Post by henryj on Dec 21, 2015 15:27:45 GMT
Beatles For Sale was not highly regarded when it was released. With the Beatles and A Hard Day’s Night were distinct improvements over their predecessors. Critics did not think that was true of Beatles for Sale.
However, we in the United States got the Dexterized version, Beatles ’65, which omitted several of the arguably weaker tracks and added the single sides “I Feel Fine” and “She’s a Woman” plus “I’ll Be Back,” a leftover from A Hard Day’s Night. As a teenager when I first heard Beatles ‘65, I thought it was not a bad album. The weaker tracks were saved for the relatively dreadful Beatles VI.
Parts of this album, particularly in the ’65 format, could arguably be said to be responsible for the “folk-rock” of 1965.
BEATLES FOR SALE
No Reply
Not only no reply, but no intro. Song begins with John’s vocal. As noted elsewhere, a rather strange way to begin an album; not your typical album opener. Poignant song. Gets intense on the refrain, where the harmony comes in. One of the better songs on the album.
I’m a Loser
I love this song. My theory: This is what caused Bob Dylan to want to go electric, resulting in the traumatic experience of being booed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. (If Dylan’s band had been in tune, better rehearsed and mixed, and maybe not QUITE so loud, it may have been better accepted.) Anyway, “I’m a Loser” is definitely Dylan-influenced. This may have been the last song Lennon played the harmonica on, since Dylan became a household name after going electric.
Lennon sings a low G in this one. In the Peter, Paul & Mary version of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” one of them hits a low E below the bass clef staff. Not sure which one, but I have narrowed it down to either Peter or Paul. I have wondered if PP&M had covered “I’m a Loser” if the lead singer would have just sort of grunted the low parts.
Nice instrumental break with harmonica and electric guitar. George’s guitar is not ear-splittingly loud here.
Baby’s in Black
I never did like this one too much. 12/8 ballad, not as good as “This Boy.” John and Paul's 2-part harmony is good, though, rivaling the Everly Bros.
Rock and Roll Music
Great cover of the Chuck Berry classic. Beatles begin with four strokes of the dominant chord; Berry began with the tonic. I like the Beatles intro better. Don’t know whose idea this was; a Beatle, or George Martin? Or did they just misplay it? John Lennon vocal, in a style I would call proto-primal scream. Despite being a Chuck Berry song, the piano is the dominant instrument on this one.
I’ll Follow the Sun
Another folksy one. Good song. McCartney vocal.
Mr. Moonlight
More John Lennon proto-primal scream. Not my favorite cut in this album. This is probably the most reviled Beatle cut until “Revolution 9.” A cover version.
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
I’ve always liked this one. Lieber and Stoller were credited with the “Kansas City” part, though it’s not really their KC. Paul doing this blues shouting on this one.
Eight Days a Week
A single record in a British Beatle album! Big hit single. I always thought this had a sort of Motown vibe, like something Mary Wells would have recorded.
Words of Love
Buddy Holly cover. Okay, but I’m not real fond of parallel fourths and fifths. I can see why Bach made a compositional rule against them. Thirds and sixths sound much better in two-part harmony.
Honey Don’t
Ringo’s lead vocal on a Carl Perkins cover. Very engaging.+
Every Little Thing
Okay song. John lead vocal. Tympani on this one, presumably played by Ringo.
I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party
A Beatles country and western original. John lead vocal. Just okay.
What You’re Doing
A good Paul song, featuring George on his Rickenbacker 360-12, which had the sound Roger McGuinn was going after with the Byrds.
Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
Another cover of Carl Perkins, this time sung by George. Fun song, even more so than “Honey Don’t.”
BEATLES ‘65
The Dexterized American album released concurrently with Beatles for Sale.
No Reply
I’m a Loser
Baby’s in Black
Rock and Roll Music
I’ll Follow the Sun
Mr. Moonlight
Honey Don’t
The above were on Beatles for Sale.
I’ll Be Back
A holdover from the Hard Day’s Night album. The song appeared in neither the American AHDA nor Something New. Better than most of the songs in Beatles for Sale, IMHO.
She’s a Woman
One side of the two-sided hit single. Paul doing his trademark bluesy lead vocal. The stereo version pans the guitar solo from left to right. I asked my brother if either the Gretsch Tennessean or the Country Gentleman had a stereo jack, and he said no, that was panning. Better song than most of the songs on Beatles for Sale.
I Feel Fine
The other side of the single. John vocal. Begins with accidental feedback. Two lead guitars, one by George, one by John. John’s sounds somewhat like a Rhodes electric piano by picking in the middle of the string and fretting up the neck, George picking nearer the headstock.
Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
BEATLES VI
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
On Beatles VI, this is simply titled “Kansas City” and only Lieber and Stoller are credited.
Eight Days a Week
You Like Me Too Much
From the upcoming Help album. George song. Not his best.
Bad Boy
One of three covers of Larry Williams songs by John. Two of which appear on Beatles VI. Back when “poop” meant “to be exhausted.”
What You're Doing
On the back of Beatles VI is a photo of George playing his Ric 360-12. I’ve always imagined it was on this song.
Yes It Is
Sad ballad by John. B-side to “Ticket to Ride.” Not initially on a UK Parlophone album.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Larry Williams song done by John. From the upcoming Help album.
Tell Me What You See
Somewhat folksy Lennon-McCartney tune. From the upcoming Help album.
Every Little Thing
The back of Beatles VI has a photo of Ringo playing the tympani, so I assume it was on this song.
