[1] No Reply (Lennon/McCartney)
[2] I'm a Loser (Lennon/McCartney)
[3] Baby's in Black (Lennon/McCartney)
[4] Rock & Roll Music (Berry)
[5] I'll Follow the Sun (Lennon/McCartney)
[6] Mr. Moonlight (Johnson)
[7] Medley: (I) Kansas City (Lieber/Stoller)
[8] Medley: (II) Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Penniman)
[9] Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney)
[10] Words of Love (Holly)
[11] Honey Don't (Perkins)
[12] Every Little Thing (Lennon/McCartney)
[13] I Don't Want to Spoil the Party (Lennon/McCartney)
[14] What You're Doing (Lennon/McCartney)
[15] Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby (Perkins)
George Harrison - Guitar, Drums, Vocals
John Lennon - Guitar, Vocals
Paul McCartney - Piano, Guitar (Bass), Organ (Hammond), Vocals
Ringo Starr - Drums, Tambourine, Vocals, Tympani [Timpani]
George Martin - Piano, Photography
Robert Freeman - Photography
Derek Taylor - Liner Notes
In a sense, this fourth UK album is a step back for The Beatles as they
return to the eight-originals-with-six-covers formula of their first
two albums. Fatigue is clearly setting in. But some of the originals
are gems, especially Lennon's "No Reply" and "I'm a Loser," songs
confirming his sense of anguish. The covers of Chuck Berry, Carl
Perkins, and Little Richard are, once again, inspired recastings of
formative material for the group.
William Ruhlmann, All-Music Guide
It was inevitable that the constant grind of touring, writing,
promoting and recording would grate on the Beatles, but the weariness
of Beatles for Sale comes as something of a shock. Only five months
before, the group had released A Hard Day's Night, an album filled with
unbridled energy and joy. Now, they sound beaten, worn and, in Lennon's
case, bitter and self-loathing. His opening triology of "No Reply,"
"I'm a Loser" and "Baby's in Black" is the darkest sequence on any
Beatles record, and it sets the tone for the remainder of the album.
There are moments of joy that pop up now and again, mainly in the forms
of covers and the dynamic "Eight Days a Week," abut the very presence
of six covers after the triumphant all-original A Hard Day's Night
feels like an admission of defeat or at least a regression. (It doesn't
help that Lennon's decision to cover his beloved obscurity "Mr.
Moonlight" winds up as arguably the worst thing the group ever
recorded.) Beneath those surface suspicions, however, there are some
important changes on Beatles for Sale, most notably Lennon's discovery
of Bob Dylan and folk-rock. The opening three songs, along with "I
Don't Want to Spoil the Party," are implicitly confessional and all
quite bleak, which is a new development -- never before had it seemed
as if either Lennon or McCartney were baring their soul. They are so
powerful they have the effect of overshadowing McCartney's cheery "I'll
Follow the Sun" or the thundering covers of "Rock & Roll Music,"
"Honey Don't" and "Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey Hey." But even the minor
songs ("Every Little Thing," "What You're Doing") are weary and
George's cover of Carl Perkins' "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby"
suggests that the Beatles are tired of the constant attention, and
that's the lasting impression Beatles for Sale leaves -- Beatlemania
may have been fun but now the group is exhausted. That exhaustion
results in the group's most uneven album, but in hindsight, its best
moments can be seen as a necessary transition from Merseybeat to the
sophisticated pop-rock they developed in mid-career.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music Guide
Banged out in a hurry for the 1964 Christmas market, Beatles for Sale
sometimes sounds it, loaded with ill-conceived covers and some of John
Lennon's most self-loathing lyrics. On the other hand, the people doing
the banging-out were the Beatles, whose instincts for what worked
musically were so strong that they could basically do no wrong--any
record that has "Baby's in Black," "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"
and the delectable "Eight Days a Week" on it is only "minor" in the
most relative sense. And, though their voices had been frazzled a bit
by constant touring, they revved them up for some joyous shouting, and
indulged their fondness for American country in subtle, playful ways.
