Best Song on The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’? Poll

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by A Saucerful of Scarlets, Sep 17, 2018.

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  1. Trixmay 988

    Trixmay 988 Demere's Dreams

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    If I had to rank the songs now from best to worst:

    1. Girl: Gorgeous melody, superb production, an all-time Beatles favourite for me. 10/10.

    2. Drive My Car: Groovy and funky as hell. 10/10.

    3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown): One of the best narrative type songs I've heard. It used to be my number 1 and in my top 5 Beatles songs for a very long time but unfortunately I've over-played it and I find the vocals too quiet in the mix. 10/10.

    4. The Word: Groovy and funky as hell as well with lyrics ahead of their time. 10/10.

    5. In My Life: A beautiful, introspective ballad. 10/10.

    6. You Won't See Me: I've seen this described as 'infectious'. Sounds accurate to me. Pop gold with some brilliant vocals. Fitting, because I think Rubber Soul has easily the best vocal performances by everyone. 10/10.

    7. Think For Yourself: Fantastic melody with a great fuzz bass part by Paul which elevates the song to exceptionalism. Sure it's only 7th, but even 13th on one of my favourite albums ever released is a hell of an achievement in contrast to everything else. Great harmonies too. 10/10.

    8. I'm Looking Through You: I find this song really laid back and Paul's vocals are unbeatable. If anyone else on the planet sang this song it wouldn't have been the same. 9/10.

    9. Wait: I love the bridge with Paul's accent being unusually obvious. It may be a left over from Help! but it sure doesn't sound like one. 8.5/10

    10. Michelle: A beautifully recorded ballad with tons of soul. 8.5/10.

    11. Nowhere Man: I find it too repetitive and the overly bright guitars don't appeal to me at all. Nevertheless, it's a nice song with a nice melody and great lyrics. 8.5/10.

    12. Run For Your Life: I don't care about the lyrics - they don't bother me, although I get why they do with some and I respect that. I think it's a great song even if it's overly pessimistic and hateful, which contrasts to the other more thoughtful, negatively toned songs on the album. 8.5/10.

    13. If I Needed Someone: The guitar's way too bright, the melody's only 'decent' and George's vocals are even harder panned than most songs on the album (1987 remix) which really detracts from the enjoyment because it just sounds so wrong. Great harmonies, though. 6.5/10.

    14. What Goes On: I actually quite like this and I'm glad it's on the album. I like the contrast of John and Ringo's vocals in separate channels which you rarely hear. It's good for a change of pace. 6.5/10.
     
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  2. Hermes

    Hermes Past Master

    Location:
    Denmark
    It is strange that 3 songs get almost all the votes.
     
  3. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    They've always seemed so un-Beatley those lyrics, and thus more strange than bothering. I would like to know if there was anything said by any of them about them, like they were a put-on of that kind of song. They often wrote songs like Lady Madonna with s0-and-so famous artist in mind (in that case Fats Domino)... maybe they were writing a song by some blues guy like Muddy Waters or something? I've always seen that Yer Blues song as a sort of pastiche of the blues revival thing that was going on (and making the top of the charts) in late '60s U.K. with Peter Green, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Rory Gallagher etc.

    I think I'm Looking Through You is a great commentary song of Paul about Jane Asher, like And Your Bird Can Sing was John on Cynthia. Think For Yourself might be George telling Pattie to get on with things while they're apart. Run For Your Life lyrically is more of a cliched thing, not really (at least I'd hope not) about their lives. If only it started out 'Well I woke up this morning', then I'd know they'd been listening to a lot of old Delta and Chicago blues.

    What Goes On is almost a country song, and not just because Ringo who did a cover of Buck Owens' Act Naturally sings it. It might also might seem a bit un-Beatley, but I like it, never skip any of the tracks on Rubber Soul unless it's the very last one. I think they were listening to a lot of different music at this tie, and people have noted a definite Byrds effect on this particular album overall.

    Revolver is still my favorite album, but Hard Days Night, Help and this one are tied for third.
     
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  4. manco

    manco Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I love the whole LP, it reminds me of my early adult days, circa 1996-1997 when I listened to it a ton. I really wore out that CD. Also I remember at the time, Rubber Soul songs were played pretty often in restaurants.
     
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  5. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...

    A question for you all:

    I much prefer the Mono mix for this album. For those who play both mixes,
    on which songs do you prefer the Stereo mix?
     
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  6. drad dog

    drad dog A Listener

    Location:
    USA
    It's Only Love
     
  7. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    ***MAYBE*** Norwegian Wood; it seems to be the only song (to my ears) which has a nice balance between high and low end coming through on both stereo and mono mixes.
     
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  8. A well respected man

    A well respected man Some Mother's Son

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    Maybe The Word, Michelle and the 87 remix of Drive My Car. But really, mono is the only way to go with this album. Hoping for a proper remix soon.
     
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  9. Aftermath

    Aftermath Senior Member

    My review of Rubber Soul, track by track. :whistle:

    "Drive My Car" - "It sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman. Paul sounds like Little Richard. Really, it's the most vintage Beatles track on the LP."

