Beatles For Sale

 
1 - No Reply - Lennon-McCartney (2:14)
  • Recorded 30th September 1964 in 8 takes
    Final mix - take 8.
2 - I'm A Loser - Lennon-McCartney (2:30)
  • Recorded 14th August 1964 in 8 takes
    Final mix - take 8.
3 - Baby's In Black - Lennon-McCartney (2:04)
  • Recorded 11th August 1964 in 14 takes (only five complete)
    Final mix - take 14.
4 - Rock And Roll Music  - Berry (2:30)
  • Recorded 18th October 1964 in just 1 take.
5 - I'll Follow The Sun - Lennon-McCartney (1:47)
  • Recorded 18th October 1964 in 8 takes
    Final mix - take 8.
6 -Mr. Moonlight - Johnson (2:33)
  • Recorded 14th August 1964 the first 4 takes
    Recorded 18th October 1964 a further 4 takes (5-8)
    Final mix - take 4 edited with take 8.

7 - Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey (Lieber-Stoller/Penniman) (2:31)

  • Incorrectly only listed on the cover as "Kansas City", this is in fact a medley.
    Recorded 18th October 1964 in 2 takes ... but ...
    Final mix was Take 1.

8 - Eight Days A Week Lennon-McCartney (2:42)

  • Recorded 6th October 1964 in 13 takes
    Recorded 18th October 1964 takes 14-15, edit pieces for intro and outro
    Final mix - take 13 edited together with take 15.

9 - Words Of Love Holly (2:12)

  • Recorded 18th October 1964 in 3 takes
    Final mix is take 2, with overdubs from take 3.

10 - Honey Don't  (Perkins) (2:55)

  • Recorded 26th October 1964 in 5 takes
    Final mix - take 5.

11 - Every Little Thing (Lennon-McCartney) ( 2:01)

  • Recorded 29th September 1964 with 4 takes
    Recorded 30th September 1964 a further 5 takes (5-9)
    Final mix - take 9.

12 - I Don't Want To Spoil The Party  (Lennon-McCartney ) ( 2:32)

  • Recorded 29th September 1964 in 19 takes (only 5 complete)
    Final mix - take 19.

13 - What You're Doing (Lennon-McCartney) (2:31)

  • Recorded 29th September 1964 first 7 takes - rhythm track only
    Recorded 30th September 1964 a further 5 takes (8-12)
    Recorded 26th October 1964 a further 7 takes (13-19)
    Final mix - take 19.

14 - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby ( Perkins) ( 2:23)

  • Recorded 18th October 1964 in just 1 take.

 
The Beatles fourth official L.P. release.
One month BEFORE it's release there were over half-a-million advance orders, which went up to 750,000 ... at the time, the highest advance orders for ANY album. Consequently it went straight to No.1 - knocking "A Hard Day's Night" off the top slot. It also entered the singles chart where it reached number 22.
Sales topped 1,000,000 in Britain alone.
The American equivalent album is "Beatles '65" which once again did NOT have a matching track list (what is wrong with these colonials ??) ... but counting the 3,000,000 sales of this album along with the U.K. proper release, we can estimate a worldwide sales figure of "Beatles For Sale" at over 4 million units.
We could actually count in the sales of the next U.S. album, "Beatles VI", as this included the six tracks left off of Beatles '65 ! ... this means an extra million could be added, making over 5 million sales.

Incredibly, even though studio techniques were advancing (four-track recorders had now been introduced), three of the tracks on this L.P. were recorded in just 1 take.
It should also be noted that during the sessions for this album, on 14th August 1964, The Beatles recorded another track for the album (with 5 takes) that was never returned to, nor remixed ... "Leave My Kitten Alone".

The cover to Beatles For Sale was one of the first "Gatefold" sleeves (was it ACTUALLY the first ??), and included cover photography by Robert Freeman, with sleeve notes by Derek Taylor.
The Collage in the inside sleeve (take a look at your copy of the album !) was only a segment taken from a larger print.
You can see the full print above.

On 26th February 1987 this album had it's first release on C.D. which was published in Mono(!) with a catalogue number of CDP 7 46438 2
And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered 4 CD Box Set Comprising:
Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Days Night
Beatles For Sale

This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25, and was in a limited edition of just 2,500 copies.

The album was released on cassette tape (mono only) in November 1987 - Catalogue number - TCPMC 1240 (originally released January 1965.)

The album was also available on 4" reel-to-reel tape,
1965 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1240 (mono only) - first edition in a cardboard box.
1968 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1240 (mono)
                                        TD-PCS 3062 (stereo) this edition in a "jewel" box.