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Beatles for Sale (No. 2)

EP by The Beatles • 4 June 1965 • Parlophone GEP 8938

Beatlemania (1962–1964) — Mod sharpness — sharp suits, sharper hooks.

About this release

Beatles for Sale (No. 2) is a UK extended play on Parlophone (catalogue GEP 8938), released 4 June 1965. Four further LP tracks from Beatles for Sale.

The recording context is the band's Beatlemania (1962–1964) period, produced by George Martin with Norman Smith engineering. The track(s) were committed at EMI Studios, Abbey Road on Twin-track BTR-2 (1962); Studer J37 four-track from late-1963 via the REDD.37 / REDD.51 valve consoles.

Parlophone GEP 8931 (mono). A: 'No Reply'; 'I'm A Loser'. B: 'Rock And Roll Music'; 'Eight Days A Week'. Beatles For Sale (No 2), first issued 4 June— Mark Lewisohn, The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, p.200

What's distinctive

4 tracks; average length 2:10. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (3/4). Lead writing credit: Lennon–McCartney (2 of 4).

Tracklist

Side A

Side B

Pattern analysis

Lead vocalists across Beatles for Sale (No. 2)
4
Lennon 3
McCartney 1
Songwriters credited on Beatles for Sale (No. 2)
Lennon–McCartney2McCartney1covers1
Track lengths (seconds)
I Don't Want to S153Words of Love133Baby's in Black128I'll Follow the S108

Era technical context

MicrophonesNeumann U47, U48; AKG D19 (drums); STC 4038 (overheads)
OutboardEMI RS124 compressor (Altec 436B mod), EMT 140 plate reverb, STEED tape echo
GuitarsRickenbacker 325 (Lennon), Gretsch Country Gent / Tennessean (Harrison), Höfner 500/1 violin bass (McCartney), Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl kit (Starr)
AmplifiersVox AC30 (TB & non-Top-Boost variants)

References & external databases

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