"What You're Doing".....one of my favorite McCartney raves!!! A fabulous vocal on a terrific number. Proud to be in the minority for that one. You're still the best, John.
David Gena I agree with that, and glad McCartney has recently started playing it live again every now and then. Great packing case, played by Ringo, too!
Dave Costello Thanks Dave. When that song comes on, I jack the volume up and let it rip! And, yes, Ringo's drumming just adds to the dynamic of the song. Great stuff by the greatest band ever!
Not aware of Paul playing this live Dave. It turned up on the 'Love' album but I don't think he's done it live has he? I wish. His whole set list needs a major revamp as we know.
I've got to say John that you are my favourite album reviewer on here. I really appreciate your detailing the albums with interesting insights. Keep them coming please!
Hi there, John!! The copy you're holding is most definitely a 70s re-issue. If it has the 2J prefix in the catalogue number, it's probably a 1975 pressing. If it has a 14C one, it's past 77!! Truly one of my most favourite Beatles albums because of its energy!!! Cheers from Greece!!
Bravo!! Thank you John!! The first 3 albums had kind of adolescent simple lyrics - even though the melodies & arrangements were strong. For me i found this wearing a bit thin by A Hard Days Night - but that album showed a bit of progression with a couple of songs on side 2. Things We Said Today & I'll Be Back are stunning songs. But by "Beatles For Sale" some progression & maturity was evident in the lyrics. Also it was great to see experimentation with styles - country & rockabilly came to the fore. "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is a brilliant song - arrangement & performance wise - although simple lyrically. If the choice had been made to include both sides of the 45 recorded in these sessions (like they did on Hard Days Night), we would have had a better album still. "I Feel Fine / She's A Woman" is the best combined 45 the Beatles ever issued IMO!! Taking a step further, if "Leave My Kitten Alone" had been included at the expense of "Mr. Moonlight" or "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" - this would have boosted the album further. Tiger.
In January they played Paris. In February the US, beginning with "Ed Sullivan". Returned to England and both filmed "A Hard Day's Night" and wrote/recorded that LP. Then more radio, TV, and touring. Then finally got to relax and they recorded "Beatles for Sale".
Another great review John. Love the cover of this album. Design wise, for some reason I would have liked to have seen the album title displayed in bolder print vertically across the top of the album. I don't know why. Anyway, your review was spot on about their lyrical growth on this album. Certainly this was a transitional album between their first 3 albums and what was to become the incredible leap forward of "HELP", "RUBBER SOUL", and "REVOLVER" as well as the non-album singles. It really is incredible to think what the Beatles released from the time of this release in December '64 to December '65. But for me there's just something missing with this album. It just pales considerably in comparison to the onslaught of the great Lennon & McCartney original penned pop tunes of "A Hard Days Night" simply because of the abundance of cover tunes. They are great covers but just too much for my liking. Why not release these as b-sides?? Sometimes I think maybe they shouldn't have even released this album and waited till they had a bit more original material. I actually grew up on the US release, "Beatles '65", which actually isn't that bad of an album. I like it for the fact it includes the single , "I Feel Fine", and it's b-side, "She's A Woman". Unfortunately, it doesn't include "8 days a Week" or "Every little thing" which I think really would have made it a great album. Too bad the "I Feel Fine" single wasn't included on "Beatles For Sale". The Beatles insistence on giving the public their money's worth by releasing several great singles and not including them on the albums, I feel in the end, weakened some of their albums(i.e. With the Beatles, Beatles for Sale, Rubber Soul, even Sgt Pepper). Speaking of their US releases, do you own any of the US releases? If you do, do you find any that are decent in comparison to it's UK counterpart? I actually prefer "Meet The Beatles" over "With The Beatles". Anyway, again a nice watch. Always enjoy your insights. Keep 'em coming. Also, love the Doctor Who figurine on the shelf watching you from behind the sofa.
