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The Beatles — The Word
Album: Rubber Soul
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 607









Released: 1965
Length: 2:38
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Say the word and you'll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
In the beginning I misunderstood
But now I've got it
The word is good

Spread the word and you'll be free
Spread the word and be like me
Spread the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
Everywhere I go I hear it said
In the good and the bad books that I have read

Say the word and you'll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
Now that I know what I feel must be right
I'm here to show everybody the light

Give the word a chance to say
That the word is just the way
It's the word I'm thinking of
And the only word is love
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love

Say the word, love
Say the word, love
Say the word, love
Say the word
Love
Comments (58)add comment
 BCarn wrote:

Not their best but it's the BEATLES! Default 8.

2 years later Edit: 9 !!!!


I'm going the other way from 8 to 7.
Posted 3 years ago by the_jake    [ Reply ]
Not their best but it's the BEATLES! Default 8.

2 years later Edit: 9 !!!!
Posted 6 years ago by BCarn    [ Reply ]
I still give it a 9 -- love the harmony and energy.  I also loved this album, (and actually paid $2.98, as a gift, which was a lot at the time). 

Interesting observation:  Hit the "Lyrics" button, and you can see that the centered formatting shows something unexpected:  
Notice the symmetry of the length of each formatted line.... Long, shorter, shorter, shorter, and shorter still.  Now, notice the symmetry of the separate sections' number of lines.... Short, more lines, more lines, more lines, and even more lines.  While I'm quite sure this design was not apparent or intended when written, It's a small indication of their "accidentally brilliant talent" in composing as well as performing.  Just this element of phraseology adds a very pleasant rhythm to this song, which I felt, but never was aware of why I liked it. 
Posted 6 years ago by freemusic    [ Reply ]
Like a so-so Shakespeare play: not mind-blowing but still really great.  Nowadays the lyrics sound like hippie bubblegum, but it was still two years before the "summer of love."  And as always the Beatles seem to be creating a new musical genre with every song.  How many times has that staccato rhythm and those ethereal vocals been imitated since 1965?
Posted 6 years ago by cely    [ Reply ]
 ziggytrix wrote:
George Martin on the harmonium, ladies and gents.

 
By harmonium, you mean a pump or reed organ?  Cool.

The best prog rock band to come out of Quebec in the 1970s was called Harmonium.  
Posted 7 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet . . .
Posted 7 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Trip made Manifest.. Music set to reflect an imagined better Reality. The sounds of an Age. The words of wise and mystical minstrels...
Posted 7 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
 buddy wrote:
Brilliant song on a brilliant album.  For those kids out there, for those of us alive and aware at the time it was released, it was fresh & different, a breakthrough for The Beatles and pop/rock music in general, a turning point in their evolution as artists. It begat Revolver (my personal favorite Beatles album), which begat Sgt. Peppers, etc.

 

 
Exactly.
Posted 7 years ago by Piranga    [ Reply ]
Brilliant song on a brilliant album.  For those kids out there, for those of us alive and aware at the time it was released, it was fresh & different, a breakthrough for The Beatles and pop/rock music in general, a turning point in their evolution as artists. It begat Revolver (my personal favorite Beatles album), which begat Sgt. Peppers, etc.

 
Posted 8 years ago by buddy    [ Reply ]
 ppopp wrote:
Here's mine

12. Yellow Submarine
11. The White Album
10. Please Please Me
9. With The Beatles
8. Let It Be
7. Hard Day's Night
6. Beatles For Sale
5. Sgt Pepper
4. Abbey Road
3. Rubber Soul
2. Revolver
1. Help!

lemmoth wrote:
My current* ranking of the 12 UK non-compilation albums:

12. Yellow Submarine
11. A Hard Day's Night
10. With the Beatles 
9.  Help
8. Please Please Me
7. Let it Be
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. White Album    
3. Sgt. Pepper
2. Abbey Road
1. Revolver
 
 * subject to reassessment for the last 40 years and the next 40

 
lemmoth right on the mark 
 


Posted 8 years ago by rmaple53    [ Reply ]
One of the weaker Beatles tracks and it's still great. 
Posted 8 years ago by Vicey    [ Reply ]
Here's mine

12. Yellow Submarine
11. The White Album
10. Please Please Me
9. With The Beatles
8. Let It Be
7. Hard Day's Night
6. Beatles For Sale
5. Sgt Pepper
4. Abbey Road
3. Rubber Soul
2. Revolver
1. Help!

lemmoth wrote:
My current* ranking of the 12 UK non-compilation albums:

12. Yellow Submarine
11. A Hard Day's Night
10. With the Beatles 
9.  Help
8. Please Please Me
7. Let it Be
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. White Album    
3. Sgt. Pepper
2. Abbey Road
1. Revolver
 
 * subject to reassessment for the last 40 years and the next 40

 


Posted 8 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]
Any song from this album is a winner.
Posted 8 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:
My current* ranking of the 12 UK non-compilation albums:

12. Yellow Submarine
11. A Hard Day's Night
10. With the Beatles 
9.  Help
8. Please Please Me
7. Let it Be
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. White Album    
3. Sgt. Pepper
2. Abbey Road
1. Revolver
 
