I know what you’re thinking. (1) Enough with the Beatles already and (2) How can a band that famous and whose had their entire musical output dissected with a fine tooth comb by millions have an underrated album? Well my friends TCM will prove you wrong, because that album is called Beatles For Sale.
I’d wager most casual fans have never even heard of it, as it’s not nearly as famous as other later albums or even albums from that era. Released in 1964, it was the Beatles 4th album, sandwiched between the two twin peaks of Beatles films (and soundtracks) A Hard Day’s Night and HELP! Recorded a mere 5 months after A Hard Day’s Night and the subsequent world tour as superstars. One of the it’s biggest criticisms is that after their first album of all original material, Beatles For Sale went back to the formula of the first 2 albums – 8 original tunes and 6 covers. But Beatles For Sale is anything but formulaic.
This is an album brimming with a sense of weariness and anger. Even on the front cover they look they’ve had enough and just might want to kill you. You can begin to hear it at the tail end of A Hard Day’s Night on tracks like, “When I Get Home”, “You Can’t Do That” and “I’ll Be Back”. Beatles For Sale takes it to a new level with the first 3 songs, “No Reply”, “I’m A Loser” and “Baby’s In Black” all penned by John Lennon. As if the titles didn’t say enough, I think it’s safe to say a Beatle was bummed. Lennon would turn this frustration into a sadness/wistfulness on their next album, HELP!
The songs to me on this album are so strange. They are in that period in their career where they are starting to break away from the pop mold and stretch it out a bit. They began using the studio more as their definitive instrument to assist in shaping their sound. ”No Reply” sounds unlike any pop song I have ever heard and when McCartney’s harmonies come in, it sends shivers down my spine.
Even the covers have an anger that pushes itself to the forefront. Lennon’s take on Chuck Berry’s “Rock And Roll Music” is raw, rugged and magnetic. McCartney’s version of “Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey” stands a shade away from “Long Tall Sally”. They morph Buddy Holly’s “Words Of Love” into a gentle lilt with a haunting/floating vocal line that conveys a sense of longing that’s missing from the original. Than of course there’s the oft-detested cover of the rock and roll obscurity, “Mr. Moonlight”. I’ll admit when I first heard this when I was a teenager I didn’t like it, but in recent years it’s grown on me a great deal. A nice little do-whop song with some extraordinary forceful John Lennon vocals.
Beatles For Sale is their most overt country sounding album. Noted for their interest in folk music and Bob Dylan at the time (not to mention their roots in rockabilly) it’s easy to see them connecting dots into this genre. Ringo being the biggest country music disciple amongst them, gets his turn to belt out the Carl Perkins tune, “Honey Don’t”. Originals like, “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” and especially ”Baby’s In Black” with it’s off center clang were as close as the Beatles got to the genre.
Oh and if your looking for blockbuster hits, the album also contains the dynamic pop song (and U.S. single) “Eight Days A Week”. So if it’s been awhile since you’ve listened or have never heard the album, give it a spin. Every Beatles album is full of gems, some well known and others waiting to be dug up. Do yourself a favor and let Beatles For Sale be your Autumn soundtrack.
Lennon’s love for primal therapy manifests itself early during his bellowing rendition of Mr. Moonlight. It was has been documented that Lennon ejaculated twice while screaming into the mic during the 1st take of this recording. He instantly knew primal therapy was for him.
No Reply
Yeah man. I have loved the Beatles before I had hair between my legs and nothing you can say will convince me this is underrated. Mr. Moonlight is boring, Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey reveals the worst side of McCartney vocals (annoying and unoriginal [yes, I know these are covers]) and as far as the hit…8 days a week is the least deserving hit they have ever had. I loathe that song even till this day. Words of love? I’ll give you some words of love…let it stay with Buddy Holly you wankers. The first 5 songs are legendary and after that the album falls apart. Even the greatest band ever is sure to have a few misfires and this is one of them.
Interesting that you rank “I’ll follow the sun” as a classic. I think it’s one of the weaker songs on the album and easily one of the more overrated McCartney tunes.
“Eight Days A Week”, was never meant to be a single, as it wasn’t issued in the UK. But the U.S. and their die hard capitalistic ways, decided it had enough potential to make it on the charts (which it did). John Lennon agrees with your sentiments though of it being a throwaway. If it is indeed a throwaway, this captain is of the impression that’s a pretty impressive throwaway that most bands would have died to have for a single. Never the less, I think it’s a great song and worth another listen/evaluation.
I’ve said it before and I will say it once again. Magical Mystery Tour is the most underated Beatles Album there is. Everyone simply dismisses it as a “more drugged out version of Sgt. Pepper”. While that may very well be true, it is proof that drugs are a truly wonderful thing. If doing drugs can give me songs like “I am the Walrus”, “All You Need is Love”, “Hello, Goodbye” and “Your Mother Should Know”, then hand me a tab of acid and have Luigi pass me one of those crazy green mushrooms that trick you into thinking you can live through anything.
There is no way that Beatles for Sale is an over-rated album. It is rated exactly where it needs to be. There are in fact some excellent songs on that album (I disagree with Randy Scouse’s assestment of Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey as Paul McCartney sounds nothing short of Godly). I’ll Follow the Sun is good enough but it can be best describe as “IS” because it is not good and it is not bad, it just is.
Gentlemen, I rest my case.
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