Thanks! Glad you noticed Tom Baker there! I won't get into the debate too much of UK vs. US albums too much as it's the music which counts at the end of the day. I own all the US albums on CD except The Early Beatles and the US Revolver. Mystery Tour works best, followed by Hey Jude. Followed by Meet The Beatles probably. I think there's an argument to include I Want To Hold Your Hand and This Boy on the second album and as you say relegate the covers to B sides. But that's with hindsight. Their confidence wasn't exactly sky high before they hit America. And they were pressed into releasing Beatles For Sale as two albums per year was the custom at the time if one can believe it! The main objection I have with the US albums is that they limited the albums to 12 tracks and mixed up songs from different albums. But I will concede that I would rather see She's A Woman, I Feel Fine, This Boy, Yes It Is, I'll Get You, Thank You Girl over some of the covers. But no...Rubber Soul is just perfect..without the double A side single. As is Pepper. As for Revolver, that was Capitol's worst blunder...5 Paul songs, 3 George, 2 John, 1 Ringo. Unbelievable. Anyway, we can agree to differ, on some of this at least :- )
Great pieceJohn. I think the Beatles for Sale album has been positively reevaluated in recent years and yours is an enthusiastic, and fair, review. I can't stretch to giving it 10 out of 10, but there are classics there. Under enormous commercial pressure and with so little time to be creative, the fab four still produced an album that endures ... How many sixties albums can you say that of .... !
Coincidently John I have been listening to this album loads recently and, like you, I love it. Great original compositions and my all time favourite Beatles cover in Words of Love. Given the hectic circumstances in which this was recorded, this album is a triumph.
hi john, yes I think that's why I made such a boob when I got a hard days night and beatles for sale the wrong way round, as this album was indeed a step backwards and I wrongly assumed that the rest of their output would be original beatles songs with no covers. this wasn't one of their best , maybe unsurprisingly, considering their workload at the time and it was probably a contractual obligation.
I have only recently come across your reviews- marvellous!! i wonder if i can run something by you.... i would like you to put on a pair of headphones and play "I'll Follow The Sun"- and really listen to the start of each verse ( Stereo version is clearer i think)..."One Day- you will see.. that i have gone" and tell me categorically( ignoring the incorrect album notes-in my view) that thatpart of the line is NOT sung by John.- i have believed this since i heard the song for the first time (over 50 yrs ago)- the rich timbre of the voice can only BE John;that being followed by Paul's - "but tomorrow may rain etc " then the next line.. same thing... "Some day, you will know i was the one!"-and then Paul... with the glorious harmonies coming in for the middle 8. I'm staggered that the liner notes could be wrong but lets face it, they ARE wrong because it is NOT "Paul, double tracked here and there"-( the middle 8 proves that) !-im writing that from memory so i hope its right! play the start of each line a few times and think about it...- id be interested in your opinion.
I own a Japanese red vinyl copy from 1970, honestly for sale is one of my favourite beatles albums, it's nice to listen to fairly uncommon beatles tracks instead of let it be, Hey Jude, Strawberry fields forever etc.
I love johns vocal and pauls bass on Mr. Moonlight. For me i would put (What your doing) right up there at the top. A great song. I don't want to spoil the party, i mean come on does it get any better than that. What a fantastic track with john and pauls vocals. You know its amazing to me to this day when i think about the 60s and how A.M. radio would not touch album tracks (where i grew up anyway) Los angeles until the beatles came along. I remember when Help came out and thats all they would play. Then rubber soul came out and every song was being played. Keep in mind these are the american versions and there were no singles on that album over here. So i guess they just said screw it and played every track. Revolver same thing. I remember Aug. 1966 when the radio stations got their hands on that album and every ten minutes they would play a song from revolver. That album was a mindblower. Anyway back to this one. Not a bad song on here and a excellent review john. You can't go wrong with this band.
Agree with everything you say Kregg! And happy that the US radio stations were converted to. 'I don't want to spoil the party' is a forgotten gem with masterful harmonies in the middle section.
