Exhausted Beatles still shine on 'Beatles For Sale'
Part of what established The Beatles as the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band of all time was the prolific nature of their early work.
When “Beatles for Sale” released on Dec. 4, 1964, it became the Fab Four’s fourth album in less than two years’ time. And it came out only 21 weeks after the band’s third album, “A Hard Day’s Night.”
Some might view “Beatles For Sale” as a placeholder between “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!,” both of which were attached to eponymous films. And while “A Hard Day’s Night” featured all original Lennon/McCartney compositions, only eight of the 14 tracks on “Beatles For Sale” were written by the band — a track listing similar to their first two albums, “Please Please Me” and “With The Beatles.”
Like other early Beatles albums, “Beatles For Sale” did not appear in the United States as an album until 1987 when the band’s catalogue was standardized for CD release. However, eight of its tracks appeared on the U.S. album “Beatles 65” and others were later released on “Beatles VI.”
The mood here is a bit somber. The lads were in the midst of an exhaustive schedule that included writing, recording, touring and filming. Even the cover photo, captured at Hyde Park, appears bleak. And John Lennon’s own songwriting had become darker, from the jilted lover of “No Reply” to the sad-sack songs “I’m A Loser” and “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party.”
By: Brian Passey
Source: The Spectrum
