The Beatles' Stumble | The History of Beatles For Sale | Classic Albums

[@OSUalum41]

This Beatles "stumble" is a career defining masterpiece for almost anyone else.

[@dfreeman120]

100%

[@gregoryjclark81]

Yeah, 'stumble' was the only reason I clicked link. To say something along the lines of "following the most meteoric rise to international fame after working perhaps the most exhaustive schedule any musicians had ever faced over the 3-4 years leading up to late-1964...", then yes, an exhaustible stumble coupled with artistic drainage. After all, how may music groups record 4 LPs, let alone their first 4 successive albums in an 18-month span of time, mostly originals nonetheless?!?

[@sx20Ramar]

@OSUalum41 Couldn't have said it better myself! ✌️

[@nicktherecordlover1969]

Hear hear!

[@daydreamproductions2617]

With all due respect. This is their most underrated LP. No Reply, Im A Loser, and Eight Days a Week, are gems. The covers are among their best.

[@simplechronology2605]

He says all that. Did you bother to actually watch it?

[@nvm9040]

Definitely those three are gems and I’ll follow the sun is definitely a good Paul song

[@daydreamproductions2617]

@@simplechronology2605 I sure did. Im commenting on the clickbait title. Great video.

[@dj71162]

@@nvm9040 I'll Follow the Sun and What You're Doing are among my favourites!

[@beatlemaniacwaltdisneyfan4753]

To be underrated it must be rated lower than it actually DESERVES and that case goes for the help uk lp (rubber soul has stolen credit) as the most underrated lp, in the other hand "for sale" is perfectly rated

[@thejoyofthemusicinmylife7897]

If this album is a stumble then this is a stumble that many artist would love to have. Rockabilly and country influence on this one.

[@dfreeman120]

100%

[@duncan9058]

When it came out, I remember my friends and I even thought it could have been called Beatles Country.

[@raystaar]

I've been trying to write rock and pop music for my entire adult life. Never have I stumbled into the kind of greatness you can hear on virtually every track of Beatles For Sale.

[@Imw101]

One of the most enjoyable stumbles ever. The opening ascending chords to Eight Days A Week is sheer joy, George's picking on I Don't Want To Spoil The Party is uo there with the best Nashville cats.

[@monkmchorning]

Nashville artists could have mined the Beatles for covers, but being a company town, chose not to. Sad.

[@Cityzen1-p1n]

This was a great album No Reply / I'm a Loser / Baby's In Black / I'll Follow the Sun / Eight Days a Week / What You're Doing / Every Little Thing / I Don't Want to Spoil the Party ....All great songs

[@sgrant39]

It’s a amazing group of songs. Great country tunes. It’s basically their country album in the same way that Rubber Soul is their folk album.

[@jamescpotter]

Beatle For Sale was not only a dark album, but a significant musical evolution. They broke new territory with new ideas and sounds. I think it's a marvelous album.

[@jchow5966]

It is a wonderful album.

[@n.g.a.e.g.4534]

My most beloved

[@DC-js4gk]

Well I just have to comment here. My first ever album that I saved and saved for, only to be quite underwhelmed as a 9yo in early '65. That's because many of the songs are predictable and trite, but also because there's a change of focus with the dark subject matter, all a bit much for a kid. You can really feel them being torn between the happy moptops and the desire to branch out into new areas as the album wears on here. I'm sure if George had his way they'd still be playing Everybody's Tryin to be my Baby, even now. Still, some truly great performances and some excellent originals. To this day I regret not purchasing A Hard Day's Night. Plus there was a really bad cover for the album in my country so we missed the fine artwork which was next level for '64

[@dfreeman120]

This record is incredible on every level ! Only an amateur would call it a stumble.

[@chrisr1733]

Agree. I've unsubscribed.

[@tonybates7870]

It is a 'stumble' but only because they were so shattered. Also, it would be considered a classic by anybody else, it's just that it wasn't to their usual standard. It still has some brilliant originals plus Rock And Roll Music which is far superior to Chuck Berry's version.

[@dfreeman120]

@@tonybates7870 you’re an amateur and don’t have a clue what it takes to do what they did at that level. Just like criticizing Michael Jordan etc.

[@schuberttim]

An amateur, or a complete moron! I vote moron.

[@Assimandeli]

Been a Beatles fan since I was 8 years old and I'm sorry, but this album is mostly tripe.

