THE REVOLUTIONBy: The Beatles

You say you want a revolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

You tell me that it's evolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

But when you talk about destruction

Don't you know you can count me out

Don't you know it's gonna be all right (x3)

You say you got a real solutionWell you knowWe'd all love to see the planYou ask me for a contribution

Well you know

We're doing what we can

But when you want money for people with minds that hate

All I can tell you is brother you have to wait

Don't you know it's gonna be all right (x3)

You say you'll change the constitutionWell you knowWe all want to change your headYou tell me it's the institution

Well you know

You better free your mind instead

But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao

You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

Don't you know it's gonna be all right (x3)

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     2010. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/      BioRC?vrsn=149&OP=contains&locID=rich56740&srchtp=name&ca=5&c=1&AI=U17184973&NA=t      he+beatles&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K1608001552&bConts=59>.

Fontenot, Robert. "Revolution." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2010.      <http://oldies.about.com/od/thebeatlessongs/a/revolution.htm>.

"Learn About the Vietnam War." Digital History. N.p., 14 May 2010. Web. 14 May      2010. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/vietnam/index.cfm>.

Mike, comp. "Revolution Lyrics." Songfacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2010.      <http://www.songfacts.com/lyrics.php?findsong=142>.

"Paul McCartney." Gale Biography Resource Center. N.p., 19 Feb. 2009. Web. 14      May 2010. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/      BioRC?vrsn=149&OP=contains&locID=rich56740&srchtp=name&ca=3&c=1&AI=U13019940&NA=t      he+beatles&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K1608004808&bConts=59>.

Rooney, Terrie M., ed. "John Lennon." Gale Biography Resource Center. N.p., 13      Nov. 2006. Web. 14 May 2010. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/      BioRC?vrsn=149&OP=contains&locID=rich56740&srchtp=name&ca=2&c=1&AI=U13014153&NA=t      he+beatles&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K1607000162&bConts=59>.

Simkin, John. Spartacus Educational. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 June 2010.      <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDmao.htm>.

LITERATURE CITED Bantwal, Natasha. "Facts of the Vietnam war." Buzzle. N.p., 2010. Web. 1 June

     2010. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-of-the-vietnam-war.html>.

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"Darwin's Theory Of Evolution - A Theory in Crisis ." All About Science. N.p.,      2010. Web. 1 June 2010. <http://www.allaboutscience.org/      darwins-theory-of-evolution.htm>.

"Sino-Japanese Wars." History Guy. N.p., 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 1 June 2010.      <http://www.historyguy.com/sino-japanese_wars.html>.

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THE BEATLESThe Beatles is an infamous group of musicians who have

greatly influenced our music industry. The most renowned members of the band include: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Despite their great success, the band had quite a tough time starting out in their career. John Lennon created the group with some of his friends and had originally named it the Quarrymen, after Quarry Banks High School in 1956; where the boys attended school. It was year later when guitarist John Lennon had joined, and after much persistence George Harrison was allowed into the group as well. They began playing their music around Liverpool, but soon veered towards clubs in West Germany. During these initial stages living conditions weren’t great, and work was quite enduring. However they persevered and received great reactions from their audiences. Once singing a contract with records producer George Martin their first single “Love me do” written by Lennon and McCartney (they wrote most of the songs) was released October 5, 1962. It did very well and when “Please Please Me” was released there were even better reactions leading to it becoming a huge hit. Their first British album stayed on the charts for six months. Once in America, they took the top five spots in the Billboard top sellers list and fourteen of their songs dominated the top one hundred songs, something that had yet to be done. Nonetheless, later down the road arguments started arising between The Beatles. Eventually Paul McCartney had sued for the termination of the group in 1971. Even though they did remain united, the Beatles definitely left their mark in the world of music (“The Beatles”)

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CHAIRMAN MAO ZEDONG

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Mao Zedong was a Chinese Communist Leader. Tragedy struck out when China’s people were divided by democracy and communism during the Chinese Civil War. He led the Chinese Communist Party to victory in the Chinese Civil war after the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China on October 1, , 1949, which Mao was also the head of. He was very dedicated to the welfare of his nation, therefore after rising up to power in the communist party he developed many programs including: the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Great Leap forward, and the Cultural Revolution, all to create a better China. He became Chairman near the events of World War 2 and the Sino-Japanese War. Although many feel he has made mistakes in his life, his fellow men refer to him as a great military leader and diplomat (Simkin).