    "Norwegian Wood" -. This sort of song I was doing two years ago - now I'm doing what the Beatles were doing fifty-two years ago. It's not a bad song - it's well performed which is always true of a Beatles track."

    "You Won't See me" - "This proves that the Beatles have got good memories, because there are a lot of busy chords in it. It's nice - like one instrument with the voice and the guitar merging. Third best track on the album."

    "Nowhere Man" - "This song is in to restore confidence in old Beatles sound. That's all."

    "Think for yourself" - "Listen to all those crazy sounds! It'll be popular in discotheques. I can imagine they had George Martin tied to a totem pole when they did this.

    "The Word" - It's a bit limited, but the Beatles get over this by the sexy double-tracking. It's surprising how sexy double-tracking makes a voice sound."

    "Michelle" - "This'll be a giant. It doesn't force itself on you, but it stands out like 'In my life'. This is back to the real old Beatles

    "What Goes On" - "This is a load of rubbish, really. I take the mickey out of myself on the piano and play stuff like this. I think they know it's not that good."

    "Girl" -"It's a most beautiful song, much prettier than 'Michelle'. A jolly old thing, really, and definitely the best track on the album.

    "If I Needed Someone" - "I just don't like the electronic stuff. The Beatles were supposed to be like the boy next door only better."

    "I'm looking through you" - "It's good - there's a 12-bar beat and bits in it that are clever. Not my sort of thing, though."

    "In My Life" - It sounds like they're out to please music teachers in primary schools. I can imagine John saying: 'I'm going to write this for my old schoolmistress'. Still it's very commercial."

    "Wait" - "This helps the LP through though it's not up to the Beatles standard."

    "Run for your life" - "Don't like this. The song's too predictable. It's not a Beatles song at all."
     
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  10. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    We agree on some stuff here, really disagree on others. But it's a great rundown, regardless. I think our biggest disagreement is with Nowhere Man which you're kind of didmissive with. Still, I enjoyed your review.
     
    Aftermath likes this.
  11. Greg Gee

    Greg Gee "I tried to change but I changed my mind..."

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    I was thinking if I could pick one by Lennon and another by McCartney, then Harrison...
    In My Life
    I'm Looking Through You
    If I Needed Someone

    But, under the parameters given, my fave song is In My Life.

    Favorite side is Side 1.
     
  12. edrebber

    edrebber Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Drive My Car is my favorite song on Rubber Soul and I think it should have been an A side single with The Word as the B side.
     
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  13. Bradd

    Bradd Now’s The Time

    Location:
    Chester, NJ
    Odder still that Michelle ranks so low. It was a big hit when it came out.
     
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  14. Archguy

    Archguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond VA
    My favorite thing about "Run For Your Life" is the great pains John takes to ensure the listener that he's not speaking figuratively. But then I'm a tad malevolent, ask any of my friends.

    My favorite character in Shakespeare is Richard III [​IMG]
     
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  15. ashiya

    ashiya Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    In My Life's been my favourite since around the time of Lennon's death - don't remember it being so popular back then.
     
  16. Trixmay 988

    Trixmay 988 Demere's Dreams

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    What a load of jog-wash! Whose review was this originally?
     
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  17. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    There are only three candidates IMHO:

    Nowhere Man
    Norwegian Wood
    In My Life

    I would probably rank them as Nowhere Man = Norwegian Wood > In My Life

    I picked Norwegian Wood. I prefer Nowhere Man as a recording (the harmonies, the thick sound), but I think Norwegian Wood is a slightly better song.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
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  18. 7solqs4iago

    7solqs4iago Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    Norwegian Wood, the only time(??) they balanced John and Paul in harmony, with clarity.... gives me goosebumps it is so perfect!

    Why didn't they bother trying this ever again????
     
  19. Trixmay 988

    Trixmay 988 Demere's Dreams

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Coz they already did it!
     
  20. Piiijiii

    Piiijiii Hundalasiliah

    Location:
    Ruhr Area, Germany
    Co-sign ... those three tracks are outstanding with In My Life being in my top five FabFour tracks.
    I'm a big McCartney fan but on Rubber Soul Lennon rules.
    On the other hand ... The Word is one of my favourite deep tracks.
    Anyway ... what a great, great album!
     
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  21. 7solqs4iago

    7solqs4iago Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    i could have used it on so many other recordings

    George's high nasal and John's lesser nasal usually leave Paul indistinct on harmonies...
     
  22. Alex D.

    Alex D. Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    So what y’all are saying is that this is a very strong album for John Lennon. I agree but I didn’t really notice before. It’s a strong album all around, maybe my favorite Beatles album. I do think Paul’s Help! songs are pretty weak. Rubber Soul is better for him, but the top tracks are all Lennon’s!
     
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  23. edrebber

    edrebber Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Yesterday and I've Just Seen a Face were on the UK version of Help.
     
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  24. 7solqs4iago

    7solqs4iago Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    do many on here still go by the US butchering for album content?
     
  25. Alex D.

    Alex D. Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    But The Night Before, Another Girl, and Tell Me What You See are far below average for Paul and The Beatles. That’s 11 songs on Help! before you get to a really good McCartney song.
     
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