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Three days after their UK release, the Revolver LP and the “Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine” single hit the streets in the U.S. Unfortunately, the LP was the bastardized version lacking “I’m Only Sleeping,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” and “Doctor Robert” and clocking in at an anemic 28 minutes. On the other hand, Americans who bought the Yesterday and Today compilation album had already gotten to hear those songs — just out of context.
Do context and sequencing matter? Of course they do. Did American audiences have a measurably worse experience of Revolver than British audiences? Yes, they did. The ripple effects from this travesty may well have led to Donald Trump being a major-party nominee for president today. Thanks, Capitol Records.