Rubber Soul (1965)

Buy Rubber Soul on CD, on stereo vinyl, or on mono vinyl

Listen to Rubber Soul on Apple Music or on Spotify

Noted by John as the beginning of the Beatles “self-conscious” period, Rubber Soul was recorded over the course of four weeks and marked the transition of the band’s writing from girl/boy love songs to more diverse subjects, such as The Word and Nowhere Man. The album also marked the first time the band began to manipulate tapes to achieve a new or different effect, as well as the use of new instruments such as the sitar. As with Help!, the 1987 CD release was remixed in 1986 by George Martin; the new remix was also used for the 2009 remaster and the original 1965 mix was issued on the mono version of Rubber Soul found in the Beatles In Mono box set.

Loose threads

A loose thread on John’s jacket was airbrushed out of most cover photos, but covers from some countries (including Mexico and some South American countries) showed the thread clearly.

The original photo

The cover photo was taken in John Lennon’s garden by photographer Robert Freeman, who also shot the cover photos for With The Beatles, Beatles For Sale, and Help! The warping effect was produced when the image was projected on a white board which then fell backward slightly, elongating the image. The band asked Freeman if the effect cold be reproduced for the cover. The original unaltered photo is reproduced here.

Track list

Side A

1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won’t See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle

Side B

1. What Goes On
2. Girl
3. I’m Looking Through You
4. In My Life
5. Wait
6. If I Needed Someone
7. Run For Your Life

Release history

• Parlophone PMC 1267 (mono), released December 3, 1965
• Parlophone PCS 3075 (stereo), released December 3, 1965
• Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-106 (vinyl), released June 1984
• Parlophone CDP 7 46440 2 (stereo CD), released April 30, 1987
• Capitol CLJ 46440 (vinyl), released July 21, 1987
• Apple 0946 3 82418 2 9 (remastered stereo CD), released September 9, 2009
• Parlophone PMC 1267 (remastered mono CD), released September 9, 2009 in The Beatles In Mono box set

Other versions

• Rubber Soul (United States, 1965)

Greece release, front cover

Parlophone issued about 300 copies of Rubber Soul in Greece with a gatefold cover of the Beatles holding champagne glasses as Parlophone PMCG 5. It was quickly pulled and issued with a regular cover. The same photo was used for the 1968 reissue of The Beatles In Italy.

Italy release, front cover

Italy release, back cover

Mexico release, front cover