Στο πλαίσιο του αέναου project που θα μπορούσε να τιτλοφορηθεί …“Beatles Forever”, το Rubber Soul (1965) επανεκδόθηκε πριν από μερικές μέρες, με stereo + mono μίξεις, ακυκλοφόρητα tracks – demos, πρόβες κτλ. κτλ.. Για κάποιο λόγο, με έπιασε ένα είδος νοσταλγικής αναπόλησης, κάτι που σπάνια μου συμβαίνει με αυτούς (σ’ αφήνουν να τους ξεχάσεις, ώστε να τους νοσταλγήσεις;). Στο φινάλε ήταν η πρώτη “μακράς πνοής” κυκλοφορία των Beatles, η πρώτη στην οποία, σύμφωνα με την ιστορία, είχαν τον πλήρη έλεγχο του υλικού τους – κι αυτό ακούγεται. Διαλέγω τα δυο τραγούδια στα οποία, βάσει της στάνταρ πρακτικής του γκρουπ, ήταν υποχρεωτικά περιορισμένη η συμβολή του George. Τυχαία ήταν πάντα από τα πιο αγαπημένα μου. Τυχαία επίσης, το Rubber Soul ήταν το δικό του αγαπημένο άλμπουμ των Beatles. 📀 📀 📀 In the context of an ongoing project that might as well be called “Beatles Forever,” Rubber Soul (1965) was reissued a few days ago, with a new stereo mix, the original mono, unreleased takes, demos, rehearsals, and so on. For some reason I was caught by a kind of nostalgic reverie, something that rarely happens to me with them (do they ever let you forget them, so that you can miss them?). After all, it was The Beatles’ first “far-reaching” release, the first on which, as the story goes, they had full control of their material. And you can hear it. I pick the two songs to which George’s contribution was, by the group’s standard practice, strictly limited. As it happens, they were always among my favorites. As it also happens, Rubber Soul was his own favorite Beatles album.

00:00 If I Needed Someone (2026 stereo mix) 02:23 Think For Yourself (2026 stereo mix)

IF I NEEDED SOMEONE
If I needed someone to love
You’re the one that I’d be thinking of
If I needed someone
If I had some more time to spend
Then I guess I’d be with you, my friend
If I needed someone
Had you come some other day
Then it might not have been like this
But you see now I’m too much in love
Carve your number on my wall
And maybe you will get a call from me
If I needed someone
Ah, ah, ah, ah
If I had some more time to spend
Then I guess I’d be with you, my friend
If I needed someone
Had you come some other day
Then it might not have been like this
But you see now I’m too much in love
Carve your number on my wall
And maybe you will get a call from me
If I needed someone
Ah, ah

THINK FOR YOURSELF
I’ve got a word or two
To say about the things that you do
You’re telling all those lies
About the good things that we can have
If we close our eyes
Do what you want to do
And go where you’re going to
Think for yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you
I left you far behind
The ruins of the life that you had in mind
And though you still can’t see
I know your mind’s made up
You’re gonna cause more misery
Do what you want to do
And go where you’re going to
Think for yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you
Although your mind’s opaque
Try thinking more if just for your own sake
The future still looks good
And you’ve got time to rectify
All the things that you should
Do what you want to do
And go where you’re going to
Think for yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you
Do what you want to do
And go where you’re going to
Think for yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you
Think for yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you