A$# 013 Beatles | Rubber Soul

Rubber Soul is one of the top three Beatles albums as far as I'm concerned. This album was the turning point. This was where the Beatles grew artistically in leaps in bounds in a matter of weeks.

When the Fabs entered Studio 2 at Abbey Road on October 12, 1965 to record a follow-up album to Help!, they had a daunting task before them. As Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn wrote:

The problem was, they had very little material to work with and time was getting on. John and Paul, really for the first time in their lives, had to force themselves to come up with more than a dozen new songs - which they later admitted was "very impossible"; then, with George and Ringo, they had to zip through a crash series of recording sessions in order to have the LP in the stores by early December.

No other artists could rise to this challenge the way John, Paul, George and Ringo did. Just look at what they came up with - at least three masterpieces from John: In My Life, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) and Nowhere Man. The popular Michelle, the driving (pun intended) Drive My Car and the folkie I'm Looking Through You from Paul. George provided two great tracks: Think For Yourself and If I Needed Someone. Ringo even gets a co-author credit with John and Paul on What Goes On. (And don't forget that in addition to the album, they also came up with the double a-side single, We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper.)

The songs were getting more sophisticated, as were the arrangements. Nowhere Man features wonderful harmonies and jangly guitar work. (I'll have more to say about this song tomorrow in the song spotlight.) Think For Yourself has Paul on fuzz bass. Girl's backing vocal has the infamous "tit tit tit" refrain. In My Life has George Martin's slowed-down piano. The presentation of Norwegian Wood changed the direction of Western music forever with the haunting presence of George's sitar.

Most artists could never do any better than this. The Fabs would, of course. But what a milestone this album is. It may not get the plaudits that Pepper and Revolver do, but it more than holds its own.

Note: When I was a teenager, I bought the British import of Rubber Soul, so I'm most accustomed to the track listing of that version, which is what you get on the CD.

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