Music Notes: The Beatles, Beatles For Sale
The first weak outing, with the only notable development being a sour dejection in John’s songwriting, marking a turn toward autobiographical, introspective subject matter. Whether due to relentless touring, or the pressures of Beatlemania, or just growing older, the Beatles began shedding their pop roots in simplistic love songs. But the songs feel weary, with an odd country tinge, and only three songs recall past glories. Thankfully, this lull would prove brief.
No Reply
= 5 stars
Several songs on A Hard Day’s Night seem like warm-ups to this new sort of Beatles song, unabashedly autobiographical and personal. Paul contributes a nearly shouted harmony vocal (“I nearly died”), adding to John’s bittersweet feeling of loneliness, rejection, and infidelity. The first indication that Lennon / McCartney could move beyond silly love songs to something greater.
I’m A Loser
= 4 stars
The ridiculously famous John convincingly claims he’s a loser with a killer chorus. There’s a unique, lonely quality when John sings alone.
Baby’s In Black
= 3 stars
Nice opening guitar lick and John and Paul harmonies, but the country feel leaves me cold.
Rock And Roll Music
= 2 stars
After the first two original songs, this cover feels inadequate.
I’ll Follow The Sun
= 4 stars
Paul serves up a nearly perfect acoustic guitar number, but I deduct a star due to better examples to come, and the weak guitar solo.
Mr. Moonlight
= 1 star
Among my least favorite Beatle songs. There’s so much wrong, from the night club feel to the cheesy organ, or the caveman-like drum before the title lyrics. The Beatles left the lounge behind in Hamburg.
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
= 1 star
Another half-baked cover.
Eight Days A Week
= 5 stars
The fade in: genius, like a ray of sunshine. The soaring John melody with a shiver-inducing Paul harmony, hand claps, and a middle containing a precious musical pause beneath John and Paul’s voices. So much to like, it’s too short — as soon as it ends, I want to hear it again.
Words Of Love
= 4 stars
Not much to say about this Buddy Holly cover, but it sports a unique, relaxed sound in contrast to the preceding self-concious, carbon-copy covers. I also feel a tad guilty for doling out so few stars at this point.
Honey Don’t
= 2 stars
Ringo takes a nutball turn with a completely silly song, having more in common with Don’t Pass Me By than should be recognized.
Every Little Thing
= 3 stars
Unusual yet interesting harmonies during the chorus are sunk by inappropriate timpani and piano.
I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
= 3 stars
Despite John’s heart-felt dejection, can’t get beyond the country sound.
What You’re Doing
= 2 stars
No fan of the twangy guitars, strange drum intro, and the unison vocals.
Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
= 3 stars
This George cover fails to match his previous take on Roll Over Beethoven, rending it pointless.
Wikipedia: Beatles for Sale
Next Album: Help!
Previous Album: A Hard Day’s Night
iTunes Store Link: Beatles For Sale — The Beatles
I think you got this album right. I always skip Mr. Moonlight and Hey Hey Hey. Other than 8 Days a Week, I don’t think there are any other 5-stars. I’d knock No Reply down to 4 stars. Good song, but not 5-star classic in my book.
The album cover is possibly the best thing about this one.
Words of Love I think is also more of a 2–3 star effort.
When you’re done with this, you should come up with an average song score and rank the albums based on your song-by-song. Though, to be fair, some albums may have less 5-stars and still be better coherent albums. I’m guessing Revolver will score high, but Sgt Pepper or Abbey Road could still win out on album cohesion.
Dave, glad you’re enjoying this… besides being fun, it’s also answering some burning questions about the Beatles I’ve always had but never sat around to figure out (as in, which album do I think is the best? what are my favorite Paul or John songs? etc.)
I’ve already figured out loosely how all the albums rank in my mind, but we’ll have to wait until I post all these album reviews before we see it spelled out…
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