[@jamesdrynan]

I clearly remember putting on my Koss Pro- 4AA headphones and hearing John sing, " I'm a loser..." like it was yesterday. I was fourteen and already a dedicated fan. This album showed how John and Paul were progressing as songwriters. Six months later came Help.

[@alanallison263]

How Many Bands would have loved that stumble!!! Great Album

[@Want0nS0up]

The Beatles for Sale was the Beatles at their prime without gimmicks and brilliant, smooth, exciting, tight performances. I remember thinking how good they were as a band. It was never very fashionable to like that album, but coming back to it was fantastic after the later, more sophisticated, albums.

[@lynnbraun9506]

This is actually one of my favorite Beatles albums...feels like a band morphing into something new...

[@Az3fan]

I agree....

[@jigzoos]

I was there when this album came out, and I assure you, it was not a stumble. It was a progression. The excitement that accompanied each new Beatles album at that time was electric. This was no different. It contains some of their greatest songs and was met with universal approval.

[@williamashton9235]

The first Beatles LP I ever bought was the U.S. equivalent, "Beatles '65."

[@JackMaglc]

I'm at least fifty years younger than you, and I completely agree!

[@GORDONMCGOOCHAN]

It wasn't a stumble but it was probably the smallest progression they made between any album, it was more a case of treading water and getting something out for the Christmas market. It certainly isn't a bad album and would take pride of place in many bands repertoire but we are talking about The Beatles here. I have no doubt it was met with universal appeal at the time but I think you may be hard pushed to find anyone who agrees that it contains some of their greatest songs, I would be surprised if any of them would be in my top 50 to be honest. I do like the album though and the sleeve is probably far and away my favourite photo of them, it suggests a feeling of, 'you may know us as the lovable moptops but we have got so much more in store for you.' It must have been incredible growing up as this music was being released, I was born in 1962 so just a little bit too late. Peace & Love.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@GORDONMCGOOCHAN " I think you may be hard pushed to find anyone who agrees that it contains some of their greatest songs" For me, "Baby's in Black," "What you're Doing," "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" and "Eight Days a Week" are among their greatest songs. And "Rock and Roll Music," "Honey Don't" and "Everybody's Trying to be My Baby" are among their best covers.

[@spockboy]

Beatles for Sale is the BEGINNING of their greatness. So many good songs.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

Please Please Me was the beginning of their greatest.

[@spockboy]

Your opinion, and you are entitled to it.@@ThisBirdHasFlown

[@ray-manciminera7622]

If you are looking for my professional opinion as Beatles fan I'll rate this as probably one of the most classic albums

[@michaelharrington75]

I don't think anyone is looking.

[@COBBETT1215]

This album is not a stumble in any way. That's rubbish. It's a superb album, up there with the bright pop of their other mid-sixties albums and gives us a wonderful picture of where they were creatively at that point. All the self penned songs on this album are right up to standard. No Reply, I'm a loser. Baby's in Black, I'll follow the Sun, Eight days a week, Every Little Thing, I dont want to spoil the party, What your doing . Some stumble. Apart from Mr Moonlight and Honey Don't, most of the covers are up to standard too, particularly Rock and Roll Music and Words of Love.

[@Skywohka]

I recently got really into this album after loving the lads' music my whole life

[@NiteMoves2010]

It was different...I recall asking my aunt "Is that the Beatles?" as i shared the bucket seat in my Uncles GTO!

[@robertwiles8106]

This was my first favorite Beatles album way back in the day!

[@DC-js4gk]

And mine! I remember being a bit disappointed as a kid though, the dark tone waa a change. And the country thing didn't really sit with their previous pop extravaganza Hard Days Night. But some great performances on this album, just their least loved. But not unloved.

[@Bottled-Soap]

For such a warm sounding album, I never knew how dark it was.

[@steveshattah]

What a solid good album especially for one recorded as the third album in a year's time.

[@markdoughty8780]

This one is streets ahead of their debut LP: Please, Please Me., and, considering they were suffering from touring and songwriting burnout, the quality of the songs, both original and covers is remarkable. One of the first Beatles CDs I bought, and what really alerted me to the enormous talent this band had. Thanks for uploading.

[@natemendsen1629]

I just said the same thing.The hits on the first lp were important enough to maybe call it better in a technical way, but the filler on the first was boring as hell and that is at least 1/2 the lp

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

@@natemendsen1629nope. 8 originals - 6 covers, just like Beatles for Sale.

