By 1965, the Beatles had become a worldwide phenomenon. They had released three successful albums in the United States and their popularity continued to grow. That year they continued to dominate the charts with their music and toured the world.
The year began with the release of their album ‘Beatles for Sale' in December 1964, which spent eleven consecutive weeks at the top of the UK charts. The album included songs such as ‘Eight Days a Week', ‘I'll Follow the Sun' and ‘Baby's in Black'.
The band began the year touring Europe, playing in Paris, Madrid and Rome. They also played for the first time in Scandinavia, with shows in Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Helsinki. Their European tour ended with two concerts in Paris in June.
In June, the Beatles released their album ‘Help!', which was accompanied by a film of the same name. The film's soundtrack included songs such as ‘Help!', ‘You've Got to Hide Your Love Away' and ‘Ticket to Ride'. The film itself was a commercial and critical success, helping to further enhance the band's popularity.
In August, the Beatles played their famous concert at Shea Stadium in New York to over 55,000 fans. It was the first sold-out rock concert in a stadium in history, and was televised worldwide. The concert further cemented the Beatles' position as one of the most popular bands of all time.
In November, the Beatles released their sixth album, ‘Rubber Soul'. The album was seen as a turning point in the band's career, with a shift in their sound towards more experimental and psychedelic elements. The album included songs such as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)', ‘In My Life' and ‘Drive My Car'.
1965 was a key year for the Beatles, who consolidated their status as global superstars through their music, tours and films. They also began to explore new sonic territory with their album ‘Rubber Soul', which paved the way for their next masterpiece, ‘Revolver', in 1966.
The Rubber Soul album
Rubber Soul is a blend of pop music with folk and psychedelic sounds, making it one of the most innovative albums in music history.
The album opens with the song ‘Drive My Car', which is a great example of how Rubber Soul pushed the boundaries of the Beatles' sound. With its lyrics about an ambitious woman, this song is also an example of the more mature approach to songwriting that the Beatles took on this album.
“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” is one of the best known songs on Rubber Soul. The song is a fusion of folk and rock music, with a sitar arrangement inspired by Indian music. The lyrics are about a disappointing love affair and are another example of the Beatles' mature songwriting on this album.
“In My Life” is one of the most moving songs on Rubber Soul. It was written by John Lennon as a tribute to his childhood memories. The song's poetic lyrics and touching melody have made “In My Life” a favourite among Beatles fans.
“Michelle” is another memorable song from Rubber Soul, written by Paul McCartney in French. This romantic song was a huge success for the Beatles, even becoming a hit in the US.
The other songs on the Rubber Soul album, such as ‘Nowhere Man', ‘Girl', ‘If I Needed Someone' and ‘I'm Looking Through You', all contributed to the album's commercial and critical success. Rubber Soul was critically acclaimed as one of the Beatles' best albums, and inspired many other musicians in later years.
Drive My Car
The song is a love song disguised as a song about a car. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who wants a driver to drive her in her car. The singer replies that he can be her driver and even adds that he can be her ‘engine'.
The song is catchy and full of energy, with a funky bass line and catchy electric guitar. McCartney and Lennon's voices complement each other perfectly, creating a vocal harmony that became a Beatles trademark.
But what makes ‘Drive My Car' so special is its subtle message of female independence. At a time when most pop songs were written by men for women, this song turned the tables and showed that a woman could be independent and have her own power.
Among the many covers, the late Arno is one of them. The Belgian singer actually covered this song on his album “Covers Cocktail”.
Nowhere Man
“Nowhere Man” is a song that explores the feeling of loneliness and alienation that can sometimes accompany everyday life. The lyrics describe a lonely character who has no one to talk to, no one to help him out of his current situation. Lennon explained that the song was inspired by a difficult period in his own life, when he felt ‘lost' and ‘isolated'.
The song begins with the line “He's a real nowhere man, sitting in his nowhere land”, which describes the central character of the song. The verses that follow describe his situation, with lyrics like “Doesn't have a point of view, knows not where he's going to” and “Isn't he a bit like you and me? The song ends with a chorus that encourages the character to get up and get out of his situation, with the lyrics “Nowhere man, please listen, you don't know what you're missing”.
The melody of the song is also remarkable. It begins with an acoustic guitar introduction, followed by an electric guitar riff that is repeated throughout the song. Lennon's voice is supported by vocal harmonies from McCartney and George Harrison, which add emotional depth to the song.
The song ‘Nowhere Man' was well received by fans and music critics alike. It was praised for its combination of introspective lyrics and catchy melody, and was considered one of the Beatles' best songs. It has also been covered by many artists, including the Bee Gees and Neil Young.
Michelle
The song is a sweet and romantic ballad about a man who falls in love with a woman called Michelle. The lyrics express the admiration and attraction he feels for her, with phrases such as “Michelle, ma belle, are words that go very well together” and “Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime”. The French lyrics add a touch of sophistication and romance to the song, which was very popular with Beatles fans.
The melody of the song is also remarkable. It begins with an acoustic guitar introduction, followed by a driving bass line and a light drum beat. McCartney's voice is soft and melodic, with sublime vocal harmonies that add depth and emotion to the song.
“Michelle” was a big hit for the Beatles, becoming one of their most popular songs to date. The song won a Grammy Award in 1967 for Best Group Vocal Performance, and has been covered by many artists, including Stevie Wonder and Sarah Vaughan.
In addition to its commercial success, “Michelle” is also considered an important song in the history of pop music. It was one of the first French-language songs to achieve significant commercial success in the United States and helped popularise French-language music around the world.