The Beatles: Re-Soled Rubber

Not sure I'd call this a re-imagined album; as with Revolver, I've mostly just added a single (and a bit more) to the running order. Still, figured I'd post it here.

Personally, I rarely listen to any pre-Revolver Beatles albums. Which isn't to slight the older stuff, which was groundbreaking and wonderful and all that; but for me, it was on Revolver--and the albums that followed--where music was clearly divided into "The Beatles" and "everybody else."

1965's Rubber Soul has always been a tough call, though. That's where they started moving from a singles band to an album band, though it was more noticeable on Revolver (and the transition completed on Sgt. Pepper). And it's full of great songs, many of which were moving squarely into more artistic territory. Yes, still plenty of AM radio pop songs ("Drive My Car" gets the album off to a weak start IMHO), but you've also got "Norwegian Wood" and "Nowhere Man" and "In My Life," all way ahead of their time (yes, as much as I love Paul, these are all John songs--just like the best tracks on Revolver).

So what's the problem? Well, mostly, it's a couple real clunkers. I've always hated "Michelle," sappy and totally a mood killer. And "Run For Your Life" is pretty gross--plus, creepy lyrics aside, it feels musically like a throwback to earlier work. Not that two bad songs should make me skip an LP (plenty of great albums have a few misses), but when there's so much jaw-dropping genius around the corner, I'm ok taking a pass.

Still, I thought I'd take a run at making it a little more interesting. As with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper, they left two of the best songs off the record and saved them for the single. "We Can Work It Out" is one of my favorite Beatles pop songs; and "Day Tripper," while far less a fave, is at least as good as most of the album (afore-referenced standouts aside). So add those in, and it's already a significantly stronger record.

I also included "I've Just Seen A Face" (Paul's, great) and "It's Only Love (John's, not); both were recorded late in the Help sessions, but included on the US version of Rubber Soul. They work just as well on Help (where I've always heard them), but, hey, just trying to create something here that feels a bit novel.

I ended up retaining "Michelle"--still hate it, will skip it when I listen to this, but Rubber Soul feels weird without it. Not so with "Run For Your Life," thoroughly expendable and jettisoned.

Anywhere, here it is. Enjoy.