ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the musical and textual thematics of the 'larger process' and their developmental distortion on the US version of Revolver, extending Tim Riley's argument as well as reviewing and expanding on observations made by other critics. It suggests that the artistic corruption of the Beatles' magnificent set of early 1966 songs runs deeper than the Yesterday... and Today fiasco in the United States. Three songs from what would become the British version of Revolver, songs that would not appear on the American edition, were pre-released on Yesterday... and Today: 'I'm Only Sleeping', 'And Your Bird Can Sing', and 'Doctor Robert', all penned primarily by John Lennon. 'Yellow Submarine', like 'I'm Only Sleeping', was recorded using the varispeed technique that lowered the playback pitch of the instrumental tracks by one half-tone, while raising the vocals by the same interval.
