Reviews (page 14 of 15)
Ahh the Beatles middle years, in this case quite literally 1965, halfway through the bands time together. And Rubber Soul seems to be looking backwards and forwards at the same time Much of the pop sensibilities remain, the opener 'Drive My Car' is a proper Beatles pop banger. But then it dives into "Norwegian Wood" and shortly after "Nowhere Man" which are much more of a departure from what they had done before (but in the case of Nowhere Man still keeping a lot of great harmonies and la la's to keep it grounded) The fact that this came out only 2 years after Please Please me by the same group of songwriters is staggering. Its so easy to overlook just how quickly the Beatles were moving and reinventing no only themselves but pop music which I think is a key point that's not taken into account in modern Beatles parlance. I don't find myself appreciating these middle albums (By that I mean this and Revolver) quite as much as their earlier or later works and unfortunately Rubber Soul doesn't fit into my personal category of 5 being records that can have my personal stamp of approval as one of my favorites. Nor does it blow me away so much that I cant help but give it a near perfect score. Its got to be a 4 but that's doing it a disservice as well. I might have to track down Paul and Ringo and apologize.
Just doesn’t move me. Song from the chest.
Peress li hemm ħafna diġa miktub fuq il-Beatles bl-ingliż u niddubita li se nikontribwixxi xi ħaga ġdida jien, se nipprova niktibha bil-Malti. Album kbir, xorta għadu mhux l-aħjar tagħhom - imma qisu l-bidu ta' l-aqwa żmien ta' dawn l-artisti. Dan ir-rekord qisu b'sieq il-passat tagħhom u sieq fil-futur. 'Norwegian Wood', 'Michelle' u Nowhere Man juru ċertu ambizzjoni fil-kompożiżżjoni li ma kienetx hemm qabel, filwaqt li 'Girl', 'Drive My Car' u 'In My Life' jagħtu xeħta għall-albums ta' qabel fil-quċċata tal-kitba. Kollox ma' kollox album tajjeb, sabiħ, bilanċjat u mhux twil wisq - hawn il-Beatles qed jagħtu lemħa tal-enormitá tal-arti tagħħom imma jidru li għadhom naqa fit-triq għall-quċċata.
This was the first beatles album I brought myself and still probably my favourite. In some ways it feels like their most cohesive album, maybe not the best songs, bit works as a whole better than anything else they did.
Can't beat that review saying that *Rubber Soul* and *Revolver* are two sides of the same extraordinary coin. Unsurprisingly, *Sgt. Pepper*, the White Album and *Abbey Road* are my favorites in the Beatles's discography, but those two earlier records are also the two grand gates that lead you to those lands. And as such, they are as essential as the three I've just quoted here. About *Rubber Soul* in particular, what I'm about to write won't surprise anyone. First, there's the most famous songs that make that album the legend that it is today (the groovy and lively "Drive My Car", the trippy "Norwegian Wood", that insanely catchy "Nowhere Man", "Michelle" and its naive lyrics in French, or that miraculous feat of economical songwriting that the moving and melancholic "In My Life" is). But there are also the less-known cuts that are actually as good as those famous hits ("You Won't See Me", "Think For Yourself", "The Word" and "Wait"). To put in in a nutshell, almost everything in *Rubber Soul* is well worth your time--minus one or two ditties that can't really hurt the whole thing. It is nothing less than a blueprint of what makes us all use this app: the album as a modern art form. How can this one *not be* in the list? A few words about controversial closer "Run For Your Life" now... That song has very disturbing lyrics, obviously. But honestly, it would be hypocritical for me to condemn it as a piece of art given that I can also enjoy Eminem's most disturbing raps as examples of the sort of narrative leeway and poetic license great musicians and songwriters can get away with. If anything, that contrast between the threatening lyrics and the happy-go-lucky catchiness of the music creates an interesting, off-kilter experience. Yes, Lennon did hit women at least once or twice during the course of his life, adding to the uneasy feeling this song can trigger in you. Him publicly regretting those acts later on doesn't *fully* redeem him as a person, by the way--he has been an asshole with women in more ways than one, most evidently, and that's something no one should forget. Yet I'm still buying Lennon's claim that his subsequent will to naively praise peace, love and understanding *also* stemmed from those personal experiences as a man. The words he used during those later interviews were anything but ambiguous or hypocritical: it was *all* his fault, and that was another reason for him to try to "imagine" a world were such heinous acts would never happen. Please note that I'm trying hard NOT to separate the man from the artist here. I guess there are just different ways to do it, and that some of them can still take into account somewhat "grey" areas... Who in his right mind would *seriously* try to "cancel" the Beatles now anyway? You may not like their songs, and you may not like who they were as individuals. But it would be vain or foolish to try to deny the gigantic influence those individuals have had on popular culture. Those four young men, *still in their twenties when this album came out*, were incredibly gifted musicians and songwriters. And that's another thing that makes *Rubber Soul* the monument it still is today, along with at least five or six other LPs from the band. Good luck for the record that pops up after this one. Number of albums left to review: 686 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 154 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 72 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 89
This starts out "oh so Beatles-y" and continues to be unmistakably The Beatles throughout. Special mention needs to be made of Norwegian Wood, which is a track which surely must sit up near the top of greatest recordings ever made. I feel somewhat guilty of calling it that, given I've just this morning absolutely slated Joni Mitchell's Hejira for being long-form storytelling, but it is just brilliant. I also need to mention how absolutely bloody horrific "Run for your life" is. Say what you like about the misogyny of gangsta rap or dancehall - this is it, right here, pure and unbridled. Grim. Norwegian Wood puts this album to 5 stars. Run for you life knocks it down to 3.
Such a great album! One of the first where you can really see their sound start to change after deciding not to tour anymore. Lots of experimental sounds like sitar and distorted guitar. I was surprised at how many of these songs I recognized even though this isn't an album I've really listened to.
The lyrics for "Run for your life" are surprisingly creepy. Perhaps not surprising Lennon wrote the lyrics.
No less then 5 stars to the Beatles!
Great album with little dead weight short and snappy songs show why they were and still are one of the best bands of all time, as with all Beatles albums I wish George helped more with the lyrics as he was under-utilised as a writer. Would definitely listen again. Favourite tracks Norwegian Wood and In my life.
Very good album, enjoyable all the way through. 105 albums in, it's my second Beatles album on the list - The Beatles (White Album) was my first, but I have to say I prefer Rubber Soul so far. I'm not very clued up on Beatles albums, honestly, so I'll see how it fares against the oters when they come up. It's The Beatles, I'd be surprised if there's an album of theirs that isn't on the list. But overall I liked it and will come back to it! Favourite: Norwegian Wood
It's a great album with some real stand-out all-time songs. In My Life is possibly my favourite Beatles song. The content and lyricism is just superb. Deceptively simple, but so expressive and effective.
This is 6th Beatles album on this list. The album was alright and better than some of the other Beatles albums. It was short and there were several songs that I was familar with. There not many campy songs which is good.
The bridge between early and late Beatles albums. The sound of discovery. Always a great listen. I don't even dislike "Run For Your Life".
Truly the "start" of their massive creative period that lasted until their eventual break up in the late 1960's. A fantastic listen still almost 60 years later. Crazy its been that long
Mittelmäßiges Beatles Album. Kein track der mich gegriffen hat.
IT was a short experience , I listend it in one session, it was so short beacouse I enjoy every song on this album , I am huge beetles fan since I was a kid , it s music that I grew with , and you will never find such classic masterpiece anymore , yes there are many new age albums that are good , but like beetles or Santana will be no more
Startlingly spare.
This to me, is the most Beatles album of the Beatles ever Beatle-ing. They've still got tremendous Lennon overlordship at this point, but there's still somehow a nice balance in the tracks. They're starting to morph into counterculture icons and they're transitioning into that phase in such a harmonious way for the listeners. Top notch, excellent work. Their output is prolific for the number of years that they were active and this is the perfect midpoint of it all. Drive My Car is a superb opening track, it’s so fun and gets you primed for some good tunes.
Well, what can one say. This is a tremendous album, and for me, The Beatles are at the height of their powers.
I already loved this one! So many classics on this album. Still sounds so fresh sixty years later.
