SONGBOOK
RUBBER SOUL
It was the most out-there music they’d ever made, but also their warmest, friendliest and most emotionally direct. As soon as it dropped in December 1965, Rubber Soul cut the story of pop music in half – we’re all living in the future this album invented.
– Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 2015
I didn’t understand a word, I didn’t think it was any good, and then six weeks later you couldn’t live without the record. And that’s good – that’s when you trust the people who make music to take you somewhere you haven’t been before.
– Elvis Costello
TRACK LIST
Side 1:
Drive My Car (Lennon-McCartney)
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Lennon-McCartney)
You Won’t See Me (Lennon-McCartney)
Nowhere Man (Lennon-McCartney)
Think For Yourself (Harrison)
The Word (Lennon-McCartney)
Michelle (Lennon-McCartney)
What Goes On (Lennon-McCartney-Starkey)
Girl (Lennon-McCartney)
I’m Looking Through You (Lennon-McCartney)
In My Life (Lennon-McCartney)
Wait (Lennon-McCartney)
If I Needed Someone (Harrison)
Run For Your Life (Lennon-McCartney)
Released: 3 December 1965 (Parlophone)
Highest chart position: 1
Weeks in chart: 42 (8 at number 1)
FAB FACT
Once again, Robert Freeman was charged with producing the album cover shot; he photographed the band in John’s garden in Weybridge. When they all got together to look at the selection of shots taken, Freeman projected the images on an album-sized card to see how they would look, but the card slipped, elongating the image. They loved the distorted version even more, and it matched the album title.
FAB FACT
The title Rubber Soul was agreed upon as an in-joke and in solidarity – or was it a sly dig? – after the band had read a critique of the Rolling Stones as ‘plastic soul’.
FAB FACT
In an interview just as recording began, Paul revealed that his and John’s current songwriting development was branching out into ‘comedy songs’. It is true that the songs in Rubber Soul take on a more narrative approach in their lyrics – songs like ‘Girl’ and ‘Michelle’ parody Greek traditional music and French chanson – and throughout the album there are cheeky flourishes in the ‘beep, beep, yeah’ in ‘Drive My Car’ and the ‘tit, tit, tit’ backing vocals in ‘Girl’. Still, the album also reveals both Lennon and McCartney in a more contemplative mood.
FAB FACT
A highlight of the album, ‘In My Life’, was written mostly by John. He started to compose it as a nostalgic look back on the bus trip he made from Menlove Avenue to the centre of Liverpool, and wanted to name various people and places that meant a lot to him when he was younger. Struggling with the lyrics, once he made the decision to be less specific, the song flowed easily. In the studio, Paul helped out with the melody, and Martin contributed his distinctive solo by playing the piano at half-tempo and then speeding it up at the studio controls.
FAB FACT
The French phrases in ‘Michelle’ were translated for Paul by his childhood friend Ivan Vaughan’s wife, Jan.
FAB FACT
Ringo was given a songwriting credit on ‘What Goes On’, a song John had started writing back in Liverpool. In his self-deprecating way, when Ringo was asked about his contribution he replied that he’d only written ‘about five words’.
FAB FACT
‘Norwegian Wood (That Bird Has Flown)’ features the first appearance of an Indian sitar on a pop record after George became interested in the instrument after filming the Indian restaurant scene in Help! There has been much speculation about the identity of the woman: some suggest the song is about John’s friendship with London Standard journalist Maureen Cleave, who interviewed the band many times; others identify Sonny Freeman, the German model and wife of photographer Robert Freeman. Sonny shared a flat with John and wife Cynthia, and used to describe herself as Norwegian.