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Reviews & comments Covers & additional information Beatles history |
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 Rubber Soul
First released: 1965, December 3 Buy
 Sheet music, guitar tabs, song books at Sheetmusicplus.com |
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| Credits |
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Producer: George Martin Engineers: Geoff Emerick Photography: Robert Freeman George Harrison: Vocals, Guitar, Sitar, Tambourine John Lennon: Vocals, Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Tambourine Paul McCartney: Vocals, Bass, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Piano Ringo Starr: Drums, Vocals, Hammond Organ, Tambourine Mal Evans: Hammond Organ George Martin: Harmonium, Piano, Tambourine |
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| 1965, December 3 | Parlophone PMC 1267 / PCS 3075 / CDP 746 440 2 (UK) |
| Reviews & comments |
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Joe (2011, June 2)  At first I thought this album was a bit meh like Beatles for Sale, but now I think it is brilliant with great songs like Nowhere Man, Michelle, The Word and the underrated Run for Your Life. |
Kirsten Lennon (2007, June 10)  I absolutely love Rubber Soul! Some of my favorite songs on this album are :Drive My Car, Girl, Norwegian Wood, Run For Your Life, and In My Life. I believe it was a really good period for John especially. (Even if it was during his 'fat-Elvis' period.) This is my favorite album, even if some songs are kind of repetitive, it's just an amazing album. I highly recommend it. In My Life is truly beautiful and the Girl is also just gorgeous! If you don't have it already, get it. |
Nigel Ball (2005, September 20) Rubber Soul is THE turning point Beatles album. Most think of Revolver as having that status, but Revolver for all its merits has the clunkiness of earlier Beatles songs. With Rubber Soul's forays into Indian/world music in 'Norwegian Wood', first blossoming of Lennon's universal love theme in 'The Word', Harrison's nebulous spiritual awareness in 'Think For Yourself' and the inclusion of a songwriting credit for Ringo, this surely the album which sets The Beatles on the path of the 'mature' half of their career. But, what also keeps it bobbing along nicely is the funky undertones in songs like 'Drive My Car', 'The Word' and 'Think For Yourself.' This same funky approach to 'What Goes On' also makes the song one which makes it very pleasant to hear Ringo's vocals. All this change going on in The Beatles' minds and music is also evidenced by the album cover, with the slightly psychedelic warping of the image of the band, and the look of mature young men on their faces rather than the bunch of lads they seem to look on previous album covers. Just compare the cover and music with the earlier offering of Help earlier that year. The band had finally put cover versions and laddiness behind them in Rubber Soul, and were set into classic progressive pop and rock permanently. |
Benjamin Burch (2005, February 20)  This album is almost worth nothing that it has "It's Only Love" and "I've Just Seen A Face" excluded from it. But it is a good album nonetheless. I'm pretty fond of "I'm Looking Through You" and "Think For Yourself." "Girl" has a great opening. But when John starts breathing it kinda ruins it. Another one on here is called "What Goes On" that keeps up with the tradition of Ringo's 1 song only thing. And it's a Lennon/McCartney/Starkey composition. It's a good song anyway. This is sort of a ballad album, with songs like "Norwegian Wood" (wich isn't that good,) "Michelle(which is wonderful" and "Girl." Overall, this album is reccomended and I think you all would like it a little more than I did. |
number14 (2004, December 9) The best beatles album amazing every song is awesome!! Definetley recomended |
Carlos Perez (2004, May 31)  Historically considered to be their first masterpiece, Rubber Soul seees the Beatles exploring more adventurous territory as a band. Composed of all originals, we see here John at the top of his lyrical form ("Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man", "Girl", and "In My Life" are four of his best songs ever), and Paul throws in a few gems ("Michelle", "Drive My Car"). George also contributes a few songs, which-though decent-don't touch John or Paul's, and Ringo gets his first songwriting credit with "What Goes On?". Later, the band would charter even more adventurous roads, both muscially and lyrically. For now, they were standing at the gates. |
All Music Guide (2002, April 28) While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds. The group and George Martin were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the rock group, using a sitar on "Norwegian Wood," and Greek-like guitar lines on "Michelle" and "Girl," fuzz bass on "Think for Yourself," and a piano made to sound like a harpsichord on the instrumental break of "In My Life." While John and Paul were beginning to carve separate songwriting identities at this point, the album is full of great tunes, from "Norwegian Wood" and "Michelle" to "Girl," "I'm Looking Through You," "You Won't See Me," "Drive My Car," and "Nowhere Man" (the last of which was the first Beatle song to move beyond romantic themes entirely). George Harrison was also developing into a fine songwriter with his two contributions, "Think for Yourself" and the Byrdsish "If I Needed Someone." — Richie Unterberger |