Probably my favourite Beatles album best tracks: What goes on, Michelle, I'm looking through you, in my life. Michelle is imo the best love song ever written
Rubber Soul signifies The Beatles sonic and visual transition into their second era of musical revolution and pop culture dominance. It's still The Beatles as we know them, as seen by their iconic haircuts on the cover, but this record demonstrates the most musical ambition lyrically and instrumentally in their career up until this point, which they would expand on with further releases till 1970. Released in the same year as Help, Rubber Soul contains considerably darker lyrical focuses than any other Beatles record before it, whilst maintaining and improving on their instantly recognisable compositions. Songs such as 'Nowhere Man' and 'Norwegian Wood' have clear lyrical focuses on morbid realities of casual adultery and the philosophies that come with solitude, voluntary or involuntary. Still in a major key, songs like 'I'm Looking Through You' actually contain rather depressing lyrics about love and its "nasty habit of disappearing overnight". These aren't songs about dancing or holding hands - these are universal truths and experiences examined through music, in 1965! Just from a personal fan point of view, Rubber Soul contains some of my favourite Beatles songs. 'In My Life' for example - that gorgeous piano solo and John's falsetto in the outro are forever incredible. 'Michelle' with its sung harmonies that lay behind Paul's gentle voice and bass make for an all time great acoustic number. I've mentioned it's lyrics earlier, but 'Nowhere Man' is also an all time favourite. It's perhaps one of their first songs that isn't related to romance in any way, which for me makes it the most important song on this record in hindsight. Sure, there are some songs that maybe aren't as good in comparison. 'You Won't See Me' and 'What Goes On' are just okay - especially 'What Goes On'. This song could've slotted onto With The Beatles with ease. It doesn't really match the ambition or sound of the other songs on this record. Still fine tunes, but I'm not that lenient. Nearly every other song on here I could list as being fantastic, but I think that's assumed knowledge. In the context of Beatles records, I'd rank this one 4th, and it's still near perfect. Bonus points for being the direct influence for Pet Sounds as well! Brilliant album.
I'd argue there are three tranches of Beatles albums (English releases only): the first five are the mania records (PP Me/With The/ A Hard/Sale and Help), the next three are the post mania records (Soul/Revolver/Pepper) and the last three are the post Maharishi adult records (White/Abbey/Let it Be). Please note MM Tour was an EP (American album) and Yellow cobbled together for the film. Context is important here; in 1965 they release Help the film, Help the album, Help the single, Ticket to Ride, Daytripper and We Can Work It Out (as a double A side single..) and Rubber Soul. And they toured the US, the UK and Europe. All in 1965. Now a mere three years earlier they were heading off to their second last stint in Hamburg (still with Pete Best) and arrived at the airport to be met by Astrid with the news that Stu was dead. By 1965 this is important as Lennon is seriously contemplating what has happened to him and to them, we are post Stu but pre Yoko and the nowhere man is stuck in his Surrey mansion musing on how he became a lead player in this global phenomenon. The warning signs were there from Beatles for Sale; I'm a Loser and No Reply, Baby's in Black and I Don't Want to Spoil the Party. In Help we see the same themes, hide your love away, help me if you can, I think I'm going to be sad. For Lennon and Rubber Soul, Stu looms large over this record. Meanwhile McCartney and Harrison are on the move. Paul's 1965 includes dropping Yesterday on Help, and Harrison for the first time has two original songs on that album in I Need You and You Like Me too Much. In amongst all this Lennon and Harrison (but not McCartney....yet) have dropped acid and are now looking at the whole thing through a different prism, with McCartney not joining them in frying his brain until after Rubber Soul. As with all their perfect records the ensemble is working as one unstoppable force. Ringo is tasked with some challenging songs for a 1965 rock drummer, and as always he produces work that is still influencing rock and roll today. His drumming on In My Life is superb, there's no one in that era, not even those jazz cats, coming up with that arrangement. With Michelle and Girl he gives those tunes that distinctive Euro beat, it is so subtle and yet crucial to their feel. Harrison is all over this record, and playing a Strat too for a good part of it, it's George who suggested tracking the guitar and bass lines on Drive My Car, giving it that Otis/Stax feel. George was spending a lot of time listening to Otis and it shows. And of course it's George who brings in the sitar which makes Norwegian Wood what it is. And he has well and truly found his writing feet with his two contributions, especially If I Needed Someone, which has the same chord sequence as Here Comes the Sun (and it is the only George original they played live). And Lennon and McCartney? What can we say other than they are at a very particular creative peak, there are many other incredible heights to be scaled, but here they are lockstep with each other. It could be argued this is their last 50/50 song writing album, their fingerprints are all over each others songs. Back to Stu. The one and only fifth Beatle is a key element in their story, without Stu we simply don't get The Beatles, period. He showed Lennon how to look at the world, how to challenge it, how to interpret it. That then influenced Paul and George. Yoko says that there was hardly a day they were together that John didn't mention Stu. With Michelle, Paul had written it as a French parody song back in the Gambier Terrace days, the flat John shared with Stu. In 65 John, thinking about Stu, suddenly reminds Paul about "that French song", prompting Paul to do that thing he does with a melody, and of course John providing the bridge "I love you, I love you" etc. And in that superb little tune, Paul revolutionises bass playing with the most sublime counterpoint, it is its own melody, stunning. Lennon's contributions are all about loss and sadness, Nowhere Man and Girl and In My Life in particular go to his terrible sense of loves and people lost. In Nowhere he exhorts himself to enjoy having the world at his command, the girl promises the earth to him and he believes her, but after all this time doesn't know why. In My Life is Song for Stu, "and of all these friends and lovers, there is no one who compares with you". Drive My Car, a great 50/50 John and Paul composition, with Paul getting his vocal chops ready for when he rips out Lady Madonna in about 18 months time. McCartney is clearly looking for someone new and different to Jane Asher, she just doesn't know it yet. His two sublime Jane songs, I'm Looking Through You and You Won't See Me are classic Paul, with the latter being a track he could have dropped at anytime in his later career. Lennon's What Goes On gives Ringo his C and W moment, and Wait (recorded for Help but a perfect fit) and The Word are John and Paul doing that thing they do as songwriters and performers. And the vocal work by the Fab Voice Trio is up there with their finest on just about every track. I do find it odd that Run For Your Life is on there, it sounds like a throwback from the Mania albums. Strangely it was the first song recorded, it is surprising that it survived and made the final cut. And yes Lennon was guilty of violence towards women (see Getting Better) but that first line was actually lifted from the old Baby Let's Play House 50's rocker, just in case the cancel culture fascists are out there somewhere thinking of taking it out.. They make this album and then the hard core acid taking takes off. With Revolver Lennon is somewhere else, the themes are darker, his drug dealing doctor, someone (Fonda) telling him what it's like to be dead while tripping, a meditation on sleeping and thinking about turning off your mind. And, as we now know (see the Revolver Super Deluxe reissue), Yellow Submarine was his, "in the town where I was born, no one cared, no one cared". McCartney meanwhile starts his takeover, dominating both Revolver and Pepper. Johnny doesn't get his mojo going again until the arrival of the ocean child Yoko, who finally allows him to move on from Stu. As such Rubber Soul is close to their greatest work of all bar the White Album. As I said earlier, what makes it different from the WB is that that Rubber Soul is the final true Lennon-McCartney collaborative song writing album, while it can be argued that the WB has their finest individual song writing, backed by their finest ensemble performance. This wonderful record is their Girl with a Mandolin, their David Copperfield...their Hamlet. The White Album is my favourite Fab album, but this is a very, very close second.
As mentioned previously, I never listened to any Beatles albums before Sgt Peppers - but grew up on compilations. Many of my childhood favourites on this album, plus good “new” songs in between with a surprisingly folky/country flavour. Among other things, this album demonstrates how versatile they were becoming with their (already excellent) vocal harmonies.
I was 15 years old & in 5th Form at Parramatta Marist Brothers when the double-A-sided single Nowhere Man & Norwegian Wood was released in Australia in March 1966. I can still remember how I was so taken by the sophistication of those songs. This was the Fab4 at another level. By the end of that year I was familiar with most of Rubber Soul, because AM radio had woken up to the fact that, when it came to The Beatles, they did not just have to play singles. There was gold to be mined from the latest Beatles album. I remember Girl & Michelle getting so much airplay even though they had not been released as singles in Australia (they were released as a double-A-sided single in Europe). This was some album. One of the best opening tracks of all time. George Harrison’s coming of age as a songwriter. The sitar would soon be everywhere. In My Life would become one of the great contemplative pop songs. One of my sisters sang it as my brother was signing the marriage certificate. The joy this album has brought me over almost 6 decades - well, that’s what The Beatles could do.
It is hard to rate the Beatles, because, you know, they're the _Beatles_ and their records have become part of the DNA of popular music. It's been years since I saw down and listened to Rubber Soul all the way through. It is such a transitional album between their early material (songs are still really short, and with heaps of hooks), but the lyrical concerns and style are becoming more sophisticated, along with the more studio-oriented arrangements and production. I love the punchy, all-killer-no-filler approach. Only one song is over three minutes, and there is not a wasted second on this record. I can hear the influences they have picked up in America (Motown, the Byrds, Dylan). I just rated a Byrds album recently, and their super-bright guitar sound is all over this record, but with much better songs. The beginnings of their drug experiments are starting to be reflected as well in a bit broader scope (although there are still plenty of straight love songs here). Dodgy lyrics of Run For Your Life aside, this is a wonderful record. Short, confident, beautifully played and arranged, great vocals. And an important sign that they were changing direction in a way that nobody quite realised yet.
The first album I got on this list that's really a 5/5. Just great
Okay. A bit boring. I like other Beatles songs better
Understandably influential, still fun listen but lacks impact probably had at the time.