Songs from not the most highly regarded part of the Beatle Canon, but Beatles nonetheless. Better than most other artists' output.
However, we in the United States got the Dexterized version, Beatles ’65, which omitted several of the arguably weaker tracks and added the single sides “I Feel Fine” and “She’s a Woman” plus “I’ll Be Back,” a leftover from A Hard Day’s Night. As a teenager when I first heard Beatles ‘65, I thought it was not a bad album. The weaker tracks were saved for the relatively dreadful Beatles VI.
Parts of this album, particularly in the ’65 format, could arguably be said to be responsible for the “folk-rock” of 1965.
BEATLES FOR SALE
No Reply
Not only no reply, but no intro. Song begins with John’s vocal. As noted elsewhere, a rather strange way to begin an album; not your typical album opener. Poignant song. Gets intense on the refrain, where the harmony comes in. One of the better songs on the album.
I’m a Loser
I love this song. My theory: This is what caused Bob Dylan to want to go electric, resulting in the traumatic experience of being booed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. (If Dylan’s band had been in tune, better rehearsed and mixed, and maybe not QUITE so loud, it may have been better accepted.) Anyway, “I’m a Loser” is definitely Dylan-influenced. This may have been the last song Lennon played the harmonica on, since Dylan became a household name after going electric.
Lennon sings a low G in this one. In the Peter, Paul & Mary version of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” one of them hits a low E below the bass clef staff. Not sure which one, but I have narrowed it down to either Peter or Paul. I have wondered if PP&M had covered “I’m a Loser” if the lead singer would have just sort of grunted the low parts.
Nice instrumental break with harmonica and electric guitar. George’s guitar is not ear-splittingly loud here.
Baby’s in Black
I never did like this one too much. 12/8 ballad, not as good as “This Boy.” John and Paul's 2-part harmony is good, though, rivaling the Everly Bros.
Rock and Roll Music
Great cover of the Chuck Berry classic. Beatles begin with four strokes of the dominant chord; Berry began with the tonic. I like the Beatles intro better. Don’t know whose idea this was; a Beatle, or George Martin? Or did they just misplay it? John Lennon vocal, in a style I would call proto-primal scream. Despite being a Chuck Berry song, the piano is the dominant instrument on this one.
I’ll Follow the Sun
Another folksy one. Good song. McCartney vocal.
Mr. Moonlight
More John Lennon proto-primal scream. Not my favorite cut in this album. This is probably the most reviled Beatle cut until “Revolution 9.” A cover version.
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
I’ve always liked this one. Lieber and Stoller were credited with the “Kansas City” part, though it’s not really their KC. Paul doing this blues shouting on this one.
Eight Days a Week
A single record in a British Beatle album! Big hit single. I always thought this had a sort of Motown vibe, like something Mary Wells would have recorded.
Words of Love
Buddy Holly cover. Okay, but I’m not real fond of parallel fourths and fifths. I can see why Bach made a compositional rule against them. Thirds and sixths sound much better in two-part harmony.
Honey Don’t
Ringo’s lead vocal on a Carl Perkins cover. Very engaging.+
Every Little Thing
Okay song. John lead vocal. Tympani on this one, presumably played by Ringo.
I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party
A Beatles country and western original. John lead vocal. Just okay.
What You’re Doing
A good Paul song, featuring George on his Rickenbacker 360-12, which had the sound Roger McGuinn was going after with the Byrds.
Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
Another cover of Carl Perkins, this time sung by George. Fun song, even more so than “Honey Don’t.”
BEATLES ‘65
The Dexterized American album released concurrently with Beatles for Sale.
No Reply
I’m a Loser
Baby’s in Black
Rock and Roll Music
I’ll Follow the Sun
Mr. Moonlight
Honey Don’t
The above were on Beatles for Sale.
I’ll Be Back
A holdover from the Hard Day’s Night album. The song appeared in neither the American AHDA nor Something New. Better than most of the songs in Beatles for Sale, IMHO.
She’s a Woman
One side of the two-sided hit single. Paul doing his trademark bluesy lead vocal. The stereo version pans the guitar solo from left to right. I asked my brother if either the Gretsch Tennessean or the Country Gentleman had a stereo jack, and he said no, that was panning. Better song than most of the songs on Beatles for Sale.
I Feel Fine
The other side of the single. John vocal. Begins with accidental feedback. Two lead guitars, one by George, one by John. John’s sounds somewhat like a Rhodes electric piano by picking in the middle of the string and fretting up the neck, George picking nearer the headstock.
Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
BEATLES VI
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
On Beatles VI, this is simply titled “Kansas City” and only Lieber and Stoller are credited.
Eight Days a Week
You Like Me Too Much
From the upcoming Help album. George song. Not his best.
Bad Boy
One of three covers of Larry Williams songs by John. Two of which appear on Beatles VI. Back when “poop” meant “to be exhausted.”
What You're Doing
On the back of Beatles VI is a photo of George playing his Ric 360-12. I’ve always imagined it was on this song.
Yes It Is
Sad ballad by John. B-side to “Ticket to Ride.” Not initially on a UK Parlophone album.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Larry Williams song done by John. From the upcoming Help album.
Tell Me What You See
Somewhat folksy Lennon-McCartney tune. From the upcoming Help album.
Every Little Thing
The back of Beatles VI has a photo of Ringo playing the tympani, so I assume it was on this song.
Songs from not the most highly regarded part of the Beatle Canon, but Beatles nonetheless. Better than most other artists' output.