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11.09am
8 August 2019
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1
BEATLES FOR SALE (1964) AVERAGED RANK
This is a copy paste:
I decided to go on a task of continuing and updating list of every post averaged in the thread to create a decent ranking of the tracks off every album. In this case Beatles For Sale . I clarify my process and rules below.
1 – No Reply (219 points)
2 – I’ll Follow the Sun (200 points)
3 – I’m a Loser (198 points)
4 – Eight Days a Week (177 points)
5 – Baby’s in Black (175 points)
6 – Every Little Thing (166 points)
7 – What You’re Doing (148 points)
8 – Rock and Roll Music (142 points)
9 – Words of Love (109 points)
10 – I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party (91 points)
11 – Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (88 points)
12 – Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby (72 points)
13 – Honey Don’t (66 points)
14 – Mr. Moonlight (60 points)
brought to you by some of the most renowned and important Beatles critics in the world
:
50yearslate,
AvecPaix,
DayInTheLife,
Dingle Lad,
Dr.Bert,
Elementary Penguin,
happinessisawarmgun,
myself,
Kaniffee,
knowhereman,
Magill,
meanmistermustard,
Mr.Bellamy84,
RingoStarrDrums,
SgtPeppersBulldog,
Skelter,
The Hippie Chick,
The walrus100,
TheWalrusWasBrian,
Vera Chuck and Dave
& vonbontee.
Averaging process and rules:
A pretty classic averaging system; it goes basically by giving the maximum amount of points to the top track on every post (in this case 13) and as the list progresses into the “worst” tracks each track gets one point less. The last track gets no points. For this to apply the post must have the 14 Beatles For Sale songs ranked.
IMPORTANT: if you think one of your rankings might have one of these ambiguous qualities that might disqualify it and you want to be counted in the averaging DON’T edit it; post it again with more detail, otherwise I won’t be able to subtract the points and add them again and it won’t be counted anyway.
Particular cases:
-NO. 1- Sometimes if there is a track missing but there’s a written clarification, it can be counted. In the case of Abbey Road , for instance, some people don’t count Her Majesty . In that case I count the post and give no points to Her Majesty only if there is a written statement of why its missing. If one track is missing and the post doesn’t have any written clarification then it is considered a mistake and therefore disqualified.
-NO. 2- The tracklist considered is taken out of the Wikipedia/RYM/Discogs “official” tracklists. This means those who rank the Abbey Road Medley as a whole don’t get counted unless they clarify by writing that the tracks separately also rank that way, same with any variation of the sort.
-NO. 3- If a person implies to a previous post that “that would exactly be [their] ranking” and don’t post any ranking themselves, then the points of the first person will be added a second time in behalf of the second person.
-NO. 4- Only one person each ranking. If you posted several times your changes, only the last one will be counted (unless it has any mistakes, missing tracks, etc., in that case then the last one that has no issues will be the one counted).
-NO. 5- The rankings are considered given the numbers apply to them, “1” universally represents the top spot. Unless there is a written statement that clarifies it’s the other way around, this is the way it will be counted.
-NO. 6- If there are no numbers on the ranking and no written clarification it could go either way. At first I used to think the ones at the top were the number 1 spot but in some cases it just isn’t that way. So I decided I’ll just grab the worst rated track up to that point and I see if it falls on the top half or the bottom half. If it falls on the top half I’ll consider the bottom half the top spot and if it falls on the bottom half then I’ll consider the top half the top spot. It might be unfair at times as it might reverse someones’ ranking if they are unlucky by voting positively a previously negatively voted track, but in the grand scheme of things I think it was mostly accurate. In case that the number of tracks is odd (A Hard Day’s Night , Sgt. Pepper ‘s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour , Yellow Submarine ‘s Side B & Abbey Road ) and the worst rated track falls in precisely the middle spot then I just take the second to worst rated and judge as to where that one falls.
-NO. 7- If there are “ties” in someone’s ranking their ranking can still be counted but it won’t represent exactly the ties in the overall averaging. If there is still a list-like format then I go from the bottom to the top adding points just like usual, so tied tracks can get different scores but just differing in one single point or two (unless you tie like 5 tracks together), but I think it’s more fair than not letting those people participate at all. It might seem unfair but if the tied tracks were to get the same points, it would increasingly leave an averaging gap between those songs so it’s mathematically better to just stick to the original adding process.
-NO. 8- If there are two tracks that are “tied” then I will just give more points to the one that is named first, regardless of descriptions, just to keep the whole thing going. Unless there’s a specific written clarification of why one of the tracks is better or more of a favourite, then I’ll just give more points to the one named first.
-NO. 9- However, if there’s a tie between three tracks (or more) then that post will no longer be counted unless the list has a specific ranking format in which case see item “-NO. 7-“.
