Rubber Soul and the Social Dance Tradition

Abstract

By the end of 1965, the Beatles had established themselves as successful hit-makers in both an up-tempo pop-rock style and a moderate or slow tempo ballad style.1 The first of these had been influenced by a number of different precursors-Buddy Holly, the Everlys, Chuck Berry, and a number of black motown singers-but had coalesced by 1964 into an original combination of inventive melodic and harmonic gestures and compelling, if occasionally simplistic, lyrics. Their ballad style had drawn from the standard fifties' white ballad style of Holly and others as well as the more tension-filled black style, while demonstrating glimpses of a sophisticated adult commercial style. The British version of the Help! album (released in August, 1965) showed a further development of the pop-rock style, along with the finest example of the adult commercial style to date-Yesterday. However, two of its songs, I've Just Seen A Face, and It's Only Love, are found also on the American version of the Rubber Soul album and at least one of these seems to belong more rightfully to that album on the basis of style. Wilfrid Mellers has stated that the title, Rubber Soul, hints at greater flexibilities of irony and compassion (1973: 58).2 While perhaps this literary rather than any musical idea most completely binds together all of the songs on both versions of the album, the use of the word soul clearly has no specifically musical implications insofar as any reference to the popular black rhythm and blues of the period is intended. In terms of the influence of black music, probably no Beatle album has as little soul as this one. Although the album title appears to have little musical significance, the album cover may provide a hint as to the Beatles' musical intent. The four Beatles are pictured in decidedly rustic attire-a far cry from the conservative mod fashions displayed on earlier covers. This folk-like western image is reflected in the music to some degree by the limited use of the electric guitar and, more significantly, by the general lack of broad, ear-catching pop-rock musical gestures. McCartney's I've Just Seen A Face begins the album and is generally representative of Rubber Soul in style and approach. The recording makes use exclusively of acoustic guitars-one twelve-string guitar and two folk guitars. After a half-speed introduction featuring the folk guitars in melodic thirds, the