"Sounds genuine to me and to people who have studied these tracks a lot more than me. I enjoyed it. I think it would have been really interesting if they had included that version (or something close to it) on the album in lieu of "Revolution 9." But I do miss the "Number 9, Number 9" voice."

"Well…I’ve heard this version before only w/ Yoko talking over most of it, so this version is simply wonderful. I contacted Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn about it and he reminded me that in his 'Beatles Recording Sessions' book he mentions how Lennon took this day’s session home with him. So one wonders why and how in March of 2009 it suddenly surfaces. Maybe from a dark room somewhere in the Dakota!

"Regardless….it’s interesting to hear it so clean & crisp. It’s equally as interesting to get hear what John was putting the other three Beatle through at the begining of the White LP sessions. One wonders what the other “lads” were thinking as Yoko was rambling on about being “naked’…Here was Lennon laying down the law that Yoko was not only gonna be present at these sessions…but actually involved in the sessions! As we all know Yoko’s voice pops up more than once on the White LP.

"At the end of the day, the Beatles KNEW what to put out and what NOT to put out - i.e. 'Carnival Of Light,' the 20+ minute of 'Helter Skelter,' the longer version of 'You Know My Name,' the first take of 'Tomorrow Never Knows,' etc. They knew what they were doing, which is evident in how they finally edited and chopped up "Revolution 1." I hope these tapes came from a cleaning woman who found a stash of Beatles tapes in a closet somewhere in the Dakota that Yoko forgot about…and I hope she keeps `em coming! Gimme more!"

"I don’t have much to offer that others haven’t already. I would bet my Beatles records that it is authentic. Lewisohn or others who have listened to the tapes at Abbey Road would have the definitive answer. It matches Lewisohn’s description in “Recording Sessions” closely. Assuming it is the real deal (even if by some tiny chance it isn’t, there is such a version in Abbey Road), the obvious question concerns release: why it wasn’t included on “Anthology,” and whether it should be released in the future. “Anthology” included some tremendous stuff, such as “Tomorrow Never Knows” and the solo acoustic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” but it also included some yawningly “different” versions of things like “I’ve Got a Feeling,” and that long take of McCartney doing “Fool on the Hill.” Why this version of “Revolution 1” wasn’t included, I can’t imagine. Unless perhaps it was being held back for a future release. (Might it be a bonus track on the forthcoming remastered “white album?”)

"Of course it should be released. It’s an historical gem, offering a glimpse into the growing creative schism between Lennon and McCartney at that moment. As Geoff Emerick noted in his book, there were very opposing views on the direction of Beatles music at that point, with Lennon essentially sick of McCartney’s lighter, music-hall flavored fare, and pushing hard to grittier rock and avant-garde experimentation---and McCartney coming off as lukewarm toward the more avant-garde material. This song is also great listening, obviously.

"So here you have a first-rate song done wonderfully by The Beatles, who all participate (along with Yoko) in adding goofball noises and vocals (the “mama, dada” chorus is great) to the long fade-out. My preference would be that the song be remixed to minimize the ugly, repetitive horn noise (that sounds like the horn noise in the fade-out of “Strawberry Fields”), and to add the other guitar parts and George Martin horn arrangement used in the released version. This would approximate what the track would have been had the band decided to include the full-blown thing. A real treasure."

"It was an incredible joy to hear!! One of the holy grails of Beatles music (next to the 27 minute "Helter Skelter.") Hearing the vocal bits of John screming "RIGHT...RIGHT...ALLRIGHT" in that context, after hearing them in Revolution 9 was stunning. I LOVED hearing the "MAMA...DADA" backing vocals of Paul and George, after reading all about these overdubs in Mark Lewisohn's splendid book "The Beatles Recording Sessions At Abbey Road."

"Isn't it amazing that, 40 years after it was recorded, that we're finally hearing this? It makes me wish Apple/EMI would just open their vaults to fans (for a fee, of course) and let us hear it all. Best to you, and keep up the good work! Andre."

Update (3/1/09)

Journalist Bill DeYoung, who's done a number of Beatle-related stories through the years, sent us his thoughts on the "Revolution" outtake:

"The first thing that hit me was the absence of the 'Revolution I' overdubs - the horns and (most) of the electric guitar. If this was indeed 'Bootlegger Bob' (the guy who creates outfakes in his basement) he did a masterful job of not only completely erasing those sounds, but in creating a fantastic Beatle-esque vibe for the whole track."

"Has anyone else noticed the similarities between this and 'What's the New Mary Jane'? John was also making this track during that first burst of Yoko-love, when everything was experimental.

"I have absolutely no doubt that this is the real deal. It gives me shivers.

Update (2/28/09)

Rolling Stone.com has a story on the "Revolution" outtake, which notes, according to Mark Lewisohn's "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" that there were only two tape copies of the song, one left in the studio, the other taken away by John Lennon and how the one copy made it to the bootleg release that was the source of the outtake is a mystery. There's also the story that Lennon recorded the vocal while laying on his back.

But one thing is elementary from all this (Paul, Ringo, Olivia and Yoko, are you listening?): People want to hear more new Beatle music. Not technically juggled and mashed or mixed up, but as it was, as we loved it. And even crazy things like the "Revolution" outtake. Yes, you did the "Anthology", but how about going back into the vaults again? Collectors know there are enough good things to make at least a two-disc set (at the minimum) that would thrill people like this taste of "Revolution" did. For once, get the jump on the bootleggers. And Paul, please don't get the idea "Carnival of Light" will get this much attention.

Update (2/26/09)

Is the unreleased take of "Revolution" that created such a buzz a fake? Read what one Beatle author thinks in our Examiner column.

Update (2/25/09)

With all the media buzz that take 20 of "Revolution" was getting, it's no surprise it disappeared from YouTube on Tuesday. Maybe it'll get released on that White Album remaster that we'll see soon. (Yeah, right.)

(2/24/2009) A recently surfaced outtake of "Revolution" has lit up the buzz among Beatle fans. We've written about it in our latest Examiner column. The column includes comments from Doug Sulpy, Allan Kozinn and John C. Winn. We'd like to hear your opinions on this as well. Email us at beatlesexaminer@gmail.com and put REVOLUTION in the subject line.

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