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© 2026 Nadav (Nahdi) Lazar. Beatles music © Apple Corps. Fan-made – not affiliated with The Beatles or Apple Corps.

“In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Songs Past MastersRevolution

Hey Jude·Only a Northern Song

Revolution1968 · Past Masters

Past Masters album cover

Revolution

1968 · Past Masters

“You ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow”

Lennon's hard-rock response to the radical politics of 1968, recorded as a faster remake of Revolution 1. Released as the B-side of Hey Jude, it became the first overtly political Beatles song.

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British session pianist Nicky Hopkins. Heard on the Beatles' 'Revolution' - his only Beatles credit.

AlbumPast Masters

Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon–McCartney

RecordedJuly 9 – 13, 1968

ReleasedAugust 26, 1968 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)

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Text339 tags

Motif

Political Social commentary Revolution Real people Cultural snapshot Instructional Money Philosophical Question Dialogue Anatomy Communication

Influence

Chuck Berry influence

Title

Vocabulary

Positive tone Casual language

Narrative

First person Conversational Second person Imperative

Lyrical device

Rhyme type

Internal rhyme Perfect rhyme Identical rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus 12-bar blues

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has intro Has outro Has pre-chorus Has interlude

Section links

Chorus variation Outro based on chorus Pre-chorus based on verse

Repetition

Recurring fade line Recurring line Consecutive line

Word cloud

Recurring words

anyone change count doin hate instead mind people pictures a real but when can tell change your for people it with it's gonna it's the know it's make it me it's me out me that money for that it's to see want a we can we're all you ain't you have your mind all i can but when you change your head don't you know gonna make it if you go it's gonna be tell me that to see the what we can you have to you know it's you say you'll you tell me but if you go don't you know that pictures of chairman mao you tell me that don't you know it's gonna i can tell you is but when you talk about destruction don't you know it's gonna be we all wanna change the world you ask me for a contribution you better free your mind instead you say you want a revolution you say you'll change the constitution you tell me it's the institution you tell me that it's evolution we'd all love to see the plan you say you got a real solution all i can tell you is brother you but if you want money for people with can tell you is brother you have to don't you know that you can count me i can tell you is brother you have if you want money for people with minds tell you is brother you have to wait want money for people with minds that hate you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow you know that you can count me out you want money for people with minds that

Cover-shared words

about all alright ask better brother free go got head it know love make me money real say see talk tell wait want we well world you your all i ask me but if don't you gonna be gonna make got a have to i can if you know that love to say you see the talk about tell me tell you that you the world we all well you when you you better you can you go you got you is you know you say you talk you tell you want your head if you want know that you that you can well you know you got a you know that you say you

Lyric shape

[ADJ] your for [NOUN]is [NOUN]with [NOUN][ADJ] your [NOUN][NOUN] for [NOUN][VERB] [NOUN] for [VERB] it with [VERB] me out [VERB] me that a [NOUN] [ADV]can [VERB] you don't you [VERB]for [NOUN] with gonna [VERB] it have to [VERB]if you [WORD]is [NOUN] you it's the [NOUN]of [WORD] [WORD]to [VERB] the we're [WORD] [WORD]with [NOUN] [WORD]you [ADJ] [ADJ]you [VERB] [NOUN]you [VERB] [WORD]you [VERB] it's you [VERB] you'll you is [NOUN]your [NOUN] [WORD][VERB] a [NOUN] [ADV][VERB] to [VERB] the [VERB] you [VERB] a [WORD] [NOUN] to [VERB][WORD] [WORD] of [WORD][WORD] i can [VERB][WORD] of [WORD] [WORD]but if you [WORD]but when you [VERB]don't you [VERB] that i can [VERB] you if you [VERB] [NOUN]to [VERB] the [NOUN]wanna [VERB] your [NOUN]you [VERB] [WORD] [NOUN]you [VERB] me that you [VERB] that you you have to [VERB]you'll [VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB] the [NOUN]don't you [VERB] it's gonna i can [VERB] you is [NOUN] for [NOUN] with [VERB] that [VERB] [NOUN] for [NOUN] with [VERB][VERB] that you can [VERB] me [VERB] you [VERB] a [ADJ] [NOUN][VERB] you is [NOUN] you have [WORD] [NOUN] to [VERB] the [NOUN][WORD] i can [VERB] you is ain't gonna [VERB] it with [NOUN]but if you [VERB] [NOUN] for but when you [VERB] [WORD] [NOUN]can [VERB] you is [NOUN] you don't you [VERB] it's gonna be don't you [VERB] that you can for [NOUN] with [VERB] that [NOUN]gonna [VERB] it with [NOUN] [WORD]i can [VERB] you is [NOUN]if you [VERB] [NOUN] for [NOUN]is [NOUN] you have to [VERB]that you can [VERB] me out we [WORD] wanna [VERB] the [NOUN]we'd [WORD] [NOUN] to [VERB] the you [ADJ] [ADJ] your [NOUN] [WORD]you [VERB] [NOUN] for [NOUN] with you [VERB] it's gonna be [WORD]you [VERB] me for a [NOUN]you [VERB] me it's the [NOUN]you [VERB] me that it's [NOUN]you [VERB] that you can [VERB]you [VERB] you [VERB] a [ADJ]you [VERB] you [VERB] a [NOUN]you [VERB] you'll [VERB] the [NOUN]you ain't gonna [VERB] it with you is [NOUN] you have to

