The Beatles For Sale Poll

"What You're Doing" may be my favorite Beatles song, so that.

"no reply," easy. this may be the only beatles album on which this would be easy for me.

http://www.recordsale.org/cdpix/t/the_beatles-for_sale.jpg

This one is what my copy looks like, had it since it was released!

"I'm a Loser"

No Reply by quite a bit

Love this album. Either second or third favorite Beatles release, depending on the day. Went with "I'm A Loser", but lots of contenders.

Any one of the first three. I actually prefer Rosanne Cash's version of "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party."

"What You're Doing"; love side two of this album (positive we've done this poll before but I'll follow the sun and do it again)

will the world end if i vote for a Macca tracca? I'll Follow The Sun is one of the few pre-revolver Macca songs that I don't auto FFWD thru fwiw.

I'm a Loser

One of the weakest Beatles albums, but it's still awfully good. "Every Little Thing" and "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" are my favorites.

As with alot of older songs in which phones play a large part in the lyric, it seems hard to imagine the scenario described in the latter song would play out like that today. Nowadays, if your girl didn't show up, you just call her cell phone and you'd probably find her. Likewise for "When I call you up/the line's engaged" - when was the last time you called someone and the phone line was engaged?

"Eight Days a Week," though I love "What You're Doing" and "Every Little Thing," and like the others--don't really see this as a weak Beatles album, but I didn't get into the old ones until a few years ago.

No Reply, one of their greatest songs

Great album--"Eight Days a Week"...Didn't we just go through a month or two of polling every single Beatle album ever (for both best and worst song)?

I thought we did only "worst song" on BFS, but I could be wrong.

Quite possible.

I did a search before creating the poll, and couldn't find anything.

My favourite Beatles album, at the moment at least.

I'm A Loser. Just absolutely fucking love it. Wouldn't skip any of them though.

I'm A Loser

And this is my favourite live clip ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KynpC1e9I9E

It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up when Paul comes to the mic for the chorus.

I'd argue that the mix of covers and originals create a much more cohesive record than With the Beatles or Please Please Me. Even songs like Mr. Moonlight seem to sit perfectly between Baby's in Black and I'll Follow the Sun.

Going for "I'll Follow The Sun" because way too few others will. Also love "I'm a Loser" and "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" and of course "Eight Days a Week".

tbh i never really understood the ~mystique~ of "I'm A Loser", thought it was just an average John effort for the era with a catchy title but change the words and it's pretty forgettable??~?@?@?@?~?~?~!!!

ilm, plz2tell me what i am missing in this deep cut?

I voted for I'm a Loser but almost went with Rock N Roll Music.

I'll Follow The Sun. One of Macca's loveliest. Every Little Thing is great too. Love the timpani.
No Reply, I'm A Loser and Baby's In Black are Lennon's best on here. Eight Days A Week is catchy, but I'm not always in the mood for it.
If this was a poll for worst track, surely Mr Moonlight would win hands down.

favorite part of "i'm a loser" = paul's harmonies on the chorus

voted rock and roll music, doesn't get much hotter than that.

As with alot of older songs in which phones play a large part in the lyric, it seems hard to imagine the scenario described in the latter song would play out like that today. Nowadays, if your girl didn't show up, you just call her cell phone and you'd probably find her.

actually what happens is he knocks on her door and she doesn't answer even though she's home. he also calls; her roommate picks up and says she isn't there even though she is. of course that's plausible today! the only difference is, instead of letting her roommate answer the phone, she'd just let it go to voicemail.

Stew, you are correct

(xp to myself) or she'd ignore your text. same thing. 1964, 2010, doesn't matter.

It feels weird to say this, but I agree with Geir.

no reply by a wide margin, that's probably one of my top 5 beatles tunes

the "i nearly DIIIED *bbrrrranggg* I NEARLY DI-I-I-II-IIED" part is so dope

I thank the iPod for my rediscovery of No Reply. It's now in my top 5 Beatles songs too. It's just the greatest song.

no reply. one of their greatest songs. might be their best.

Voted "No Reply" then remembered "Rock n Roll Music" has the best Lennon vocal ever. Plus George Martin on keys!!!

change the words and it's pretty forgettable

don't change the words

If they had found a better rhyme than "whim" would "Baby's in Black" get a shit-ton more respect? Because aside from that fatal groaner of a lyric that's def. one of the best songs on this record. Love the harmonies.

Had the album on repeat all day trying to decide...i thought for sure Eight Days A Week, but No Reply won out. M@tt OTM...the "I nearly died"'s are hard to argue with. Oh the tragedy. That girl was totally mean.

well i voted I Don't Want to Spoil the Party yesterday, not because I like Lennon's country pastiches as a rule, but for the harmonies in the "I still love her" section. Today I'm thinking No Reply has the greatest middle eight ever...
The posters praising Lennon's vocal on Rock n Roll Music also OTM.... easily their best Chuck Berry cover. But I like the Little Richard cover even more on this record.
8 Days a Week also has a middle section harmony to die for
tough choices for one of their weakest albums

"No Reply" - play it faster, add more words, and it's a Wedding Present song.