Ev'ry night when ev'rybody has fun,
Here am I sitting all on my own,
It won't be long yeh, yeh,
It won't be long yeh, yeh,
It won't be long yeh, yeh,
Till I belong to you.
Since you left me I'm so alone,
Now you're coming, you're coming home,
I'll be good like I know I should,
You're coming home, you're coming home.
Ev'ry night the tears come down from my eyes,
Ev'ry day I've done nothing but cry.
It won't be long yeh, yeh.
Since you left me I'm so alone,
Now you're coming, you're coming home,
I'll be good like I know I should,
You're coming home, you're coming home.
Ev'ry day we'll be happy, I know,
Now I know that you won't leave me no more.
It won't be long yeh, yeh.
All I've got to Do
Whenever I want you around, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is call you on the phone,
And you'll come running home,
Yeah, that's all I gotta do.
And when I, I want to kiss you, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is whisper in your ear
The words you long to hear,
And I'll be kissin' you.
And the same goes for me,
Whenever you want me at all.
I'll be here, yes I will, whenever you call.
You just gotta call on me, yeah,
You just gotta call on me.
And when I, I want to kiss you, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is call you on the phone,
And you'll come running home,
Yeah, that's all I gotta do.
And the same goes for me,
Whenever you want me at all.
I'll be here, yes I will, whenever you call.
You just gotta call on me, yeah,
You just gotta call on me.
All My Loving
Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,
Tomorrow I'll miss you;
Remember I'll always be true.
And then while I'm away,
I'll write home ev'ry day,
And I'll send all my loving to you.
I'll pretend That I'm kissing
the lips I am missing
And hope that my draems will come true.
And then while I'm away,
I'll write home ev'ry day,
And I'll send all my loving to you.
All my loving I will send to you.
All my loving, darling I'll be true.
Don't Bother Me
Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me.
It's not the same but I'm to blame, it's plain to see.
So go away, leave me alone, don't bother me.
I can't believe that she would leave me on my own.
It's just not right when every night I'm all alone.
I've got no time for you right now, don't bother me.
I know I'll never be the same if I don't get her back again.
Because I know she'll always be the only girl for me.
But 'till she's here please don't come near, just stay away.
I'll let you know when she's come home. Until that day,
Don't come around, leave me alone, don't bother me.
I've got no time for you right now, don't bother me.
I know I'll never be the same if I don't get her back again.
Because I know she'll always be the only girl for me.
But 'till she's here please don't come near, just stay away.
I'll let you know when she's come home. Until that day,
Mister postman look and see
You got a letter in your bag for me
I been waiting such a long time
Since I heard from that girl of mine
There must be some word today
From my girlfriend so far away
Please mister postman look and see
If there's a letter, a letter for me
I been standing here waiting mister postman
So patiently
For just a card or just a letter
Saying she's returning home to me
So many days you passed me by
See the tear standing in my eye
You didn't stop to make me feel better
By leaving me a card or a letter
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute
You gotta check it and see, one more time for me
Wait
Wait
Wait
Deliver the letter, the sooner the better
Wait
Roll Over Beethoven
Well gonna write a little letter
Gonna mail it to my local D.J.
It's a rockin' little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven
I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature's risin'
And the jukebox's blowin' a fuse
My hearts beatin' rhythm
And my soul keeps singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
I got a rockin' pneumonia
I need a shot of rhythm and blues
I think I got it off the writer
Sittin' down by the rhythm review
Roll over Beethoven
We're rockin' in two by two
Well if you fell you like it
Well get your lover and reel and rock it
Roll it over and move on up
Just jump around and reel and rock it
Roll it over
Roll over Beethoven
A rockin' in two by two , oh
Well early in the mornin'
I'm a givin' you the warnin'
Don't you step on my blue suede showes
Hey little little
Gonna play my fiddle
Ain't got nothing to lost
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
You know she winks like a glow worm
Dance like a spinnin' top
She got a crazy partner
Oughta see 'em reel an rock
Long as she's got a dime
The music will never stop
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
And dig these rhythm and blues
Hold Me Tight
It feels so right now, hold me tight,
Tell me I'm the only one,
And then I might,
Never be the lonely one.