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] you [NOUN] for [NOUN] with [NOUN] you [VERB] a [VERB] it [VERB] it's [VERB] me [VERB] that [VERB] the [VERB] to [VERB] you [VERB] you'll [VERB] your [WORD] i [WORD] of [WORD] what a [ADJ]a [NOUN]be [WORD]can [VERB]gonna [VERB]it's [NOUN]of [WORD]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]to [VERB]wanna [VERB]we [WORD]with [VERB]you [ADJ]you [VERB]you [WORD]you'll [VERB]your [NOUN][ADV] you [VERB][VERB] a [ADJ][VERB] a [NOUN][VERB] that [NOUN][VERB] that you [VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] you [VERB][VERB] you'll [VERB][VERB] your [NOUN][WORD] [WORD] of [WORD] [WORD] what [WORD] of [WORD]a [ADJ] [NOUN]for a [NOUN]i can [VERB]if you [VERB]the [NOUN] [ADV]when you [VERB]you [VERB] a you [VERB] me you [VERB] that you [VERB] you you [WORD] [WORD]you can [VERB][VERB] a [ADJ] [NOUN][VERB] the [NOUN] [ADV]that you can [VERB]you [VERB] a [NOUN]you [VERB] you [VERB]you [WORD] [WORD] [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

ABBB AA AAA AB ABAB

Line length

12-13 9-9 12-7-12-7 Unique line length

Distinctive word

aahcarryin

Music116 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocals Electric guitar Lead guitar Bass guitar Electric piano Organ Drums Percussion Handclaps

Instrument group

Guitars Keyboards Percussion

Guitar work

Heavy guitars Guitar solo

Music genre

Hard rock Rock and roll Rock Blues rock Blues

Influence

Blues influence

Vocal work

Aah vocals Scream Shouted vocals

Solo / Riff

Guitar solo Solo on chorus

Tempo

Key

Time signature

Song form

Verse-chorus ABABAB 12-bar blues

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has intro Has outro Has pre-chorus Multiple pre-choruses (2+)Has solo Has interlude

Section links

Chorus variation Solo on chorus Outro based on chorus Pre-chorus based on verse

Section transition

I to V IV to I I to I

Harmony

Plagal cadence Rock/Mixolydian cadence Secondary dominant

Composition

All major chords Tonic ending Tonic opening Minimal harmony Chorus in I Verse in I Tonic verse Tonic chorus

Mode

Chord type

major dom7 power chord

Scale degree

I7 I IV7 IV V7 V

Chord degree

IV–I–V I–IV–I–V I–IV IV–I V–IV I–V I–V–IV V–IV–I I–IV–I–V–IV I–IV–I–V–IV–I–V IV–I–V–IV–I I–V–IV–I–V I–IV–I–V–IV–I IV–I–V–IV–I–V I–V–IV–I–V–IV

Chord shape

C → F → C → G C → B♭ → F → C C → G → D → C → G C → G → D C → F C7 → F7 C → G C → B♭C7 → B♭7 C → G → F C → B♭ → F C → F → C → G → F C7 → G7 C7 → G7 → D7 C → F → C → G → F → C → G C7 → G7 → F7 C7 → B♭7 → F C → B♭ → F → C → B♭ → F C → G → F → C → G C → G → F → C → G → F C7 → F7 → C7 → G7 → F7 C → F → C → G → F → C C7 → F7 → C7 → G7 C7 → G → D C → G → D → C → G → D C7 → G

Chord literal

B → E E7 → B7 B → F♯B → E → B → F♯B7 → E7 B → F♯ → E F♯ → E F♯ → E → B E → B

Studio15 tags

Studio technique

Double tracked vocal Direct injection Distortion Reduction mix

Equipment

Rickenbacker 4001S Hammond RT-3 Epiphone Casino ES-230TD Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster Ludwig Super Classic Hohner Pianet EMI REDD.51 console

Recording location

EMI Studio 2 EMI Studio 3 EMI Studios

Session duration

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People10 tags

Unique personnel

Role swap Special guest

Line-up

Lead vocals Electric lead guitar Handclaps

Bass guitar Organ Handclaps

George Harrison

Electric lead guitar Handclaps

Drums Handclaps

Recording engineer

Assistant engineer

Richard Lush Phil McDonald

Info18 tags

Release type

Single B-Side single Song on compilation Song on Love

US release

Release mix

Label

Publisher

Recording type

Song type

Duration

Chart performance

Cultural impact

Promotional video

Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides – then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

Updated 2026-06-03

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AlbumPast Masters

Songwriter(s)Lennon

Credited asLennon–McCartney

RecordedJuly 9 – 13, 1968

ReleasedAugust 26, 1968 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)

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