People often wonder, “Where exactly did the shift in The Beatles’ music come about? At what point did they go from singing “She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” to songs about a deeper, more complex type of emotion. Well, look no further. All the answers you could possibly seek are in the album, “Rubber Soul.” There are no fillers here- just individual hits; each one sounding different than the next. Every song on this album could have quite possibly been a single in its own right (To us, die hard fans that practically is the case, anyhow). That’s how you know the mark of a good album. To most observers, there is The Beatles’ music before Rubber Soul, and after Rubber Soul. This is where they began to experiment more in their music, not only in the sound, but also the subject matter. The production of this album alone proved that these 4 young lads from Liverpool were certainly coming into their own as songwriters and musicians. They were able to fit so much depth and soul into these songs that you barely noticed that most of them clocked in at less than 3 minutes. That’s the power of Lennon and McCartney.
The album opens with “Drive My Car,” a funky up-tempo track that is sure enough to have even the most boring person’s head “bobbing.” With great harmonies, a rollicking bass, and a backbeat comparable to that of The Motown Sound, the song tells the story of a man going after a woman, and repeatedly getting turned down. She wants to be famous, but doesn’t deem him to be up to her standards because he is only a chauffeur. According to Paul McCartney, who primarily wrote and does lead vocals on the song, “The phrase ‘Drive My Car’ was actually an old blues euphemism for sex.” The next tune, “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” takes the album in a whole different direction. Written by John Lennon, it shows the vulnerability of a young man who has fallen in love with a woman during what was supposed to be a one-night stand. The song begins with the lyric, “I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me.” They stayed up all night in each other’s company, only for him to awake the next morning and find that she was gone. The lyrics are so simple, yet so deep and poignant that it paints a visual picture of what’s going on for the listener. “Norwegian Wood” also marks the first time a sitar was ever used in Rock music, as guitarist George Harrison was largely influenced by Indian culture.
Track 3, “You Won’t See Me,” is a tune based on Paul McCartney’s, then-girlfriend, Jane Asher and the problems that they were having in their relationship at the time. He is obviously sad about the situation, but realizes that there is nothing he can do if she refuses to see or listen to him. Being the longest song on the album at 3:22, its infectious charm is due largely in part to the melody itself, and the backing vocals of George Harrison and John Lennon. Track 4, “Nowhere Man,” once again changes the mood and direction of the album. Written by Lennon, he is pleading a cry for help to someone who is obviously depressed and has given up on life, in general. John is trying to convince the “nowhere man” that he has everything to live for. Many observed that the view of the “nowhere man” may have been how Lennon himself felt about his own personal life at this point. It was around this time that Lennon was growing apart from his then-wife, Cynthia, and the depression and frustration behind it proved to be the inspiration for the song.
Tracks 5 & 6, “Think for Yourself and “The Word” bring the album back up to its funky, up-tempo goodness. “Think for Yourself” is the 1st of 2 George Harrison-written and led songs on the album. Harrison, at this point was averaging 1-2 songs per album, and was beginning to evolve as a prominent songwriter in his own right. The song’s most noticeable feature is a “fuzzbox-like” bass sound, orchestrated by McCartney himself. “The Word,” on the other hand, speaks for itself. This gem was comparable to anything you would have heard from Motown- say from like the Jackson Five, but like 5 years later. That’s how on point it was. This tune sounds more like it was penned by William ‘Smokey’ Robinson than Lennon and McCartney. The ‘word,’ of course, was “love;” the one thing that unites people of all backgrounds. Then, there’s the mellow, yet soulful, “Michelle,” a beautiful love ballad about a French girl that McCartney is singing to. This song has the distinction of being one of the only tunes in The Beatles’ catalogue that features words in French. For the most part, the lyrics and structure of the song are pretty simple; but this was a formula that worked time and time again for The Beatles- Less is more. “What Goes On,” the album’s 8th track, is the only song in the entire Beatles’ catalogue to be credited to Lennon-McCartney/Starkey (Ringo Starr). In fact, it was the 1st songwriting effort by Ringo Starr. Led by Starr himself, “What Goes On” is a much more country-western flavored tune, but the ‘walking’ bass line is still ultimately the influence of early rock n’ roll.
“Girl,” written by Lennon, is the story of his obsession with the girl of his fancy. It shows a rare vulnerability for him, in the sense that he’s willing to do anything for this girl. He obviously adores this girl beyond reason, even though he probably knows that he shouldn’t. The song opens with the lyrics, “Is there anybody out there who’ll listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay. It’s the kind of girl you want so much it makes you sorry; still you don’t regret a single day.” This song, along with Norwegian Wood, also changed the notion in many fans’ eyes that Paul was the sole “ballad writer” among the group, which was previously the general consensus. The next track, “I’m Looking Through You,” is yet another Paul-written song inspired by his relationship with Jane Asher. It is a folksy, lighthearted tune about a man who’s noticed the changes gong on his relationship. It was his way of telling her that he’s noticed that she has changed since they first met- to the point that he doesn’t even recognize her anymore.
The beautifully, sad “In My Life” is John’s way of reminiscing about his past, his childhood in Liverpool, and all those that he had lost. He talks about the places he remembers growing up, the people he loved throughout his life up to that point, and the fact that he still held them close to his heart. The vibe and the tone of the music perfectly match the lyrics; in the sense that that anyone can sit back and listen to and take a trip down memory lane. This was Lennon’s way of coping with all that he had been through in such a short life. His father left him when he was young; his mother was stuck and killed by a car when he was only a teenager; and his best friend Stuart Sutcliffe died of a brain hemorrhage in 1962. The last 3 tracks, “Wait,” If I Needed Someone,” and “Run For Your Life” bring the vibe back up-tempo to close out the album. The last track, “Run For Your Life” is John’s dark message to his girlfriend that if he catches her with another man, then he’ll kill her. This song clearly shows the possessive side of John Lennon. It’s one of those songs that you’ll either like or you don’t. Then again, that was just John’s nature- to be sarcastic and push the envelope. If you’re into dark humor, you’ll find this song hilarious and ultimately disturbing at the same time because of the light-hearted sound of the music, which completely contrasts with what it’s actually about.
Well, that’s it- this blog’s 1st album review. Ultimately, if you’ve never heard this album, it’s a must hear for all true Beatles’ fans. Look it up on YouTube or download it on iTunes, but either way, listen to it. Trust me, you’ll be glad that you did!!
Until next time…..