[@mnmade9062]

“I’m a Loser” is one of my favorite Beatles tunes…as is “No Reply.” “Eight Days a Week” is a pop gem and singalong classic, and “I’ll Follow the Sun” is a beauty too…Come to think of it, for a supposed “stumble,” this is a pretty goddamned good album!

[@hlahla9479]

This is my true introduction to The Beatles. The first beginning to end that I rode the wave with. Beatles For Sale. Sean Pineda, you’ve been gone for 9 years now but I still thank you everyday for really putting me onto some deep, origin Dylan & The Beatles.

[@dj71162]

"What You're Doing" was good enough to be a single (albeit with tweaking and maybe some Lennon input), and that is a hill I am happy to die on.

[@dexterjankaren]

Is there anything more catchy or melodic or poppy?

[@Floyd_18]

The only way the track can be improved is if they kept John’s harmony throughout from previous takes!

[@monkmchorning]

Ringo's drum riff motivated my walk back and forth from school in the 7th grade. The fugue at the end is brilliant.

[@chriscampanozzi6516]

I've always enjoyed this album. Great harmonies, good tunes and growing artistry from the Lennon/McCartney songwriting team.

[@monkmchorning]

Really hitting their stride as England's Goffin and King.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

I consider this the best of their first 4 albums - they would have had more original compositions if it weren't for the fact the record executives were standing on their necks and screaming "COME ON!" - hence the covers. All the original compositions are fantastic and very inventive. The emotion runs very heavy on this album, especially on 'i Don't want to spoil the Party' and "No reply'.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

A stumble my ass. I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, Eight Days a Week, I'm a Loser, Every Little Thing... literal pop perfection, and the country and folk influences on their rock sound paved the way for many groups of '64.

[@georgeorr1042]

"I'll follow The Sun" is a forgotten gem. Also, "Words Of Love" has a fantastic guitar sound from George. Even improves on Buddy's original. I don't care for much else; but, then again, I'm much more into the heavier "White" album and 1968 Beatles. We all agree their catalogue is 2nd to none either way.

[@bobtaylor170]

Stumble? It's a terrific album! They were a little written out, which is why they recorded several covers. I will never understand why they didn't include "Leave My Kitten Alone."

[@Fool3SufferingFools]

The ratio of originals to covers was exactly the same as on their first two albums, 8 to 6. “A Hard Day’s Night” was the exception to the rule because they had overwritten to create potential songs for the film. “Beatles for Sale” was a return to what was at the time their standard 8/6 album form.

[@bobtaylor170]

@@Fool3SufferingFools good point!

[@DoctorInsomnia-qw7us]

If they had included " Leave My Kitten Alone" instead of "Mr. Moonlight", it would be a great album instead of a stumble after A Hard Day's Night, that's the difference one song makes...

[@bobtaylor170]

@@DoctorInsomnia-qw7us yes, indeed.

[@Fool3SufferingFools]

I don't understand the hate for "Mr. Moonlight" at all. Perfectly good track to me, and a staple of their early live shows. "Kitten" is not particularly interesting, just a standard 12-bar blues progression.

[@mightyal100]

I’m a huge Beatles fan but often guilty of overlooking this album. But whenever I play it I always think to myself “why don’t I play this more often!”

[@stormbringercoming8105]

I just listened to this record back before Christmas break and I couldn’t get over how great it is. It’s been ages since I played it. It was a friendly reminder of how bloody great they were and still are. I’ll take For Sale, any day over Revolver.

[@annesettanni2448]

I love this album! Especially the harmonies on “No Reply”

[@satanlaffing]

YES!!! especially the 2 "no reply"s at the end.

[@georgestevens1502]

And the middle eight in Baby's in Black. "Oh, how long will it take, 'til she sees the mistake she has made."

[@TaylorSchlupp]

This title alone hurts haha. I LOVE Beatles for Sale. The first 5 albums are where its at for me. Always have been.

[@frandinardis6700]

One of my favorite albums! So underrated!

[@jamesmanon3000]

The. U.S. version Beatles '65 was my favorite for years.Thank you

[@michaelharrington75]

Yeah, Beatles 65 was a great album. It took the best songs from Beatles For Sale, added the single I Feel Fine with She's A Woman, and included 'I'll Be Back', the final track from A Hard Day's Night.

[@stephenridley1153]

First LP I bought for myself. Special place in my heart. Still got it ❤ !

[@aunch3]

I’ve always thought that this LP, along with HELP!, was underrated.