-NO. 10- I guess that if someone doesn’t want to be counted in the averaging he can ask me not to count him in but I hope nobody does that so we get his opinion too
All of these rules are up to debate if someone disagrees with part of the judgement. I’m sure we can reach an agreement if they are considered questionable.
IMPORTANT: if you think one of your rankings might have one of these ambiguous qualities that might disqualify it and you want to be counted in the averaging DON’T edit it; post it again with more detail, otherwise I won’t be able to subtract the points and add them again and it won’t be counted anyway.
Also here’s a playlist with the results from worst to best in case you want to see how effective it proves in practice (I’ll try edit these as well):
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sir walter raleigh, Sexy Sadiethe watusi
the twist
9.51pm
26 August 2015
Offline
- [sp_show_poll id=”85″]I’ll Follow The Sun
- Eight Days A Week
- Rock And Roll Music
- Kansas City
- No Reply
- Mr. Moonlight
- Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
- I’m A Loser
- Baby’s In Black
- Words Of Love
- I Dont Want To Spoil The Party
- Honey Dont
- Every Little Thing
- What You’re Doing
"The Only Lyrics That Made Me Cry Were "I Don't Believe In Beatles, The Dream Is Over - RingoStarrDrums
11.29pm
26 January 2014
Offline Eight Days A Week gets my vote
I’m A Loser , No Reply , and I’ll Follow The Sun being the only contenders for me
I like Mr Moonlight a lot though
8.46am
25 July 2015
Offline In the end I went for Eight Days A Week but it was nearly Rock And Roll Music .
12.23pm
1 September 2015
Offline 1. No Reply
3. I’m A Loser
4. Rock N Roll Music
5. What Your Doing
9. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
10. Honey Don’t
11. Words Of Love
12. Mr. Moonlight
13. Kansas City
14. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
This album starts very strong. No Reply is such a great song. You look at the cover and it perfectly captures the vibe of that song and the next 2. There are weak moments throughout but it’s an interesting record for what it is.
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The Hippie Chick5.59pm
28 March 2014
Offline
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms! 
7.41am
17 January 2016
Offline Dr.Bert said
1. No Reply3. I’m A Loser
4. Rock N Roll Music
5. What Your Doing
9. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
10. Honey Don’t
11. Words Of Love
12. Mr. Moonlight
13. Kansas City
14. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
This album starts very strong. No Reply is such a great song. You look at the cover and it perfectly captures the vibe of that song and the next 2. There are weak moments throughout but it’s an interesting record for what it is.
Well, this. Precisely how I’d rank ’em meself.
“She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.” - J.D. Salinger
11.23am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline - No Reply – Favourite ever Beatles song.
- I’m A Loser – Cracking follow-up on the album, great lyrics
- I’ll Follow The Sun – So sunny, love Johns vocal harmony, sounds so similar to Paul.
- What You’re Doing – Love the drum opening, the solo and how John and George get lost with the backing vocals.
- Every Little Thing – Always thought this was vastly underrated.
- I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party – Never known why but I really like this for some reason.
- Words Of Love – Gorgeous vocals and I love George’s solo.
- Rock And Roll Music – Fabulous Lennon vocal that blows you away. The piano playing at the end is so good.
- Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby – Great rockabilly cover, great guitar work by George.
- Honey Don’t – Nice Ringo cover, great guitar work by George x 2.
- Baby’s In Black – Better as part of the first five tracks than on its own.
- Eight Days A Week – Meh. Feel the same way as John and Paul did -> total throwaway.
- Mr. Moonlight – Great opening, the rest is dull, the solo horrendous.
- Kansas City – One heck of a boring pointless crap cover of a piece of original crap. Sadly, as with A Taste Of Honey ‘, over the years we’ve been battered with other versions as Paul kept playing the piece of crap on the BBC and live. It exists, sadly.
The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:
50yearslate"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.25pm
8 April 2016
Offline - I’ll Follow The Sun – It’s a very nice song, an early masterpiece from Paul.
- Rock And Roll Music – Love John’s vocals on this one.
- Mr Moonlight – Yes, I do like this one. It makes me happy for some reason.
- I’m A Loser
- Baby’s In Black
- Words Of Love
- I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
- Eight Days A Week
- What You’re Doing
- Honey Don’t
- Every Little Thing
- Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
- No Reply – It’s repetitive and annoying. I also don’t like the lyrics. I honestly don’t feel bad for the guy in the song, because he is a jerk who’s spying on that girl.
- Kansas City /Hey Hey Hey – I think it’s irritating. I don’t skip any Beatles song, but when I hear this song I often wish I could allow myself to skip songs.
