Rating: 8/10
Rubber Soul, at the time of its release, was the first Beatles album to truly push the musical boundaries of its time. This is often considered to be the record that set the stage for Revolver, which set the stage for Sgt. Pepper, which is pretty definitively heralded as a psychedelic masterpiece. There are plenty of gems in this tracklist, so I’m excited to discuss these songs.
Without further ado, let’s begin my personal ranking of all the songs on The Beatles’ sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, from worst to best. Feel free to disagree and share your opinions on the album, I’d love to discuss!
14. Run Your Life (Track 14)
Not a fan of this one at all. Not only is it musically unappealing and filler-esque, but the lyrics are really weird. Good thing is, it’s the last song on the album so I can just pretend it’s not apart of the album and stop listening at track 13.
13. What Goes On (Track 8)
I know, I say it every time, but THEY DO RINGO SO DIRTY WITH THE SONGS THEY GIVE HIM. I like his voice, he just always sings the worst songs. I mean, this isn’t a terrible song and it’s not Ringo’s worst (I’m looking at you ‘Act Naturally’) but it’s definitely a skip and just not my kind of song at all. Considering how great some of the songs on this album are, it’s always sad that there are filler songs like this.
12. The Word (Track 6)
This song is okay. It’s not that good but it’s not that bad either. Pretty harmless. I’ll skip it on most occasions but every now and then I’ll probably give it a listen.
11. Drive My Car (Track 1)
I don’t know if it’s controversial to have this song as low it is, seeing as it’s one of the bigger songs on the album. I mean, it’s a nice song, it’s not bad. I just think it’s pretty safe and doesn’t live up to other songs on the album, but again, it’s not awful or anything, and I could see myself jamming out to it every once in a while.
10. Wait (Track 12)
This one’s pretty fun, and I like bopping along to it. It’s not amazing or anything, but the vocals are nice, and it’s got a nice little groove to it.
9. Think For Yourself (Track 5)
This song is fun and it has a nice fast-tempo that makes it more enjoyable, but it’s a little bland, not gonna lie. Still, it’s definitely not one of the worst on the album. I’d say it fits perfectly in the middle tier of this ranking.
8. I’m Looking Through You (Track 10)
The melody is really pretty in this song, and the harmonies are very nice and complimentary to the tone of the song. The funky little guitar riffing that goes on in the background is also really fun and adds a nice edge to the song. This is just a fun song, and it makes me wanna dance around on the street on a sunny day.
7. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Track 2)
This song is one of the more experimental ones on the album, but it’s quite pleasant. The springy guitar riff that runs through the song is quite distinct and John’s voice sounds so mellow and playful. The lyrics here are really interesting, and the song overall sounds like you’re sitting around a campfire telling stories from years ago. It’s a very nice, calming song that just grows on you the more you listen to it.
6. If I Needed Someone (Track 13)
This song is so so pretty! The harmonies are amazing and give the whole song a very eerie and dizzying effect (but in a really cool way). The guitar is also very bright and flashy, kind of similar to ‘Ticket to Ride’ and it gives the song so much depth and groove. This is overall just a really cool song, and I can almost never pay attention to the lyrics when I hear it because I’m too busy bopping my head to it in enjoyment.
5. You Won’t See Me (Track 3)
Such a fun, irresistibly catchy song (which is funny because the lyrics are kind of sad)! The melody and hook is so fun and impossible to not sing along to, and the snappy piano line that runs through the song is infectious! The vocals also add a lot of spark and passion and make the whole song come alive. This one is just a pleasure to listen to, and it really took me by surprise when I first listened to the album because I hadn’t even heard of it before that point. The background “ooh lalala”s are really fun and make the song even more delightful.
4. Girl (Track 9)
You can practically hear the drugs they were on while making this song whenever you listen to it, but you know what, the song really goes, so I won’t complain. This song is psychedelic, dreamy, mystical perfection. John’s voice floats around in the most wonderful way, and the harmonies on the word “girl” just make me levitate (even the weird sniffs after that part are kinda fun). Basically, this song is very dreamy and relaxing, and very psychedelic, but in a way that I actually like a lot.
3. Nowhere Man (Track 4)
This is such a dynamic and captivating song. From the echoey, dizzying opening to the rhythmic, groovy, catchy verses, this song is just fantastic. I didn’t think I was gonna be one that I liked very much because I thought it was gonna be a very psychedelic song (which isn’t usually a style of music I’m into, but can sometimes work for me, as evidenced by what I just said about ‘Girl’) but it’s actually not that psychedelic. It’s really fun to listen to, and the only trippy thing about it is the super intense harmonies, but insane harmonies are just a staple of Beatles music. This is totally a highlight of the album, and a great example of the musical experimentation and development they were starting to achieve with Rubber Soul.
2. Michelle (Track 7)
Oh, this song is an absolute beauty. It’s so pretty and soothing and gorgeous, I could listen to it on loop all day. The guitar is so sweet and gentle, and the way Paul sings the lyrics is so romantic and enchanting. Plus, the part where he sings in French is very swoon-worthy and makes the song even dreamier than it already was. When I listen to this song I imagine an outdoor dinner at a restaurant on a river in Paris, with candles on the table and a full moon over your head. It’s so romantic. This is one of my absolute favorite Beatles songs, and I’m just in love with it.
1. In My Life (Track 11)
“Though I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before, I know I’ll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more.” If I was doing this ranking off of pure enjoyment of the songs, I’d probably have ‘Michelle’ in the top spot and this song in the number 2 spot. However, sentimental value is a big thing for me with music, and I have extreme emotional attachment to this song. It was one of the first Beatles songs I really fell in love with, and I love the message so much. It’s sort of an ode to the people who have been in and changed your life in some way, and how you’ll always remember and appreciate them for what they did for you. It’s absolutely beautiful and it means a lot to me, and is probably in my top 5 Beatles songs ever, so there you go.
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