VIETNAM WAR

I think that in this song, the Beatles are referring to the “revolution” as the Vietnam War. In 1954, the country of Vietnam was split into two separate parts: Communist North and Democratic South. These two differing philosophies led to a war between the Vietnamese people. However , the war included other nations as well such as the Americans and Australians. The Americans were in favor of the democratic south, and even though primarily they wanted to limit their participation in the war, they ended up providing a lot of economic aid in order to stop the spread of communism. However, years of violent struggles led to the victory of North and eventually unifying all of Vietnam under communist rule.

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REPETITION “ Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right”

Repetition implies that something (e.g. word, phrase) is repeated. The purpose of it is to emphasize the subject at hand. In this case, I think that the artists are trying to make the audience feel secure by telling them that whatever’s happening, in the end everything will work itself out and there is no need for worry or in the case of the song, there is no need for violence.

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THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD

Mao believed that China was capable of anything, so in an effort to modernize the Chinese economy he established an economic plan known as “The Great Leap Forward”. This plan targeted two main factors: agriculture and industry, for Mao believed that in order for one of these to prosper so did the other.

In order to implement this plan, China was broken down into communes – subdivisions that provided all that was needed for its inhabitants. People in a commune were forced to give up tools, machinery, animals etc so that everything was under the ownership of the commune.

However, the communes were a failure due to inability to perform tasks, bad weather such as floods and droughts. Many blamed the bad outcomes on Mao (Trueman).

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EVOLUTION

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a vastly know concept that states that all life is somehow connected to each other and has descended from a common ancestor. His theory deduces that complex organisms evolve from more simple creatures naturally over a period of time. And as mutations occur in an organism’s genetic code, the beneficial mutations are kept intact and passed down to the next generation because they aid survival, this process is known as “natural selection”. Over a long period of time, eventually there have been so many mutations that an entirely different creature has developed (“Darwin’s Theory of Evolution”).

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DESTRUCTION

In my opinion “destruction” in this songs means violence that occurs in response to revolutions as a solution. When it says “But when you talk about destruction, Don't you know you can count me out” I think its saying that I’m all for change but once you decide to turn to violence, and hurting people I’m not interested anymore. And destruction in revolutions would be murder, burning of cities, invasions, and rebellions.

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THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION

The Cultural Revolution began in October 1966. During this movement, the youth of China was encouraged to disparage the liberals in the Chinese Communist Party. Red Guards – group of youths who congregated – urged others to criticize people who Mao thought were untrustworthy with China’s future.

The main point of the cultural revolution was to have no one better than the rest, and have everyone working together. Therefore, schools were closed down, so that there wouldn’t be any elite. This caused social unrest. However the cultural revolution came to and end 2 years later in October, 1968.

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“YOU SAY YOU’LL CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION, WELL YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE YOUR HEAD”

I think this line is trying to express that your beliefs are so radical that you think you’re the only right one and you can change the constitution, but everyone else seems to think differently, so maybe you should reevaluate your own mindset and ways of thinking before, you decide to make a rash and impacting course of action.

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“YOU SAY YOU GOT A REAL SOLUTION”

In my opinion, the tone of these lines, “You say you got a real solution, Well you know, We’d all love to see the plan,” seems to be sarcastic. Almost as though the artists are trying to be witty. Like saying if you really have a solution to the problems, then why don’t you show us? We’re all for a plan as long as there is one. And if you don’t, just be quiet.

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CHINESE CIVIL WAR

The Chinese Civil War took place from 1946-1949 between the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai Sheik, and the Communists led by Mao Zedong. It was the different political parties of China fighting for power. The Americans came in on the side of the Nationalists, but when they realized that they were going downhill, they pulled out their troops. Eventually major cites began falling under communist control with minimal resistance.

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“WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD”

This line is frequently repeated throughout the song. I think it means that everyone has there own opinion, and that we all want everything to be all right. But this line always precedes or succeeds a line that is showing action, for example changing the constitution. In way it is as thought the artists are saying that we all want things we cant have, it doesn’t mean you are always going to get what you desire.

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