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Rubber Soul: USA version vs. UK version
21 April 2013
10.09pm
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Does anyone else prefer the Capitol version of Rubber Soul ?  Generally, I don’t prefer the Capitol versions, but this one flows better.

"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney 

22 April 2013
2.42am
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Into the Sky with Diamonds
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(There’s a thread somewhere here on UK vs US albums).

The UK version has more songs including 2 stand-outs, so in a sense it’s a better album.

In my opinion, though, it also has one clunker (I won’t say which one), whereas the US version is excellent all the way through (if you put aside the sexist lyrics of Run For Your Life ).

Most importantly though, the American version offers a much sharper contrast with the “early Beatles.”

It had a bigger ‘wow’ factor when it came out (IMO).

"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)

22 April 2013
2.47am
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Now I’m wondering which one you think is the clunker. ;-)

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22 April 2013
5.29pm
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Into the Sky with Diamonds “clunker” has to be one of the four that didn’t make the US version. Drive My Car , Nowhere Man What Goes On or If I Needed Someone . I’d guess Into the Sky’s “clunker” is probably What Goes On – certainly the weakest of those four in my opinion.

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22 April 2013
6.09pm
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Yup….

 

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22 April 2013
6.19pm
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Von Bontee
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I dunno about the US one being more consistent, though…”It’s Only Love ” is on that one, and it’s weaker than “What Goes On “, in my opinion.

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

         

22 April 2013
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Egroeg Evoli
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Von Bontee said
I dunno about the US one being more consistent, though…”It’s Only Love ” is on that one, and it’s weaker than “What Goes On “, in my opinion.

 

I love It’s Only Love !

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22 April 2013
6.43pm
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Ah yes, I can see that “What Goes On ” is the weakest…but I don’t think any of them are clunkers.  And I agree that “It’s Only Love ” is a good song!

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22 April 2013
6.54pm
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The whole concept of Capitol’s idea with ‘Rubber Soul ‘ was to make it more of an acoustic album. I do feel the songs flow more smoothly on the american release as opposed to the British release. The UK version has more up-tempo songs. I feel both versions were done very well.

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22 April 2013
7.57pm
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Von Bontee
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Actually it’s weird…if you compare the two and think about it, some of the most uptempo songs ARE the ones with prominent acoustic guitars promelling them along! “I’ve Just Seen A Face “, “I’m Looking Through You ” and “Run For Your Life “, all of them with that driving acoustic rhythm guitar.

I know I’ve seen it claimed by various people (fans) many times in print before, but I still kinda have my doubts that Capitol had any grand creative vision to create any kind of concept album out of Rubber Soul . I just don’t give them that much credit, and probably never will until I see Alan Livingston or whoever specifically claiming so in print. (And even then I may just dismiss it as after-the-fact revisionist auteur-hogwash!) “Think For Yourself ” and “The Word ” don’t sound any more like folk-rock than “Drive My Car ” or “What Goes On “, whereas two of the discards, “If I Needed Someone ” and “Nowhere Man “, definitely fit that mould. If those two selections had made the US Rubber Soul cut, I’d be more inclined to believe that Capitol had put some thought into what they were doing.

(One thing about that Capitol version I wlll praise is the choice of “I’ve Just Seen A Face ” as the album opener. A great beginning to an album! Especially that little unrelated-to-anything instrumental introduction; and then perhaps the fastest tempo on any Beatles track ever! Great, great beginning.)

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

         

22 April 2013
8.27pm
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Von Bontee said

(One thing about that Capitol version I wlll praise is the choice of “I’ve Just Seen A Face ” as the album opener. A great beginning to an album! Especially that little unrelated-to-anything instrumental introduction; and then perhaps the fastest tempo on any Beatles track ever! Great, great beginning.)

I agree.

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22 April 2013
9.05pm
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Von Bontee
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Egroeg Evoli said

Von Bontee said
I dunno about the US one being more consistent, though…”It’s Only Love ” is on that one, and it’s weaker than “What Goes On “, in my opinion.

 

I love It’s Only Love !

Oh, I like it too – the music’s great! The words aren’t much, though.
All in all, I slightly prefer “What Goes On “.

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

         

23 May 2013
3.40am
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IMDeWalrus
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I’ve always thought the USA Capitol version flows better than the UK Parlophone version, and that “I’ve Just Seen A Face ” makes a better intro for “Norwegian Wood ” than “Drive My Car ” does.   I also like the false start on the US version of “I’m Looking Through You “.

But both versions have one thing in common:  they’re excellent!   Whichever version you have (and I have both), it’s among the best albums the Beatles ever released.

 

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23 May 2013
9.18pm
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I Me Mine
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UK ol the way! Generally, UK albums have a beter flow because that’s how the Beatles and George Martin intended them to be. They surely know better than Capitol who just wanted to ommit tracks in order to have extra albums and get more money.

george-martin

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10 June 2013
7.46am
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WhereArtEsteban
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I think I prefer the UK version toooo! I miss “Nowhere Man ” way too much with my Capitol copy! But at least they both have “The Word ” – my favorite as of late

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10 June 2013
8.48pm
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Zig
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I would imagine it would depend a bit on which one you heard first. I have yet to listen to the Capitol version although it would be easy enough to recreate. I just have no desire to – couldn’t imagine RS not starting of with the opening guitar riff from ‘Drive My Car ‘.

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10 June 2013
11.43pm
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meanmistermustard
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To me the US is nothing more than a nice compilation in the same vein as any of the other american albums, im too much used to the uk running orders to be swayed by something slightly different. There are a couple of cool alternate mixes, one of the few positives to come for the Capitol bastardising.

At least they had the sense to keep the artwork.

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

12 June 2013
6.06am
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Duke_of_Kirkcaldy
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I’ve always been baffled by those who think the U.S. version has a greater folk-rock feel when it omits the U.K. version’s 2 most blatantly folk-rock tracks: “Nowhere Man ” and “If I Needed Someone .”  a-hard-days-night-paul-3

13 June 2013
2.00am
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Egroeg Evoli
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Zig said
I would imagine it would depend a bit on which one you heard first. I have yet to listen to the Capitol version although it would be easy enough to recreate. I just have no desire to – couldn’t imagine RS not starting of with the opening guitar riff from ‘Drive My Car ‘.

Agreed.

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9 July 2013
1.22pm
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Duke_of_Kirkcaldy
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At the same time, a case could be made that the US version of The Rolling Stones’ Rubber Soul counterpart – Aftermath – is indeed better than the original UK pressing.  After all, the US version omits the album’s 2 weakest tracks, “Take It or Leave It” and “What to Do” (though it also omits “Out of Time,” one of its many highlights), and replaces “Mother ‘s Little Helper” with the just as good (if not better) “Paint It Black.”

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