The Beatles For Sale, and They're a Bargain!

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10

Now that two of them are dead, they'd better be half off!

--- oo... sorry... bad joke ---

Actually, this album is a little bit of a disappointment! I mean ... The Beatles started out in its meager inexperienced beginnings, releasing their debut Please Please Me ... improved significantly with With the Beatles ... absolutely rocked the house down with A Hard Day's Night and then -- well -- shouldn't their fourth album be totally and undeniably awesome then? While it is definitely awesome, it's not quite as good as A Hard Day's Night, unfortunately. Ah heck! This slump in The Beatles discography indicates one thing: this was as high as the Beatles would ever get.

NAAAAAAAH! JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!

For all the early Beatles albums (that is, all their albums released before Rubber Soul) this is moist coitainly their third best. A Hard Day's Night is the best, followed by Help! released just after this one.

Another bit of disappointment regarding this album is that The Beatles have returned to doing covers again. I am usually not impressed when The Beatles decide to do covers... However, there is one GREAT cover here. That is: "Rock And Roll Music" which was performed originally by Chuck Berry.

The reason this is still an excellent album compared with the Fab Four's first two is because it sounds to me like it was taken more seriously. The fun element of the Beatles songs are slowly disappearing starting with this. (Help! is kinda fun, though.) The first three songs in this album, particularly, are darker in nature. They don't illustrate the typical Beatles scenario: "I'm in love and life is GREAT!" Rather, they illustrate stuff like guys getting "no reply" when they knock on chick's doors ... and one song even professes "I'm a loser." So... at this point in their discography, The Beatles are beginning to rid themselves of that happy-go-lucky image and waltzing tenderly to that Revolver, Sgt. Pepper glory they would enjoy later. Part of this change in theme is said to have been inspired by John Lennon's discovery of Bob Dylan's music.

That said, none of these songs are particularly "revolutionary" musically. They're still your standard 60's pop-rock that we've basically already heard from the Beatles in their past albums.

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10 (While this album isn't as fun or as catchy as the previous Beatles release, you can bet you're butt-cakes that it earns its rightful position in the Beatles discography. The album also exhibits considerable, almost subtle, growth of the band. They are becoming more heart wrenching and deep.)

Average Song Score: 8.5 (Yeah... the songs here aren't as great as the songs on A Hard Day's Night. They resorted back to using covers ... unfortunately ... and some of them were sub-par. The originals on here are also leave me rather unenthused compared to that last album. But ... then again ... this is the Beatles! These are all good songs! Even that worst-song-ever-recorded-by-the-Beatles track is good!)

Album Tilt: 8.0 (I don't listen to this album much at all! There's simply not enough fun to be had!)

Artist Rating: 9.0 (Here's where the Beatles gain considerable points. While their boyish charm has gone missing, they've started implanting some good depth to some of these songs. John Lennon put his study of Bob Dylan to good use, obviously! So artistic points all around!)

Track Reviews

No Reply 8/10

The album starts out with that song about a chick ignoring one of the Beatles ... which, as we all probably know, would have been utterly impossible! But, nevertheless, the track has a nice melody ... good job with the instruments. The problem: It doesn't do anything for me and it's no fun. Though, it's a nice track. Really it is.

I'm a Loser 9.5/10

You know what? While this song piques my interest more significantly than the last track, I'm not too a-gaga over the melody. This is not included on Beatles 'greatest hits' albums for a REASON! That said, it's probably the best track on this album, though I have "Eight Days a Week" sparking in my eye for that designation.

Baby's in Black 9/10

Not bad. This dark song is about oneufthe Beatles whose lover is looking at another man. To that, I say: SUCK TU BE U! Hehehehehheeeee! I'm not enthusiastic about this track by any means, but it is very solid!

Rock and Roll Music 9.5/10

Well ... this is a cover, and it's certainly one of the better Beatles covers. It's one of those typical Chuck Berry R'n'B numbers that'll have you pleasantly tapping your feet! Solidly played and well sung by John! -Cha cha cha!

I'll Follow the Sun 9/10

Well ... here's the Beatles back in their original, optimistic, happy-to-be-alive modes. It was unmistakably composed by Paul McCartney! Pleasant and ........ yeah, pleasant.

Mr. Moonlight 6/10

Okay ... I guess this is the worst Beatles performance on a regular album. Though it's not as bad as all that. Once I heard the all-music guide dub it that, I said to myself: "Naaaaaaaaah! Mr. Moonlight is a decent-enough tune! I'm sure they have done worse than that!" I looked through my earlier Beatles reviews and listened to the tracks I scored lower and came to the conclusion: "Yes... this is the worst Beatles song." It's a cover, of course. The problem is, basically, that the instrumentation was misfired. It still kicks the crap out of most everything that Kiss ever recorded, so why am I complaining?

Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! 7/10

Well, this cover isn't a whole lot better. It is a REAL blast to the past, reminding me of those old jazz greats who used to do all that call-and-response stuff. (Yes... that's what they do here.) I can't honestly tell who sings this one. I think it might be Paul. In whatever case, he does an EXCELLENT job at it. Wow!!

Eight Days a Week 10/10

This is probably the only real early Beatles classic on this whole album. This is A Hard Day's Night happy-go-lucky love professions that we know and love them for! And ... this is the only Beatles song on this album that ever makes on compilation albums. That ought to say something. Geez! This track really jumps out at me. It might not be complex or confessional, but it's unabashedly enjoyable. My favorite track of the album.

Words of Love 10/10

Oh ... another fun happy-go-lucky love profession. Golly! Life is great, isn't it? JUST GREAT! It's an odd thing to mention, but the light clapping in this song TOTALLY wins me over, man! (Oh yes........ the light clapping.) This appears to be a cover of a Buddy Holly song. (I never pay too much attention to those early rock heroes, even though I should.)

Honey Don't 8/10

While I'm classifying this as "below-par typical" for a Beatles cover, I feel HAPPY now. HAAAAAAAAAAAAPY. This track features a fine performance from Ringo, but it's still a little bit spotty!

Every Little Thing 7.5/10

While the theme here is more happy-go-lucky, the music itself doesn't sound particularly as such. It's an original, but it's a lesser. It's characterized, interestingly enough, by an occasional pair of thumps from a thundering drum.

I Don't Want to Spoil the Party 9/10

Oooo... here's where John's influence from Dylan is best illustrated. While still evidentially a pop song, there are definitely some folk elements injected into this musically. Also, the lyrics are rather complex and *gasp* dark again! Boogoogogoo! But I miss "IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, AND I'VE BEEN SMELLIN' LIKE A DOG!" Oh well.

What You're Doing 9/10

Hey! The lyrics might be a little dark here, but the tune at least is kinda fun. I don't find it particularly memorable, however.

Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby 8/10

SING IT BROTHER GEORGE! This is George's take on Carl Perkins' original of the same name. A little bit of a lesser Beatles cover, but I like it just the same. George doesn't get to sing much, does he. *sigh* Not a great closer for this album ... but I guess this was in that period before artists were too busy trying to express rock in 40-minute "albums."

Do you have the same opinion of this album? Or, am I an idiot, and you're smarter than me and Henry Kissinger? Leave your comments here