I know there are better beatles albums, but this is still amazing. One of the most consistent batches of mid-60s pop put on to tape. Favorites: You Won't See Me, Michelle, Girl, In My Life, If I Needed Someone
A classic. Fave B-Cuts: Think For Yourself, What Goes On. Not cool: Run For Your Life.
Nem rossz, volt több dal is ahol tetszett a hook. 2022.12.07.
Its iconic, its timeless but its not the best Beatles album. I enjoyed it but I found it a little bit boring from time to time
Its ok to listen to but not super enjoyable. Not really any hits and its mainly pretty dull
As someone who has chosen not to listen to the Beatles in like 15 years this shit is pretty good. The middle is pretty forgettable, but the nostalgia factor from my parents playing this when I was a kid is strong. Excellent that “Run For Your Life” is just a threat. Best songs: Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, You Won’t See Me, I’m Looking Through You, In My Life Best
One of my favorite Beatles albums. The transition from pop band to psychedelic rock is evident here. Many popular songs but with unique instrumentals and great Melodie’s. A lil of their wound are great and I’d say this one is top 3. 8.6/10
NICE
I don't have as much love for this one as some people but it's still a fantastic album and one of their best. Norwegian Wood, Michelle and In My Life are all tippity top
tijdloos
Revolver and Rubber Soul are the transition albums between the Beatles safe pop side into the more loose hippy style. I like this record quite a bit but it's still a little too sacrine for me to consider it a 5 star record.
The first Beatles album (chronologically) that I truly love. Truly revolutionary in its time. Fav tracks: Nowhere Man, Michelle, In my life, I’m looking through you (my personal favorite) and Run for your life
Ik heb dit album echt 1000x geluisterd afgelopen drie dagen. Hoogtepunt is sowieso Norwegian Wood, specifiek de tekst: She asked me to stay And she told me to sit anywhere So I looked around And I noticed there wasn't a chair LOVE IT
The first great Beatles album. If I never hear Drive My Car, Michelle or Norwegian Wood ever again it will be too soon. And Nowhere Man? Argh! But the rest of the songs on here are playful, inventive and beautifully crafted. The harmonies here are joyful. The Word is one of many under-rated tracks here. And What Goes On may be one of Ringo's best contributions outside of his drumming. Timeless and of its time simultaneously, I love this album, despite the over-exposed songs mentioned above.
I was fearful of being sucked into another Beatles cycle when Rubber Soul was served up on the 1001 Albums website for me. Once I start, I can't stop. It's a very healthy musical addiction. Rubber Soul is the perfect pop for me. The songs would work for any artist at any time. The Beatles were getting a little druggy, druggy, druggy around this time. It's makes for a hazy listening experience. Time stands still. Rubber Soul was recorded in a four week period - which is quite remarkable. I managed to spill a four pint carton of milk whilst listening this afternoon. It made a right bloody mess of the kitchen floor. I still came out smiling. No point in crying over... etc. Only The Beatles can have that affect over me. Them Beatles were alright.
Absolute classic
🪲
Not my favorite album of theirs but it was the one that got me into them as a teen.
Love the Beatles
Pretty goooooood
42 consecutive weeks on the UK #1... I'm guessing this is a good album. Drive My Car is a classic. Norwegian Wood is something I hadn't heard before, but it's good. The rest is classic Beatles.
Don't think I'd ever listened all the way through. I get tired of hearing the Beatles or seeing the same bands on this list... but then I start the album and that melts away. This is a classic.
Classic bluesish
I haven’t actually herd this one before and I honestly expected it to be a let down sorta bridging period album between old and new Beatles, but this thing sounds like the Beatles had a spark of genius in the songwriting, all of the tracks are some sorta love song with most of the lyrics being brilliant ( I know run for your life is just wrong though). Still 5/5!!!
It sure is the Beatles. Not their most exciting outing
This is the fourth, and earliest, Beatles album so far in this project. I have not listened to the Beatles in the context of their albums for the most part, so it's always been a joyous experience of the very familiar and new. What I noticed about this one, especially after hearing their later work first, was that this one felt the "Beatle-y-est" to me. It felt exactly like how a Beatles album of my imagination would sound. This one also felt more like I was listening to the group rather than its individuals. I loved this one, too. I could listen over and over and over. ("Run for Your Life" though... am I right?)
I don’t have much to say, other than I very much like this album.
I find it very hard to think about this one as an album since many of the songs are so familiar outside of this context. The songs that weren't hit singles stand out because they are equally as good but seem relatively new to me. Other than the horrifying Run for Your Life, I've got no beefs with this record. (And honestly the rockabilly twang of Run for Your Life is so goddamn catchy that I kind of love it, too. <shakes head and tsk-tsks at John Lennon>)
What can I say, it’s a great album packed with great songs! Nice to hear the Beatles having a little fun.
Classic, one of the best
i prefer beatles singles i dont really listen to beatle albums as whole not a fan of this one. i think the only beatles album i can fully listen to is sarg pepper still a few decent songs but i probably wont listen to it again
It’s the Beatles. It’s enjoyable. Drive my car is my favorite.
The hits are obviously great (in my life, Michelle, Norwegian wood) but some of the deeper cuts don’t really interest me
A classic. Automatic 5.
Kinda fun, jangly 60s pop. Definitely a number of mega hits
With White album and.Sgt Peppers easily my favourite. . No more teeny bopper band!
It’s taken 86 albums, but I’m finally given a Beatles record. And it’s arguably their very best. It’s hard to say a lot about this group given that they’ve been at the centre of mainstream discussion on “classic” music for the last 50-60 years. Rubber Soul is often seen as a pivotal record in the band’s discography in a very true sense of the word. Their is a subtle shift away from straightforward pop structures towards deeper exploration in experimental sounds. This, however, is very embryonic on this record. What this band achieved on a four track recording is simply unfathomable. The Beatles had a knack for making the most extraordinary songs seem accessible to the average person - no wonder their songs have achieved folkloric immortality in households across the world. It’s basically the next 40 years of pop music distilled in one recording. My personal favourites are “You Won’t See Me” and the closer “Run For Your Life”. I’ll be a lot more in-depth with some of their other albums, but this one is just a really excellent record in all its immanent complexities.
I absolutely adore this album!
Zeer tof Beatles album. Iets vrolijker van toon
At this point I consider myself a Beatles expert, because this is about the 1002nd Beatles album on this list. Incidentally, I've heard this one before anyway. I don't think they're a terrible band, but they are TERRIBLY overrated. This album is from their "take us home to mum" era: meaningless 60s pop rock ditties that serve as advertising jingles in 2022. The first two songs are standout tracks, the rest blends into itself and I tuned out to an extent. But it only goes for 35min and I didn't feel put out listening. But hooo that last track... he wasn't joking, was he? There's no tongue in cheek, Peter Steele-esque wink at the camera going on there. That's a flat out abuse anthem. Guess Lennon can rest easy knowing 2022 can't cancel him now that he's dead, lol. 3/5.
Great album
Pretty good, some classics like norwegian wood and in my life.
Great album, once again the vibe is expected but the production and the mood of the album is great. I don't think I ever listened to a full beatles album before and it was an awesome experience from beginning to end. 4.5/5
Everything you would expect from a beatles album but with something more, something neat... Every song seems like a master piece itself... Vocal used as instrument, taping... Pianos... Everything feels right and in place but still surprising! Perfect in my opinion 5/5
Ok this is potentially my favourite Beatles album!! This is honestly the best album to put on towards the end of a house party when you're all extremely drunk and fancy dancing around like a crazy person. It's just the most fun ever. And then it includes all the usual genius and awe-inspiring song-writing skills. Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, and Drive my Car are some of my all time favourite Beatles songs and I'm Looking Through You is an all time belter of a track!! What could be better to sing/absorb when you're pissed off with someone haha. Girl is extremely creepy and not right and cannot be forgiven, even looking at the time it was written in, still just don't contribute to that please lol. I can't bring down my rating though because of the belters on this album so I'll just add it in this comment. They used some epic unusual instruments and experimentation with sound in recording this album which I love. I absolutely love the title and the artwork. Ugh it's just so great.
I generally enjoyed most of these but they're not my standout faves... there's also that troublesome one on here about chasing little girls which is overtly threatening. You feel you should always rate the Beatles high, but I think I'll be true to myself
Not sure what I could say that hasn't been said so I'll just leave my rating
Meh. As I figured out with Sgt. Pepper's, I'm definitely a "Beatles' Hits" fan. And there are some of those here - but strangely I was mostly familiar with them from the early 2000s movie "I am Sam" with Sean Penn. The soundtrack was covers of Beatles' tunes by major artists of the day - Sarah McLachlan, Eddie Vedder, The Wallflowers, Ben Folds, etc. And honestly, the covers are mostly better (it turns out that the cover of "Norwegian Wood" by PM Dawn (yes, PM Dawn) that I remembered being on the soundtrack isn't actually on the album, but is still pretty awesome). So, again, it's THE BEATLES, but I still see no reason to replace my "Beatles' Ones" album with individual records.
