Rating: 6/10
I’ve viewed a fair share of “Ranking The Beatles Albums” articles in my time, and an overwhelming majority of the time, I’ve seen Beatles For Sale ranked as the worst in the band’s catalog (excluding their EPs). Because of this, I had pretty low expectations going into this album, and unfortunately, I have to agree that this is my least favorite project from them (out of what I’ve listened to). With the exception of one song (which is in the top spot), there were no songs that I absolutely loved. This album just didn’t have the charm that a Beatles album usually has for me.
With that being said, let’s get into the ranking! I’ll be ordering all the songs from The Beatles’ fourth studio album, Beatles For Sale, from worst to best. I hope you enjoy!
14. Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby (Track 14)
This song kind of gives me Elvis vibes, but weirdly enough it doesn’t really work for me. I don’t know what it is about this song that I don’t like, but I just don’t enjoy it. The guitar solo is pretty nice, but other than that, there’s nothing about this song that stands out to me.
13. Rock and Roll Music (Track 4)
I really wanted to like this song because I like the title (who doesn’t like rock and roll music?), but I just don’t. The Beatles have a few songs that sound like this one, and I never like them. I can imagine this would’ve been fun to dance to back in the 60s, but that’s the only situation where I can imagine myself enjoying this song. (Okay, it’s not that bad, but it’s not that good. In my opinion, of course.)
12. Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Track 7)
Okay, this is a song that I don’t dislike, I just don’t really like. I’m neutral on it. I think Paul’s voice goes really well with the jaunty guitar, and it creates a very fun atmosphere for this song. It’s just kind of boring to me though. Sorry.
11. Baby’s In Black (Track 3)
This is a weird song. I’m not entirely sure what it’s about, but I’m pretty sure it’s about being in love with a girl who is mourning the death of her partner, and proceeding to whine about it. I don’t know, it’s not terrible, but The Beatles could do way better.
10. I’m a Loser (Track 2)
I’ve often seen ‘I’m a Loser’ cited as one of the best songs on this record, but I don’t really think it is. John’s voice is lovely and he captures the self-pitying content of the lyrics well, but I don’t know if that’s a good thing. This song is decent, I just don’t like it the way I hoped I would.
9. I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party (Track 12)
I actually enjoy this song. It’s simple, with a constant guitar riff and pretty harmonies and backing vocals – everything you would expect from an early Beatles song. The lyrics are some of the more personal ones on this album, so that’s cool. I just find the melody to be a little repetitive, but other than that, this one’s pretty good.
8. Mr. Moonlight (Track 6)
Well, I think the opening of this song gave me a heart attack. Once John finishes screaming, ‘Mr. Moonlight’ leads into a gentle little guitar pattern with sweet vocals, and it’s pretty enjoyable. I think I would’ve liked this song better if it had been a little more delicate and ballad-like, but this song is a cover so they might not have had control over that. Still, it’s pretty good as it is.
7. Honey Don’t (Track 10)
Hey! It’s another Ringo track that I like! I can finally add another one to the list. I think Ringo did a great job with lead vocals, his playful voice suits the sound of this song. Plus, the way he talks to George within the song is really funny and adds a nice playfulness to the song. Not to mention, George’s guitar solo is great and adds a nice texture to the song.
6. Words of Love (Track 9)
The guitar in this song is really, really nice. George is so good. The harmonized lead vocals, while at first kind of unsettling to me, actually sound really good once you get into them, and once again, I am amazed by how effortlessly John and Paul harmonize. The lyrics of this song are by no means advanced, but they’re sweet. This is a solid track, and one of the more interesting on Beatles For Sale.
5. What You’re Doing (Track 13)
I love the guitar melody in this song, it’s so pretty! Paul’s vocals are also gorgeous, and Ringo’s drumming is really nice and adds a nice rhythm to the song. I love the instrumentation on the outro of the song, and overall, this is just a very enjoyable song on an otherwise bland album.
4. Every Little Thing (Track 11)
I don’t like the verses of this song that much, but the chorus is really nice (not gonna lie though, the drumming in the chorus sounds like the Law and Order SVU theme song). George’s guitar work is great, and adds a nice tone to the song.
3. Eight Days a Week (Track 8)
I’ve often seen this track lauded as the album’s best, and while I don’t think it is, it’s definitely one of the best (hence the top three placement). The music video is fun, and this is just a nice melodic tune. It’s probably the most ‘classic Beatles’ sounding song on the album, so I can see why it’s so beloved.
2. No Reply (Track 1)
This song gave me false expectations of greatness for this album, because I really enjoyed this song when I first heard it. The lyrics of this song are pretty sad, but they’re more personal, so I think that’s a good thing. This is definitely one of the more lyrically and sonically interesting songs on Beatles For Sale, and a great opener (even if it does set up high standards that are not met by the rest of the album). “If I were you, I’d realize that I love you more than any other guy, and I’ll forgive the lies that I
heard before, when you gave me no reply.”
1. I’ll Follow the Sun (Track 5)
This song is so prettyyyyy, I love it! The guitar pattern is really gorgeous, and Paul’s voice is so sweet and has this beautiful tone to it. The lyrics are really simple, but the song sounds so nice that I don’t even care. I think this song goes to show that even on a Beatles album that I don’t like that much, there will always be at least one song that I’ll fall in love with. This is a beautiful composition, and it was a breath of fresh air when I was first listening to this album because I was so relieved to hear a song that I really loved. Naturally, it’s the shortest on the album. That’s my luck. “One day, you’ll find that I have gone, but tomorrow may rain, so I’ll follow the sun.”
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