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Why is Beatles For Sale so underrated
7 February 2021
8.58pm
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Paul Prole
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In my rankings of the 13 album canon I placed Beatles For Sale #10 saying of it: “Carefree and jaunty with a touch of darkness. A template for the times. Consistently impresses.

Unless Paul McCartney knocks on my door I am unlikely to be impressed.

31 March 2021
7.02am
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jamessick
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What do you think of this comment:

Tom Ewing of Pitchfork Media said, “Lennon’s anger and the band’s rediscovery of Rock ‘N’ Roll mean For Sale’s reputation as the group’s meanest album is deserved”

31 March 2021
9.08am
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Magill
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Woah, I went on a beatles bible sabbatical! 

I think the album is great! The cover is nice, and Kansas City is one of my favorite early Beatles songs.

Yes, I did just say that Kansas City is a favorite of mine.

George for lifeahdn_george_06.gif

2021: Hmm.png

31 March 2021
9.09am
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Magill
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And we can now call Paul Prole an official Beatles Bibler usual!

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2021: Hmm.png

5 April 2021
1.33am
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Paul Prole
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Magill said
And we can now call Paul Prole an official Beatles Bibler usual!

  

I just read this. I feel chuffed. Isn’t The Jacaranda where they finally landed on The Beatles as their ‘forever’ name?

Unless Paul McCartney knocks on my door I am unlikely to be impressed.

21 October 2022
9.37pm
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sir walter raleigh
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The original output is really really strong on this album. I think the reason it is often undercut is that the cover selections are really old fashioned. Its an odd placement in the catalog, especially next to No Reply , I’ll Follow the Sun, and other songs with an eye looking forward in their progression as a band. I love the vocal performances of Mr Moonlight , Rock And Roll Music , Kansas City , (Honey Don’t… meh) but the instrumental is pretty ordinary. Words Of Love is all around fantastic. Its just weird coming off of AHDN they chose to do so many covers. With the rush of their live schedule, its interesting to think if they had waited to release their next album, and BFS had featured early tracks from Help ! Perhaps some of the discarded tracks like That Means A Lot might have made their way onto this album. 

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22 October 2022
3.32pm
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Von Bontee
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jamessick said
What do you think of this comment:

Tom Ewing of Pitchfork Media said, “Lennon’s anger and the band’s rediscovery of Rock ‘N’ Roll mean For Sale’s reputation as the group’s meanest album is deserved”

  

I didn’t know it had that reputation; nor that John was particularly angry during the sessions; nor that they had temporarily abandoned rock ‘n roll before “rediscovering” it. I don’t even know what he means by “meanest” – the lyrics? The music? Seems like a silly statement, but I’d have to read the whole thing. 

Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.

         

23 October 2022
5.42am
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Timothy
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No Reply has John calling his female friend a liar, but in Baby’s In Black, I’m A Loser, I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party, etc have him being insecure and sorrowful. Not really a pervasive mood of meanness there.

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1.The Beatles 2.Sgt. Pepper 3.Abbey Road 4.Magical Mystery Tour 5.Rubber Soul 6.Revolver 7.Help! 8.Let It Be
9.A Hard Day’s Night 10.Please Please Me 11.Beatles For Sale 12.With The Beatles 13.Yellow Submarine

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24 December 2022
6.42am
elliottsargent
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I’m completely for this!

While it’s far from their magnum opus, nor a brilliant album, but it has enough great tracks to make it worthwhile!

Happiness remains now and as always, a warm gun.

21 August 2023
12.42pm
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happinessisawarmgun
Córdoba, Spain
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Expert Textpert said
I agree that Beatles ’65 is better than Beatles For Sale .

  

Also agree.

24 August 2023
12.09am
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ewe2
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I think it’s underrated because as an album it doesn’t really go the same way the singles suggested. They began to look for a musical direction and to explore the studio’s resources and if they did lean on covers a bit more it was about time constraints but one thing you can tell is that this album has its own sound. It’s generally a country-rockabilly sound, which is adaptable.

This album actually represents the beginning of the Beatles experimentation and you can see this in the liner notes, a lot of which is about Ringo’s pretty extensive percussion range. But not just Ringo, this is also a George album where he tries a few different guitars and styles, both are just beginning to breath a bit as recording musicians. I have written elsewhere that Paul began to rev up as a writer from this time, but I think we can all agree this is classic late “first period” John writing. His performances are the more memorable, but I have to confess as someone who’s grown up with his album I also think of George’s and Ringo’s songs, if I had to condense the album to 3 songs I’d have Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby and Honey Don’t   and take one of the best John songs which is very hard (sorry Paul!).

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31 August 2023
4.38pm
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happinessisawarmgun
Córdoba, Spain
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I think this is not a great album compared to better albums that The Beatles produced. Even With The Beatles is way better. It’s good, but it’s not great simply because The Beatles didn’t plan it, it was just a commercial move.

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