The Beatles - Beatles For Sale

Beatles For Sale

The Beatles' fourth album was released in December 1964, five months after the success of A Hard Day's Night (both the movie and album). For this album, John and Paul wrote eight new songs and added a further six songs from the vast repertoire of materials which they had been performing. Once again, there were no singles released from this album.

Despite the obvious exhaustion from just coming back from their US second major tour, The Beatles began work on this album during August to October. In spite of the strain which shows through on a couple of tracks, this album contains some of their classics, such as Rock And Roll Music, No Reply, Mr Moonlight, Eight Days A Week, etc.

Generally considered as the Beatles' weakest and cover-heavy album, it still topped the US chart for 11 weeks upon release.

(The cover of the album featuring the notoriously exhausted-looking unsmiling Beatles was again shot by photographer Robert Freeman in London's Hyde Park.)

1. No Reply (Lennon-McCartney): Together with I'm A Loser and Baby's In Black, this track depicts a love-lost "trilogy". John is in double-tracked lead vocals, with Paul harmonsies here and there and George joining them for the chorus. John plays acoustic guitar in this track.

2. I'm A Loser (Lennon-McCartney): John sings lead again with Paul harmonises in parts and chorus. John uses many of Bob Dylan's fixations and nuances (e.g. the harmonica playing style). John in on acoustic guitar and Ringo also doubles on tambourine in this track.

3. Baby's In Black (Lennon-McCartney): Lead vocals on this track are a duet between John and Paul. John in on acoustic guitar and Ringo on drums and tambourine again.

4. Rock And Roll Music (Berry): John's power rendition on this Chuck Berry standard makes a far better job than Berry ever did. John also joins George Martin (the producer) and Paul on pianos for the backing. George is on acoustic guitar too on this classic track.

5. I'll Follow The Sun (Lennon-McCartney): A pleasant and relaxing song from Paul in double-tracked lead vocals. John harmonises in places. Both John and Paul play the acoustic guitars. George appears briefly in the instrumental break while Ringo taps gently on the bongos.

6. Mr Moonlight (Johnson): John's screaming opening on this Roy Lee Johnson's obscure song is one of John's best lead vocal moments. Paul harmonises in places and does a Hammond organ solo in the instrumental break. John is on acoustic guitar with George on lead guitar and supplies that hollow "thump" sound on an ancient African drum. Ringo taps on a set of bongos.

7. Kansas City (Leiber-Stoller)/Hey Hey Hey Hey (Penniman): A bouncy medley with Paul on lead vocal. John and George do the backing on the second part of the song. George Martin is on piano. (Kansas City, a rhythm 'n' blue song, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, has been recorded by numerous artistes while Hey Hey Hey Hey is written by Little Richard [Penniman] who usually performed this song as medley with Kansas City, too.)

8. Eight Days A Week (Lennon-McCartney): This Beatles' favourite has John in double-tracked vocals. He also supplies his own harmonies for this song. Paul harmonies in parts.

9. Words Of Love (Holly): John and Paul close harmony on this Buddy Holly song is the best

example of how perfectly they blended their voices. The hand-clapping sound on the backing is Ringo playing a packing case.

10. Honey Don't (Perkins): On this Ringo's usual one track per album opportunity, he breezes through this old Carl Perkins rockabilly classic with his own sing-along style that suited his voices well. John is on acoustic guitar and tambourine.

11. Every Little Thing (Lennon-McCartney): John and Paul are in close harmony on this track. John is on acoustic guitar, Paul doubles on bass and piano. George plays some pleasant country and western guitar while Ringo includes a timpani drum.

12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party (Lennon-McCartney): John and Paul again harmonise on lead vocals. John is on on acoustic guitar while Ringo adds in the tambourine.

13. What You're Doing (Lennon-McCartney): One of the Beatles least known songs. The lead vocal is from Paul with John on backing vocal. John is on acoustic guitar while George Martin adds in the piano.

14. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (Perkins): The second Carl Perkins song to be included on this album, features George on solo vocal and country and western guitar playing. John again plays acoustic guitar and on tambourine.