I agree. The ONLY cover I liked on this LP was Words of Love'. The rest of the covers sucked and I avoid all the others. I much much prefer George's 'Roll over Beethoven' which, unlike John, I think is one of the best fluid rocking versions ever from 'With the Beatles' which I consider the best 'early Beatles LP and by far their most underrated album. With the best covers and one of their perfect LP's, being the only early Beatles LP (ie pre 'Rubber Soul') in my top 5. On the other hand the actual originals on this album are underrated again as you say. This was their first, not pure Pop album. Dylan's influence is clear enough and some great lyrics, mostly from John and shows a big shift in sensibility with folk and other influences.
Hi John excellent review again, I will defend this album for all times... Mr Moonlight?? John belts that out.. I believe Paul was 16 when he wrote I'll follow the sun... It was pretty risky to start the album off with two negative songs but hey it worked and I believe Eight Days a Week was the FIRST to do a fade - in. So I guess what I'm saying is aaaa yeah I love it!! Thanks again for the great review happy holidays -- Lisa
It's a lovely contrast to the upbeat optimistic Hard Day's Night! So the fans can choose either depending on their mood! Good point about the first fade in. Let me think about that! Hasn't happened too often since either. Thanks Lis.
+John Heaton yes it does!!! Hope that my original comment didn't come across harsh cause I truly didn't mean it that way, your reviews are great!! Can't wait for flaming pie to come out so you can review it!! Cheers John
This album takes some stick but I love it. It was one of the few albums my folks had when I was a kid. It got left near a radiator and the vinyl warped horribly but I still played it until it was part of my DNA. They got clever after this but, with some admittedly notable exceptions, they were never quite as rock'n'roll.
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a favorite of mine, too. I disagree about "Everybody is Trying to Be My Baby". I love that song. Would say "Mr. Moonlight" is the weakest song and "No Reply" or "Eight Days a Week" is the best. For Sale is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of Beatles album. Doesn't get much respect....but it should. Great album. I do think Hard Day's Night is better. Those songs are strong though more simplistic. Just perfectly executed. No covers and every song is a gem.
Nice sympathetic review John. Beatles For Sale is another excellent early Album that tend to be dismissed by so called experts. While A Hard Days Night is usually regarded as the strongest of the early period.It does have the advantage of having the singles included on the album something that WITH THE BEATLES & beatles for sale didnt
This used to be my least favorite beatles album but now I love it, I realized the cover songs pretty much were ruining the album for me and honestly still do. But the originals Imo are top tier beatles songs
I tend to defend "Mr. Moonlight" - I've always felt that it was a bit of a joke, and that the Hammond organ solo was intentionally comical and cheesy. It works for me, especially in the sequence of songs on side one, which overall are rather serious, so it's a bit of a relief and The Beatles are having themselves a laugh.."Beatles For Sale" has never been a personal favorite - I don't even own it, but I have all of the songs on the sometimes maligned U.S. Capitol albums, "Beatles 65" and "Beatle VI". But I wouldn't want to be without the Lennon McCartney originals - the covers for me, are fine, but generally disposable, in my opinion...nice review as always, John..
Thomas Calden yes I think you're spot on in saying we shouldn't take mr moonlight too seriously, and that we should see it as a bit of welcome cheese. I love Beatles for Sale, it was about the third fabs album I bought, and I played it to death at the time. No Reply is rightly a classic, such an unknown song in the cannon, and could easily have been a single. I love the album cover too. How did George get such a perfect turnip shaped beatle hairstyle?! Great review John!
Dave Costello - Yes, I've always loved both the front, and back cover of "Beatles For Sale", and I agree about George's haircut - One of these days I'll have to get my own copy in addition to my Capitol equivalence(s), although these days I tend to want to downsize my record collection. -Take care.
Thanks Thomas. Yes pick it up if you can although the new 180g version has a sub par cover picture in my opinion...too much colour. Still a great cover of course! Talking if the covers, I think the George one works least well...and Kansas City the best. I seem to remember that the equivalent US album (Beatle 65?) opens with No Reply and I'm A Loser and the rest of Side 1 in order pretty much so at least you have that continuity.