12.02am
15 March 2017
Offline 14. Mr Moonlight – I think I would rate this as my least favourite Beatles song of all time.
13. Kansas City / Hey Hey Hey – I don’t mind this song but it isn’t their best.
12. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party – I don’t mind listening to this song but I don’t get particularly excited about it.
11. Honey Don’t – One of my favourite Ringo cover songs.
10. Words Of Love – I love the vocals on this song.
9. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby – Good vocal from George and of my favourite of his cover/early songs.
8. What You’re Doing – I like the drums on this track in particular.
7. Every Little Thing – I think this song is really underrated. I think it is a great pop song with some really good lyrics. It doesn’t get enough praise.
6. Rock And Roll Music – One of my favourite Beatle covers. I love John’s vocals and the piano at the end.
5. Eight Days A Week – A nice little pop song. I know John and Paul have said it’s a throwaway but I can’t help but like this song.
4. I’ll Follow The Sun – I love the melody. One of Paul’s best early songs in my opinion.
3. Baby’s In Black – The melody vocals from John and Paul really make this song great for me. I do like the lyrics as well.
2. No Reply – This is one of the best openers to a Beatles record. It really sets the mood and is hinting that the band is changing.
1. I’m A Loser – My favourite track on this record and one of my all time favourites. John was obviously influenced by Dylan on this one but he really comes into his own and bares his soul rather than writing a bouncy pop song, which is what he had done up until this point.
And in the end the lunch you take is equal to the lunch you bake.
12.54pm
1 December 2009
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14. Words Of Love – This adds little to Buddy Holly’s original…it’s always felt too reverent and a bit lifeless. Still a great song.
13. Mr. Moonlight – I’ve never minded this track at all. The instrumental (and vocal!) eccentricities are charming.
12. Kansas City /Hey Hey Hey Hey – Goes on a bit too long (the second half is pretty unnecessary) but a great Paul vocal nonetheless. And the fact that it’s a medley makes it unique in the discography.
11. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby – I’ll admit, I’d like this one considerably less without the crazy echo effects, especially during the unaccompanied vocals. Aside from that, my favourite thing about the song is that final whimsical guitar run.
10. Honey Don’t – Two Carl Perkins covers is one too many, especially when George can’t think of a second solo and is content to just “rock on” the same way second time around. Ringo’s cheerful performance really makes this track for me – he even gets in a subtle plug for the Beatles’ new single!
9. I’ll Follow The Sun – A perfectly decent song that’s never meant too much to me.
8. I’m A Loser – This song is as great as everybody says it is, but the fact that it’s such an exuberant performance lessens its impact for me. (And yeah, I realize that exuberance is kinda the point, laughing and acting like a clown and all…I dunno)
7. What You’re Doing – I love the unsettling vibe of this song, what with the shouts instead of harmonies, that dissonant piano/12-string break, and that vaguely menacing drumbeat
6. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party – Great song and performance, reminds me of something the Everly Brothers might’ve done. To me, this one sounds the way “I’m A Loser ” should’ve sounded.
5. Eight Days A Week – Boring lyrics in the verses, and that don’t matter at all because this song is really about that amazing shimmery intro, and the handclaps, and Paul’s bassline…really, everything about this song is just so effortlessly joyful
4. Every Little Thing – Great song, recording, performance
Every little thing about the top three is perfect and I have nothing more to say
1. No Reply
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
50yearslateGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
11.22pm
12 April 2017
Offline I’ll probably get the most grief from ranking R-n-R Music so low. It’s just not that catchy to me, and I don’t care for the chord changes. I do like it’s rhythms & energy though. It’s grown on me over the years, so maybe one day I’ll rank it even higher.
14. Mr Moonlight
13. Kansas City /Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
12. Words Of Love
11. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
09. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
08. Honey Don’t
07. I’m A Loser
03. Baby’s In Black
02. No Reply
2.48pm
17 September 2018
Offline 1. No Reply
4. Kansas City
5. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
6. I’m A Loser
8. Honey Don’t
10. Mr.Moonlight
11. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
12. Rock N Roll Music
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
To earn his day of leisure?
Will she still believe it when he's dead
11.04am
15 November 2018
Offline 1. No Reply : 16/10
2. I’ll Follow The Sun : 10/10
3. Eight Days A Week 9/10
4. What You’re Doing 8.5/10
5. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby 8/10
6. Rock And Roll Music 8/10
7. Baby’s In Black 8/10
8. Words Of Love 8/10
9. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party 8/10
10. Every Little Thing 8/10
11. Honey Don’t 7/10
12. Kansas City /Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey 7/10
13. I’m A Loser 7/10
14. Mr Moonlight 6.75/10
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QuarryManLove one another.
