Beatles For Sale | Page 11 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Beatles For Sale has become one of my favourite Beatles albums recently. What I love so much about it is the coherency on an emotional level and because I have had so many thoughts about it and can’t hold them back any longer, I will post them here. Apologies in advance, it’s going to be a very long analysis about the different moods and emotions in the album. So here we go:

It starts with No Reply . From the very first second, John’s voice sounds so accusing that a shiver runs down one’s spine but it gets even more intense when the crashing piano chords accompanying for example ‘I saw the light’ and ‘I nearly died’ appear. The mood is devastated and very dark, especially the ice cold, almost casual ‘it’s a lie’ and the pain in John’s voice is almost unbearable.

Next comes I’m A Loser . While all the pain had led to accusations of other people in the previous track the accusations are now against oneself. Instead of blaming others the character in the song now gets lost in self-pity (which he recognises himself ‘is it for her or myself that I cry’) and resignation. Even though it doesn’t sound like that musically, this track is even darker than the previous one because the character has allowed the loss of another person to completely destroy his self-esteem. and there is no hope in sight as the person hides it from others (‘Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown’)

Baby’s In Black : There is already a slight improvement in this track because the person in the song has gained some self-esteem again and doesn’t only focus on its own problems but rather on someone else’s. Still, the atmosphere is very hopeless and helpless. After all the pain in the first two songs, the person simply doesn’t know what to do. They ask themselves what they can do all the time without doing anything in the end because there is just no power left to deal with all the pain and do something about it.

In this track (Rock And Roll Music ) the development of the previous tracks towards being fed up with all the pain and not wanting to have to deal with it anymore becomes even more apparent because that’s actually the first upbeat track on the album. One has the feeling that the person has had enough of all the negative feelings and therefore chose to distract himself with some good rock’n’roll. (That’s such a great, energising track by the way).

Now, with I’ll Follow The Sun comes a song with one of the most mature and wise lyrics of all time in my humble opinion. The person, after having distracted himself successfully in the previous track, decides that it’s not only enough to distract themselves but that it’s really time to let go of everything attached with negative memories and start completely new again.

Mr Moonlight sounds just like the logical consequence to I’ll Follow The Sun to me. I always have to picture someone wandering through the woods, leaving everything they had behind and seeking peace of mind in nature. But still the thoughts about the initial rejection in No Reply , on which everything is based, haven’t completely faded away, they resurface in Kansas City /Hey-Hey-Hey. However, the way they resurface is humorous and not connected to pain anymore. One has the impression the person has finally let go of all the old problems and relationships which haven’t worked out and finally really says bye, bye instead of dwelling any longer.

And now, after having finally said bye, bye here comes the long anticipated new start: Eight Days A Week . The way the song starts out of nowhere and then builds up into a joyful, elated masterpiece of a song fortify this interpretation. It’s the first time in the album sheer joy is emerging and the emotional development of the person throughout the album so far has reached its peak. 

Words Of Love is a soft and gentle and also relaxing song. The person enjoys the feeling of being completely free from sorrow.

With Honey Don’t the positive emotions continue, the person is already able to crack jokes and be sardonic which indicates that the emotional state is stable again.

Every Little Thing is another love song, however, there is a faint dark note about this song again. Although the person enjoys and appreciates being in love it is again aware of the transience of love and remembers the past in which they have been lonely (I remember the first time I was lonely without her) then again there is this optimism again: I will love her forever For I know love will never die which sounds a bit like a desperate wish and an illusion to me, though. 

I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party addresses another rejection just like No Reply . However, this is the perfect example to understand how the person has developed during the album. Instead of being accusing or self-pitying or helpless, like the person was at the beginning of the album, the person is disappointed but doesn’t give up. Instead, he actually does something about it (I think I’ll take a walk and look for her) and also stays optimistic (Though tonight she’s made me sad I still love her).

This development is also apparent in What You’re Doing . Although the person had been hurt again, he this time tries to solve the problem through communication and not through blind despair and pain, which shows how the person has grown regarding its character.

Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby in its cheerful, upbeat, ironic, and confident style is the perfect conclusion to the album which leaves the listener, after two down songs, finally with the impression that the negative emotions and depressions are something of the past.

All in all, what I love about this album is how human it is. The development of the emotions is so human in all its flaws and relapses and struggles but finally, the atmosphere shifts from depression to distraction to joy to confidence and stability. The best thing is, how the album takes the listener (well, me at least) through all these emotions when one is lonely and a bit depressed oneself and leaves one confident at the end.

Thanks for your patience to everyone who read until the end of this very subjective post, I hope it hasn’t been too boring.

My favourite on this album is ‘Every Little Thing ‘. I love that song. Paul wrote it about Jane Asher.   ‘Rock n Roll Music’ is also brilliant,a lot better than the original. Lennon’s voice on it is amazing

sir walter raleigh said
That’s what I like about it. It kind of sounds like he’s holding back and taking it easy but he also sounds like he is working really hard to get the notes out. Its really striking to me.   

I have always been a fan of John’s vocals on Rock N Roll Music. It is such a great vocal performance and he may not belt it out like he did with Twist And Shout but there is a lot of energy which is needed for a song like this. 

Silly Girl said
Happy birthday, Beatles For Sale !

I’ve always liked the feel of this album, despite its patchiness. I think side 2 is my favourite half; even though No Reply and I’m A Loser are two of my favourite Beatles songs and such a fine pair, the second side has a better flow. But the whole album is good!  

I agree totally . Happy birthday Beatles For Sale