Thanks Dave. Yes this is the lost gem in The Beatles canon (if there is one!). The cover is a classic, as good as Rubber Soul in its way, perfecting capturing the era.
Good review, John. I recently did an acknowledgement of the 52nd anniversary of the album on my channel. You have many the same impressions as me, particularly in acknowledging the growth in their song writing. Thanks.
My favourite songs on Beatles for sale are no reply I’ll follow the sun eight days a week words of love every little thing and rock and roll music and honey don’t and I don’t want to spoil the party
I Love the Beatles with a passion but think Mr Moonlight is the worst thing they ever did....what were they thinkng with there unsurpassable talent it wasnt up to their standard....
I remember reading a piece from the 70s saying Mr moonlight got voted the worst Beatles song ever. Not only is it bad, but it has horrible, obvious cut-ins. Ka-chunk!
The first three tracks are great then it runs out of steam. This is , imo , their weakest album , it was knocked off quickly and as someone said is a few new songs and then their old Hamburg set with covers. Eight Days a week and I,m a loser are stand out tracks, the covers I am not keen on. Hard Days Night from earlier in 64 is a better album with all L& M originals. Rubber Soul was released 12 months later and the progression is staggering , chalk and cheese.
Disagree totally. Love this album. Babys in black and the harmony which would be eased out in. Coming albums. John showing real growth as a writer and paul and his gift for melody shows bjg ttime. See this as their transition album not to mention they were being pushed hard from touring and Brians insane schedule he had for them its a wonder its as good as it is.
There is something immediately refreshing about early Beatles. This album has quite a vibrancy about it, although it does also show significant growth, especially in 'No Reply' and 'I'm A Loser'. John's voice was so great here, too. His vocals became somewhat thinner over time, but i like his more raspy voice demonstated so wonderfully well on this album. Paul has his moments, too, with 'I'll Follow The Sun' for example. Even the covers display an amazing vigour, i'd imagine because of their early years of constant live performance of some of these tunes. The group chemistry is great. Yes, artistically the album on the one hand shows considerable growth on occasions, but then going back to relying on old rock 'n' roll standards, which may seem like one step forward followed by two steps back, but i'd rather have it than some of their overly whimsical material in later years. It seems less contrived. Even the surprising cover, 'Mr Moonlight' displays charm, even if one questions its true suitabilty in style for The Beatles.
Interesting. I would like to find an original of some kind. The new 180g vinyl has poor picture reproduction on the cover (as do a number of other vinyl reissues I've noticed...Parallel Lines by Blondie for example).
"What You're Doing".....one of my favorite McCartney raves!!! A fabulous vocal on a terrific number. Proud to be in the minority for that one. You're still the best, John.
David Gena I agree with that, and glad McCartney has recently started playing it live again every now and then. Great packing case, played by Ringo, too!
Dave Costello Thanks Dave. When that song comes on, I jack the volume up and let it rip! And, yes, Ringo's drumming just adds to the dynamic of the song. Great stuff by the greatest band ever!
Not aware of Paul playing this live Dave. It turned up on the 'Love' album but I don't think he's done it live has he? I wish. His whole set list needs a major revamp as we know.
really love this cover picture
I've got to say John that you are my favourite album reviewer on here. I really appreciate your detailing the albums with interesting insights. Keep them coming please!
K S thanks!
Hi there, John!! The copy you're holding is most definitely a 70s re-issue. If it has the 2J prefix in the catalogue number, it's probably a 1975 pressing. If it has a 14C one, it's past 77!! Truly one of my most favourite Beatles albums because of its energy!!! Cheers from Greece!!
