In december 1965 the Beatles released their album "Rubber Soul" followed by the Rolling Stones in April 1966 with their "Aftermath". In both cases the albums introduced a folk rock style. It was also in those days that the US Market released a slightly different tracklisting compared to UK market.
 |
| UK version left / US version right |
Rubber Soul (UK #1)
Drive My Car / Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) / You Won't See Me / Nowhere Man / Think for Yourself / The Word / Michelle / What Goes On / Girl / I'm Looking Through You / In My Life / Wait / If I Needed Someone / Run for Your Life
Rubber Soul (US #1)
I've Just Seen a Face / Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) / You Won't See Me / Think for Yourself / The Word / Michelle / It's Only Love / Girl / I'm Looking Through You / In My Life / Wait / Run for Your Life
From the original UK release the Americans dropped 4 tracks: "Drive My Car", "Nowhere Man", "What Goes On" and "If I Needed Someone". 2 Tracks were added: "I've Just Seen a Face" and "It's Only Love" which were left of on the US release of "Help!". The US market restricted albums to a maximum of 12 tracks. The UK release had 14 tracks. Therefore the US made-up non-existing albums to catch up with songs left out. So in 1966 another album was released titled "Yesterday And Today" including the 4 tracks dropped from the US "Rubber Soul". The UK edition is the winnter since the 2 "Help!" tracks are very poor offers. Overall it was the first album of the Beatles including only their own songs. No covers.
 |
| UK version left and US version to the right |
Aftermath (UK #1)
Mother's Little Helper / Stupid Girl / Lady Jane / Under My Thumb / Doncha Bother Me / Goin' Home / Flight 505 / High and Dry / Out of Time / It's Not Easy / I Am Waiting / Take It Or Leave It / Think / What To Do
Aftermath (US #2)
Paint It Black / Stupid Girl / Lady Jane / Under My Thumb / Doncha Bother Me / Think / Flight 505 / High and Dry / It's Not Easy / I Am Waiting / Goin' Home
Also for the Rolling Stones this is the first album that only included their own compositions. They are still holding on to the Blues style of their earlier albums besides introducing folk rock. Also no covers here. Here the US market made it more interesting adding the hit single "Paint It Black". But they dropped: "Mother's Little Helper" which was a hit single for the album. Also "Out Of Time", "Take It Or Leave It" and "What To Do". They dropped a lot of good songs here. Reducing the number of tracks from 14 to 11. "Mother's Little Helper", "Out Of Time" and "Take It Or Leave It" were released a year later on the US compilation "Flowers". "What To Do" remained unreleased in the US. So again the UK version is the winner here.
And the winner is?
And when we put both the UK versions of "Rubber Soul" and "Aftermath" next to each other who is the winner? Since "Aftermath" has much blues fillers like "Going Home" and "Flight 505" it loses the battle. If I would grade the albums at a scale from 1 to 10 points it's:
Rubber Soul: 8
Aftermath: 7
Full album stories can be read in my earlier posts: Rubber Soul / Aftermath
The next time I will discuss the 1967 releases of the Beatles and the Stones: Sgt. Pepper vs. Their Satanic Majesties Request.