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Rubber Soul | 
| Artist: The Beatles
Label: Parlophone
Category: Music
List Price: £16.99
Buy New: £9.78
You Save: £7.21 (42%)
New (51) Used (8) from £6.68
Rating:  56 reviews
Sales Rank: 381
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.5
MPN: 077774644020
UPC: 077774644020
EAN: 0077774644020
ASIN: B000002UAO
Release Date: November 1, 1998
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 6 to 9 days
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| Tracks:
| • | Drive My Car | | • | Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | | • | You Won't See Me | | • | Nowhere Man | | • | Think For Yourself | | • | Word | | • | Michelle | | • | What Goes On | | • | Girl | | • | I'm Looking Through You | | • | In My Life | | • | Wait | | • | If I Needed Someone | | • | Run For Your Life |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Rank 'em how you like, Rubber Soul is an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning studio consciousness; "The Word" can be read as a pre-psych warning shot; the sitar-laden "Norwegian Wood" and the evocative "Girl" (the latter written on the last night of the sessions) stand as turning points in John Lennon's oeuvre. George finally emerges too, with the McGuinn-ish "If I Needed Someone". --Don Harrison
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| Customer Reviews: Read 51 more reviews...
 Poor recording November 26, 2008
I wont comment on the performances as these have been covered thousands of times since the album was released. But I will say that I think that this is a very poorly mixed album, with all of the vocals on the right, the instruments on the left and nothing at all in the middle. Surely the technology at the time allowed better placement than this.
No wonder Phil Spector made his famous "back to mono" rant.
Band in Transition October 19, 2008
This is an album that shows a band in transition. You can see plenty of signs of the Beatles song writing maturity such as Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Girl and In My Life. These songs show how the band were growing up quickly as their fame grew and it's remarkable how willing they were to display their thoughts and feelings in their songs. John sounds positively menacing in Run For Your Life, with lyrics a far cry from the band's cheeky chappy image.
There also plenty of the brilliant pop songs of the type that made the band's name with like Drive My Car and Michelle.
George contributes two songs- If I Needed Someone is the better. Even Ringo gets a writing and singing credit with What Goes On.
There are also a few songs that are only okay such as The Word, Wait and You Won't See Me.
Some people think this was the best Beatles album. I wouldn't agree with that but it was certainly a pivotal step in the development of the most influential band of all time.
 Rubber soul will never be erased. September 23, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This classic album is one of the most popular Beatles albums and certainly marked a change of musical direction for the boys as well as a more mature and "deep" style of music. I've been a Beatles fan for over 20 years now and as I have grown, so has my love and understanding of the music, which has never dated, more than 40 years on. I shall now give a brief runthrough of the album, track by track.
1. Drive My Car - one of the Beatles songs everyone knows. Cheerful with a really funky guitar. Easy to listen to, catchy, perfect pop sound.
2. Norwegian Wood - another very well known Beatles song. I love the sitar in it, and this was the beginning of George Harrison's life-long love affair with India, it's music, religion and culture.
3. You Won't See Me - allegedly written for Jane Asher, it's a slightly lesser known song but has become more well known since Macca played it on his 2004 European tour. Catchy and easy to listen to but with some meaningful lyrics.
4. Nowhere Man is another quite popular song, and it's more meaningful than a lot of people realise. It's catchy and very easy to listen to.
5. Think For Yourself is possibly the most meaningful song on the album, written and performed by George Harrison who is often ignored and underrated, being dwarfed by the Lennon/McCartney partnership. It's a pretty obscure song; I have never heard any tribute acts do this song.
6. The Word is a cathcy, pop track and has a unique sound to it. It would sound great on the radio and sounds as fresh today as it ever did. It certainly gives a lot of contemporary songs a run for their money.
7. Michelle - a very well known song, again, written mainly by McCartney, who went through a phase of pretending to be able to speak French to impress the ladies and this song was inspired by that period.
8. What Goes On - Lennon/McCartney/Starr creation with a country feel for Ringo as a performer, continued from Ringo's cover of Act Naturally on the Help album.
9. Girl - a moderately well known song, which is more introspective and thought-provoking than most of the rest of this album.
10. I'm Looking Through You - again written for Jane Asher, an upbeat sounding song with a less cheerful theme in its lyrics; it's basically about the breakup of a relationship.
11. In My Life - one of my 3 favourite Beatles songs and one which is knownand loved the world over. I love George Martin's contribution in the form of the piano middle section. Beautiful song.
12. Wait sounds upbeat but it is also sad, and I think it sounds like it may have been written for Cynthia Lennon but I'm not sure.
13. If I Needed Someone - a catchy, cheerful, thought-provoking song by George Harrison; a favourite of mine.
14. Run For Your Life - another possibly auto-biographical song by John Lennon as he did have a wicked temper at times and ironically he did get jealous and possessive over his then wife Cynthia.
Overall, a fascinating and historically very significant album that any self respecting music fan should own.
start here September 3, 2008
Really great tunes here! For a contemporary comparison I recommend Nick Worrall. His album is FREE to download as well.
POT, BOOZE AND A DASH OF DYLAN, FOLK ROCK NEVER SOUNDED BETTER July 30, 2008
McCartney has always stated that the years 65-67 represented the true zennith of his and John's songwriting. The triplet of albums Rubber Soul, Revolver & Sgt Pepper marked a distinct shift away from the wholesome boy/girl pop of the early singles and quite simply changed the face of popular music forever. The Beatles were indeed 'on fire'.
Rubber Soul is hugely influenced by Bob Dylan and it is predominately a folk rock record full of accoustic guitars, those trade mark 3 and 4 part harmonies and intelligent thoughtful lyrics.
John Lennon's contributions are outstanding - 'In My Life' and 'Norweigen Wood' (the first sighting of a sitar in a Western pop song)are beautifully constructed songs that show just how good a composer he really was. On the harmony drenched 'Nowhere Man' he even dared to bare his troubled soul for the first time on a Beatles record. McCartney's songs may not have the emotional depth of his partner's but they are just as impressive - 'Drive My Car', I'm Looking Through You' and 'Michele' (the second most covered Beatles song ever). George also stepped out from Lennon & McCartneys's shadow with his best song to date - 'If I Needed Someone'.
Add to this the joyous 'The Word', 'Wait' and Macca's 'You Won't See Me' and you have an album full of memorable songs and absolute 10 carat classics.
Surprisingly, despite it's deep themes, unusual arrangements and intelligent lyrics, Rubber Soul was instantly embraced by critics and the record buying public alike. They even had the time to record one of their greatest singles - the double A-Sided 'We Can work It Out'/'Daytripper'.
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