Bravo!! Thank you John!! The first 3 albums had kind of adolescent simple lyrics - even though the melodies & arrangements were strong. For me i found this wearing a bit thin by A Hard Days Night - but that album showed a bit of progression with a couple of songs on side 2. Things We Said Today & I'll Be Back are stunning songs. But by "Beatles For Sale" some progression & maturity was evident in the lyrics. Also it was great to see experimentation with styles - country & rockabilly came to the fore. "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is a brilliant song - arrangement & performance wise - although simple lyrically. If the choice had been made to include both sides of the 45 recorded in these sessions (like they did on Hard Days Night), we would have had a better album still. "I Feel Fine / She's A Woman" is the best combined 45 the Beatles ever issued IMO!! Taking a step further, if "Leave My Kitten Alone" had been included at the expense of "Mr. Moonlight" or "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" - this would have boosted the album further. Tiger.
"No Reply" is something of a re-write of "Silhouettes".
And "This Boy, a Lennon song, is a classic.
In January they played Paris. In February the US, beginning with "Ed Sullivan". Returned to England and both filmed "A Hard Day's Night" and wrote/recorded that LP. Then more radio, TV, and touring. Then finally got to relax and they recorded "Beatles for Sale".
Excellent video john one of my top5 albums by them at first I wasn't so sure but it's grown on me keep up the good work mate👍
I believe George Martin always wanted for their singles a hook in the first ten seconds, and the Beatles did just that 🇬🇧👌
Another great review John. Love the cover of this album. Design wise, for some reason I would have liked to have seen the album title displayed in bolder print vertically across the top of the album. I don't know why. Anyway, your review was spot on about their lyrical growth on this album. Certainly this was a transitional album between their first 3 albums and what was to become the incredible leap forward of "HELP", "RUBBER SOUL", and "REVOLVER" as well as the non-album singles. It really is incredible to think what the Beatles released from the time of this release in December '64 to December '65. But for me there's just something missing with this album. It just pales considerably in comparison to the onslaught of the great Lennon & McCartney original penned pop tunes of "A Hard Days Night" simply because of the abundance of cover tunes. They are great covers but just too much for my liking. Why not release these as b-sides?? Sometimes I think maybe they shouldn't have even released this album and waited till they had a bit more original material. I actually grew up on the US release, "Beatles '65", which actually isn't that bad of an album. I like it for the fact it includes the single , "I Feel Fine", and it's b-side, "She's A Woman". Unfortunately, it doesn't include "8 days a Week" or "Every little thing" which I think really would have made it a great album. Too bad the "I Feel Fine" single wasn't included on "Beatles For Sale". The Beatles insistence on giving the public their money's worth by releasing several great singles and not including them on the albums, I feel in the end, weakened some of their albums(i.e. With the Beatles, Beatles for Sale, Rubber Soul, even Sgt Pepper). Speaking of their US releases, do you own any of the US releases? If you do, do you find any that are decent in comparison to it's UK counterpart? I actually prefer "Meet The Beatles" over "With The Beatles". Anyway, again a nice watch. Always enjoy your insights. Keep 'em coming. Also, love the Doctor Who figurine on the shelf watching you from behind the sofa.
Thanks! Glad you noticed Tom Baker there! I won't get into the debate too much of UK vs. US albums too much as it's the music which counts at the end of the day. I own all the US albums on CD except The Early Beatles and the US Revolver. Mystery Tour works best, followed by Hey Jude. Followed by Meet The Beatles probably. I think there's an argument to include I Want To Hold Your Hand and This Boy on the second album and as you say relegate the covers to B sides. But that's with hindsight. Their confidence wasn't exactly sky high before they hit America. And they were pressed into releasing Beatles For Sale as two albums per year was the custom at the time if one can believe it! The main objection I have with the US albums is that they limited the albums to 12 tracks and mixed up songs from different albums. But I will concede that I would rather see She's A Woman, I Feel Fine, This Boy, Yes It Is, I'll Get You, Thank You Girl over some of the covers. But no...Rubber Soul is just perfect..without the double A side single. As is Pepper. As for Revolver, that was Capitol's worst blunder...5 Paul songs, 3 George, 2 John, 1 Ringo. Unbelievable. Anyway, we can agree to differ, on some of this at least :- )
Great pieceJohn. I think the Beatles for Sale album has been positively reevaluated in recent years and yours is an enthusiastic, and fair, review. I can't stretch to giving it 10 out of 10, but there are classics there. Under enormous commercial pressure and with so little time to be creative, the fab four still produced an album that endures ... How many sixties albums can you say that of .... !
