What does Revolution #9 mean?

Beatles: Revolution #9 Meaning

Album cover for Revolution #9 album cover

Song Released: 1968


Revolution #9 Lyrics

[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.]

Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9,...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    dangatsby
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    Jan 15th 2008 !⃝

    Let's be clear that Paul's death was metaphorical of growing up. Dieing to yourself. On SNL, Chris Farley asked, "Remember when you put all those hidden messages that you died... well...was. That real?" And Paul says, "No, I didn't REALLY die." Getting over your own heart aches for the billions of others in this world.

    It is randomness though, and that's appropriate. John said that it was a sound collage of a revolution boiling. It may be an emotional and experiential depiction of the frightening terrors of being alone and growing up. Facing just yourself for eternity is hell.

    If you've ever had a bad trip, and remember what you felt while you feel the textoral effects of the sound in this piece, it will be more clear.

    Unadulterated fear!

    -Danny

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Jun 16th 2008 !⃝

    Okay. This isn't real music, people. I've never met a Beatles song I didn't like, but this one's my least favorite, you know? It's artistic, but it's also really disturbing.

    John and Yoko were into a fantastically bizarre style of art that quite frankly, I don't understand. Personally, I think this song is a way to express many ideas at the same time and perhaps just to make a statement about music and poetry. Although, quite honestly, I can't hear what's going on with the dialog. I never knew it said all of what it does until I read the lyrics. Go figure. Better luck next time, all you crazy artists out there.

    -Ashleigh

  3. anonymous
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    Dec 9th 2019 !⃝

    i think i heard death to pigs and rise
    it could be talking about the murders
    of 1969, that started the helter skelter
    race war

  4. BEATLESFAN1989
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    Jun 27th 2018 !⃝

    It's an audio of a car crash, with paul dying. And police man and detectives talking about the dead body afterwards at the crime scene, then weird shit about "i lost my wings and my head" "rouge doctors have brought this specimen" "

  5. anonymous
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    Jul 16th 2016 !⃝

    I think the whole song/sound collage is meant to be the aural equivalent of experiencing a bad LSD trip. That's really how I interpret it.

  6. anonymous
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    Mar 30th 2015 !⃝

    I recently visited the remnants of the Maharishi's ashram in Rishikesh, India - where the Beatles stayed during the visit know for them having written most if not all of the White Album. The story I got from the locals is this. The ashram was just that - an ashram, meaning it is a place intended for use by those on spiritual pilgrimage, and selfless service. Outfitted with 84 identical little stone huts that have dome roofing making making them look the shape of an egg. Only large enough one person and intended for use by the monks for sleeping or meditation - no facilities, no windows, a doorway with no door, although they may have had them at one time. Each hut has it's number carved in the keystone above the entranceway. John stayed in ...#9.

    Mikey

  7. HarryLeonard
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    Mar 30th 2015 !⃝

    To me the song could mean anything really.
    Still the song has the sound of a ambulence.
    The song has Paul screaming "Let Me Out."
    Either something bad did occur or they are mind messing with us,

  8. anonymous
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    Jun 20th 2014 !⃝

    Have you ever listened to it backwards? it's a hidden message contributing to the "Paul is dead" hoax

  9. anonymous
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    Mar 14th 2013 !⃝

    Meth

  10. anonymous
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    Mar 12th 2013 !⃝

    Its the illuminaughty, the soundwaves affect your brain and once the illuminaughty attack, we all go crazy because the soundwaves are in us.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  11. anonymous
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    May 2nd 2012 !⃝

    I have been reading this storys and yeah this song is scary as hell i am listening to the song right now and now since my brother told about this song.They are all scared and I was like what the fuck man!!!!

  12. anonymous
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    Jan 22nd 2012 !⃝

    Gustavo says "messiah says" is stupid as Fuck! Your not a prophet so don't get Gods word mixed up

  13. anonymous
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    Dec 8th 2011 !⃝

    It has been my long-standing belief that Revolution #9 was put on The Beatles White Album (properly entitled "The Beatles") as a simple 'filler'. And - only after it came out the way it came out - did John Winston Lennon decide on making it a 'show-case' - or a 'show-piece' - whichever.
    As you are most probably aware, the White Album was The Beatles first - as it would be, to everyone's chagrin, their last - try at making a double-album. They may have thought that they had enough material to cover two albums, but when they found that they were lacking by one or two songs, everybody was most happy that they had John. For, he could jot out a song in a breath!
    The thing is, he could not know what an impact it would have forever more on the entire Music Industry!
    John Winston Lennon - where-ever you are - you are still appreciated highly!

    I am Who I am,
    The Superfluous Lee 3
    (Know Me?)

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  14. anonymous
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    Nov 13th 2011 !⃝

    1. Drugs
    2. Random conversations
    3. 9 was John's number. (I'm not going to say lucky number, but maybe favorite.)
    4. Yoko Ono's influence.
    5. The lure of playing a song backwards and seeing what happens.
    6. Drugs. Again.

  15. anonymous
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    Nov 13th 2011 !⃝

    Drugs and random conversations.

  16. anonymous
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    Jul 31st 2011 !⃝

    John cut up a bunch of bits of tapes and put them back together.

  17. anonymous
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    Jul 1st 2011 !⃝

    Alright, a little bit of insight into this song since there is a lot of confusion.

    The song was purposely dubbed by the Beatles, during this time they had been around and started the whole "If we play it backwards, what happens?" theory that literally struck classical rock. This song is a bunch of noises that they collected from popular culture at the time, and wanted to make people uncomfortable. Songs were to be appealing, but also they were supposed to insight some sort of emotion when listened too. Obviously this song makes many people feel uncomfortable because of the rushes and random noises that are being made throughout the entire song.

    Also this is before computers, and the dubbed parts where you hear "number 9, number 9, number 9" were put in there to just keep the mentality of the song in place. I can't remember the proper musical term but its sonographical recognition. The music is supposed to be played backwards.

    It does not mean the Beatles believed in Satan or stuff like that, because clearly they didn't but the song was insighted and supposed to make people feel strongly about it.

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