I always liked the fact that, from cover photo to the songs themselves, the Fab Four look and sound so burnt out from Beatlemania. Sometimes the dashed-off bits can reveal more about an artist than well thought out masterpieces.

And I’m OK with Mister Moonlight. But then again, I like ‘Til There Was You. :)

In fact, when I listened to Beatles for Sale I realized I’d never heard this album at all. I’d heard most of the individual songs–a couple on a “greatest hits” compilation I had once and others on the radio–but never together, and “Every Little Thing” and “What You’re Doing” were new to me. “What You’re Doing” inspired some particularly weird deja vu–it seemed familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. After a moment I realized it was the song that had been mashed up with “Drive My Car” on Love.

I’ve always liked “No Reply,” “I’m a Loser,” and “Eight Days a Week,” and I like the two new-to-me songs as well, but I agree that as an album this is less than the sum of its parts. In particular (I find I’m impatient with the cover versions on these early albums, mostly because the songs themselves are rarely interesting.)

I don’t mind “Mr. Moonlight,” though. And I’m fine with Hammond organs in moderation.

I like to listen to this album as a moody counterpoint to the generally jolly Hard Day’s Night if I can. With the exception of “I’ll Be Back,” none of the downer songs on HDN actually sound like downers. There’s a nice sort of grittiness about For Sale; I like to listen to it either on a really cold night or a really hot night.

Beatles For Sale was of course not available in Canada until very recently — we had Beatles ’65 instead. Which was okay, but over here you can tell a real Beatles fan by the way they covet the genuine article…