[@dj71162]

Help! is undoubtedly underrated, probably because of the goofy cover and the fact that the better Rubber Soul came out so soon after it, dwarfing it. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", "Ticket to Ride", "Yesterday" and the title track are all time classics, not to mention great tracks like "You're Going to Lose That Girl" and "Tell Me What You See".

[@AndyJay1985]

George mentions in the Anthology series that he considers Rubber Soul and Revolver to be a part 1 and Part 2 deal. To me, Help to me is a great precursor to Rubber Soul.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

The middle 8 in Baby's in Black is one of the best things they ever did.

[@stevehoran5595]

A few of the peak moments on this album involve Paul's high harmonies on the bridge.

[@gordonmorris6359]

At the time, EVERYONE LOVED this album, I lived through Beatlemania and this album was as path-breaking as Rubber Soul and Revolver, the title was a brilliant double entendre pun.

[@dougdoesall]

Great album. Great songs. "I'm A Loser", "No Reply", "Eight Days A Week",...super super good. And moments of all the other originals. Some of the best musical moments of their career, in my opinion.

[@Macrobish]

The “best track on the album” is obviously very subjective and it’s a brave man that sticks his neck out and picks one. I could eliminate a few but “best” can change daily and let’s face it all their compositions are superb

[@johnsosnoski6238]

Beatles 65 was the first album I ever bought. That middle section of No Reply has to be one of the best middle 8's of all time. I didn't think much of the Beatles before that album. This album totally changed everything.

[@dino0228]

Baby’s in Black had such awesome vocal harmonies that it was a regular in their concerts and continually evoked screams of joy!

[@clamda]

..and not forgetting the most beautiful cover of any of their albums showing them in perfect harmony as a foursome. Something about those autumnal out of focus trees in the background, the end of the first incarnation

[@michaelharrington75]

Beatles For Sale is not the end of the first incarnation. It's the beginning of the second incarnation. Beatles For Sale, Help!, and Rubber Soul.

[@DC-js4gk]

​@@michaelharrington75No one thinks that apart from you. I kind of get what you're saying but really Rubber Soul belongs with Revolver in our heads. The dark tone certainly first turned up here, even in Macca's contributions, so I understand where you're coming from

[@michaelharrington75]

@@DC-js4gk I do hear the natural step from Rubber Soul to Revolver, but the albums are completely different sounding. Revolver has almost an electric, metallic sound to it. Kinda like that metallic taste you get when you take LSD. Rubber Soul is more acoustic, and has softer guitar tones. Rubber Soul sounds like an extension, and an upgrade from Help. Revolver sounds like they were starting something completely new, and experimental. Revolver had brass instruments, backwards guitars and vocals, and used sound effects and tape loops. Even the bass sound is beefed up on Revolver. I see Revolver as the beginning of their experimental, psychedelic phase that lasted through 67. George Harrison is the one that called Rubber Soul and Revolver "almost like volume 1 and volume 2", but George wasn't even sure which songs were on which album. I think Ringo got it right when he called Rubber Soul "the pot album" and Revolver "the acid album". Of course this is only my opinion. If fans want to think of Rubber Soul and Revolver as a double album, or volume 1 and 2, that's cool.

[@DC-js4gk]

​@@michaelharrington75Yes this album hasn't entered the Pantheon though, and for good reason. You can probably blame the rushed nature for that, there's a bit of shakiness here and there. My first ever album! The dark tone was a bit much for a 9yo, and I do remember wanting to like it more. To this day I regret not buying Hard Days Night. Plus in my country we missed the outstanding artwork and had an incredibly bad cover

[@monkmchorning]

@@DC-js4gk I was a spooky 12 year-old, so these songs hit the right spot.

[@neiltheblaze]

Great video. Any time I've tried to rank Beatles albums, I always try to give "Beatles for Sale" a better position than I objectively end up giving it. Mainly because I love it so and have great sentimental attachment to it. But just objectively speaking, try as I might, I can't rank it higher than 10th out of 13 - and it pisses me off. I love it - but they made nine better albums. They were an amazing band who did amazing things. This album is one of them.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@neiltheblaze "objectively speaking, try as I might, I can't rank it higher than 10th out of 13 - and it pisses me off. I love it - but they made nine better albums" On the other hand, 10th best is still magnificent if you've recorded at least 11 outstanding albums.

[@DC-js4gk]

Now I'm interested as to what you rate as worse, UK versions only please. If you rate Magical Mystery Tour lower than this...

