Track Listing

1. No Reply
2. I'm A Loser
3. Baby's In Black
4. Rock 'n' Roll Music
5. I'll Follow The Sun
6. Mr Moonlight
7. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey
8. Eight Days A Week
9. Words Of Love
10. Honey Don't
11. Every Little Thing
12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
13. What You're Doing
14. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
15. Beatles For Sale Documentary

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #479 in Music
• Released on: 2009-09-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Banged out in a hurry for the 1964 Christmas market, Beatles for Sale sometimes sounds it, loaded with ill-conceived covers and some of John Lennon's most self-loathing lyrics. On the other hand, the people doing the banging-out were the Beatles, whose instincts for what worked musically were so strong that they could basically do no wrong--any record that has "Baby's in Black", "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" and the delectable "Eight Days a Week" on it is only "minor" in the most relative sense. And, though their voices had been frazzled a bit by constant touring, they revved them up for some joyous shouting, and indulged their fondness for American country in subtle, playful ways. --Douglas Wolk

CD Description
A testament to the abundance of perseverance and talent within the Beatles' ranks, their fourth album was recorded in and around a busy North American and British tour schedule. BEATLES FOR SALE also marked their last full-length release loaded with cover songs, as the Fab Four moved towards writing more of their own material. Interspersed between Beatles classics such as "Eight Days a Week" and the Dylan-inspired "I'm a Loser" are faithful renditions of songs by Buddy Hollyand Carl Perkins (featuring the only lead vocals by Ringo Starr and George Harrison on this album). The frenetic, inspired take on Chuck Berry's "Rock And Roll Music" is only superseded by a tremendous medley of "Kansas City" and "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey," that finds Paul McCartney's exuberant vocals comparing admirably to his hero Little Richard, providing a vibrant centerpiece on BEATLES FOR SALE.

Customer Reviews

Hindsight is such an exacting science !!
I have read a lot of the reviews of this album by astro-physicists and marine biologists studying the ancient history of 1960's music, and noted their quaintly officious tones about this being the worst Beatles Album ever.
Well, it may not be their best, but it was recorded when such luminary critics were probably not even born !!
I was part of that era, and bought it when it was still only available on vinyl (remember, all those grooves revolving around at 33 r.p.m. ??), and I still listen to that music with an 18 year old's excitement & wonderment !!
The music wasn't contemporary rocket science, but the performances were, and that's what made them great.

Flawed, but criminally underrated
This one never makes those 'Top 100 Albums of all time' polls - perhaps deservedly so, but usually on the basis of that well worn cliche about 'product churned out for the Christmas market' That may be true, but find any other band who could 'churn out' something of this quality with such a punishing work rate, whilst trying to cater for the demands of an adoring world. The Beatles were knackered by the end of 1964, let's not forget, they didnt just appear suddenly at the end of 1962, they had been touring relentlessly for many (penniless) years previous. So yes the covers may be a little hit and miss, the lyrics a little cynical and weary (something they are subsequently praised for on The White Album), but this is still a minor work of genius, and way way better than some of the so called efforts of more modern bands, eternally indebted to The Beatles, who cheerfully leave three years at least between albums and tours. Contractual obligation product at it's absolute best. Worth investigation, with a superb sleeve photo too, and one of my favourite Beatle albums of their earlier period.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR...
Coming on the heels of the highly touted, critically successful album, "A Hard Day's Night", this one pales somewhat in comparison. It is still certainly worthy of note, however, as are all albums put out by The Beatles, and it a very good album by any measure.

Here, only eight of the fourteen tracks were penned by the Lennon/McCartney songwriting duo, but they demonstrate an interesting shift in style, showing more depth, maturity, and complexity. From the somewhat dark, pensive "I'm a Loser" to the dramatic lament of "Baby's in Black", followed by the pop ballad, "I'll Follow the Sun", it is clear that The Beatles are forging in a somewhat new direction.

The other six tracks on this CD are pop and rock standards upon which The Beatles have placed their signature imprimatur. Juxtaposed with the Lennon/McCartney songs, it makes for an interesting, quirky, listening experience. As with all CDs by The Beatles, no music collection should be without it.