I've decided my favorite Beatles album is whichever Beatles album I'm listening to, so right now my favorite Beatles album is Rubber Soul. This is an incredible album. Not only was the boys' writing getting better, they didn't mess around in the studio. The whole thing was written and recorded in just 4 weeks (Oct 12 - Nov 15, 1965) and released December 3 in the UK, December 6 in the US - just in time for Christmas. Let me say that again. 4 weeks. The thought of that leaves me flabbergasted. There's been plenty written about this album, so I won't try to compete for fear of being accused of suffering from logorrhea.
Update: In the 2020 ranking of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rubber Soul ranked at #35 and in 2017, it was ranked at #46 on Pitchfork's list of the 200 Best Albums of the 1960s.
Press of the time:
- Billboard: "they've done it again"
- CashBox: "one of their most interesting and potent albums to date"
- Record World: "tunes are even more inventive than usual"
- HiFi/Stereo Review: "This album is certainly one of the best the Beatles have released."
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1 (6 weeks, Jan 8 - Feb 12, 1966)
Peak on the Billboard Pop CD chart: #2
Peak on the CashBox Top CD chart: #1
Tracks: Since all 14 are good (I don't even mind What Goes On), I will rank my top 5 tracks:
5. I'm Looking Through You
4. Drive My Car
3. Michelle
2. Norwegian Wood
1. In My Life
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I came late to the Beatles - I didn't know all the words to these songs until I was 15.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Love (2006)
Anthology 1 (1995)
1967-1970 (1973)
Abbey Road (1969)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Help! (1965)
Please Please Me (1963)
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