Revolver is the seventh studio album by English rock band the Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver feature an electric guitar-rock sound that contrasts with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber Soul (1965). In Britain, the fourteen tracks from Revolver were released to radio stations throughout July 1966, "building anticipation for what would clearly be a radical new phase in the group's recording career".
It reached number one on both the British chart and American chart and stayed at the top spot for seven weeks and six weeks, respectively. The album was remastered 9 September 2009 for the first time since its 1987 digital compact disc release. Placed at number 1 in the All-Time Top 1000 Albums and number 3 in the Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, the album is often regarded as one of the greatest achievements in music history and one of the Beatles' greatest studio achievements.
Taxman
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two (one, two, three, four)
Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
(If you drive a car, car) I'll tax the street
(If you try to sit, sit) I'll tax your seat
(If you get too cold, cold) I'll tax the heat
(If you take a walk, walk) I'll tax your feet
(Taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Don't ask me what I want it for
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Now my advice for those who die (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes (taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me (taxman)
The Beatles’ song “Taxman” is a political satire that critiqued the British government’s taxation system. The song opens with the Taxman introducing himself and telling listeners how it will be - one for you, nineteen for me. It reflects the high marginal tax rates of the 1960s, where the top tax rate in Britain was 95%. The lyrics, "Should five percent appear too small, be thankful I don't take it all," represents the small portion taxpayers would get to keep for themselves. The song also refers to the taxman being so thorough that he would tax everything from the streets you drive on to the heat you use.
The song also features references to then-current British politicians - Mr. Wilson refers to Harold Wilson, and Mr. Heath is Edward Heath. The last verse of the song warns listeners that when they die, they should declare the pennies on their eyes because the taxman will still be looking to collect. The song was written by George Harrison, who was frustrated by the high taxes the band was paying, and John Lennon contributed to the lyrics. The song serves as a reminder of the band’s impact as popular musicians taking a stand against governmental powers through catchy, thought-provoking lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me tell you how it will be
The singer is about to lay out the reality of the situation
There's one for you, nineteen for me
For every dollar you make, I get to keep nineteen cents
'Cause I'm the taxman
The singer is reminding the listener of their power over them
Yeah, I'm the taxman
The artist is taking pride in their role as the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
If you think I only take five percent, that's not even close to the truth
Be thankful I don't take it all
You should be grateful that I don't take all of your money
(If you drive a car, car) I'll tax the street
I will tax you for the privilege of driving your car on the street
(If you try to sit, sit) I'll tax your seat
I will tax you for the right to sit down somewhere
(If you get too cold, cold) I'll tax the heat
I will tax you for trying to keep warm in a cold climate
(If you take a walk, walk) I'll tax your feet
I will tax you for the act of walking
'Cause I'm the taxman
The singer is reminding the listener of their power over them
Yeah, I'm the taxman
The artist is taking pride in their role as the taxman
Don't ask me what I want it for
I don't need to tell you why I'm taking your money
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
The singer is mocking someone who questions their authority
If you don't want to pay some more
If you don't want me to take even more of your money
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
The artist is mocking another person who questions their authority
'Cause I'm the taxman
The artist is reminding the listener of their power over them
Yeah, I'm the taxman
The singer is taking pride in their role as the taxman
Now my advice for those who die (taxman)
Even in death, you cannot escape my grasp
Declare the pennies on your eyes (taxman)
Even the money you leave behind must be accounted for and taxed
'Cause I'm the taxman
The artist is reminding the listener of their power over them
Yeah, I'm the taxman
The artist is taking pride in their role as the taxman
And you're working for no one but me (taxman)
The singer asserts that all the hard work the listener does is really just serving to line the taxman's pockets
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George Harrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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