Not too many I guess Henry! Thanks as always.
Coincidently John I have been listening to this album loads recently and, like you, I love it. Great original compositions and my all time favourite Beatles cover in Words of Love. Given the hectic circumstances in which this was recorded, this album is a triumph.
Agree completely Tim! And yes 'Words Of Love' is sublime. Effortless, as the earlier BBC version proved. Thanks!
hi john, yes I think that's why I made such a boob when I got a hard days night and beatles for sale the wrong way round, as this album was indeed a step backwards and I wrongly assumed that the rest of their output would be original beatles songs with no covers. this wasn't one of their best , maybe unsurprisingly, considering their workload at the time and it was probably a contractual obligation.
Strange coincidence John, but I also have a Greek pressing of this album!
"Mr. Moonlight" is saved by John's passionate vocal, even though it's not the type of cover I'd expect them to do.
MeanMr Mayo agree
I really like this record, and see it as bridge album, along with Help to get to Rubber Soul. Great review John, and thanks for sharing.
I have only recently come across your reviews- marvellous!! i wonder if i can run something by you.... i would like you to put on a pair of headphones and play "I'll Follow The Sun"- and really listen to the start of each verse ( Stereo version is clearer i think)..."One Day- you will see.. that i have gone" and tell me categorically( ignoring the incorrect album notes-in my view) that thatpart of the line is NOT sung by John.- i have believed this since i heard the song for the first time (over 50 yrs ago)- the rich timbre of the voice can only BE John;that being followed by Paul's - "but tomorrow may rain etc " then the next line.. same thing...
"Some day, you will know i was the one!"-and then Paul... with the glorious harmonies coming in for the middle 8. I'm staggered that the liner notes could be wrong but lets face it, they ARE wrong because it is NOT "Paul, double tracked here and there"-( the middle 8 proves that) !-im writing that from memory so i hope its right! play the start of each line a few times and think about it...- id be interested in your opinion.
I was thinking the same thing. I hear john’s voice there!
Great cover, great original songs sung and played by the best band on earth
I own a Japanese red vinyl copy from 1970, honestly for sale is one of my favourite beatles albums, it's nice to listen to fairly uncommon beatles tracks instead of let it be, Hey Jude, Strawberry fields forever etc.
Great job as always John. Your album reviews are great. Always love your perspective.
Thanks Kenneth.
Five of the 7 songs on side 1 are John.
I love johns vocal and pauls bass on Mr. Moonlight. For me i would put (What your doing) right up there at the top. A great song. I don't want to spoil the party, i mean come on does it get any better than that. What a fantastic track with john and pauls vocals. You know its amazing to me to this day when i think about the 60s and how A.M. radio would not touch album tracks (where i grew up anyway) Los angeles until the beatles came along. I remember when Help came out and thats all they would play. Then rubber soul came out and every song was being played. Keep in mind these are the american versions and there were no singles on that album over here. So i guess they just said screw it and played every track. Revolver same thing. I remember Aug. 1966 when the radio stations got their hands on that album and every ten minutes they would play a song from revolver. That album was a mindblower. Anyway back to this one. Not a bad song on here and a excellent review john. You can't go wrong with this band.
Agree with everything you say Kregg! And happy that the US radio stations were converted to. 'I don't want to spoil the party' is a forgotten gem with masterful harmonies in the middle section.
My brother would play the single of 'I don't want to spoil the party' over and over, and the more he played it the more i loved it.
I just listened to this last night. I really love this Album!
The cover versions let this album down a little. The Lennon and McCartney songs are sublime. So it is a mixed album quality wise.
