Rubber Soul's weaker points

I hate What Goes On. One of the worst songs they did. The blatty
guitar makes it even worse.
I hate Think For Yourself also, but I like If I Needed Someone.

F Parella...

What were they thinking putting "What Goes On" on the album? It helps
you realize how much better the rest of the album is.

I think "Think for Yourself" is a bit of a clunker too. The distorted
guitar is a bit silly; they should have been more sparing with it.

Some Other Guy...

I always thought Think For Yourself was one of the better songs on the record. The fuzz bass was
amazing. Who the heck ever thought of putting fuzz on a bass? The harmonies are great. I think it is
a great song.

Danny Caccavo...

Agreed. I still wonder why the drums seem so lame - I wonder if they
were overdubbed later or something - the playing is really tentative, as
if they are "following" not "leading."

I haven't checked Lewisohn on that....note how the basic track snippets
you hear in the "vocal session" boot sound very strong and forceful
though...

Any theories on that? Does anyone think the drums were re-done after the
fuzz bass was put on?

Brother Michael...

Yeah - I love Think For Yourself. One of George's best.

F Parella...

TFY has a certain charm, but it sounds amateurish next to George's
other RS contribution, "If I Needed Someone." IINS is so much more
accomplished, IMO. The distorted guitar on TFY sounds goofy and
awkward to me.

abe slaney...

I like "What Goes On". I think the band sounds great; I love the chicken
picking, the harmonies and the bass - it drives right along, especially
in the instrumental break. I don't get why people dislike it so. Oh
well. Maybe because I first heard it buried near the end of Yesterday
and Today instead of at the top of side 2 of Rubber Soul, it didn't seem
to want to be anything other than a breezy little break between We Can
Work it Out and Day Tripper.

Jeff...

hahahahaha. What is silly about the distorted guitar? It fits the song.
Imagine the song without it. hahahahaha.

F Parella...

I don't think it fits the song. It sounds amateurish to me - but the
choice of notes and the quantity (there are too many) of them. It
would have been more effective used sparingly, like the sitar on
"Norwegian Wood."

BlackMonk...

Too bad you weren't around to produce them, they might have really made
something of themselves.

F Parella...

I presented criticism of some aspects of a *single song*, not the
Beatles' entire career. Your reply was dumb. One can be a Beatles fan
without worshipping every single note every one of them ever played.

BlackMonk...

Your "criticism" was dumb. "Too many notes."

F Parella...

I think the distorted instrument outlives its welcome by the chorus. I
could take it just in the verses or choruses, but not buzzing away
throughout the whole song like some mosquito on steroids.

MikeLawyr2...

If you don't like all that buzzing away, I wonder what you think about
the frantic fire bell in Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For
Me And My Monkey.

JVE...

That fire bell is awesome! I really love it! The song wouldn't be the same
without it. One of the best use of percussion EVER imho. It's one of those
apparently little touches which makes a world of difference and turns a
simple song into a rocking classic!

D. Moreno...

Thanks for letting us know.

Jeff...

The best part of this song..is the guitars..IMO. I wish I could play
like that. Very clever stuff.

Some Other Guy...

What goes on is a good song. Sure, they were performing it before they were famous but the song is

Daave...

Really? Kind of Like When I'm 64...

What year was WGO written? Are there any recordings of it pre-1962?

solid and JOhn is playing some great rhythm on it. Paul's bass and Ringo's drums are so locked in
together that the song just drives forward. I love it. The harmonies are there. I like it. Many
other band would love to have a song like this as their BEST song.

Danny Caccavo...

I'm inclined to agree that "What Goes On" is way below the "Beatles
standard" - though it's not a great song to start, it's made worse by a
bad arrangement and sub-standard guitar performances. Sure, the bass and
drums are locked - but the guitars are just noodle-ly and "blatty" as
Richard says. I always cringe a bit when that track goes by (not as
badly as "Mr. Moonlight" of course, but those two are at the bottom of
the barrel). It should have stayed as a b-side.