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: #315 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 The frenetic, inspired take on Chuck Berry's "Rock And Roll Music" is only superseded by a tremendous medley of "Kansas City" and "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey," that finds Paul McCartney's exuberant vocals comparing admirably to his hero Little Richard,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.

Beatles STILL For Sale
So much has been written about the Beatles' music, that I'm going to review this CD on a personal level. I'm time travelling back to 1964 when I was 13. It was Christmas time and I had just seen my first view of a girl in a mini-skirt and white boots as I trudged through the miserable weather in Clacton-on-Sea to buy the latest Beatles single, "I Feel Fine". In the shops I saw the new Beatles LP, "Beatles For Sale" but being a schoolboy they weren't for sale to me as I couldn't afford it. After several not too subtle hints about what I would like for Christmas, I remember the joy of receiving the disc at last. All over the festive season that LP was played so many times that it drove other people mad. In later years I was disappointed that the CD release was in mono only as I was so used to hearing the album in that format. At last, after 45 years (ulp), I can hear this great music again, remastered in stereo for the first time. Not only are the songs so good and still sound fresh, but it takes me back to that dismal out-of-season seaside town where the Beatles helped to make Xmas 1964 so memorable. Hard to pick favourite tracks, but as a Paul McCartney track I'd go for "I'll Follow The Sun", and John Lennon would definitely be I'm A Loser". Some things in life should be preserved and shall never die.

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.