I agree. The ONLY cover I liked on this LP was Words of Love'. The rest of the covers sucked and I avoid all the others. I much much prefer George's 'Roll over Beethoven' which, unlike John, I think is one of the best fluid rocking versions ever from 'With the Beatles' which I consider the best 'early Beatles LP and by far their most underrated album. With the best covers and one of their perfect LP's, being the only early Beatles LP (ie pre 'Rubber Soul') in my top 5. On the other hand the actual originals on this album are underrated again as you say. This was their first, not pure Pop album. Dylan's influence is clear enough and some great lyrics, mostly from John and shows a big shift in sensibility with folk and other influences.
Hi John excellent review again, I will defend this album for all times... Mr Moonlight?? John belts that out.. I believe Paul was 16 when he wrote I'll follow the sun... It was pretty risky to start the album off with two negative songs but hey it worked and I believe Eight Days a Week was the FIRST to do a fade - in. So I guess what I'm saying is aaaa yeah I love it!! Thanks again for the great review happy holidays -- Lisa
It's a lovely contrast to the upbeat optimistic Hard Day's Night! So the fans can choose either depending on their mood! Good point about the first fade in. Let me think about that! Hasn't happened too often since either. Thanks Lis.
'Dig It' has that great fade in....'like a rolling stone....like a rolling stone...' :- )
+John Heaton yes it does!!! Hope that my original comment didn't come across harsh cause I truly didn't mean it that way, your reviews are great!! Can't wait for flaming pie to come out so you can review it!! Cheers John
Mr. Moonlight is a great sing along song!
‘ Eight days a week ‘ could have been an outstanding single , great track indeed 🇬🇧🤘☀️
This album takes some stick but I love it. It was one of the few albums my folks had when I was a kid. It got left near a radiator and the vinyl warped horribly but I still played it until it was part of my DNA. They got clever after this but, with some admittedly notable exceptions, they were never quite as rock'n'roll.
Thanks for defending this album!
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a favorite of mine, too. I disagree about "Everybody is Trying to Be My Baby". I love that song. Would say "Mr. Moonlight" is the weakest song and "No Reply" or "Eight Days a Week" is the best. For Sale is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of Beatles album. Doesn't get much respect....but it should. Great album. I do think Hard Day's Night is better. Those songs are strong though more simplistic. Just perfectly executed. No covers and every song is a gem.
Nice sympathetic review John. Beatles For Sale is another excellent early Album that tend to be dismissed by so called experts.
While A Hard Days Night is usually regarded as the strongest of the early period.It does have the advantage of having the singles included on the album something that WITH THE BEATLES & beatles for sale didnt
thetrevorosborne thanks trevor good point about the singles
This used to be my least favorite beatles album but now I love it, I realized the cover songs pretty much were ruining the album for me and honestly still do. But the originals Imo are top tier beatles songs
I tend to defend "Mr. Moonlight" - I've always felt that it was a bit of a joke, and that the Hammond organ solo was intentionally comical and cheesy. It works for me, especially in the sequence of songs on side one, which overall are rather serious, so it's a bit of a relief and The Beatles are having themselves a laugh.."Beatles For Sale" has never been a personal favorite - I don't even own it, but I have all of the songs on the sometimes maligned U.S. Capitol albums, "Beatles 65" and "Beatle VI". But I wouldn't want to be without the Lennon McCartney originals - the covers for me, are fine, but generally disposable, in my opinion...nice review as always, John..
Thomas Calden yes I think you're spot on in saying we shouldn't take mr moonlight too seriously, and that we should see it as a bit of welcome cheese. I love Beatles for Sale, it was about the third fabs album I bought, and I played it to death at the time. No Reply is rightly a classic, such an unknown song in the cannon, and could easily have been a single. I love the album cover too. How did George get such a perfect turnip shaped beatle hairstyle?! Great review John!
Dave Costello - Yes, I've always loved both the front, and back cover of "Beatles For Sale", and I agree about George's haircut - One of these days I'll have to get my own copy in addition to my Capitol equivalence(s), although these days I tend to want to downsize my record collection. -Take care.
