Revolution in the Head cover art

Revolution in the Head

The Beatles Records and the Sixties

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Revolution in the Head

By: Ian MacDonald
Narrated by: David Morrissey, Robyn Hitchcock, Danny Baker, Peter Curran, Matt Berry, David Hepworth, Geoff Lloyd
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About this listen

Regarded as the greatest and most revealing account of how the Beatles recorded every one of their songs, Revolution in the Head is brimming with details of the personal highs and lows experienced by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr as they made some of the most enduring popular music ever created.

©1994 The estate of Ian MacDonald (P)2014 Talking Music Entertainment & Celebrities Music Thought-Provoking Funny Witty

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What did you like most about Revolution in the Head?

I knew of this famous book being the best history, but found it quite hard to read a friend’s copy I borrowed. Listening to it though made a real difference. Knowing the details of how they made the songs and what was going on in their lives has made my understanding of the Beatles music much richer. I like the variety of great voices, men and women. Superb.

What a pleasure!

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I found Revolution in the Head a comprehensive history and analysis of every Beatles recording. Not being musical myself, most of the musical terms went over my head. None the less the depth of information was very interesting, and I could imagine myself in the the studio with the Fab Four watching them create some of the greatest popular music of the twentieth century. If I am to be negative about the book, I was turned off by Ian McDonald's rather unnecessary critique of a lot of the songs;. making snide remarks about the quality of their musicianship and lyrical content.

A Comprehensive History and Analysis

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The book is often quite critical of the music, which I don’t agree with, but interesting to hear an unbiased opinion.

Great insight to the greatest band ever!

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This audiobook is informative at times but too often lapses into verbal diarrhoea and far too deep into musical theory for the average Beatles fan. I learnt some interesting things however I felt like the author was so keen to intellectualise everything he almost comes across as disliking the very subject he write about.

Informative at times

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Having read this donkeys years ago, a chance to re-listen post-Lewisohn was welcome. Can be a little too technical at times, and the author's opinions are often ones that I disagree with - any criticism of 66/69 Beatles immediately sets my teeth on edge - but it remains fascinating stuff, underlining just how important The Beatles were and remain.
Well performed by and large, I could have done without Berry and Lloyd, and more of Hitchcock and Hepworth.
Great value overall, well recommended.

Provocative take on the greatest rock canon of them all

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