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@DC-js4gk I don't know if you were replying to me or @neiltheblaze, but for me, The 2 1963 albums are worse. Please Please Me is easily their worst album. It's not a bad album and there's some great songs on it. But it is outweighed by every other LP they recorded. And With the Beatles, while it has one of the best covers, and is a good album and an improvement on the debut, doesn't rate higher than even the 4 "new" songs on "Yellow Submarine" in my opinion. There's no bad songs on it, and like the debut, it has some great songs on it. But everything they went on to do is better.

[@DC-js4gk]

@@grimtraveller7923 Yes replying to both really. Yes you could argue that the first and the second might be worse, and YSub is certainly worse. But many think the second album is fantastic. I'm not one of those. Tracks like "Devil in Her Heart" are clearly filler. If you have listened to the "Stereo" versions of the first two it really ruins the experience, and rather than exciting and new they sound cold and strange. At least Beatles for Sale sounds so good production-wise. So after all these years bagging this album, I now realize a lot of my childhood angst was around the darker tone and the country vibe.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@DC-js4gk I prefer YSub to WtBeatles. But I don't consider any songs a band does as "filler." For better or worse, they're part of the whole. I agree with you that the mono versions of those early LPs are superior although some stereo mixes on "Help" and "Revolver" are better. I always enjoy talking with Beatle people because the likes and dislikes are usually of great interest to me.

[@russellcampbell9198]

I am, in retrospect, amazed at the early output. No one these days would expect a band or singer to do a tenth of the output that the Beatles poured out between in '64/'65. I know that they did have a backlog of songs written before they broke, but they still had to refine and produce them. Even the covers were mostly gems.

[@richieRichard613]

I remember a record shop in liverpool that opened (1970's), and had copies of all the capital releases and pressing from EMI spain of all the original uk LP versions all in stereo mixes

[@brenthooton3412]

Imagine an alternate reality where they followed the AHDN mold and put both single tracks on the LP and were happy with 13 tracks. (Remember that 4 of AHDN's 13 songs were also released as 45s, even in the UK.) They could've added I Feel Fine and She's A Woman, culled 3 of the weaker covers, and maybe swapped another cover for Leave My Kitten Alone. (Put out the 4 extracted covers as an EP, as a follow up to Long Tall Sally.) That would've dramatically changed the album's legacy.

[@TigerRogers0660]

I 100% agree!! This business of George Martin saying that we will keep singles separate from albums was a joke. 2 singles & their "B" sides appeared on AHDN - so why was "I Feel Fine" & "She's A Woman" left of the album?? "She's A Woman" would've been a great opener. As you said, "Leave My Kitten Alone" should've also been included!! They could have also finished George's song "You Know What To Do".

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@TigerRogers0660 "This business of George Martin saying that we will keep singles separate from albums was a joke" Not least, because it didn't happen religiously. There are singles on "Please Please Me," "A Hard Day's Night," "Help !", "Revolver," "Abbey Road," "Yellow Submarine" and "Let It Be."

[@TaylorSchlupp]

Second comment after watching the whole video... Great video! The title still hurts lol. When i was a kid i grew up going to car shows and cruise ins with my dad. He was a 1st gen Beatles fan. So his two favorite albums were Beatles for Sale and With the Beatles. Ive always loved both albums and actually all 5 first albums. I like the later stuff too but as a die hard Beatles fan, the first 5 are where its at for me. The album doesnt get talked about enough so thank you for your deep dive into it.

[@allanspence1347]

Jon Anderson and Yes covered Every Little Thing on their first album.

[@ktcarl]

I'm glad I stumbled on this video. I can't for the life of me wonder how this album could be referred to as a stumble.

[@shanemarcbennett2519]

The US version Beatles 65 was😊 HUGE HUGE HUGE

[@JohnBradbury-z6z]

A great album - it still sounds very fresh - superb.

[@josephblue4135]

I loved "Beatles 65" but now I have "Beatles For Sale" with more songs. It's brilliant!

[@PamelaMcIntyre-d1j]

This is one of my favorites!

[@danielanderson2331]

The short scale makes them good rhythm machines, quite fun to play as well. I remember playing a 325v63 when I was little and it was gem and a 350 Liverpool

[@jorgemansilla9043]

I love this album.