Thanks Thomas. Yes pick it up if you can although the new 180g version has a sub par cover picture in my opinion...too much colour. Still a great cover of course! Talking if the covers, I think the George one works least well...and Kansas City the best. I seem to remember that the equivalent US album (Beatle 65?) opens with No Reply and I'm A Loser and the rest of Side 1 in order pretty much so at least you have that continuity.
Thanks Dave. Yes this is the lost gem in The Beatles canon (if there is one!). The cover is a classic, as good as Rubber Soul in its way, perfecting capturing the era.
Do you really want to face St Peter Thomas having to explain that you never owned a copy of Beatles For Sale? :- )
Good review, John. I recently did an acknowledgement of the 52nd anniversary of the album on my channel. You have many the same impressions as me, particularly in acknowledging the growth in their song writing. Thanks.
Thanks. Will take a look, I have quite a bit to catch up on to be honest!
The shelf you have in the background is that some sort of a Collection also? Have a great day
Yes that is my son's collection of Beatles, Doctor Who, Walking Dead, Pink Floyd etc :- )
great Review -have this since 42 years-eight days a week is the most well known-i love no reply and i ll follow the sun
Makis eythimopoulos thanks makis!
A much better album than Help which suffers from Hammond Organ overdrive!
My favourite songs on Beatles for sale are no reply I’ll follow the sun eight days a week words of love every little thing and rock and roll music and honey don’t and I don’t want to spoil the party
I Love the Beatles with a passion but think Mr Moonlight is the worst thing they ever did....what were they thinkng with there unsurpassable talent it wasnt up to their standard....
I remember reading a piece from the 70s saying Mr moonlight got voted the worst Beatles song ever. Not only is it bad, but it has horrible, obvious cut-ins. Ka-chunk!
The first three tracks are great then it runs out of steam. This is , imo , their weakest album , it was knocked off quickly and as someone said is a few new songs and then their old Hamburg set with covers. Eight Days a week and I,m a loser are stand out tracks, the covers I am not keen on. Hard Days Night from earlier in 64 is a better album with all L& M originals. Rubber Soul was released 12 months later and the progression is staggering , chalk and cheese.
Sound is waaaay too low brother
patchy - definitely an album littered with filler
Worst Beatle album ever.......What kind of cover was that anyway? No Reply is good After that.......HORRIBLE
ginzod that cover reminds me of the later Between the Buttons by The Stones
Disagree totally. Love this album. Babys in black and the harmony which would be eased out in. Coming albums. John showing real growth as a writer and paul and his gift for melody shows bjg ttime. See this as their transition album not to mention they were being pushed hard from touring and Brians insane schedule he had for them its a wonder its as good as it is.
I think yellow sub is their worst album unless you consider two good songs a good album.
There is something immediately refreshing about early Beatles. This album has quite a vibrancy about it, although it does also show significant growth, especially in 'No Reply' and 'I'm A Loser'. John's voice was so great here, too. His vocals became somewhat thinner over time, but i like his more raspy voice demonstated so wonderfully well on this album. Paul has his moments, too, with 'I'll Follow The Sun' for example. Even the covers display an amazing vigour, i'd imagine because of their early years of constant live performance of some of these tunes. The group chemistry is great. Yes, artistically the album on the one hand shows considerable growth on occasions, but then going back to relying on old rock 'n' roll standards, which may seem like one step forward followed by two steps back, but i'd rather have it than some of their overly whimsical material in later years. It seems less contrived. Even the surprising cover, 'Mr Moonlight' displays charm, even if one questions its true suitabilty in style for The Beatles.
I found an Italian pressing, I imagine an original 1964 pressing on Parlophone, it has a red label and is spelled "Parlophon".
Interesting. I would like to find an original of some kind. The new 180g vinyl has poor picture reproduction on the cover (as do a number of other vinyl reissues I've noticed...Parallel Lines by Blondie for example).