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"Taxman"

 (by George Harrison,
April 22th 1966, EMI Studios, London)




Erwachsen und gereift produzieren die Beatles dann ihre Alben "Rubber soul" und "Revolver", welche die zweite Phase einleitete, die angetörnte Phase würde es George Harrison nennen. Die Beatles hatten sich nicht nur emanzipiert,  sondern fingen an, in einem eigenen Kosmos zu leben. Ihr weltweiter Ruhm machte es ihnen unmöglich, wie normale Menschen über die Straße zu gehen. Die Beatles lebten abgeschirmt zwischen Tourneen und Studios auch in einer gedanklichen Eigenwelt.

Grown up and mature, the Beatles then produced their albums "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver", which launched the second phase, the turned on phase as George Harrison would call it The Beatles not only had become emancipated, but just started to live in their own cosmos. Their worldwide fame made it impossible for them to cross the street like normal people. The Beatles were living shielded, between tours and studio, in a mental world of their own, too.


(Beatles "Taxman" at YouTube)



With "Taxman", as David Fricke remembers,  "George Harrison succeeded in writing an angry song about the high taxes that the Beatles had to pay".

In its cynicism and reduced rhythmic kick,  "Taxman"  was George Harrison's triumph altogether, and the other three Beatles knew that: Harrison's spiteful blow against this highway tax robbery by "here majesty's Government" won the most coveted position of "Revolver" side 1, track 1.

"At the time of 'Taxman' it catched my eye for the first time that we earned real money slowly, but had to deliver most of it again," George Harrison wrote in his autobiography "I Me Mine".

In the first couplet of the text "Let me tell you how it will be / there's one for you, nineteen for me" Harrison accused the British crown not only of the theft, but even of hypocrisy: One hand distributes medals, meanwhile the other grabbed the bulk of the Beatles' money.
In his autobiography "I Me Mine" he writes,
"We were actually giving away most of the money for taxes, it was and still it is typical Wy should this be so? Are we being punished for something we have forgotten to do? "

Apart from politics, the song can be understood as a bridge between the early guitar pop and the gradually emerging psychedelic experiments: Taxman iultimately is minimalistic funk, plus distorted accords against a danceable rhythm & blues beat.


(George Harrison "Taxman" at YouTube)



What can I say, naturally I agree with David Fricke, of course. If one, however, takes into account the raga touch of the melody, and all the extra hours George Harrison and Geoff Emerick devoted into Taxman and Revolver at something prospective is signified yet: the confrontation with the sitar and Indian music in generally, songs like "Love You To" and "The Inner Light" are signalizing on the horizon. "We were extremely picky in sound issues", Emerick said about his work with Harrison. "And I really think he was frustrated slowly. He had all the guitar stuff done and now wanted to head to a different direction, 'to Within You, Without You' he was attracted. The three other Beatles were horrified, but the Druidicus Magnus George Harrison meant completely serious! "


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