Why Isn't ' Rubber Soul ' Our Favourite Beatles Album ?

To me Rubber Soul is the Beatles sophistication at that current point without the added "studio" effects, it's raw with few overdubs and likely the "sound" and direction the Beatles would have taken if the whole Psych-Revolver thing had not become a trend.

Any song on Rubber Soul could have been done with the Revolver style production, both records are at that same point in terms of chords and lyrics. Just the production differs.

"Norwegian Wood" could have easily sounded like "For No One", basically.

The White Album sounds almost like a direct sequel to Rubber Soul in some aspects, it has that same "rawer" sound, less studio magic and stuff. Revolver/Pepper sound like detours, but as we all know it makes sense musically and contextually.

 

I recall a time when music critics didn't stop going on about Rubber Soul, it was the go-to "not Sgt.Pepper" choice, which had hitherto been the only choice - until a few years later they decided to sing the praises of Revolver instead and now that's just become the standard.

 

Favourite or best?

They can be different...

My favourite is probably Please Please Me or A Hard Days Night because these have songs that mean most to me and were around when I was growing up.

But the best I would say is Revolver.

 

Because of Magical Mystery Tour?

In answer to the OP's more specific question, Revolver, The White Album, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road are not better albums.

 

I love US Rubber Soul in mono - it's a great collection of great-sounding tracks.

I love UK Rubber Soul in mono even more - as it has two more tracks!

Despite the wonky mix, I very much enjoy both stereo Rubber Souls as alternative listening experiences.

I think Rubber Soul marks a step change in the maturity and sophistication in The Beatles' music and lyrics, which had been hinted at previously on some of the tracks on BFS and Help!

I love all the tracks, except for maybe Run For Your Life, but including What Goes On.

It's just that I love some other Beatles albums even more.

 

It's a great album, but its perhaps dragged down by one or two songs that are not Grade A - What Goes On (obviously) and Drive My Car (Sorry, I've never liked this song). I still hold Rubber Soul above Revolver though.

 

It's much better then the over rated Revolver, that I can tell you.

 

Some good points made as to comparisons with Revolver in this thread

Though Rubber Soul has nothing on the level of Eleanor Rigby, imo, what it does have is five or six songs [that are] as good as anything they ever did, almost. But it is apples to oranges and Revolver also has five songs as good as anything they ever did quite nearly and - again, jmho - one that is certainly better than almost everything else they ever did . Everyone has their own unique connection with different Beatles songs. I think that is one of the great things about this band is they spanned such a wide range of creativity. They didn't just do only one thing good,, they did a lot of things and did them great.

 

True... I didn’t buy the album then but I felt the emotion of it then when was a very young teen. I admit to being old....I have noticed also that younger and older folks tend to evaluate albums differently.

 

My first Beatles LP (compilations aside) was Help! I was 10 years old.

I liked it a lot, but I remember a guy in a shop mentioning that Rubber Soul is much better. At the time I wasn't sure, because I really liked Help!.

Of course I soon understood what he meant. And since then Rubber Soul has always been my favourite Beatles album - with Abbey Road a close second and Revolver third.

 

Why all this hatred regarding "Run For Your Life"? It's a nice tune with gorgeous harmony vocals.

I think the lyrics are characteristic for the "macho" Lennon had been in his life to this point. It's part of his history and personality. He obviously re-thought all this later in his career. But it doesn't change that he (and many others) had a macho/ego tendency by nature. The lyrics are honest. Sometimes you feel like this, even if you wouldn't like to see the girl dead in reality. I agree that he has written better ones, but to me this is a nice little tune.

 

It tops MY list, especially in mono.

 

I love it but I haven't experienced it in any of the original mixes yet. Spending more time with it might send it to the top for me.

 

Is so.

 

Idk if it’s the best, but it’s the album that was the bridge between the Pop Beatles and the Druggie Beatles

I think it’s top notch meself one of their best

 

All the mentioned albums sound grand indeed. My favorites are Rubber Soul and Revolver with Abbey Road third. The White Album I find somewhat scattered, Sgt. Pepper somewhat cluttered, though both are high quality albums, of course.

 

I love Rubber Soul. Revolver usually gets the nod for me, because it's a bit more diverse and adventurous. But Rubber Soul is awesome. And the U.S. RS is the best of the butcher albums, IMO.

 

Don't listen to those anymore but I remember ' The Beatles Second Album ' being quite good....

 

Tops my list.

 

Rubber Soul has some great songs, but as an album it is too patchy for me. Not even a top five Beatles album for me

 

Personally I actively dislike the US version

 

Rubber Soul IS my favourite Beatles album. It has always been so. To me it has the sweet spot of The Beatles' career: their songwriting had become more mature and sophisticated, while still retaining some charm of the early period.
Also, it contains timeless music IMO. Earlier albums have that "oldies" sound, psychedelic period is dated as mid-60s. I love those periods (in fact, Revolver is my second favourite album), but Rubber Soul has a timeless quality.

I think they advanced in studio trickery with Revolver, but songwriting-wise, Rubber Soul is better IMO.

And please, let's keep the UK-US version debate out of a Rubber Soul thread for once.

 

Wow - hard to imagine actively disliking a Beatles album.

Trying to come up with a hypothetical 11 song LP of Beatles music released from 62-70 that I could actively dislike, this was the best I could do.

Side 1:
Taxman
Mr Moonlight
Love You To
A Taste of Honey
Dig It
Blue Jay Way
(BJW ends side so you can lift needle before 100th intonation of "don't belong" without missing anything).

Side 2:
She's Leaving Home
You Know My Name
Wild Honey Pie
Revolution 9
Piggies
(Piggies ends album to make it easier just to skip it entirely)

George finally gets that equal representation he had been pining for!

(No cut from either version of Rubber Soul made the list)

 

I like most of those... but Rubber Soul, particularly the US version is my personal "wow, that's overrated" album.
I understand folks in the US loving the versions they grew up with, but I just don't. To me they are all butchered.
So I don't dislike the UK version, but have never understood its elevation for some, as The Best, and I don't like the Capitol release at all.