Ok, I understand now. I get all the hype and worship, I get why they had to get all crazy and weird. This album is pretty much an end-to-end collection of perfect little pop songs, unique in melody and sound, beautiful in their simplicity. It's not wonder that they had to push and experiment, they pretty much defined pop rock for ages to come and made it look easy and basic. Now, the sound itself of all these specific songs isn't necessarily something I'd go out of my way to find and listen to again, but I don't know, Michelle and Girl have a sweet little pleasantness to them that I probably will need from time to time. I'm giving it a 5, partially as an apology for Sgt. Pepper's 2.
AMAZING!!
not for my taste
Rating: 5.6 Best Track: Michelle
This is the first Beatles album that is all round great. There's nothing awful on here or feels out of place. In My Life, Michelle, Nowhere Man, Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, Girl and If I Needed Someone are all quality songs, with the rest being decent. Not even Lennon's death threats over jealousy in Run For Your Life derails from the quality of this fantastic album.
Playful, light-hearted, hints of hedonism and egoism but in a funny way, kind of like the do whatever you want to do present type of talk, classic, essential Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, Michelle
\"Norwegian Wood\" has a lovely melody undercut by a clunky chorus -- \"Nowhere Man\" has precisely the opposite problem. \"In My Life\" is sweet but John's vocals from this time period sound ever more callow with age. It took me too long to realize that the album had ended and Spotify were playing a random Love song.
Love this album éternel classicisme in my mind
вечная классика, люблю две моих любимых песни тут
Maybe their best album.
Crisp and compelling throughout, with flashes of genius (“Norwegian Wood,” “In My Life). This was a major advancement from being a pop group to true artists; it worked both as designed and in execution. The new wrinkles were the addition of the sitar and more room for George, plus a Ringo-sung song, all of which would become hallmarks (plus markers of tension, too, the tension that added to the deepening and expanding artistic impact). “Nowhere Man” and “I’m Looking Through You” are quite sharp and every track is a cut above the average pop song. Greil Marcus was right about “Girl,” though that doesn’t make it a great pop song. Basically every Beatles record from this one on feels like a 5 (they succeed almost perfectly as what they are) but it’s worth noting this is notch below Revolver and Sgt Pepper.
Heard it for years, always loved it. An all-time fave.
Classic songs and another evolution of the band
Amazing 4.5/5
I hadn't listened to this Beatles album before. As expected a fantastic record, there's some great tracks throughout this album. Such good flow. Tempted for a 5 but ill go with a 4.6 or so!
Not my favourite Beatles album (by quite a margin, given their sublime output), but I do consider Rubber Soul a turning point: it marks the point in time when the band stopped offering pure pop music and started their truly creative phase. The one we can now recognise for its creative genius. Rubber Soul offers a bit of a whiff of that, whereas the likes of Sgt. Pepper provide for a blessed overdose. It's the albums that followed Rubber Soul that made the Beatles the great band they are, which therefore make it into a critical turning point.
That's always beautiful, but I think there are better ones. There are some amazing tracks but the average of the album is not a 5
Probably my personal favourite Beatles album
I once heard this album referred to as proof of John's misogyny. I wonder if the context of some of these songs would have allowed John to survive today's cancel culture in the wake of the #metoo movement. I don't know, but it could make for an interesting conversation. Lots of great songs here to showcase the transition from their earlier work to what would come next. 5 stars because even their meh songs are better than most bands' best efforts.
vähemmän kuultu Beatles ansaitsee melkein jo sillä tähden. alussa on ärsyttävän itsetietoiset Drive my car ja Norwegian wood, mutta sitten paranee ja menee hyvääb 60-lukufiilikseen. etenkin lopetusraidasta jää hyvä mieli.
Käytännössä kaikissa tämän levyn kappaleissa on hyviä melodioita, joiden toimivuutta on vaikea kiistää. Toisaalta on perusteltua kyseenalaistaa, kuinka monessa niistä on oikeasti koukku: vaikka olen kuunnellut Rubbet Soulin monta kertaa aiemminkin, harva biiseistä on jäänyt soimaan päähäni tai edes painunut kunnolla mieleeni. Lisäksi, kuten hyvin tiedetään, Beatlesin soitto ja laulu on kauttaaltaan liian artikuloitua: McCartneyn äänestä tulee mieleen lahjakas naapurinpoika, joka laulaa koruttomasti, koska on liian tietoinen omasta lahjakkuudestaan, eikä Lennon kykene välittämään tunnetta, vaikka lisääkin vokaaleihinsa oikeaoppista raspia. Mitä tahansa tämä musiikki on, se ei ole rokkia edes ollessaan rokkia. Mutta en myöskään kehottaisi ketään olemaan antamatta sille mahdollisuutta. 3+/4-
Always love the Beatles.
Second Best Beatles album
The Beatles album I play the most, for some reason. Lots of great songs, some casual misogyny, would have sounded like nothing else when it came out. Their first great one from start to finish(ish)
This might be the best album of all time
This is probably my favorite Beatles album. I think I like it because, in a sense, you can hear "all" of what the Beatle were throughout their career. It's a little bit "poppy" early 60's Beatles with hints of what their later albums would bring. I also like that most of the songs are about loneliness and heartbreak. It feels like the most authentically-Beatles Beatles album.
Sweet
Amazing diversity. Brilliant.
:(
WONDERFUL!!! it gives me a good feeling inside. there are beatles albums i like quite a bit more than this though, so it has to be a 4.
Is "Rubber Soul" the best Beatles album? No, but it's still fantastic. This is the album where the Beatles start to get a little weird, and music as a whole has been better for it ever since. You can hear the influence of their burgeoning flirtation with Eastern philosophy and music in "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," which prominently features the sitar. "Nowhere Man" is a bit of a trip, and feels psychedelic-adjacent. "What Goes On" has the country twang that Ringo seems to favor (see also: "Act Naturally" and "Don't Pass Me By"), "Michelle" is classic understated McCartney, and "Think For Yourself" features Harrison's signature desire to shrug off this world's baser impulses and frivolities. My favorite track of the album is "Girl," which is the perfect vehicle for Lennon's pathos. That tortured/obsessive intake of breath in the chorus—like a self-destructive man surrendering himself to the drug he knows could someday kill him—is peak Lennon. *chef's kiss* "Rubber Soul" may not be their best album, but let's be clear: that's a high bar, so there's no shame in falling short of it. Falling short or not, it's fair to say that it's the beginning of their transcendence of the bands they emulated in their early days. From here on out, they were more than mere pop sensations that hit the scene in the right place at the right time. They were artists in their own right, and were beginning to shape the musical world—either because other artists wanted to be like them, or because they *didn't* want to be like them. Either way, the Beatles were now the musical benchmark.
A personal favorite
So many classic Beatles songs on this album. This one stands up after all this time.
Beautiful album. I do like the sound of my vinyl version better, BUT it flows wonderfully. Listened to it while I did some work and there isn’t a song that I would skip.
Can’t get enough of this album, live the sitar on Norwegian wood and just the overall flow of the album is great. Listened to 50 times and will prob listen to it 100s by 30
Who these boys’ barber I got a cuppa questions
I really wish I could hear this album for the first time again Don would look good with one of those haircuts on the cover In My Life is one of my favorite songs Norwegian Wood and Nowhere Man are top tier Beatles songs The deep cuts are forgetable when you compare them to the hits but they're just really solid Merseybeat Isn't he just like you and me?
Finally, The Beatles! You can just tell this is a special album from the first song. Drive my car just had a totally different sound than anything they ever did before this. Then coming in with Norwegian wood? Jesus christ man i would have freaked out if i heard this in the 60s. Nowhere man is probably my favorite beatles song. Think for yourself is one of the most underrated beatles songs. Michelle and Girl are just all time love songs. In my life is one of lennons best written songs. If i needed someone - what a fucking song man. I truly believe every song on here could have been a single and would be a HIT. I cannot say enough good things about this record, I love every single song. And the crazy thing, it's not even their best 🤯🤯🤯10/10
Norwegian wood and in my life are 2 top 10 Beatles songs
"Drive My Car", "Norwegian Wood", "Michelle", "In My Life"? Come on. This is on par with Revolver and Sgt Pepper and I will not be taking questions. Rango "Sir Richard Starkley MBE" Starr yet again proves to be the best and most talented Beatle with some amazing cowbell playing on "In My Life". Peace and love, peace and love. I'm warning you with peace and love! 😎✌️🌟❤️🎶🎶🍒🥦👍🌈☮️
Short and sweet. Fun to sing along to I'm sure. Think for yourself is a bop. Kind of mid
4 A subtle and cheery intro into their psychodelic period. A fairly decent album.
One of the best ever. Cannot fault this album with hit after hit. Iconic Beatles songs and so many stand alone hits from this. In my life a funeral song for both grandparents so has a lot of memories attached to it. Brilliant.
