The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" - Putting together the proper tracklist

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by yesstiles, Dec 23, 2017.

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  1. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    Thanks for that link.

    We're talking a couple generations of UK 70s, 80s and 90s listeners who grew up religiously listening to those gold-j-card cassette albums - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Help!, For Sale, Please Please Me, White Album, AHDN, With... - their conceptual minds warped by those 'eccentric' song sequences sanctioned by Apple/EMI. What blasphemy. Poor souls didn't stand a chance versus market forces.

    How did EMI get away with it? That's the big question. Thank the lawd Pepper came away unscathed (un-resequenced); that is the only saving grace to emerge from this whole historic equation of shameful reshuffling.

    Some of those gold label j-card cassette sequences even washed up on US shores in the form of tannish-gold issues, courtesy of Apple/EMI.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2017
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  2. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award

    Location:
    NJ USA
    So now the Rubber Soul score is:

    United States 2
    United Kingdom 0

    US gets 1 point for creating the US Rubber Soul running order and 1 point for not being responsible for the cassette running order.

    UK gets 1 point for creating the UK Rubber Soul running order and -1 point for being responsible for the cassette running order.

    I'm scared to even bring up the reel-to-reel.
     
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  3. Timflyte

    Timflyte Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toledo,OH. USA
    No one has mentioned or I missed it , the explanation on how royalties were paid in US vs how they were paid in the UK.
    Bruce Spritzler ( I think that's his last name I don't have his books in front of me ) explains it quite easy in his books. In the US , 11 or 12 songs were the norm. Some bands even had only 10 songs on a lp. Anyway it all comes down to economics which im sure the Beatles weren't thinking about as they made the tracks. My first lp was the US Rubber Soul, the stereo copy in Dec.'65. I loved it then , love it now ( but I do wish it would be remixed with center vocals ). I use to not the like " the word "...but it's okay now. My main trouble with the US versions were the b-sides and singles and lost tracks that never made it to any album. Back in the day it was hard to find " there's a place " and " from me to you " ,etc. But now everything is issued on CD , and you can burn your own copy and add or take away as you please. But it's fun to imagine how you would do it differently if you were there. Im enjoying this forum.
     
  4. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    I grew up in USA and the US version of Rubber Soul, BUT I MUCH prefer the UK version. This applies to all Beatle albums except MMT.
     
  5. Diamond Star Halo

    Diamond Star Halo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Day Tripper
    Norwegian Wood
    I’m Looking Through You
    Nowhere Man
    Think For Yourself
    The Word
    Michelle

    Drive My Car
    We Can Work It Out
    Girl
    If I Needed Someone
    You Won’t See Me
    In My Life
    Run For Your Life
     
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  6. Mickey2

    Mickey2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bronx, NY, USA
    Not only is the American version more folkie, but the missing UK tracks, plus a couple from Help!, plus the great double A-sided single, plus 3 great Lennon tracks with unique mixes from the forthcoming Revolver made for probably the best Capitol compilation of all - Yesterday & Today:

    Side one
    No.
    Title Lead vocals Length
    1. "Drive My Car" McCartney with Lennon 2:25
    2. "I'm Only Sleeping" Lennon 2:58
    3. "Nowhere Man" Lennon with McCartney and Harrison 2:40
    4. "Dr. Robert" Lennon 2:14
    5. "Yesterday" McCartney 2:04
    6. "Act Naturally" (Johnny Russell, Voni Morrison) Starr 2:27

    Side two
    No.
    Title Lead vocals Length
    7. "And Your Bird Can Sing" Lennon 2:02
    8. "If I Needed Someone" (George Harrison) Harrison 2:19
    9. "We Can Work It Out" McCartney 2:10
    10. "What Goes On" (Lennon-McCartney-Starkey) Starr 2:44
    11. "Day Tripper"
     
  7. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Sticking slightly more true to the Capitol version, although it's really a hybrid of both versions, my custom "Rubber Soul" looks like:

    SIDE ONE
    Norwegian Wood
    I'm Looking Through You (Anthology 2)
    In My Life
    The Word
    Michelle
    We Can Work It Out

    SIDE TWO
    I've Just Seen A Face
    It's Only Love
    You Won't See Me
    If I Needed Someone
    Nowhere Man
    Think For Yourself


    Much is made of pitting the original UK against the US. As if both can't (and haven't) seamlessly co-existed for 50 years. Putting my humility aside for one brief second, I feel this is the "perfect hybrid". It keeps the essentials of the US version while adding in the essential omitted tracks found on the UK (If I Needed Someone and Nowhere Man), all the while not introducing anything too rock-oriented (Day Tripper or Drive My Car) that might undermine the album's "Mostly Mellow Aesthetic".

    I absolutely love this running order, but I'm well aware everyone else's mileage will vary for this pivotal album. Enjoy!
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2018
    yesstiles likes this.
  8. Haristar

    Haristar Apollo C. Vermouth

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Side One
    1. Drive My Car
    2. Norwegian Wood
    3. You Won't See Me
    4. Nowhere Man
    5. Think for Yourself
    6. Day Tripper
    7. Michelle

    Side Two
    8. What Goes On
    9. Girl
    10. I'm Looking Through You
    11. Wait
    12. If I Needed Someone
    13. We Can Work It Out
    14. In My Life
     
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  9. Diamond Star Halo

    Diamond Star Halo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    I could go for that track list. The only exception is I’m Looking Through You. I’m not a big fan of the Anthology version. It sounds unfinished to me. The tempo is too slow and I think the abrasive lead guitar after the “you’re not the same” line works way better than the organ idea.
     