- - -
(I'm Fiddy, not Walrian)
- - -
2018:
2019: 
2020:
6.38pm
24 June 2019
Offline 1) No Reply
6) I’m A Loser
9) Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
10 I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
12) Mr Moonlight
13) Kansas City /Hey Hey hey Hey
14) Honey Don’t
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QuarryMan1.53am
23 July 2019
Offline 1. I’ll Follow The Sun
2. No Reply
3. Eight Days A Week
4. I’m A Loser
5. What You’re Doing
6. Every Little Thing
7. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
8. Words Of Love
9. Baby’s In Black
10. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
11. Rock And Roll Music
12. Honey Don’t
13. Kansas City / Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
14. Mr. Moonlight
Was pretty tough to make opposed to the following ones before this one. It’s a great album, just like all the other ones. 
"Was she told when she was young
That pain would lead to pleasure?
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
To earn his day of leisure?"
- John Lennon, "Girl"
5.09pm
30 April 2019
Offline 1. Every Little Thing
2. I’ll Follow The Sun
3. I’m A Loser
4. Kansas City
5. Rock And Roll Music
6. What You’re Doing
7. No Reply
8. Baby’s In Black
9. Eight Days A Week
10. Words Of Love
11. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
12. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
13. Honey Don’t
14. Mr. Moonlight
This is my ranking from awhile ago. I’d probably put I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party higher than it is currently.
9.53am
Moderators
Members
Reviewers
20 August 2013
Offline Aw, @Tangerine, I am so glad to see Every Little Thing at the top of this list. It is my favorite Beatles song. To me, it has smatterings of all the elements that made the Beatles great.
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The Hole Got Fixed, Beatlebug, Tangerine, 50yearslateCan buy Joe love! Amazon | iTunes
Check here for "how do I do this" guide to the forum. 
(2017) 
(2018)
4.22am
11 September 2018
Offline 1. No Reply – A great opening track, and nice to play on the guitar. If the rest of the album was as exciting as the 30-second bridge, it would be brilliant. 8/10
2. I’m A Loser – Is this a genuine plea for help from John, or is he adopting a persona? Either way, it’s a good track and marks a turning point in the group’s songwriting. 7/10
3. Baby’s In Black – A waltz. My favourite bit in this song is the part where the beat hits every syllable during the bridge (i.e. the line ‘… sees the mistake….’). I’m sure there’s a musical term for that. 8/10
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll Music – After an album packed full of originals (AHDN ) a lack of time/inspiration forced Lennon and McCartney to dig up covers and forgotten songs from their past repetoire. This is one of the better covers on the album, but they were outgrowing these by now. 7/10
5. I’ll Follow The Sun – Paul’s first entry, written while he was still in short trousers. That he didn’t think it was worth bringing to Abbey Road in the first two years of their recording career doesn’t mean it’s not a good song. 8/10
6. Mr Moonlight – Tacky. Possible one of my least favourite Beatles recordings. The hammond organ is horrible. 4/10
7. Kansas City /Hey Hey Hey Hey – McCartney’s Little Richard impressions were always a highlight of the band’s early (touring) years, even if post 1963 the audience couldn’t hear a word. The songs lose some of that energy in the studio, however. 7/10
8. Eight Days A Week – Possibly their worst single, especially from their early years. It sounds like they’re parodying themselves here. 6/10
9. Words Of Love – A faithful cover of a largely mundane Buddy Holly track. The group add little to the original, so it’s largely pointless. 6/10
10. Honey Don’t – The first of two Carl Perkins covers on Beatles For Sale . It’s hard to say which one is worse. It’s this one though. 5/10
11. Every Little Thing – A upturn in quality as we come towards the end of the album. 7/10
12. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party – If you were to ask everyone to name one song written by John Lennon , nobody would mention this. 6/10
13. What You’re Doing – A hidden highlight in an album packed full of minor disappointments. The decision to rhyme ‘doing’ with ‘blue and’ is inspired. – 8/10
14. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby – George’s first lead vocal on the album, and it’s not one that was worth waiting for. He sounds embarrased to sing this. 6/10
Overall rating: 6.64
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Tangerine10.52am
23 July 2019
Offline I relistened to some of the tracks on here and my opinion has changed.
1. What You’re Doing
2. I’ll Follow The Sun
3. No Reply
4. I’m A Loser
5. Eight Days A Week
6. Every Little Thing
7. Baby’s In Black
8. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party
9. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
10. Rock And Roll Music
11. Words Of Love
12. Honey Don’t
13. Kansas City / Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
14. Mr Moonlight
Good album from the Fab Four.
The following people thank knowhereman for this post:
Tangerine"Was she told when she was young
That pain would lead to pleasure?
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
To earn his day of leisure?"
- John Lennon, "Girl"
