Product Description

Though some might argue that the Beatles' unprecedented evolution from British Invasion pin-ups to pop music visionaries began with BEATLES FOR SALE, RUBBER SOUL is without a doubt the first album to definitively put the Fab Four in the running for Greatest Band Ever. Virtually every aspect of the Liverpool quartet's incredibly diverse sound is in evidence here: the dark, irony-filled Dylanism ("Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man"), pop perfection ("In My Life"), the passion for classic tin pan alley balladry ("Girl", "Michelle"), and thelove of good 'ol rock & roll music ("Drive My Car"). Peppered with nasty fuzz bass, exotic sitar, cartoonishly sped-up piano that sounds like harpsichord, and elements of country,Motown, and classical music, the album reveals a creative scope and willingness to experiment so revolutionary it can now only be termed "Beatlesque". Though the Fabs don't go as far out on a limb here as on the more overtly experimental REVOLVER, RUBBER SOUL is perhaps the Beatles' most finely crafted and accessible work, and consequently many fans' and critics' favourite.

Track Listing

1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. Word
7. Michelle
8. What Goes On
9. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run For Your Life

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #632 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-01
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Rank 'em how you like, Rubber Soul is an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning studio consciousness; "The Word" can be read as a pre-psych warning shot; the sitar-laden "Norwegian Wood" and the evocative "Girl" (the latter written on the last night of the sessions) stand as turning points in John Lennon's oeuvre. George finally emerges too, with the McGuinn-ish "If I Needed Someone". --Don Harrison

Customer Reviews

Band in Transition
This is an album that shows a band in transition. You can see plenty of signs of the Beatles song writing maturity such as Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Girl and In My Life. These songs show how the band were growing up quickly as their fame grew and it's remarkable how willing they were to display their thoughts and feelings in their songs. John sounds positively menacing in Run For Your Life, with lyrics a far cry from the band's cheeky chappy image.

There also plenty of the brilliant pop songs of the type that made the band's name with like Drive My Car and Michelle.
George contributes two songs- If I Needed Someone is the better. Even Ringo gets a writing and singing credit with What Goes On.

There are also a few songs that are only okay such as The Word, Wait and You Won't See Me.

Some people think this was the best Beatles album. I wouldn't agree with that but it was certainly a pivotal step in the development of the most influential band of all time.

Rubber soul will never be erased.
This classic album is one of the most popular Beatles albums and certainly marked a change of musical direction for the boys as well as a more mature and "deep" style of music. I've been a Beatles fan for over 20 years now and as I have grown, so has my love and understanding of the music, which has never dated, more than 40 years on. I shall now give a brief runthrough of the album, track by track.

1. Drive My Car - one of the Beatles songs everyone knows. Cheerful with a really funky guitar. Easy to listen to, catchy, perfect pop sound.

2. Norwegian Wood - another very well known Beatles song. I love the sitar in it, and this was the beginning of George Harrison's life-long love affair with India, it's music, religion and culture.

3. You Won't See Me - allegedly written for Jane Asher, it's a slightly lesser known song but has become more well known since Macca played it on his 2004 European tour. Catchy and easy to listen to but with some meaningful lyrics.

4. Nowhere Man is another quite popular song, and it's more meaningful than a lot of people realise. It's catchy and very easy to listen to.

5. Think For Yourself is possibly the most meaningful song on the album, written and performed by George Harrison who is often ignored and underrated, being dwarfed by the Lennon/McCartney partnership. It's a pretty obscure song; I have never heard any tribute acts do this song.

6. The Word is a cathcy, pop track and has a unique sound to it. It would sound great on the radio and sounds as fresh today as it ever did. It certainly gives a lot of contemporary songs a run for their money.

7. Michelle - a very well known song, again, written mainly by McCartney, who went through a phase of pretending to be able to speak French to impress the ladies and this song was inspired by that period.

8. What Goes On - Lennon/McCartney/Starr creation with a country feel for Ringo as a performer, continued from Ringo's cover of Act Naturally on the Help album.

9. Girl - a moderately well known song, which is more introspective and thought-provoking than most of the rest of this album.

10. I'm Looking Through You - again written for Jane Asher, an upbeat sounding song with a less cheerful theme in its lyrics; it's basically about the breakup of a relationship.

11. In My Life - one of my 3 favourite Beatles songs and one which is knownand loved the world over. I love George Martin's contribution in the form of the piano middle section. Beautiful song.

12. Wait sounds upbeat but it is also sad, and I think it sounds like it may have been written for Cynthia Lennon but I'm not sure.

13. If I Needed Someone - a catchy, cheerful, thought-provoking song by George Harrison; a favourite of mine.

14. Run For Your Life - another possibly auto-biographical song by John Lennon as he did have a wicked temper at times and ironically he did get jealous and possessive over his then wife Cynthia.

Overall, a fascinating and historically very significant album that any self respecting music fan should own.

start here
Really great tunes here! For a contemporary comparison I recommend Nick Worrall. His album is FREE to download as well.