"What You're Doing" is massively overlooked, btw.

>> As with alot of older songs in which phones play a large part in the lyric, it seems hard to imagine the scenario described in the latter song would play out like that today. Nowadays, if your girl didn't show up, you just call her cell phone and you'd probably find her.

> actually what happens is he knocks on her door and she doesn't answer even though she's home. he also calls; her roommate picks up and says she isn't there even though she is. of course that's plausible today! the only difference is, instead of letting her roommate answer the phone, she'd just let it go to voicemail.

I'm not seeing that. He's not at her house, he's at a party. (I'm assuming it's not a party she's hosting at her own place - hard to imagine she wouldn't be around if that were the case). Nothing seems to indicate he ever makes a call, just "takes a walk" hoping to find her, but doesn't, so he drowns his disappointment in alcohol and leaves early.

(talking about "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" here - were you thinking of a different song?)

oh, wait, you said "songs in which phones play a large part in the lyric," so i assumed you were talking about "no reply." oops.

there's no phone in "i don't want to spoil the party"! obviously, yeah, in 2010, he'd probably start by texting her. but still, the scenario seems entirely plausible to me. because she would most likely ignore the text. and he'd be depressed and get drunk and go for that walk. and while he's walking he'd be secretly looking for her anyway.

but more important, what was with all these ladies standing up young john lennon in 1964?

I haven't listened to this but I'm guessing a lot of you guys would dig it so I am stopping in to link one of my favorite mix blogs. I am keenly aware that at least one Beatles thread regular is of the opinion that the original version is always the best, but for the rest of you, this might look cool.

http://www.halfhearteddude.com/2010/04/beatles_covers_3/

having grown up with beatles 65 and beatles VI I still think of these songs in those terms and still want this album to end with "i'll be back".

no reply is my pick here though.

The more I think about it, this isn't near the top of my list of Beatles LPs. There's a real gap between the songs I love--"Eight Days a Week," "What You're Doing," "Every Little Thing," and "I'm a Loser"--and the rest. It is, however, absolutely my favourite Beatles cover. Not the one posted above (although I have much respect for anyone who can say he bought the LP when it first came out), but the more familiar version with much smaller script.

http://www.amoeba.com/dynamic-images/blog/Amoebite/beatles-for-sale-2

I love the simplicity of it, the colour, the blurred background and foreground, their sombre expressions (Ringo almost looks fearful), the sense that they're moving forward to somewhere new.

I love that George's hair is onion-shaped.

thx for the link to those Beatle covers mixes! looks like fun.

I think if they would swapped out a few covers with Leave My Kitten Alone and their current single, this could have been an album on par w//Rubber Soul.

1. No Reply
2. I'm a Loser
3. Baby's in Black
4. Rock and Roll Music
5. I Feel Fine
6. I'll Follow the Sun
7. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey
8. Eight Days a Week
9. Words of Love
10. I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
11. What You're Doing
12. Leave My Kitten Alone
13. She's a Woman
14. Every Little Thing

"Leave My Kitten Alone" may be better than some of the other covers, but it's still a cover. Four covers is still too much, plus I've never really liked "She's a Woman" much either (other than Scritti Politti's brilliant 1991 cover version).

I don't think I've ever heard a Buddy Holly cover I've liked, whether it's Blondie, Blind Faith or the Beatles.

"Leave My Kitten Alone" may be better than some of the other covers, but it's still a cover. Four covers is still too much, plus I've never really liked "She's a Woman" much either (other than Scritti Politti's brilliant 1991 cover version).

I was basing my fantasy alternate tracklisting off their Beatles for Sale recording sessions. It's still amazing that they came up with this much fantastic original material only a few months after Hard Day's Night.

Sure. But the year after, they released two albums worth of originals except for two songs. And "Help!" might have been all original too, had "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" and "Act Naturally" been swapped with "Yes It Is" and "I'm Down".

Rock & Roll Music

"I've got no kick against modern jazz,
Unless they try to play it too darn fast"

"Eight Days a Week" is such a sparkling production with that shimmering fade-in, handclaps etc - too bad there's not much going on lyrically. And "No Reply"'s got too many votes already. So I'll go with "Baby's In Black", partly because I love Richard Meltzer's interpretation (that the guy's in love with a nun.)

Great variety in choice of covers - even "Mr. Moonlight" I find just weird enough to be entertaining. (They really should've replaced one of the Carl Perkins with a girl-group remake instead, though.)

Yeah, amazing album cover. Really brilliant, the best for early-era Beatles...

I guess I'd go for "White The Beatles" as being the best album cover. Yet the worst album, at least before "Let It Be".

(Best early album cover, I mean, obv)

no reply

I do love the shared vocal on Baby's in Black...song has been rolling around my head all day. And that sorta-waltz beat is catchy! Lol re that nun-love theory!

Voting "No Reply" for the middle eight and the drama and the killer opening to the record. But I really really like "Mister Moonlight," "I'll Follow the Sun," and "Baby's In Black." The covers drag on this one for me, and so does "I'm A Loser."

