The final line before the fade - in which Harrison detours into an especially devious melody while aping the taxman's stance that the populace is working for no one but him - is especially effective. The sourness is lightened by the ingenious vocal harmonies, particularly in the call-and-response bridge, and the final verse, in which the high-pitched harmonies rejoin Harrison's lead lines with additional comments. Indeed Harrison seems nearly paranoid about the British taxman's reach, claiming that feet would be taxed for walking and the sun's rays taxed for their heat. ![]() Harrison's social critique and wit was, in general, blunter and less subtle than Lennon-McCartney's, and "Taxman" is one of his blunter diatribes, grousing about having to turn over most of his income to the British government. Like "Paperback Writer" of the same era, "Taxman" is built around forcefully chorded mod rock guitar, played in a choppy rhythm that jabs the listener into taking notice. So it was at the very point his excursions into Indian music and spirituality were finding their way into his music and public image (as explicitly heard on another Revolver track, "Love You To") that he delivered this ill-tempered blast against the "Taxman" that was taking much of his upper-income-bracket earnings. On Revolver, he came more to the fore, not only writing three songs but also getting honored with the album-opener, the chunky rocker "Taxman." It is one of the interesting contradictions of George Harrison's persona that, although he on one hand devoted much of his life and studies to Indian religion and transcending the material world, he has also proven to be quite concerned, and even obsessed, with his finances. View the complete list of songs played during the January 1969 Get Back/ Let It Be sessions.George Harrison had only recently started to establish himself as a formidable songwriter before Revolver. ‘Is That A Chicken Joke?’* (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey).‘You Gotta Give Back’* (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey).‘William Smith Boogie’* (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey).‘Oh How I Love The 12-Bar Blues’* (Lennon).‘Blossom Dearie They Call Me’* (Lennon two versions).‘My Rock And Roll Finger Is Bleeding’* (Lennon). ![]() ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ (five versions).‘You’ve Got Me Thinking’ (Jackie Lomax).‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’ (James Brown).‘Too Bad About Sorrows’ (Lennon-McCartney).‘Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea’ (The Four Lads).‘In The Middle Of An Island’ (Tony Bennett).‘Five Feet High And Rising’ (Johnny Cash).‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling’ (Chauncey Olcott/George Graff Jr).‘Hallelujah, I Love Her So’ (Ray Charles).‘That’s All Right (Mama)’ (Elvis Presley). ![]()
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