[@kentinspacetime5378]

My favorite album. I’ll Be Back my favorite song.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

That's on A Hard Day's Night

[@TomTester-ey1rt]

On the American albums it's on Beatles 65

[@jeffschielka7845]

It's The Beatles. Enough said!👍😎

[@davedee4382]

Sorry, but you’re wrong. I have been a Beatles fan since the first came to America. I could tell you in America our version of this album if you could call it that, was called Beatles 65. It was one of the most popular Beatles albums. The remakes, which nowadays the recall covers of rock ‘n’ roll songs were really terrific. Everybody loved those. And the Beatles own compositions on that album were incredible. The really beautiful songs. I don’t wanna spoil the party I think was out there, I’ll follow the Sun was on there, no reply it’s just so well done. I listened to it in mono growing up but when I was a teenager an older teenager, I got the stereo album and I couldn’t believe how well done that song was. And whatever the last song was on the album. That was a great song too. Modern day fans don’t understand. This album received top reviews from critics who are usually critical of the Beatles. You wouldn’t know that unless you grew up in that period. Remember to that in England, the Beatles recorded the hard days night with its 14 original tracks and all of their previous recordings. They were constantly busy. They were on the road throughout the world! Then they were rushed back to the studio, and expected to record new songs that they had written while they were out traveling! and instead of serving up junk, this album had beautiful songs on it plus those remakes of rock ‘n’ roll Classics. Ringo’s song was particularly popular! And another song recorded at the sessions of Ringo’s matchbox, was the B-side of the current Beatles single! If you want to talk about faltering, rubber soul was the album that Fields were shocked by. it didn’t have that sort of wild Beatles sound that they did on their up-tempo numbers. It was very Sedate. It got mixed reviews and this is the truth, it’s initial sales or below the other Beatles albums. But you wouldn’t know that. many fans said that it took time for them to get used to the album. I’m talking about the American version.

[@TheKeithandre]

The proof how hood it was , I play this for my 6 year old granddaughter and she can’t get enough and she listens too mostly Disney tracks

[@caryriggs5719]

I have this album on cd in my car. Quite enjoy it too.

[@EmmanuelGoldstein3]

I've always liked this album, which I consider their most underrated. It's the first real full expression of their glorious middle period, and several of the songs could have fit seamlessly on Rubber Soul. All of the originals are great, as are most of the covers.

[@nope2dat]

I actually think if you were to make a best of compliation with this and rubber soul it would feature more for sale songs. Beatles for sale never quite hits the heights of in my life or nowhere man but I would definitely be cutting songs like Think for yourself, the word, and what goes on far more easily than any of the Beatles for sale tracks (except maybe words of love)

[@jackzaccardi1896]

Great songs. Great album.

[@Floyd_18]

One of my favourite records by them, this one is defined by George’s 12 string and it sounds brilliant. Songs like No Reply and Baby’s In Black are up there with their best.

[@GregoryWhite-g8x]

That picture of Dylan with Ramblin' Jack Elliot...so cool!!! And I love Beatles For Sale!!!

[@rickschoch8586]

This is a great album, much better than the American Beatles '65. More great tunes

[@grimtraveller7923]

I remember getting “Beatles for Sale” when I was 14, back in ‘77. I listened to it the next day and pretty much loved it from the start. And I still do. There are a couple of weaker spots like most of “Mr Moonlight” and bits of “Words of Love” {though I still dig those songs} but otherwise, every moment on the album is a winner. It was George Martin who popularized the “Beatles for Sale and Help ! were the Beatles’ low spots” {read his quotes in the Complete Beatles’ recording sessions, for example} way of looking at their history ~ and he was entitled to his opinions. And we’re entitled to disagree with him. And I do. After all, he is the guy that thinks the “Let it be” album is crap because of Phil Spector, he is the guy that thinks the White album should have been a single album, he is the guy who thought “Within you Without you” was a boring dirge, he is the guy who frequently said something couldn’t be done {Strawberry Fields Forever, anyone ?} yet his untutored charges showed otherwise. So I’ve never been inclined to take George’s words and views as holy writ ! Especially when I’ve loved the things he’s denigrating for years before I heard him say those things. When you consider the quality of the songs they’d done prior to the album {The Hard Day’s Night album and the Long Tall Sally EP} as well as “I feel Fine” and “She’s a Woman” that went with these sessions, plus all their touring, breaking America and Australia, plus making a film and moving to their various estates, negotiating their relationships etc, and also that 1964 was the Beatles’ first year where they faced serious competition {it started with the Rolling Stones, the Animals, the Hollies and the Dave Clark 5 and ended with the Kinks}, then in point of fact, Beatles for Sale is hardly a stumble, it’s a continuing remarkable achievement. It shows the Beatles coping with the pressures and turning out quality product when perhaps they had no right to do so. It was the first time they’d had to really show their mettle; 1963 had been theirs. 1964 showed that they had the necessary balls to stay ahead of the game and Beatles for Sale was an integral part of that. As for the cover, I have marvelled for decades how people continually remark on how tired they look. Hello ? It’s a photograph. A staged photograph. They could have been at the height of joy and physical fitness and loving life and happy as Larry but if the need for the moment was a photo in which one is supposed to look tired and miserable, then you pose for a photograph that makes you look tired and miserable ! They looked tired on “With the Beatles”, “Help !”, “Rubber Soul”, “Sergeant Pepper” and “Abbey Road.” Yet there are zillions of photos and film of them in interviews when we know they were tired and/or pissed off yet they look ebullient. Equally there are zillions of pictures around the latter half of ‘64 that show them looking anything but tired. The reality of the Beatles is that they progressed with each passing year and broke up at just the right time. Beatles for Sale {a clever album title that gave rise to the attitudes that brought the title of the White album “The Beatles,” 4 years later} has always taken its place as part of that progression.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

