Rubber Soul
This was certainly the biggest change of style in The Beatle's career so far...maybe ever. Many reasons contributed towards these changes: the life of Beatlemania was ending, The Who and The Rolling Stones were producing more raucous, confrontational records, the huge influence on John Lennon and George Harrison of the lyrical diversity of Bob Dylan and the assured jangly guitar sound of The Byrds, and what may have been the more lasting influence imparted by Dylan & members of The Byrds, an introduction to recreational drugs. All of these things contributed towards "Rubber Soul" having a mellowness that none of the earlier albums exhibited. Lennon and Harrison both seemed to thrive in this environment, whilst McCartney appears to struggle more, artistically, before making a major step-up in standards in 1968.
McCartney's songs: "Michelle", which began as a joke but did at least lead to Lennon writing "Girl", the lightweight "I'm Looking Through You" and the rocking "Drive My Car", though adequate were not of the same high standards being reached by Lennon and Harrison. Ringo gets his first songwriting credit for a co-write on "What Goes On".
This was an album which showed The Beatles growing up. John and George particularly addressing more weighty subject matter in their songs. There was far more sophistication, but no drop in appeal to the fans. In 2012 this album was voted Number 5 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time".
Harrison showed his growing political attitude on "Think For Yourself". His other writing credit is for Byrd's sound-alike "If I Needed Someone" but he contributes all over the record with great moments: the superb guitar solo on "Nowhere Man", the bubbling background guitar on "Michelle" among them. John Lennon really raises the bar though. The self-critical "Nowhere Man". "Girl" probably his most musically sophisticated song so far. "Norwegian Wood" a short, almost whimsical, story song about an evening with a girl. The best song on the album though, in my opinion, is "In My Life". A song dealing with memories of loved ones, alive and dead, the different levels of love and how new love makes previous memories of love fade.
Side One
01. Drive My Car
02. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
03. You Won't See Me
04. Nowhere Man
05. Think For Yourself
06. The Word
07. Michelle
Side Two
08. What Goes On
09. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run For Your Life
McCartney's songs: "Michelle", which began as a joke but did at least lead to Lennon writing "Girl", the lightweight "I'm Looking Through You" and the rocking "Drive My Car", though adequate were not of the same high standards being reached by Lennon and Harrison. Ringo gets his first songwriting credit for a co-write on "What Goes On".
This was an album which showed The Beatles growing up. John and George particularly addressing more weighty subject matter in their songs. There was far more sophistication, but no drop in appeal to the fans. In 2012 this album was voted Number 5 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time".
In My Life
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Michelle
Nowhere Man
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