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  10. Shaddam IV

    Shaddam IV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ca
    [ Citation Needed ]
     
  11. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Thanks. I always felt the studio version was too fast, thus I always preferred the still brisk but more...organic / loose...take on Anthology. But I can understand how the studio might work better for many, especially if it's the version first heard. I do like the lead guitar lick as well, but then again I really like that organ too! For somewhat different reasons. I feel it fits a little better with the more exotic or mellow vibe that encompasses much of "Rubber Soul".
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2018
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  12. A well respected man

    A well respected man Some Mother's Son

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    ^THIS. My favourite album. It's perfect as is.
     
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  13. wildstar

    wildstar Senior Member

    Location:
    ontario, canada
    Even when recorded during an album session, certain songs were usually earmarked and/or written specifically as potential singles. Until 'Hey Jude' was written Paul was intending "Obladi" to be his side of the next single, and until Paul & George veto'd the "too slow" 'Revolution 1' that was John's intended side of the single, and being so early in the White Album sessions, obviously they weren't picking "the best songs from that album's sessions for a single" because most of the songs from that album's sessions hadn't been recorded yet, and several still hadn't even been written yet. Plus Paperback Writer/Rain also were recorded too early in their album's sessions to be considered "the best two songs of the session, since again many of the Revolver songs hadn't been fully recorded (and some not written) yet. Not to mention the singles that WERE definitely recorded specifically FOR a single release rather than being lifted from an album's recording sessions such as 'Ballad Of J&Y'/'Old Brown Shoe' and 'Lady Madonna'/'Inner Light' (George getting the B-Side - his first ever - after Lennon was disappointed with the recording of his own song intended for the single 'Across The Universe' and before the spontaneous and last minute writing/recording of 'Hey Bulldog' which he was so happy with, he actually lobbied to have it replace 'Lady Madonna' as the A-Side. Plus the 'From Me To You' and IIRC 'She Loves You' singles were recorded specifically "as and for" single release. Even 'This Boy' was written as and meant to be a single B-Side and was inspired by some of Lennon's favorite Smokey Robinson/Miracles B-Side ballads. Off the top of my head, the only album where there was no clear choice for a single and there was a lot of debate about it within the band and George Martin before they came to a decision was "Beatles For Sale"

    So the entire 'Abbey Road' album and 'I Me Mine' wouldn't have existed then?
     
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  14. let him run...

    let him run... Senior Member

    Location:
    Colchester, VT USA
    Pretty fond of the version those guys from Liverpool released.
    But, what did they know, the Internet wasn't even invented yet.
    They had to wait until Magic Alex invented it in 1968.
     
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  15. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :)

    Location:
    Europe
    .....and is original as intended by The Beatles !!
     
  16. Roxie Hart

    Roxie Hart Active Member

    Location:
    Oregon
    I like the Capitol album better. I started listening to the Beatles when I was four or five years old, my parents had both the Capitol LP album and the regular CD and I always liked the feel of the Capitol version best. "Drive my Car" is one of my least favorite Beatles songs, though I'm a huge fan and love all of them.
     
  17. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    Rubber Soul has always been my favorite. Loved the US copy, but when I got the British version, it made me realize how awesome a record it is. How do you remove Nowhere Man from an album???

    It’s unbelievable to me that the Beatles recorded Rubber Soul in 4-5 weeks? This album is screaming for a proper stereo remix. I think I’m going to bow out before this turns into another US albums thread.
     
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  18. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident

    Nice list. Just curious - If you were absolutely forced to include What Goes On, where would you put it?
     
  19. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    By popular demand:

    Double album for the US:

    SIDE 1:

    Drive My Car
    Norwegian Wood
    You Won't See Me
    Nowhere Man
    Act Naturally

    SIDE 2:

    We Can Work It Out
    Think For Yourself
    The Word
    Wait
    Michelle

    SIDE 3:
    Girl
    I'm Looking Through You
    What Goes On
    Yesterday
    Run For Your Life

    SIDE 4:
    I've Just Seen a Face
    It's Only Love
    If I Needed Someone
    In My Life
    Day Tripper
     
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  20. Brian Kelly

    Brian Kelly 1964-73 rock's best decade

    Maybe between It's Only Love and Girl
     
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  21. Shaddam IV

    Shaddam IV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ca
    Well I do say, I rather like this.

    I'd make one change: "Nowhere Man" and "Act Naturally" should swap places so the side ends strong.
     
  22. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    But this running order gives me option of diving for the turntable before Ringo starts singing.
     
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  23. Shaddam IV

    Shaddam IV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ca
    Hah :)
     
  24. jmxw

    jmxw Fab Forum Fan

    Because it is unfinished. It doesn't have the middle eight yet..
     
  25. Diamond Star Halo

    Diamond Star Halo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Not all songs have middle eights. Not having one doesn’t automatically render a song unfinished.

    As for the Anthology version of I’m Looking Through You, I think it mostly sounds unfinished because it has a sluggish tempo, and the half-assed organ break is boring. The lack of a bridge section is only one reason why it sounds unfinished. For the life of me I can’t figure out why anyone would prefer this lousy outtake over the classic official version.
     
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