Rubber Soul | 
| Artist: The Beatles
Label: EMI
Category: Music
List Price: £14.99
Buy New: £8.93
as of 30/7/2010 02:36 BST details
You Save: £6.06 (40%)
New (55) Used (7) from £4.90
Seller: Amazon.co.uk
Rating:  87 reviews
Sales Rank: 413
Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 5 x 0.6
UPC: 094638241829
EAN: 0094638241829
ASIN: B0025KVLT2
Release Date: September 9, 2009
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Drive My Car | | • | Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | | • | You Won't See Me | | • | Nowhere Man | | • | Think For Yourself | | • | Word, The | | • | Michelle | | • | What Goes On | | • | Girl | | • | I'm Looking Through You | | • | In My Life | | • | Wait | | • | If I Needed Someone | | • | Run For Your Life | | • | Rubber Soul Mini Documentary |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Rank 'em how you like, Rubber Soul is an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning studio consciousness; "The Word" can be read as a pre-psych warning shot; the sitar-laden "Norwegian Wood" and the evocative "Girl" (the latter written on the last night of the sessions) stand as turning points in John Lennon's oeuvre. George finally emerges too, with the McGuinn-ish "If I Needed Someone". --Don Harrison
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 87
 the most over-rated band in the history of rock June 30, 2010
Daniel Margrain (London)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Beatles are arguably the most over-rated band in the history of rock music. The release of 'Rubber Soul' happened against a backdrop of social unrest and student protests against the Vietnam war and against the establishment in general, the genesis of which emerged out of Berkeley, California in 1964.
The rebellion that had been seething through the 50s had finally found its intellectual vehicle in the work of Bob Dylan and others. But all of the social upheaval of the time seemed to have bypassed the smiling pretty-faced boys in suits.
Whilst the real or presumed 'American Dream' was being undercut by the demons of Vietnam, and whilst students were marching for peace, the US was being simultaneously saturated by 'brand Beatles' in the guise of Beatles wigs, Beatles attire, Beatles dolls and cartoons inspired by the Beatles.
Whilst artists like Dylan began challenging the assumptions that underpinned authority, the smiling foursome continued with their whimsical approach and catchy exuberant refrains which began to grip the imaginations of the youth on both sides of the Atlantic. But behind the smiling fascade, were four mediocre musicians.
Far from being symbols of rebellion, they were reactionism and cliche personified. The Beatles, optimistic and effervescent, represented an escape from reality. People, kids in particular, had a desperate need to believe in something that had nothing to do with bombs and upheaval. The Beatles put to music the enthusiasm of the masses and in return, in a cycle that bordered on perpetual motion, were enthusiastically acclaimed by the same masses.
The release of 'Rubber Soul' in December 1965 was notable for the completion of the Beatles' transition from Merseybeat to folk-rock. Certainly, the influence of the Byrds on this recording cannot be overstated. Was it merely a coincidence that the David Crosby-ian and exotic mood of 'Norwegian Wood' which followed their US tour was evident in the recording?
It seems unlikely, as does the influence of the rock and roll beat in 'Drive My Car' and 'Run For Your Life'. Moreover, the accompanyment of the sitar in 'Norwegian Wood' was already utilized by the Yardbirds and possibly the Kinks.
The timid psychedelia of 'Nowhere Man' and 'Rain' were arguably inspired by 'Eight Miles High', as were the vast repertoire of harmonies for their standards. The tender ballads 'Girl' and 'Michelle' were in the style of 1950s vocal groups and whilst pleasant in their own way, were hardly groundbreaking.
1965 was truelly a watershed in rock music and radical alternative culture in general, all of which clearly passed the Beatles by as evidenced in their adherence to conservative social attitudes that was more a reflection of the 1940s and 1950s then the emerging counter culture of the age.
At a time when the four "mop tops" were churning out pleasant ballads, timid psychedelia and music ground out on a barrel organ and accordian ('We Can Work It Out'), San Francisco was abound with long-haired hippies, of experimental pyschedelic music and Indian gurus.
Whilst hippies were experimenting with free love, poetry and LSD, the Beatles pursued the mirage of the "rave-up" with the hard riff of 'Day Tripper' (stolen from Watch Your Step of blues man Bobby Parker), a pathetic response to 'Satisfaction' by the Stones and 'You Really Got Me' by the Kinks.
The Beatles would finally free themselves from the obsession of emulating others in 1966 with the release of 'Revolver'.
 Excellent ! May 9, 2010
jan (borden kent.)
It was so good to hear this cd, the quality was good so much better than the one I purchased from e.bay a few years ago. Good quality sound just like the original LP.
 Things start to get interesting...... February 20, 2010
Mr. Jonathan Robin Oxley (Northampton, England)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Progress was hinted at on the Help album, although that album still had a certain amount of filler. But this was The Beatles pushing the boundaries of 60s music. Many a band were left behind after this (i.e Freddie And The Dreamers, Gerry And The Pacemakers) and who could compete with songs such as Drive My Car, Nowhere Man, Norwegian Wood, Girl, The Word, In My Life, You Won't See Me, I'm Looking Through You, etc. Nice to see George Harrison given the opprtunity to air a couple of his songs as well.....Think For Yourself and If I Needed Someone were very accomplished. As George said, he couldn't see much difference in style between Rubber Soul and Revolver.....yes, it's that good!
 2009 CD: Poor remastering. February 19, 2010
1972, male, civil servant, married, 2 kids (Brussels, Belgium)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
2009 CD: Poor remastering.
The CD may reveal new details on portable devices or in a car; however, it is a rather frustrating experience on a decent kit. Dynamic range apparently is severely compressed; as a result the sound is subjectively unpleasant - all just loud and lacking any climax.
This release does not do the justice to the album.
OH, what could have been... February 3, 2010
puma (Copenhagen Denmark)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
It's too bad that the Beatles' policy for releasing material meant they put out some awesome singles without those songs being included on the albums. Just think what Rubber Soul could have been if "The Word", "What Goes On" and "Run For Your Life" had been replaced by "Day Tripper", "We Can Work It Out" and "Yesterday". A shame they were forced to put such subpar material on this album.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 87
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