(Bottle of Claret for you if I had realised
Well, do it next time.
I forgot about it, George, I’m sorry.
Will you forgive me?
Yes.)
Cheeky bitch!
Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number
Then there’s this Welsh Rarebit wearing some brown underpants
About the shortage of grain in Hertfordshire
Everyone of them knew that as time went by
They’d get a little bit older and a little bit slower but
It’s all the same thing, in this case manufactured by someone who’s always
Umpteen your father’s giving it diddly-i-dee
District was leaving, intended to pay for
Number 9, number 9
Who’s to know?
Who was to know?
Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9
I sustained nothing worse than
Also for example
Whatever you’re doing
A business deal falls through
I informed him on the third night
When fortune gives
Number 9, number 9, number 9
People right, people right
Right, right, right, right, right
Right! right!
9, number 9, number 9, number 9
I’ve missed all of that
It makes me a few days late
Compared with, like, wow!
And weird stuff like that
Taking our sides sometimes
Floral bark
Rouge doctors have brought this specimen
I have nobody’s short-cuts, aha
9, number 9
With the situation
They are standing still
The plan, the telegram
Ooh ooh
Number 9, number
Ooh
A man without terrors from beard to false
As the headmaster reported to me
My son he really can try as they do to find function
Tell what he was saying, and his voice was low and his hive high
And his eyes were low
Alright!
His head was on fire, his glasses were saved
This was…
Which enables him to move about
Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9
So the wife called me and we’d better go to see a surgeon
Or whatever to price it yellow underclothes
So, any road, we went to see the dentist instead
Who gave her a pair of teeth which wasn’t any good at all
So so instead of that he joined the fucking navy and went to sea
In my broken chair, my wings are broken and so is my hair
I’m not in the mood for whirling
Um da
Aaah
How?
We are gathered in France
Dogs for dogging, hands for clapping
Birds for birding and fish for fishing
Them for themming and when for whimming
Only to find the night-watchman
Unaware of his presence in the building
Onion soup
Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9
Industrial output
Financial imbalance
Thrusting it between his shoulder blades
The Watusi
The twist
Eldorado
Take this brother, may it serve you well
Maybe it’s nothing
Aaah
Maybe it’s nothing
What? What? Oh
Maybe even then
Impervious in London
Could be difficult thing
Hold that line!
Hold that line!
Hold that line!
Hold that line!
It’s quick like rush for peace is
Because it’s so much
It was like being naked
It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
If you become naked
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
Block that kick!
The Sound Collage Experience
“Revolution 9” stands out as one of The Beatles’ most experimental pieces, featuring a surreal blend of spoken word, tape loops, and abstract soundscapes. The repeated motif of “Number 9” becomes a hypnotic anchor, weaving through fragmented dialogues and snippets of everyday life. Rather than a traditional narrative, the lyrics and sounds evoke a sense of chaos, uncertainty, and subconscious reflection, mirroring the tumultuous social climate of the late 1960s. Listeners are drawn into a dreamlike, sometimes unsettling world, where meaning is elusive and shaped as much by sound as by words.
Interpretation and Impact
The lack of linear storytelling in “Revolution 9” invites personal interpretation. Some hear it as commentary on societal unrest, while others view it as a sonic exploration of the mind’s inner workings. The randomness of the spoken phrases, from “industrial output” to “block that kick,” suggests an intentional embrace of avant-garde art, encouraging listeners to find their own meaning amid the cacophony. This track challenges conventional song structure, leaving a lasting impact on the evolution of experimental music.
Song Credits
- Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Release Year: 1968
- Label: Apple Records