I grew up with the U.S. Capitol recordings so when I play this one my mind bounces between Beatles 65 and Beatles VI. I always liked Beatles 65, especially the album cover. As for Beatles for Sale, it's a solid record that acts a bridge between the bands early and middle periods. I don't know why so many people slam Baby's in Black. I love that song. It's Lennon and McCartney doing their Phil and Don two-harmony bit and it's written in 3/4 time which I dig. John may have liked Mr. Moonlight but I have always considered that one of their worst. That cheesey roller-rink organ in the middle is just horrible. I was in a band that used to play Honey Don't. That's a fun song and I'll Follow the Sun and I'm a Loser are classics in my book. John called Beatles for Sale the Beatles country record. It does have a Sun Record rockabilly flavor to it but it's actually a pretty diverse record and while the Beatles may have been influenced by Dylan at the time, they were influencing him as well. He said the Beatles and Animals gave him permission to plug his guitar in and the cover for Blonde on Blonde is very close stylistically to Beatles for Sale. I like it. It's not my favorite, but it's a good LP.

[@brenthooton3412]

I grew up with Beatles 65 too, and later Beatles VI. When I finally bought the CD, it was disorienting thinking of Kansas City as the last track on Side 1. I'd just finished hearing all of Side 1 of Beatles 65 and now I was hearing the Kansas City / Eight Days a Week 1-2 pair that started Beatles VI. And I still think of What You're Doing and Every Little Thing as side openers and closers.

[@brenthooton3412]

I don't remember hearing people slam Baby's in Black before today! (That fate was always reserved for Mr. Moonlight...) The Beatles liked it enough to play it repeatedly in concert.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

@@brenthooton3412 I've seen a few videos now where people are critical of the song, same goes with It's Only Love but I think that has to do with John criticizing it. But John said a lot of things and criticized a lot of stuff.

[@natemendsen1629]

Its funny but I love Mr Moonlight because of the reasons you dont like it.If they did that sort of thing more often than it be one thing, but it was their sendup of schmaltzy weird R&R rock tunes that were everywhere during the golden age

[@gcrichman53]

There are many great reviews of The early Beatles albums by Brian Passey for USA Today's The Spectrum music page and here is his review of Please Please Me The Beatles Debut Album Was Just The Beginning he says the album was the beginning of something special, and says actually it wasn't just special it was monumental, it was the biggest thing to happen to rock n roll since it's invention a few years earlier. He then says, it was the beginning of the greatest band in history of not just rock n roll but of popular music. The Beatles Debut Album With The Beatles Reveals Legends In The Making The Beatles Invade With a Hard Day's Night The Beatles Changed The Face Of Rock Music With Help Exhausted Beatles Still Shine on Beatles For Sale Brian rightly says that part of what established The Beatles as the greatest rock n roll band of all time, was the prolific nature of their early work.

[@gns423]

Beatles For Sale is a great album. Very underrated.

[@grayhawk.music.minneapolis]

Good video. The musicians I’ve played with live and in the studio over the past 30+ years are all Beatle nuts. We generally feel that Beatle albums are not rankable, but each one has its own evolutionary markers for the group. “I Feel Fine” (on the Beatles ‘65 version) is a superb pop song with inventive vocals and harmonies, plus excellent guitar playing. The chord progression of “No Reply” is underrated, the bridge vocal harmony on “Baby’s In Black” might be one of John and Paul’s best, and “I’ll Follow The Sun” - previously set aside as it was not viewed as a good fit - quietly represents the group’s masterful songcraft. Thanks for pointing out the importance of this album.

