BEATLES 1964 RARE 1ST PRESS FOR SALE UK MONO LP N/M

	£		50
	$		66

This is the Rare 1964 Original Beatles UK MONO First Press Album titled “Beatles For Sale” on Yellow / Black Parlophone PMC 1240. The matrix numbers are as follows Side1 XEX 503 – 4 N & Side2 XEX 504 – 4N. The tracks are as follows Side1 1) No Reply 2) I’m A Loser 3) Baby’s In Black 4) Rock & Roll Music 5) I’ll Follow The Sun 6) Mr. Moonlight 7) Kansas City Side2 1) Eight Days A Week 2) Words Of Love 3) Honey Don’t 4) Every Little Thing 5) I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party 6) What You’re Doing 7) Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby.

The Beatles were tired from touring non-stop for two years. The Beatles were rushed into the studios in between touring to make a new LP in time for the Christmas season of 1964. Perhaps one result of this tiredness is the fact that only eight of the fourteen songs here were penned by The Beatles. Now this would be fine, but for the fact after 'A Hard Days Night' there was, or at least should have been.... no going back. That entirely self penned effort was a clear step forwards for the group and 'Beatles For Sale' is usually regarded as a temporary step backwards - an album including too many old style Beatles Rock N Roll covers and a general lack of sparkle. If you're familiar with the album art, none of the guys look happy. The front-sleeve isn't a stark image of artistic seriousness aka 'With The Beatles' rather a glance into the mind of a group who simply didn't want to pose, couldn't raise much of a smile and weren't particularly happy given the huge success they'd enjoyed. They still put together a fine one-two-three opening sequence after which 'Beatles For Sale' swings from highs to lows to mediocre in betweens.

Still, those three songs that open? Wonderful stuff, classic Beatles songs all from an often unregarded Beatles record, an overlooked record. Few of the original Beatles songs here are as familiar to the general public at large as any of the songs from surrounding albums. 'No Reply' sounds like a stronger song from 'With The Beatles', 'I'm A Loser' displays a country influence in the guitar picking. 'I'm A Loser' has a fresh sound and wonderful lyrics throughout. 'Baby's In Black' is a weird semi-lilting song with strained sounding vocals perhaps reflecting the pressure these songs were recorded under. 'Baby's In Black' has a guitar solo that sounds all over the place, and not in a good way. Still, it triumphs despite these problems, because the song itself is just that strong. 'Rock And Roll Music' I could have happily lived without, a trip down memory lane for the group. Hey, let's pretend that its 1962 all over again..... no thanks. They play the song well, it's a good performance but does give off the 'whiff' of something played literally hundreds of times and ran through 'just once more' for the sake of recording. Pauls 'I'll Follow The Sun' was written pre 'Please Please Me', a very early song dug out of the archive of songs Lennon/McCartney had built up. They needed material for their new record, may as well throw some of those old songs on there? Well, okay. It's a nice song! Acoustic guitar, sweet vocals although lyrically is less sweet with such lines as "And now the time has come, and so my love, I must go / And though I lose a friend, in the end you will know, oh" hardly the stuff of flowers and moonlit romances.

The mid section of 'Beatles For Sale' sags and suffers, so thank god for the true pop classic that is 'Eight Days A Week'. The title of the song was inspired by a something Ringo said describing their hectic work schedule. After this album highpoint a couple of unremarkable covers arrive before 'Every Little Thing' proves itself to be a true underrated Beatles gem, a fabulous song led by Paul and mixing in cool clear guitar lines with catchy vocals. Following this, an average John song, an average Paul song and an average Carl Perkins cover wrap up 'Beatles For Sale'. Shame about 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby' in particular, apart from the sound and style of the lead guitar - everything else is very tired and old sounding. 'Beatles For Sale' itself has enough moments sprinkled throughout for anyone to enjoy and The Beatles recovered anyway, of course.

The record labels contain the ‘Parlophone Co Ltd’ rim text & ‘Sold In The UK’ also ‘Recording First Published 1964’ & are in stunning condition (see pictures) with NO wear, writing & barely any spindle marks at all. This superb Beatles album is pressed on thick heavy duty 60’s vinyl and still retains it’s just pressed look with a very shinny lustre. The Vinyl plays superb crisp & clean with NO pops, crackles or jumps there is also NO groove wear or distortion & is graded NEAR MINT Simply Awesome. The gatefold sleeve is in EXCELLENT Condition with NO writing, NO ring wear & the thick square spine still retains the original inch pinch to both top & bottom.           

The Greatest attention to packaging with all albums housed in aluminium framed box complete with bubble wrap & thick cardboard. The vinyl is also removed from the sleeve to ensure safe delivery.

Postage Costs:

UK First Class = £2.80 Recorded Delivery = £5.50 & Special Delivery (next day, insured up to £250) = £7.00

Europe Air Mail = £4.00 Insured = £8.00

Overseas, non Europe USA, Japan, Australia etc Air Mail = £6.50 Insured £11.00

Doubles add extra £1.00, triples add extra £2.00

Extra albums add £1.00 in the UK, Europe £1.30 & USA, Japan, Australia £1.75

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