So hold me tight, to-night, to-night,
It's you,
You you you - oo-oo - oo-oo.
Hold me tight,
Let me go on loving you,
To-night to-night,
Making love to only you,
So hold me tight, to-night, to-night,
It's you,
You you you - oo-oo - oo-oo.
Don't know what it means to hold you tight,
Being here alone tonight with you,
It feels so right now, feels so right now.
Hold me tight,
Tell me I'm the only one,
And then I might,
Never be the only one,
So hold me tight, to-night, to-night,
It's you,
You you you - oo-oo - oo-oo.
Don't know what it means to hold you tight,
Being here alone tonight with you,
It feels so right now, feels so right now.
Hold me tight,
Let me go on loving you,
To-night, to-night,
Making love to only you,
So hold me tight, to-night, to-night,
It's you,
You you you - oo-oo - oo-oo.
You Really Got a Hold on Me
I don't like you
But I love you
See that I'm always
Thinking of you
Oh, oh, oh,
You treat me badly
I love you madly
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
I don't want you,
But I need you
Don't want to kiss you
But I need you
Oh, oh, oh
You do me wring now
My love is strong now
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
I want to leave you
Don't want to stay here
Don't want to spend
Another day here
Oh, oh, oh, I want to split now
I just can quit now
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me
I Wanna Be Your Man
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man.
Tell me that you love me baby,
Like no other can,
Love you like no other baby,
Like no other can.
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your man.
Tell me that you love me baby,
Tell me you understand,
Tell me that you love me baby,
I wanna be your man.
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man.
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your man.
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your lover baby,
I wanna be your man.
Tell me that you love me baby,
Like no other can,
Love you like no other baby,
Like no other can.
I wanna be your man,
I wanna be your man.
Devil In Her Heart
She's got the devil in her heart
But her eyes they tantalize
She's gonna tear your heart apart
Oh her lips are really thrilling
I'll take my chances
for romance is
So important to me
She'll never hurt me
She won't desert me
She's an angel sent to me
She's got the devil in her heart
No, no, this I can't believe
She's gonna tear your heart apart
No, no nay will she deceive
I can't believe that she'll ever ever go
Not when she hugs and says she loves me so
She'll never hurt em
She won't desert me
Listen can't you see
She's got the devil in her heart
Oh, no, no, no, this I can't believe
She's gonna tear your heart apart
No no nay will she deceive
Don't take chances if your romance is
So important to you
She'll never hurt me
She won't desert me
She's an angel sent to me
She's got the devil in her heart
Oh, no, no, no, no this I can't believe
She's gonna tear your heart apart
No, no nay will she deceive
She's got the devil in her heart
No she's an angel sent to me
She's got the devil in her heart
No she's an angel sent to me
Not a Second Time
You know you made me cry,
I see no use in wond'ring why,
I cried for you.
And now, you've changed your mind,
I see no reason to change mine,
I cried, it's through, oh.
Oh, you're giving me the same old line,
I'm wond'ring why,
You hurt me then, you're back again,
No, no, not a second time.
Money (That's What I Want)
The best things in life are free
But you can tell me 'bout the birds and bees.
Now gimme money (that's what I want)
That's what I want (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.
Money don't get everything it's true.
What it don't get I can't use.
So gimme money (that's what I want)
A little money (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.
Yeh gimme money (that's what I want)
A little money (that's what I want)
That's what I want (that's what I want)
So gimme money (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.
Your lovin' give me a thrill
But your lovin' don't pay my bill.
Now gimme money (that's what I want)
That's what I want (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.
Money don't get everything it's true.
What it don't get I can't use.
So gimme money (that's what I want)
A little money (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.
Yeh gimme money (that's what I want)
A little money (that's what I want)
That's what I want (that's what I want)
So gimme money (that's what I want)
That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh,
That's what I want.