rank the songs on rubber soul | Page 2 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Rubber Soul just might be (might be, mind you) my favourite Beatles album — it’s definitely up there along side REVOLVER and Abbey Road — and John Lennon ‘s songs here are among the best of his career.   It’s really hard to rank my top six songs on this album, since they’re all about even in my ears.. but let’s give it a go:

1)  “Norwegian Wood ” — John’s acoustic intro, George’s chiming sitar, those fantastic Lennon/McCartney harmonies — and first and foremost, John’s lead vocal — the whole exotic feel of this song is captivating

2) “Nowhere Man ” — once again, that Lennon voice draws me in every time, Paul & George’s backing (especially George) — the lustrous double-lead guitar solo and George’s little sonic “ping” at the end — beautiful song

3) “If I Needed Someone ” — George Harrison emerges as a real songwriter, able to stand along side Lennon & McCartney — great vocal harmonies (especially Lennon’s — he very nearly steals this song) — and that chiming 12-string Rick of George’s — sometimes I think this is actually the best song on the album, but today it’s #3.

4) “In My Life ” — a song so good both Lennon & McCartney claimed authorship of its melody — John at his most introspective — George Martin’s baroque piano solo — there are also times I might rank this #1 on this remarkable album

5) “I’m Looking Through You ” — Paul’s best song on the album, with unusually bitter lyrics from him — I like the guitar strums in this song — and I prefer the version on the US Rubber Soul album, with its false start (maybe because that’s the version I grew up with)

6) “Girl” — another exotic-sounding John Lennon song, this time with a southern European flavour, compete with a Greek guitar break (in one magazine, George Martin said that Harrison played a bouzouki on it, but I wonder if that’s true) — and rather haunting lyrics

7) “The Word ” — I love the guitars in this song, especially George Harrison ‘s lead

8) “Drive My Car ” — maybe this song should rank higher than 8, but I don’t know what to bump down — great Motown feel to it, and Paul McCartney apparently played the note-bending solo — and of course his bass-playing is outstanding (on this, and pretty much every other track on the album)

9) “Think For Yourself ” — great groove to this song, and Paul’s fuzz bass is awesome, especially in headphones — I like the growl in George’s voice in this song, but the harmonies sound a little off to me

10) “You Won’t See Me ” — I like this song — but there are so many other tracks on this album I like better — Paul still sounds a little cranky

11) “Wait ” — I like the tone pedal guitar played by George — but otherwise this song is a bit “ordinary” by Beatles standards

12) “Michelle ” — I know many many people love this romantic McCartney ballad but it doesn’t do a whole lot for me, although I do like the guitar playing — John’s strumming and George’s solo (composed by George Martin) — it’s pretty, but — well — I guess just not to my taste

13) “Run For Your Life ” — it’s funny — musically, I like this song a lot — the beat, the rhythm guitar and especially George’s C&W lead — it’s just the vicious lyric that spoils it for me

14) “What Goes On ” — sorry Ringo, but I cringe when I hear this — Ringo warbles it pretty well, and the guitars aren’t bad — but the lyrics are dumb!  I don’t think this song is a whole lot better than “If You Got Trouble” which was rejected during the HELP sessions

meanmistermustard said
Folk are strange. ‘Run For Your Life ‘, ‘What Goes On ‘ and ‘You Won’t See Me ‘ coming near the bottom of any ranking is a travesty.

‘You Won’t See Me ‘ is my favourite Paul song on the album. 

And I have no idea what folk hear in ‘Nowhere Man ‘ for it to be rated so highly. I’ve always found it to be monotonous, slow and overlong.

Guess I’m the weird one. 

Different strokes — one man’s heaven is another man’s hell.

I hate mustard on hot dogs!   Whatcha gonna do?