Rubber Soul was another album for Christmas – released on 3rd December, 1965 just two weeks after final mixing had taken place. Following the release of their previous album The Beatles had undertaken a momentous tour of the USA and Canada including a record breaking appearance at New York’s famous Shea Stadium.
Following a deserved holiday, the guys returned to the studios in mid October, not only to record the album but also a new single – their first double A-side featuring “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out”
The album consisted of eleven songs by John and Paul, two by George and another with the unique writing credit of Lennon-McCartney-Starkey. The inclusion of a sitar on the song Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) also illustrated George’s growing interest in Indian music and culture.
Rubber Soul was also the last Beatles album for which Norman Smith manned the control desk. He took his leave after six albums and eleven singles going on to produce Pink Floyd and later still to enjoy success as ‘Hurricane’ Smith.
The front cover photograph of Rubber Soul was again taken by Robert Freeman but the way the faces appear slightly distorted on the sleeve was a result on a happy accident while the image was being projected. It is also interesting to note that the group’s name is absent from the front of the sleeve.
The album spent nine weeks at the album chart summit in the UK during a healthy 43 chart stay.
In the US Rubber Soul was released but despite the fact that sleeve looked similar to its UK counterpart, the track listing was different. Of the twelve tracks released on the American album only ten were common to the UK version. ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’ and ‘It’s Only Love’ from side two of the British Help! album replaced four tracks which the US would save for a future release titled “Yesterday....And Today”. The US “Rubber Soul” album reached # 1 in early January 1966 and stayed there for six weeks during an initial chart run of 51 weeks.
NME, Friday, June 18, 1965
Congratulations from all NME readers on the honour bestowed on you by the Queen, who saw fit to make you Members of the British Empire for your unprecedented achievement in the history of world show business and winning for Britain the interest of millions of teenagers all over the world.
The Prime Minister, the member of Parliament for Huyton, Liverpool, recommended you for this honour. And as you admitted on television, you were sent the forms to fill in six weeks ago to sat if you wanted an honour.
We’re glad you accepted it. This means that your teenage fans, who made you, can share in the honour. And these days, when teenagers seem only to get bad publicity, how pleasant to have something good happen.
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