Listened before: No Enjoyed: Meh, no strong feeling either way Listens: 2
Not sergeant peppers, but still the beatles love the old school production
How many Beatles albums are going to be on this list? This ones pretty good for a Beatles album Their voices are really annoying (not as bad as Dylan) Unpopular opinion-I do not like Norwegian wood Ooh la las on track 3 are the same as school of rock song lol In my life is a good song Despite rating I prefer this to bob dylan
The melodies are so pleasant. It’s funny that when it came it out, it was rock n roll and now I would categorize it as easy listening. It’s also funny that some songs are 2 mins. I think I looking through you is the best.
Beatles i mognadsfas. Säkert bättre när det kom men håller idag sämre än deras senare album.
Alright. Interesting.
Klassiek opgroeien voor mij. Papa die op zaterdag pannekoeken bakt tijdens dit album. Eindeloos vaak in de auto aangehad. Nostalgie. Ik word onterft als ik dit minder sterren dan dit geef
Lekker toegankelijk, chille vibes, mooie gitaarrifjes. Goed om op te zetten op de achtergrond, tijdens het koken bv.
Oh the Beatles....meh. Oh the first song is pretty good to be fair. Hmm hippy ish. Pretty chill. Wow songs are a lot shorter in 1965. Got a bit of bop to it. Dance Jack, Dance! Alright Beatles... YOU OK.
Fine
Listened to half. It's the Beatles so it's good.
Great album, lot of good tracks from the Beatles that I didn't realize were on this album.
Solid album with good blues sounds. Nice middle ground between the early poppy Beatles and the later more pyschedelic Beatles
Listened Before? N Pretty darn good! I quite enjoyed this one, and I know it's considered a classic, so that may have biased me but I really liked it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Drive My Car
15/08/2022 The Beatles – Rubber Soul 3.5/5 I’m a fan of the late era of The Beatles, and Rubber Soul starts to develop their change into a more experimental and rich sound. Their past as an early 60’s pop boyband is still present, and that makes this album worse in my taste. I think that it also flawed for having too many songs, many of them quite similar to each other. On the final songs the listening become tiring. But it’s still a Beatles album, and it’s very good. Drive My Car --> 4/5 One of the iconic Beatle songs when I think of them and their more catchy early music. Great pop/commercial song in general. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) --> 5/5 The Beatles + a sitar = Love. One of the first songs where The Beatles are able to experiment and include different sounds in their music. You Won’t See Me --> 2.5/5 First sign of the first era of the band. It’s okey, but nothing I like too much. Nowhere Man --> 2/5 Again, a song that could perfectly fit into their previous era. Even less remarkable than You Won’t See Me. Think For Yourself -->2/5 The same as Nowhere Man. The World --> 1.5/5 The same, but I like this song even less. I’m not a big fan of the vocals here. Michelle --> 4.5/5 Very sappy song, but very well executed and catchy. What Goes On --> 3/5 Again, first Beatles era sound. This time, the rhythm of the song and its guitar make it more likeable for me. Girl --> 5/5 The music from the movie “Across the Universe” makes me love this song for some reason. I think the film made me discover some Beatle songs I had never listened before and created a special link. I’m Looking Through You --> 4/5 early era Beatles song, but I like this one. In My Life --> 5/5 One of the best Beatles songs of all their carer, maybe not one of my most favourites. There is something they transmit with this song that is very special, both musically and in the lyrics. And I love the piano-harpsichord solo. Wait --> 3/5 This is the point of the album where I want it to end. Nothing special in my opinion. If I needed Someone --> 3.5/5 Again, nothing special. But I like this song a little bit more. Run For Your Life --> 2.5/5 Here I’m just a bit tired. Again, an old-sounding Beatles song, doesn’t add too much.
Ja dat is wel gewoon top hé
Lekker zo in de ochtend met de tuindeuren open
Voor mij niet hun beste plaatje, maar natuurlijk wel erg goed!
Niet mijn meest favoriete Beatles album, maar vanaf hier werd het alleen maar beter. Heerlijke nummers, vooral Norwegian Wood
Vanaf dit album begon de Beatles muziek écht interessant te worden. Ik kan er nog hele stukken tekst aan besteden waarom ik dit zo geweldig vind, maar geef het gewoon de 5 sterren die ik het waard vind.
Een paar sterke nummers, maar niet alles even interessant.
fantastic, not my fave album but solid. I'm reserving my 5-stars for one of their other albums.
The Beatles were played a lot in my house growing up. I had car dances to several of these songs. Also, it’s The Beatles. They forever slap.
A bridge between the R&B and pop of Beatlemania and the cornucopia of genres that would characterize their later years. The Beatles incorporate folk, country and a bit of Indian raga for a jewel of an album.
This album was a pretty strong first listen. It seems like The Beatles were maturing in their sound with this album. I'd say the album is more front loaded than back. Still though I enjoyed the album.
Otro grande
Muy bueno, nunca lo habia escuchado entero y me gusto mucho. Top 5 albums de los beatles y el mejor que sacaron antes de sgt peppers.
Songs are a bit samey, but this was solid, especially for the beach and a puzzle afternoon.
Classic. Not much to say here
Dated. I don't think it has the lasting power as much as other Beatles' records – although, I think this was maybe the first album where they stretched themselves outside of the bounds of their earlier sounds. "Norweigian Wood" is a great track. Other than that, I'm fairly apathetic about this record.
For me, Rubber Soul marks where the Beatles really enter their period of experimentation and innovation. They had hinted at it in earlier releases, but this is where they commit. Released just a few months after Help, Rubber Soul sees the group toying with the conventional pop format and introducing eastern instrumentation (Norwegian Wood) and ideas into their music. What really makes the Beatles stand out is when they incorporate something new into their work, it doesn't feel like it's there to just reference something, but it becomes part of the work and feels in place.
Very timeless album. Heard a bunch of the songs before but not the whole album. Very very good
Discazo de los 4 de Liverpool. Canciones melódicas y profundas. Atemporales totalmente.
not a beatles guy
I own a T-Shirt of this album, absolute classic.
A very good album that I enjoy listening to.
Damn, still extremely straight forward, but some amazing melodies and song writing. I love Norwegian Wood, In My Life, and Run for Your Life the most.
Massa, curto das antiga já
I'm not a Beatles purist and I don't believe this is the best Beatles album by quite a bit but at the end of the day anything I say is semantics; it's the Beatles. That being said I have the smallest of gripes with saying this album holds up as well as some others from the same period. The purity of the acoustic sounds makes some slower pieces sound almost stale in comparison to that of king crimson and Velvet Underground and the subject matter leaves alot to be desired. Barring that tiny personal gripe this album is one of many free masterclasses by the band on how to develop an entire genre almost entirely on your own 9.6/10
Incredible album. Even excluding the impact it had on music in general and the change that it represented in The Beatles discography, it just sounds so great. We should send the song In My Life to aliens as the song to represent humanity because it is so beautiful that they will immediately love us. The album flows together so well and you feel as if you are on a cloud floating along happily. The only thing I would have changed is to leave off Run for your Life, because The Beatles don’t need to include another song about domestic abuse, but even with that it still is a perfect album. 5/5 this is an album to put you in a great mood whenever you are feeling down.
A solid 4. Some enjoyable songs on there with typical Beatles sound and not as trippy as others.
Not quite as strong as Sgt. Pepper’s, but still overall enjoyable. The lyrics for Run for Your Life are questionable though…
This may not be the Beatles at their best but this is still really fucking good. Probably a true 4.5 that I'm gonna round up because I'm Looking Through You is just so great.
Lots of songs on here that I had actually never heard. Some very good, some not so good. Overall I enjoyed it but definitely not my favourite Beatles album.
Great!
I think the 1001 is punishing me for my absence as it made me listen to Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan' but when I went to add my notes, it had updated to 'Rubber Soul'. So Rubber Soul. Maybe the 5th best Beatles album (Revolver, Abbey Road, White Album, Hard Days Night, better than Help) but still an easy 5 stars.
How this remains fresh sounding after so long is an absolute fucking mystery.
Listening to it again after a long time and it's shrunk on me. Nothing on here is bad though, very good songs with some awesome cuts on the second half. I think having the vocals stay on one channel on the stereo version grated my ears a bit.
This has my favorite Beatles song, I’m looking through you, plus classics like Drive my car, nowhere man, and in my life. Easy 5
Simply awesome. It is silly to quibble about what is the best Beatles release. From 1965 on every Beatle release is essential and of unbelievable high quality. Bands based an entire careers around one song (or portion of a song). In My Life alone is enough to make this a must have. Some deduction of points for Run For Your Life's horribly misogynistic lyrics. Still - not enough to keep the fifth star off (although I would have given 4 1/2 if an option).
A big step in the transformation from quick hit pop songs to more serious and musically sophisticated songwriting. Apparently the first album released in the US that did not have the band name on the cover (not just Beatles albums).
Easiest 5 so far. The fact that the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan show playing “all my loving” 1 year earlier is astounding. This is the album where they fully matured as songwriters and while it’s not my favorite Beatles album it is still better than most releases by any other artist. I think “in my life” is a top 10 song of all time and find it shocking that it’s not the final track. Norwegian Wood, Drive My Car, Nowhere Man, If I Needed Someone, Michelle, Girl, I’m Looking Through You are all fantastic tunes as well. The vocal harmonies on this album are stunning and the melodies are just some of the best ever written. Wish there was a documentary of them making THIS album.
