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Beatles for Sale
Thebeatlesbeatlesforsale
Released 4 December 1964
Recorded August–October 1964
Studio EMI Studios, London
Genre Folk rock
Rock and roll
Country
Pop rock
Rockabilly
Length 33:32
Label Parlophone
Producer George Martin
Album Guide
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Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by English rock band The Beatles, released on 4 December 1964 by Parlophone. The album marked a departure from the ebullient tone that characterised the band's previous work, partly due to their exhaustion from a series of tours that established them as a worldwide phenomenon. Musically, it introduced darker moods and more introspective lyrics, with songwriter John Lennon adopting an autobiographical perspective on songs such as "I'm a Loser" and "No Reply". It also reflected the twin influences of country music and Bob Dylan, whom the Beatles met in New York in August 1964.

Beatles for Sale was recorded at London's EMI Studios in between the band's touring and radio engagements. Partly as a result of their hectic schedule, only eight tracks are original compositions, with cover songs being used to complete the track listing; the sessions also produced the non-album single "I Feel Fine", backed by "She's a Woman". Eight of the album's fourteen tracks appeared on Capitol Records' concurrent release Beatles '65, issued in North America only.

In the United Kingdom, Beatles for Sale held the top spot for eleven of the 46 weeks it spent within the top 20. The album was not released in the United States until 1987, when the Beatles' catalogue was standardised for release on CD. Beatles for Sale was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry for shipments of over 100,000 copies, and platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over 1 million copies.

Tracks[]

All songs written by Lennon/McCartney, except where noted otherwise.

Side one[]

No. Tittle Songwriter(s) Lead Vocal(s) Time
1 No Reply Lennon with McCartney Lennon with McCartney 2:15
2 I'm a Loser Lennon Lennon 2:31
3 Baby's in Black Lennon and McCartney Lennon and McCartney 2:02
4 Rock and Roll Music Chuck Berry Lennon 2:03
5 I'll Follow the Sun McCartney McCartney with Lennon 1:46
6 Mr. Moonlight Roy Lee Johnson Lennon 2:33
7 Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and Richard Penniman McCartney 2:33

Side two[]

No. Tittle Songwriter(s) Lead Vocal(s) Time
1 Eight Days a Week McCartney with Lennon Lennon with McCartney 2:43
2 Words of Love Buddy Holly Lennon, McCartney and Harrison 2:12
3 Honey Don't Carl Perkins Starr 2:55
4 Every Little Thing McCartney Lennon with McCartney 2:01
5 I Don't Want to Spoil the Party Lennon Lennon 2:33
6 What You're Doing McCartney McCartney 2:30
7 Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby Carl Perkins Harrison 2:23

Credits[]

Instruments[]

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