[@monkmchorning]

I don't like musical rankings either. I'd rather just ponder, "How did they do this? Why did they do this?"

[@P0LGARIS]

I believe that the vocals of 'Eight days a week' and 'Every little thing' was not purely done by John Lennon, but sang by both John and Paul in unison. If you listen carefully you could hear both of their voices, although John's cuts through a bit stronger.

[@rustynail766]

The feedback on I Feel Fine (A side of their single) was a giant contribution and innovation! Stumble?!!

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Not a stumble at all. One of their finest albums.

[@tapeNJ]

Beatles For Sale is my favorite Beatles album. I consider it to be the entry to the middle period of the band's recording career. Some say it was Rubber Soul, but I don't agree with that. Right here, in Beatles For Sale, the band changed.

[@jeffkaufman9875]

WITH THE BEATLES/BEATLES VI is, on the contrary, a relatively-unsung CLASSIC, and my personal favorite amongst all the giants that preceded and proceeded it in their incomparably-superlative musical catalog…

[@phengkimving]

Long live Ringo-George-Paul-John's music!!

[@klmullins65]

One of my favorite early Beatle albums…2nd only to the Hard Days Night soundtrack

[@YnotNomis]

For me, 'Beatles for Sale' was the first stage of the Beatles getting away from their "Lovable MopTop" images toward more sophisticated artist.

[@brianhansen106]

The songwriting on this album shows signs of maturity.

[@Theactivepsychos]

Misssssteeeeeeeerrr moonliiiiiiight.

[@mtp4430]

I love this album. It’s the next logical step forward after a hard days night. Every little thing, I don’t want to spoil the party, I’m a loser, babys in black (a nice little waltz), eight days a week, no reply etc. etc. etc.♥️👍

[@richwatson5308]

First beatles lp in my house and my favorite.

[@juanmarte3298]

THE TRACK "LEAVE MY KITTEN ALONE WAS RECORDED DURING THE BEATLES FOR SALE SESSIONS, BUT IT WASN'T INCLUDED ON THE BEATLES FOR SALE .

[@MarkRoberts-bj2me]

What a drag that is too. Leave My Kitten Alone is another JWL quality effort.

[@brucehartnell1475]

This record reminds me more of an early Rolling Stones record than an actual Beatles record. That’s because of all of the cover songs.

[@37Dionysos]

Thanks for this fine analysis of a kind you don't see every day!

[@PaulIsaacT.PowerPoet-so1gh]

This is the highest perfection of their Hamburg sound, and closes the cycle began at der Grosse Friehight.

[@gernblanston8056]

I love Beatles for Sale. This should have read as, "Music Box USA stumbles."

[@reneaceves8820]

Amazing sounding record, with some of the best originals of their early period. The covers, rather than being mere filler, pay worthy tribute to influences like Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly. Help was a better album, but Beatles for Sale paved the way for it.

[@thomasschaub1594]

I think BFS has the best opening of any Beatles album.

[@michaelmamp9096]

Very underrated!! I put these tracks over several on their white album.❤

[@dwayneandrews2059]

Amazing how they evolved their sound and innovations in such a relatively short time frame. Was born the year they broke up but still 1 of my favorite bands. Paul rocked it when I saw him last year.

[@adamquinn3235]

My favorite album of the 63-64 period. The songwriting grows by leaps and bounds on BFS.

[@natemendsen1629]

Man I like this better than their first Lp as a whole, I mean the 4 or so hits on the first are enough to make it "better" but the filler on that lp is harder for me to get thru. And IDGAF but Mr Moonlight is friggin awesome.R&R always had schmaltz and strange numbers and that is what it was.

[@dallasryle7740]

Love this record! it did not get great reviews , love words of love

[@clydekimsey7503]

This cover photo is my favorite photo of them😊

[@timothyflyte9443]

Nice video. Good channel. I believe it was said , John ,Paul & George Martin played the piano on R n R music ( maybe as an overdub ) as both R R music , Kansas City , Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby & Honey Don't were cut live in the studio , much like the first album was.

[@fourthtunz]

I think people need to rate John Lennon higher as a vocalist, his acappella intro to Mr. Moonlight is amazing!

[@monkmchorning]

You have to hear his false start in Anthology. The first one. Heartrending.