3, catchy but last song was just weird
I can imagine there are a lot of people that might hate the Beatles. The list probably includes bug exterminators and anyone willingly serving in the military in the '60s ... or (this is important) anyone living during their golden years. I get it, being alive in the late 60's and having to endure Beatles exposure on a daily basis might rival living in the age of Taylor Swift. Great music, overplayed and inescapable. For me, however Beatles are gold. Hands down, the best track on Rubber Soul is In My Life (of course). Especially for a dude in his 50's.
My ctrl+F search today to find albums I never wrote reviews for revealed two things - I neglected to write my “Rubber Soul” review twice (once when I first listened and once when I realized that during “Sgt. Pepper), and the Beatles must be the band I mention most in reviews of other bands. Re-listening to the Beatles today to finish those unfinished reviews, I took my own advice and listened to the unreviewed ones chronologically. Kind of too bad that “Rubber Soul” was the oldest of those, because it was apparently the one that is the biggest shift from what came before. In the midst of their prodigious output of the mid-60s, they launched into a more creative and artistic direction starting with “Rubber Soul.” I should’ve done “Help!” and “Rubber Soul” back-to-back. I’m not sure how much I would notice the shift? “Help!” is terrific, as is “Rubber Soul.” The latter does feel very cohesive, and doesn’t miss a beat from start to finish. As they continue down that road, things get a little weirder occasionally, but on “Rubber Soul” their psychedelic dabbling is more limited. Anyway, it’s a fantastic album that kicks off a really incomparable run by a band quite worthy of those dozens of mentions and comparisons.
From my father, I have inherited my gorilla-like arms, an at times breathtaking self centeredness, an all consuming enjoyment of a fine meal, and a deep and abiding love for this album. I spent an entire summer listening to it on repeat on my discman and reading Asimov.
Quite a solid album. I have neglected many of The Beatles albums and the remediation starts here.
I remember when reading reviews of other Beatles albums on this list a lot of people mentioned Rubber Soul but apart from Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), and Nowhere Man I don't really get it.
Some great songs on the A side, no doubt, but the B side is significantly weaker. And minus one whole star for "Girl" and "Run For Your Life", Lennon you creep. Fave track - "Norwegian Wood (The Bird Has Flown)" or "Nowhere Man"
All bangers no real filler in it. If I needed someone, I'm looking through you are highlights.
Beep, beep, beep, beep yeah!
Always considered Rubber Soul as marking that step toward Sgt. Pepper and beyond. 4/5 on the Beatles scale.
Solid album.
I really enjoyed revisiting this album. It's full of great songs.
The real tipping point from early pop sensation Beatles to experimental studio craft Beatles, balancing right on that edge. And it really is the best of both worlds! One of their best records, and that is saying something, considering its the daggum Beatles.
I think this is that perfect blend of early pop beatles and experimental mid Beatles into a very radio friendly album that still pushes the fringe.
This is my favorite Beatles album, even though “Run for your life” is a little cringy in today’s context, the whole album kicks balls and slaps titties.
Hvað get ég sagt? Elska þetta. Innprentað í DNAið mitt, held ég.
Dans toute la variété d'album qu'on écoute, on se rend compte quand on tombe sur n'importe quel album des Beatles qu'ils étaient vraiment à part. Cet album qui amorce l'évolution du groupe n'est pas mon préféré, mais est tout de même un excellent album. Il est important pour les pièces Michelle, Girl, In my Life, Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, I'm Looking Through You, If I Needed Someone,... Bref, un album à écouter absolument.
Classic Beatles... Love songs before they wove deeper meanings into it
So many reasons that this album is important; it's the first album that the Beatles made as an album. Although the recording period is ridiculously short (113 hours to record, plus extra days for mixing), it was a generous period of not begin (too) distracted by other commitments. Although embellished with some exotic overdubbing and studio technique, the core performances are still tight band performances as per their early output. Heavily influenced by American rock (soul, Motown/Stax, country rock, folk, Dylan, Byrds) and their first psychedelic drug experiences, the songs have started be more lyrically and emotionally sophisticated. And, because it is the Beatles, it is massively influential and changes the way that rock and pop musicians thought about the album format. Prior to this, even BEatles albums were often really filler, kind of an alternative product secondary to the all-important singles. While not quite at the point where singles are included on UK releases routinely, this is an album that was intended to be of high quality and listened to all the way through. There are no covers or throw-aways. The content is more challenging, philosophical and introspective, and it's got crackin' tunes. Personally, I could do without 'Michelle' (one of Paul's 'granny tunes'), but it's popularity paid the bills. This is one of the albums that changed everything in popular music, and totally deserves to be on this list.
3.5
Best Song: Nowhere Man. Even if the vocal harmonizing feels a bit annoying at time (and honestly, a bit like a cult), the lyrical weirdness is enough to make this one stick out. Worst Song: If I Needed Someone. Only the worst here because it is, like much of the rest here, boring. By the end of the album, my taste for these hyper-sweet melodies had long expired. Overall: Fourteen songs that absolutely sprint past, each one dangling a slightly different jingle to try to grab your attention before its near-identical twin shoves it out of the way to offer its own wares. Everything about this is commercial in the worst way. This feels like an album that you like after you've already decided you like the Beatles.
Toe-tapping beats and forgettable songs for me. 'You Won't See Me' is the epitome of what I don't like about the Beatles. Super repetitive and includes a bunch of 'ooh' and 'la la la's.
Classic beatles sound. They have much better albums though.
Not my favourite Beatles album, but still a great listen.
Quite the album to come up as my first, and one I hadn't explored heavily. First two tracks are incredible and Michelle has an interesting opening but there's a bit of a blues-pop oriented lull in the middle, and the reason I'm more fond of The Beatles' later work. Nowhere man is pleasing on the ears, In My Life is a great song but not much else really stands out.
Such a great album. This was my first time listening to it all the way through as opposed to just a few of the songs on the album one-off.
Eipä tämä levy mitään ihmeitä tarjonnut, mutta biisien ja levyn lyhyt kesto edesauttoi kivuttoman kuuntelukokemuksen kanssa. 3* vähän överi mutta 2' taas liian vähän.
Perus-Beatles toimii
Uh, this was the easiest album to rate so far! Easy 5 stars. I think the more enjoyable rating game to play is not to rate this amongst the 1001 albums, but to consider how I'd rate it amongst The Beatles' full catalog. It'd STILL would be a 5 star album, depending on the day it's my fav Beatles album, with maybe Revolver, The White Album, and Abbey Road amongst the group that would rate as top depending on mood and last time I heard it.
Listened to this album for the first time in many years. Truly great from start to finish. Perfect songwriting. Perfect harmonies.
This is probably the Beatles album I'm least familiar with, so I found myself pleasantly surprised by how strong the songwriting is here. Not too many fancy instrumental tricks or experimental styles, just good instrumentation and lyricism executed to a T with genuine feeling.
Will admit I know a bit more about the Beatle's personal life than their music, despite learning to play Hey Jude as my first contemporary song on the piano, and so it's been a journey listening to their albums. Revolver is my favorite album and now Rubber Soul is my second. Such a fun and experimental album compared to songs like ‘Help” or “Hey Jude.” Standout Songs: Drive My Car, Michelle, You Won't See Me
A transitional album for the Beatles - initially conceived by McCartney as a bunch of comedy songs (Rubber Soul is a spoof of the term Plastic Soul, Drive My Car is about a woman hiring a chauffeur despite not having a car), they couldn't help but expand their musical and lyrical pallets beyond anything done before. George invents psychedelia by using the Sitar on Norwegian Wood (The Rolling Stones take notes), John decides he's going to be Bob Dylan on as well, and self flagellates on Nowhere Man. Girl and Michelle show their love of European music and Paul writes one for the grannies with In My Life. This and Revolver feel like 2 sides of the same coin, and it's the most valuable coin you've ever heard.
Sans Rubber Soul, le 80% des albums de cette liste n'existeraient pas. Prefs: TOUT Moins pref: RIEN
Amazing. What else can be said really.
A masterpiece. Nearly every song is brilliant and the recording is great.
I have no idea how to rate a Beatles album. It's like rating oxygen. Yes this is essential. Do you like music? Then yes, you like this album.
One of many Beatles albums that will get a 5. It's just great, not much more to say.
Rubber Soul was a great first time listen. It still amazes me as to how effortless The Beatles songwriting and musicianship feels. Quite literally each song on the record could have been a single. Beginning to see some of that psychedelic influence that was quite separate from their initial sound. But this was not so far removed that it still would have been palatable for those that fell in love with their original sound. Best: Drive My Car Worst: Run For Your Life
Meh
Not their best
SO GOOD!
inte deras bästa
Long been my favorite Beatles album. So many great songs in a tight 35 mins.
It's really hard to give a Beatles album less than 5 stars. Of course it makes it hard to rank them since I love Rubber Soul, but it's maybe my 5th favourite album of theirs? I know every song without having to listen to it and hearing them again is always a treat.
