UNRELEASED 11-MINUTE VERSION OF THE BEATLES' 'REVOLUTION' LEAKED ONLINE

UNRELEASED 11-MINUTE VERSION OF THE BEATLES' 'REVOLUTION' LEAKED ONLINE

2/25/2009

One of the most eagerly awaited tracks of unreleased Beatles music has leaked online. The nearly 11-minute outtake of 1968's "Revolution 1" as featured on the band's "White Album" -- which served as the bridge between the "slow" album version of the song and John Lennon and Yoko Ono's experimental aural sound collage "Revolution 9" -- has been leaked online and on YouTube.

The song, subtitled "Remix 1 of Take 20" was recorded on June 4th, 1968, and begins with Lennon saying, "Take your knickers off and let's go."

Although most of the YouTube links have been ordered to be taken down featuring the full 11-minute version, you can find a two-part version of the song posted by user KatMak21 or by searching under the words "Beatles Revolution 20."

Several of the more astute Beatles experts have weighed in on the track. Noted author Doug Sulpy, who co-wrote the definitive chronicle of the band's early 1969 sessions in Drugs, Divorce And A Slipping Image -- The Complete, Unauthorized Story Of The Beatles' 'Get Back' Sessions -- told examiner.com, "It was worth the wait, folks! This is presumably the rough mono mix of Take 20 that John took home with him (after the session). Consequently, it features the various overdubs, tape loops and general chaos that ultimately turned the last half of 'Revolution 1' into 'Revolution 9.' Personally, I think the 'Mama, Dada' voices (previously attributed to Paul McCartney and George Harrison) are John and Yoko."

Sulpy added: "It sounds like John and Yoko simply took the Beatles track and had some fun with it. It's one of the most significant Beatles tracks to appear in years and makes this a must-have (in whatever form you can find it)."

The Beatles returned to the song "Revolution" later on during the "White Album" sessions and taped a faster, harder-edged version of the song titled simply "Revolution." In August 1968 it was the B-Side of "Hey Jude," the Beatles first single on their Apple Records, and went on to peak at Number 12 on the singles charts.

Nearly four decades since their split, and interest still running high on any scrap of unreleased music finding its way to the general public, many fans feel that the Beatles should make their entire vault available for purchase for fans.

Renowned Beatles author Bruce Spizer says that he'd like to see the Beatles' company Apple approve a multi-media definitive edition of each of the group's original albums: "What I would like to see happen is special editions of albums. Such as where you have a Sgt. Pepper's special edition that would be mono, stereo, outtakes, 5.1 surround, videos, promotional tapes - things of that nature. And I would like to see this for the entire Beatles catalog."