The non-Beatles '65 numbers still feel like fun surprise rarities to me every time I hear them, like Anthology tracks or something...

I guess I'd go for "White The Beatles" as being the best album cover. Yet the worst album, at least before "Let It Be".

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Friday, April 30, 2010 11:22 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

(Best early album cover, I mean, obv)

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Friday, April 30, 2010 11:23 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Early? Now you've foxed me. Did you mean "With the Beatles" or the Beatles White Album?

"With The Beatles" Typo obv.

"I'll Follow the Sun" by a country fucking mile

^^^^^^It's probably my favorite Paul ballad. The melody of "one day you'll look to see I've gone" really captures the sadness of parting and is quickly and perfectly covered up by the sort of happy-go-luckiness of somebody trying to distract themselves with a smile.

voted no reply obv <3 <3 <3

"I nearly diiiiied"

You can almost hear Morrisey singing it.

I'd love to hear that done as a Smiths tune, with the bouncy "Sheila Take a Bow" beat.

Gary Holton & Casino Steel did a great country rock version in 1981-82. Sadly not able to find it on Youtube (many of their other tracks are there).

Lennon always did the best anguished screams. It's not that far from "No Reply" to "Mother" on Plastic Ono band. The last four tracks on side two are imho the best sequence of songs they ever did.

It's not that far from "No Reply" to "Mother" on Plastic Ono band.

The only similarity I can hear is the screams.

Did you even read the sentence before that?

Have you been here long?

But I'm not even arguing about rhythm or racism here!!

Geir, that was kind of the point. Lennon was primal screaming years before he met Arthur Janov.

Sure, he was. On "Twist And Shout" already.

But I would argue "Mother" is one long primal scream while earlier Lennon material also has other qualities.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Baffled only by "Eight Days A Week" love - never got that one, even at the height of my personal Beatlemania. Just feels a bit by-the-numbers.

"Beatles '65" BTW was a misnomer - the record was recorded and released in 1964. Likewise "The Beatles' Second Album" which was actually their third, but Capitol didn't want to acknowledge the first one which they boneheadedly rejected and thus didn't own the rights to sell in the U.S. (yet).

.. to say nothing of "Beatles VI"

(or was it V?)

Baffled only by "Eight Days A Week" love - never got that one

Wow--"Eight Days a Week" is possibly the first song I'd pull out if I wanted to explain to convey to someone the genius of mid-'60s Beatles. I always think of Greil Marcus's comment in Stranded's discography, where he calls it the most beatific pop song ever. I don't think I even know what beatific means--I think it's good, though! The vote that really surprises me is "I'll Follow the Sun." To me, that's close to Paul at his most cloying. Not quite "Till There Was You," but if you added a few chirping birds, you wouldn't be far off.

Just "convey." "Explaining to convey" is far too complicated.

"Beatles '65" BTW was a misnomer - the record was recorded and released in 1964. Likewise "The Beatles' Second Album" which was actually their third, but Capitol didn't want to acknowledge the first one which they boneheadedly rejected and thus didn't own the rights to sell in the U.S. (yet).

And "Meet The Beatles"' cover boldly proclaims "The first album by England's phenomenal pop combo!"

Also, they weren't really spelling out "Help" in semaphore on the cover of that one.

"Eight Days A Week", I like it, but it's probably what people that hate the Beatles think ALL Beatles music sounds like.

I think that's very true.

You may well be right. For me, though, someone says "There's this great group you've got hear, all their songs sound exactly like this," and then they play "Eight Days a Week," my next project is to get hold of everything they've ever done.

re: "I'll Follow The Sun," it's very pretty! Nice arrangement, great melody, well-sung...if you hate Paul you'll hate this, but if you like Paul you'll probably jump right on board. I'm in the latter group so hey.

I don't know about that...I like Paul a lot, when he's (to my ear) at his best. I'd put "I've Just Seen a Face," "Every Little Thing," and "Tell Me What You See" alongside the very best by John or George, and there are many others I like only a little less. I just don't like that one side of him--"Till There Was You," "I'll Follow the Sun," "The Long and Winding Road," etc.

tbh i never really understood the ~mystique~ of "I'm A Loser", thought it was just an average John effort for the era with a catchy title but change the words and it's pretty forgettable??~?@?@?@?~?~?~!!!

ilm, plz2tell me what i am missing in this deep cut?

― _▂▅▇█▓▒░◕‿‿◕░▒▓█▇▅▂_ (Steve Shasta), Thursday, April 29, 2010 2:39 PM (3 weeks ago)

Steve,

Heard on the radio this morning and thought of this. Really like John Lennon vocals from this period. ("You're Gonna Lose That Girl" from the next album might be my favorite.) Also, energetic background vocals and I like their country sound on this and "Act Naturally."

I only recently learned that Paul wrote "Every Little Thing" - John sings lead on it; very rare that John or Paul didn't sing lead on the songs they wrote. How many others are like this?

having gone through the box set, this album is probably the biggest rediscovery for me. Great throughout.

"Eight Days a Week" and "Every Little Thing" are my favorites and this is a good solid record.