I feel like this is such an underrated album purely because of the heights the group reached with later releases. Martin’s production is perfection. The harmonies are so underrated putting then up there or perhaps beyond S&G and the Everly Brothers. With all the technology of today, I seriously doubt artists today could track to perfection what these guys did with their vocals.
Great easy listening album full of jolly folly songs. Hard not to like it
Very good album. The Beatles are pretty good at what they do I think. I only don't give this a 5 star rating to enrage Jack
4/5
Great album.
They really were good, weren’t they?
My first Beatles album 142 albums in. Rubber Soul is their first masterpiece. Some all time great songs on here, in my life, say the word, drive my car, Norwegian wood. There are a couple of arguments not to give this a 5. 1. The Beatles albums that follow are better. 2. Run for you life is a terrible song. Even worse given Lennons history with his first wife. 1. Its not Rubber Souls fault that the Beatles went on to surpass it. If another band wrote this album argument 1. wouldn’t hold. 2. One bad song at the end of this album that can be skipped is outweighed by the other 13 brilliant songs. This album was so influential in 1965, Wikipedia states it influenced The Beach Boys, Velvet Underground, the Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks this is clearly an important album not only in the Beatles career but in the history of pop and rock music. Given the importance of this, that some of the greatest albums in history were soon to follow and influenced by this album, this fully deserves 5 stars.
p79. 1965. 4 stars Loveable 60s mop tops discover illicit substances, and expand minds and song writing potential. This is the departure point from covers and 3 minute pop gems - you can hear the cross-pollination between Dylan and The Byrds. It's Lennon-McCartney-Harrison, so there are more stone cold classics on this one album than most bands manage in a career. Docked a point for What Goes On, and the production which haven't aged well. This album is a bit like sex - when it's good, it's terrific, and when it's bad, well, it's still good.
I like it. Didn't know that's the album those songs were from
A well-rounded album in its entirety. Except for the last song, which I do not care for.
obvo i luv the beatles soz so
I am not into Beatles
I like how on the cover and John is always looking down at you regardless of where you hold it. This was released around my 5th birthday and Michelle got a lot of airplay. I remember someone who was six at the time running around the house singing "Michel Gravelle . . ." It was a very influential album that brought the Beatles to their next level. I even have accolades for one of Paul's songs. Drive My Car is quite good and included Ringo doing some creative drumming that he usually saved for John's songs. My favourites: Nowhere Man, In My Life, Girl and Norwegian Wood. There really aren't any songs not to like. OK, perhaps one exception. I recall when an interviewer asked John about Run For Your Life and he said "I always hated that song". If he says so. On Girl, John put the capo on the 8th fret which is unheard of. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYXC-CtU5A To top it off he plays a barre chord that far up the neck which is near impossible. The only other song I know with a capo anywhere near that far up is Sound of Silence which has it at the 6th.
To me this was the album where The Beatles went from being a band constantly drowned out by screaming, fainting girls while cranking out singles that had the word “love” in every bar, to a band with more sophisticated arrangements, drawing from more diverse influences like soul, English folk, and country, but still sounding like the Beatles and moving the mid-sixties music scene forward. I enjoy the 4 different vocalists. John's lyrics are getting darker, for the first time I think.
This is getting close to Peak Beatles. There are a lot of really solid songs on this album as Lennon really comes into his own as a master songwriter here with Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, and probably the most beautiful song he’s ever written with In My Life. Must be the effect of all that acid he reportedly took during this time. This would get a five but for a few clunkers, especially What Goes On, they really should keep Ringo away but I guess they had to throw him a bone.
It's an interesting transitional album that shows the Beatles beginning to experiment in the studio with sounds like the sitar on Norwegian Wood. It's quite a groovy album on one hand but also quite folly elsewhere and generally there's a feeling of space thanks to the production. It's not perfect, but it is near the top of the pile for best album by the Beatles.
A great collection of great songs. One of the best Beatles albums all is bangingness from the higher temple of awesomeness.
And so the rise to greatness begins
Yes please. A sold Beatles album.
Listening as a kid, I seem to remember that (on vinyl) side one was better than side two. Still a nostalgia trip. Was initially going to give it a 4, but re-listening to the whole album, it's worth a 5.
It's an OK album. It's hard to get anyone to be honest about the Beatles. It's definitely the beginning of their transition out of the brit pop and into more experimental albums. It feels much less single oriented, but the album doesn't feel like a full concept to me. Also, John Lennon is a piece of shit and caps the album off with a song warning an ex that if he sees her with another man he will kill her. That's the end, little girl.
Lol! It's a biggie this one. Almost every track is famous and culturally significant. This is Beatles in transition from boyband to transcendent gurus. There are albums I like better than this but this is probably their most accessible.
There are time-tested songs on this album--Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Michelle--but overall this is a album from its era. Listening to songs like Run For Your Life can be harsh in 2022 as an example of the worst of the era. The acoustic guitars and sitar still ring of flower power freedom. The elements of the best of the Beatles are here but the same is true of all the problematic elements.
One of the interesting things about having to rest during Covid is that I actually sat and listened to this album *without doing anything else*. I haven’t done that with an album in a long time. Really a different experience than listening to music while doing other activities, even driving. An album of its time, in some ways that aren’t amazing. But when the album shines, it shines bright. “Run for Your Life” and all its “little girl”s is pretty irritating in its typical 60s music discourse about women. But I do actually really like the song “Girl”—the Greek style of the song saves it for me. And In My Life and Norwegian Wood are brilliant and favorites and always lovely to listen to.
9/10 Best track - Nowhere Man
Decent Beatles. Sounds basic but that’s because they made the sound lol
Good but not their best
Näitä lennon-mccartey -hommia tulee useimmiten verrattua ainoastaan saman bändin muihin tuotoksiin. Ja tätä on tullut tehtyä sillä oon kyllä sitä porukkaa joka ihan aidosti diggailee beatlesii aika paljon. Mitä sitten tulee itse levyyn on rubber soul aivan kulta-aikaa. Mulla menee kausittain se että onko lempparina RS, revolver vai sgt pepper. Kai tää on sellasta musaa johon itse päässään vertaa kaikkea länsimaista musaa. Toisinsanoen yksi niistä levyista jolla oma musamieltymys on kalibroitu määrittämään mikä on hyvää poprock-musaa. Toivottavasti muistatte kuunnella tän MONO-versiona. Jälkeenpäin tehty stereo kuulostaa sviddun oudolta. 5/5
Harmittaa kyllä että en oo aiemmin kuunnellu tätä. About kaikki biisit oli just sitä hyvää beatlesiä.
Juuh, paras Beatles-levy, aina ja edelleen. Tajuton biisikimara, asteikko ei riitä. 7/5.
Ei haluaisi liikaa haippaa, mut on sille syy miksi Beatlesilla on näin monta levyä tällä listalla. Tällä levyllä nappaa esim. Drive my car:n kertsin pianot ja Nowhere Man. 4/5 taattua tavaraa
So, so great!
A brilliant mix of psychedelic rock and folk. It's Rubber Soul, what more can I say?
Yes, this is perfect.
Full disclosure: I was named after one of the songs on this album. When I was a little kid, adults would randomly sing my name at me and I didn’t really know what that was all about until some years later when I heard it on the radio. And oh, what a lovely, lovely song it is. I was already on the path to loving the Beatles at that point, but that song pretty much sealed the deal. I’m a total Beatles nerd. I listen to all of their music, but Rubber Soul is just one of a few of their albums I listen to regularly in full, beginning to end. This is such a marvelous album. It's a real turning point from the Beatles' early sound into what they would become as a band. It's also probably their first album that functions as more than just a collection of songs, with its own mood and flow, a cohesive work as a whole. The quality is probably slightly uneven when you consider the songs individually, but as a whole, the quality and the beauty is undeniable. This album has some of the best songs the Beatles ever made on it. You know them really well, some of them by heart. I don’t have to tell you this album is great. It’s in our cultural DNA. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Drive My Car, Michelle, Wait, Girl, The Word, You Won't See Me, Nowhere Man, I'm Looking Through You, Think for Yourself, What Goes On, If I Needed Someone, Run for Your Life
What's not to like. Even if you don't like a tune, they are super short so it's over before you know it.
Having listened to my parents copy of this on vinyl repeatedly in the 70's this record is part of my DNA. And (with the exception of Run For Your Life - why are so many 60's songs about killing your girlfriend?) it still sounds fantastic. Love it!
The first Beatles album I’m rating. I never listened much to them, know their famous songs of course. But this album is great, it has a nice variety of songs. Favourite songs: - Drive my car - Michelle - I’m looking through you
It's just a great album that I've listened to countless times. Classic/5
This is the first Beatles album to come up and I've gotta say, there are better. It's wild to like 8 songs off an album and feel that way but it's the Beatles.
kk slecht
Great times I was not live
The album that took the Beatles from the chili bowl to the space helmet haircut.
the best
not a beatles person 🤷
Not one of their best but a decent album anyway.
