December 3, 1965 - Rubber Soul

Just a year after "A Hard Day's Night", their third album, the Beatles released "Rubber Soul", their sixth album! The Beatles were releasing an album roughly every six months, showing the amount of song ideas that the Fab Four could come up with. "Rubber Soul" was released December 3, 1965, and was a landmark album not only in the Beatles career, but for all music. Many people regard "Rubber Soul" as the turning point for mainstream bands to focus on making entire solid records, rather than focus on singles. It is also said to be a launching point for future genres of rock, such as psychedelic and progressive rock. It's also the first full album in my library, and I'm thankful for the shift that this album caused, as I prefer to listen to music by the album. 

On this album, John Lennon does not actually play much keyboards, with Paul McCartney playing piano and producer George Martin playing piano and harmonium on a few tracks. Lennon does however contribute acoustic and electric guitars, as well as singing lead vocals on 8 of the 14 songs. All but 3 songs on the album are credited to both Lennon and McCartney, with one that is Lennon, McCartney and Ringo Starr, and two George Harrison songs. The album clocks in at just under 35 minutes, with seven songs on each side of the record. 

Side 1 starts with "Drive My Car", a song not about the Beatles own stardom, but about being the driver for a famous woman. This song has some catchy bass, and also some nice guitar and piano, as well as the very catchy, sing-along lyrics. The Lennon-sung "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" features the first use of the sitar (played by Harrison) in a rock record. This twang-y instrument is the lead for a song about an affair Lennon was having with his wife at the time. I'm not a huge fan of twang, but the song is very calming despite it's hidden meaning. Track 3 is McCartney-sung "You Won't See Me", a piano-driven song where McCartney laments that his girlfriend at the time, who was an actress, was always too busy and didn't find enough time to see him. Lennon takes lead once again on Track 4, "Nowhere Man". This song is about being lost, and how we all can feel that way sometimes, but we should all try to seize the day. Harrison takes over lead vocals on "Think For Yourself", his first song written off the album. Lennon plays organ on this song, giving it a different feel, and Harrison reminds everyone to think for themselves, for our own sake and because there won't always be someone to do it for you. This sentiment would become very popular amongst the counter-culture of the late 1960's. Track 6 is another Lennon-led song, "The Word", and the word is love. This is a typical Beatles song, where the word is love and it's freeing and wonderful and all the lovey-dovey things you would expect from a hit pop band. The piano and guitar certainly give the song a more rock feel. The last track on side 1 is McCartney's "Michelle", a love ballad for a French girl with whom he cannot communicate. McCartney's lyrics are sung beautifully and there's even a little bass solo from Paul.

Side 2 begins with "What Goes On", Ringo Starr's only lead on the album. This song is about thinking you're exclusive with someone, and then seeing them with someone else, and how he can't understand why they would lie like that. The catchy guitar riff fits well with Starr's voice I think. Track 9 is another Lennon-led song, "Girl". This song sounds very sad, and is about being with a girl who doesn't really make you happy, yet he can't leave her. McCartney takes over again on the next track, "I'm Looking Through You". I really like the guitar on this song, and also McCartney's yell at the end of the chorus, very rock and roll. This cool tune is about an ex wanting to get back together, but he can tell something has changed. The pace slows down for the next track, the Lennon- sung "In My Life". This song is about fondly enjoying memories and treasuring the past, with a neat piano solo in the middle played by producer George Martin. Track 12 is called "Wait" and is sung by both Lennon and McCartney. It's about wanting someone to wait for them to return, presumably after being away on tour. Harrison's other song off this album is "If I Needed Someone", a song about his girlfriend and how he doesn't wanna spend time with anyone else.  The closing track off the album is a final Lennon-sung song, "Run For Your Life". Lennon explains that he is a very jealous man and if he catches his girl with another man, she better run because he will kill her.  Whoa. Little extreme for me, especially considering he sings about being with other women earlier on the album, but it is what is.  The song has a decent guitar solo despite the harrowing lyrics.

And that concludes "Rubber Soul"! As my first full album, I have nothing else to compare it to at the moment, but I thought it was a good album.  Lots of hooks and easily remembered lyrics make for a memorable album, and with only one song over 3 minutes, no song overstays it's welcome. It is widely regarded as one of the best albums ever recorded. I wouldn't quite give it that level, but I think it's definitely the Beatles best album so far. With this album being released on December 3rd, you would think that  would mark the final release of the year for the Beatles...but you would be wrong!