the song on in-house audio systems for the long lines of last-minute tax filers. In 2002, tax preparation service H&R Block used a slower-paced cover version of the song in television commercials.
"Taxman" was included in Harrison's concert repertoire during his solo career; on his tour of Japan in 1991 with Eric Clapton, "Taxman" was on the set list. "It's a song that goes regardless if it's the sixties, seventies, eighties or nineties," Harrison declared. "There's always a taxman." Harrison added more lyrics on that tour, such as "If you're overweight, I'll tax your fat."
In the US, radio disc jockeys and TV news reporters annually feature the song in the days leading up to 15 April, the date by which US income tax returns must usually be filed. Some post offices have even been known to sardonically play the song on in-house audio systems for the long lines of last-minute tax filers. In 2002, tax preparation service H&R Block used a slower-paced cover version of the song in television commercials.
1843 – Evening: Show for the benefit of Mr. Kite.
1961 – Performance at the club, Liverpool, filmed; the earliest Beatles footage known.
1963 – Concert at the Locarno Ballroom.
1965 – Ringo returns from Brighton to London.
1967 – Studio 2. 7.00pm-12.30am. Recording: "Only A Northern Song" (tape reduction take 3 into takes 10-12, overdub onto take 12). Mono mixing: 'Only A Northern Song' (remixes 1-3, from take 12). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
1969 – Clive Epstein receives a letter from John Eastman about Klein's intervention in NEMS,
1970 – Live Peace In Toronto, 6th week in the ranking (Billboard).
1972 – US Vice-minister of Justice sends the Judicial Committee's memorandum about John and Yoko to Raymon Farell.
– John and Yoko appear as guests for one week on the David Frost Show.
1996 – Worldwide radio broadcast of 'Real Love' begins.
–London newspaper 'Sun' reports that two robbers arrested by the police knew of a $150,000 plan to assassinate Paul, which was dismissed by a Paul spokesman.
1997 – Recording of orchestra overdub for "Beautiful Night" at Abbey Road Studios, London.
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