Brilliant trippy LP cover for the transitional album bridging the early beat pop years and the later groundbreaking studio experimental albums. Love the funky chops, the pretty ballads and tight pop.
not my favourite beatles album, still solid would listen again
Revolver is where they made the turn to hitting a next level stride, but Rubber Soul is still my favorite album of their early period
Absolutely my favourite Beatles album. I've heard it many times before, but this was a great reason for another
Great album.
Fine, lots of classic songs. Not one that I'll pull out to listen to on my own.
I've always been partial to Norwegian Wood.
Cool
So many classics. So streamlined and focused. They deserve the accolades that are heaped on them. Top tier legends.
Rubber Soul is bridging the gap between the early poppy and the late experimental Beatles. As such, we can find tunes like Drive My Car, which could have easily been published one or two year prior, and Norwegian Wood, a folky song that experiments with instruments like the sitar. There are some real Beatles classics here, like the aforementioned Drive My Car and Norwegian Wood, Michelle, and especially In My Life. Even though I much prefer their later material, this album never gets boring. It's a solid 4/5.
Don't understand the appeal, perfectly passable songs but nothing life changing ('Girl' is my favourite but a lot are quite dreary and don't say much) Maybe I need a pop music historian to tell me why they are so good. Compare it to Dylan's Highway 61 released in the same year and they are in different stratosphere.
Unremarkable.
its a yikes for me on that last one john
Full of classic acoustic tracks, the tambourine is the highlight in nearly every song.
Would be hard not to give the Beatles a 5 on merit alone. Rubber Soul is a great album, this is the Beatles I enjoy where they're starting to get away from their early pop stylings and start evolving into their own musicians. Some great tunes in here, a bit more of an edge in their lyrics. Drive my car, Nowhere Man are some great tunes. That last song, yikes.
Starting off with a familiar one! Appreciated the flow and the growth from earlier recordings. Really came into their own on this one.
I mean, all the Beatles albums are pretty good, aren't they?
The Beatle's 6th outing was quite successful, from influencing peers to even being named Rubber Soul to mean "Plastic Soul" because they didn't feel as genuine as the African-American soul artists they admired. This was definitely when they ventured into the world of drugs.
No es un álbum que haya captado mi atención
4.5
Þarf ekki að hlusta, bara veit. Besta plata ársins 1965 og eitt sín mín uppáhalds Bítlaplata. Hún er enn á topp fimm listanum mínum þar.
Likely my favourite Beatles album behind Revolver. Insanely good.
Got be 5 stars
не ну это ш битлз, всё понятно чо
The number is 210. As in, I was given 210 albums from the algorithm of this little project before I was finally awarded with a Beatles album. That's not a criticism at all, especially considering that Rubber Soul is possibly my favorite Beatles album. I even like the Ringo song. This is the sound of the greatest rock band in history taking a giant step forward. Or to be more precise, it's John Lennon letting everyone know how great drugs can be. His songs in particular standout here - not to state the obvious, but every track on here is great, it's just that Lennon's are on another level that Paul and George weren't at yet (again, probably because they hadn't full embraced the wonders of mind-altering chemicals as John had). Just take a look at two of the ballads in the middle of the album. It sounds like Paul considers singing some of the lyrics of "Michelle" in French as a giant leap forward (his likely inspiration came from when the band recorded a bunch of their previous hits in German). John insisted in keeping a hissing sound on "Girl" that was picked up on the mic, because he thought it sounded like him inhaling marijuana. And then there's George and Paul singing the word "tit-tit-tit" over and over again on the middle eights. Those cheeky devils! John's Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, and In My Life also stand out. George really came into his own here on two great album cuts. This is one of my Desert Island Albums. Some may hear it as a foretaste of the feast to come, and in many ways, it is. Whether it was the drugs, the Byrds or Dylan, the Fab Four was clearly influenced to take their magic in new and exciting directions. And it all starts here.
It's hard to give this album any rating lower than 4. It's great music and super easy to listen to, but it's not really a 5 for me and I don't know why.
Very Good...but not the best of the Beatles.
in my life best song of all time?
A pretty patchy collection of songs. Many timeless but a few showing their age.
I really enjoyed listening to this album. It was a different time. The music was simpler but so much fun.
I'm sick of the beatle
Meh
It's the Beatles, so always amazing, quirky, and innovative.
3/5 not one of their better albums
The transition album from the classic rock n roll-oriented Beatles phase to their more experimental work. Here we see a focus on folk music, inspired by the Byrds and Dylan, pushing Lennon and McCartney to write more complex melodies and stories. Harrison's interests in raga is first shown here, which will be a defining feature of psychedelic rock starting in Revolver. The production is among the best of the era. There is such a dramatic shift from Help to Rubber Soul in the sound that I often declare 1965 as the year music started sounding "modern"... that is: clear, crisp, and hifi. It's a perfect collection of pop hits ranging from many different styles. Some look back to their classic days, while others show something evolving. There is not a single song I even remotely dislike; I sing along to all of them with enthusiasm. I couldn't just pick a few to talk about, so I decided to say my thoughts about each of them. Note a lot of things I love from previous songs are implied for the later ones cause I didn't want to repeat what I like. These reoccuring aspects are fantastic songwriting, harmonious vocals, impressively high production, and a perfect blend of instrumentation. Drive My Car: As with most Beatles albums, album kicks off immediately with a banger irresistible to sing and bop to. That short guitar intro is enough build-up to get anyone excited. Fantastic harmony between Lennon and McCartney. Nice cowbell, Ringo. Tell me you know someone who won't go "beep beep, beep beep yeah." Not to mention the writing is great, telling an interesting relationship between an aspiring girlfriend and a devoted boyfriend. Norwegian Wood: One of the best storytelling in a song, with engaging and mysterious lyrics, supported by the atmospheric sitar. Clearly inspired by Dylan since he was the big folk-rock artist of the time. It's impressive that Harrison managed to master the sitar and raga so perfectly in rock music in such a short time. You Won't See Me: McCartney gets his shine with a melodic tune. Another example of amazing songwriting by the duo. McCartney's vocals match well with the emotional longing for a lost lover, supported at the right timing and intensity by the back vocals. What I love about Beatles songs is that they're usually so busy. Never a second where there isn't something that draws your attention. And sometimes like here, it's obvious, while others you have to look closely. Nowhere Man: It's a sin they kicked this song out the US versions. This song really stuck out to me as a kid. It wasn't about love, I thought about a strange "nowhere man" who isn't concerned of normal human needs or affairs, but is in his own little world. I love everything about this song. The instruments are orgasmic, as is the slow and harmonious vocals... It was probably one of the first songs I was able to sing along to due to clear and peculiar yet catchy lyrics, and likely helped me appreciate folk music better. Think for Yourself: The first Harrison song on the album. Holy shit those transitions between major and minor are absolutely insane. The song is on the harder side, and my favorite part is how the lyrics go between solo Harrison and the three-way overdubs. The Word: I don't have much to say, but I again love the harmony overdubs. It's another song I love singing along to, which is hard not to do so with the tonal changes to the repetitive line. Michelle: Another song that supported my decision to have McCartney as my favorite Beatle. This is one of my favorite songs to hum to. The pitch varies with each note that it's so fun. Love his voice (and the choral harmony), the slow folk-like nature, and how majestic the tune sounds. Apparently, McCartney was initially inspired by French songs. What Goes On: Hilarious how I'm used to the sudden jump from the most peaceful track "Michelle" to something this rough. Yes, this is my least favorite track, but it's still melodic, the writing isn't awful, the country adds a nice contrast that fits with the diverse nature, and I like that unusual staccato plucking. I'm shocked they put this on a single. Girl: I need to stop saying "this song is one of my favorites." You can tell by now I am obsessed with almost all the songs on this album. But yes, this is ONE of my favorites. I love Lennon's yearnful voice and the back vocals that scream "I can't sit still until I find this girl." My favorite solo on the album... I think. I'm Looking Through You: Best demonstrates the transitioning state of old Beatles to their new style. This is definitely something you'd hear off "Help" except better production. It's hard with a rock n roll finish. I can't unhear that fapping noise. In My Life: A song I never really got how deep it was until several years ago. Obviously you're not gonna understand reminiscing at 11. Never noticed Ringo's bells until now lol. Love Lennon's vocal range, and the classical piano bridge. Wait: The jump from "In My Life" is so ingrained in my mind. Another song that sounds like it's from the Help album. There's so much excitement it's really fun singing to this song at the top of my lungs. If I Needed Someone: The harmonious vocals and baroque pop sound like the folk rock style that the Byrds invented in their first two albums. Harrison back at it again with Indian-sounding music, although this time no sitar. Run for your Life: A simple one, another that I could hear coming out of Help. Not a favorite, but I still like singing along to it, and the lyrics are funny. Thought it was an appropriate closing. All other songs on this album sound like there's something more to come, so I can't think of a better closer... But then again, that might just be because I've heard this a million times.
Many excellent songs on this, but that last song can go fuck itself.