 * subject to reassessment for the last 40 years and the next 40

 
Don't burden yourself making lists; it's a bad habit and your friends will start talking about you behind your back.  Anyhow, other than "Yellow Submarine", to me, "Beatles For Sale" is easily their worst album: churned-out, generic, adolescent love songs ("Eight Days A Week", "No Reply", etc.) and mostly terrible cover versions (Kansas City", Mr. Moonlight").  There are some good bits on it, but title of the album reveals how even they felt about it.
Posted 9 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Love it, love it, love it. Simple tune, but hugely listenable.
Posted 9 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:
My current* ranking of the 12 UK non-compilation albums:

12. Yellow Submarine
11. A Hard Day's Night
10. With the Beatles 
9.  Help
8. Please Please Me
7. Let it Be
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. White Album    
3. Sgt. Pepper
2. Abbey Road
1. Revolver
 
 * subject to reassessment for the last 40 years and the next 40

 
I really hope I'm still listening to Radio Paradise in 2055 to read your follow-up post and find that "Help" will ultimately be ranked higher than "Let It Be" when all is said and done!!
Posted 9 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
My current* ranking of the 12 UK non-compilation albums:

12. Yellow Submarine
11. A Hard Day's Night
10. With the Beatles 
9.  Help
8. Please Please Me
7. Let it Be
6. Beatles for Sale
5. Rubber Soul
4. White Album    
3. Sgt. Pepper
2. Abbey Road
1. Revolver
 
 * subject to reassessment for the last 40 years and the next 40
Posted 9 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
One of my least favorite Beatles songs, I give it a 7.

 
If a 7 is the lowest song rating you can go for a group that had hundreds of 'em, THEY MUST HAVE BEEN "PRETTY DARN GOOD"!  

(pardon my '65 Paul impersonation of him riffing on a Yankee accent)
Posted 9 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
One of my least favorite Beatles songs, I give it a 7.
Posted 9 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
So simple, yet so brilliant. 
One of the greatest albums ever, by anyone. 
Posted 9 years ago by ppopp    [ Reply ]
Bill, would this be one of those remasters from you know who?  Sounds sweet!
 
Posted 9 years ago by Zapmedia    [ Reply ]
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...
Posted 10 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
{#Daisy}{#Heartkiss}  .........  GODLIKE SONG FROM A GODLIKE ALBUM
Posted 10 years ago by Peter_Bradshaw    [ Reply ]
A 6.9 for a Beatles song???



"LOOK!  A non-believer!!!  Kill the heretic, kill the heretic, kill the heretic!!!"  
John Cleese - Life of Brian    



(actually i only give this a 7   {#Drunk}  not exactly "Don't  Let Me Down") 
Posted 11 years ago by gjr    [ Reply ]
Yet another song I grew up listening to (I was about 6) before I use to go to bed.. good memories...
Posted 11 years ago by netstv    [ Reply ]


The word is LOVE!

LOVE this song...  LOVE this band...  LOVE this album...  LOVE John Lennon...  LOVE everybody...

"Say the word and you'll be free"...  I be free...
 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
Album filler. 
Posted 11 years ago by bb_matt    [ Reply ]

This song is soooo good for the ears!!!!
 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
 capandjudy wrote:

It is hard to be objective when these songs are laden with so many memories but the fact of the matter is Rubber Soul is a gem.
 
Speaking more objectively (I didn't grow up with the Beatles), Rubber Soul is indeed a gem. My favorite of the Beatles albums.
Posted 11 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
Kind of annoying, actually.{#No}
Posted 11 years ago by coachc    [ Reply ]
..10..(word!)..
Posted 11 years ago by cShaggy    [ Reply ]
 lshinkawa wrote:
Love this album! But maybe it's just because I grew up with it.
 
It is hard to be objective when these songs are laden with so many memories but the fact of the matter is Rubber Soul is a gem.
Posted 11 years ago by capandjudy    [ Reply ]
Hard to believe it's not only from the same band, but is on the same album as Norwegian Wood.  Baffling.
Posted 11 years ago by emh    [ Reply ]
{#Heartkiss}
Posted 12 years ago by CCinSB    [ Reply ]
 johnjconn wrote:
Never understood the attraction to Rubber Soul.
It's probably the 5th or 6th best Beatles album.
Same old, same old, Beatles love songs. 
They've had much better offerings
 
Them's fightin' words, johnjconn!  ; )
I think it was kind of a "bridge" album between the early, poppy Beatles and the later, amazing Beatles that we all know and love (well, OK not everyone loves the Beatles). The first glimpse of the great music that was to come.
Posted 12 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Love this album! But maybe it's just because I grew up with it.
Posted 12 years ago by lshinkawa    [ Reply ]
I remember when this album came out and everyone was just blown away by it...and then came Revolver...
Posted 13 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]
I can't believe I've never heard this song before!  {#Eek} I must've been living in a cave, subsisting on grubs and really toxically-sweet energy drinks...
Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
 Dgradeworkunit wrote:
Nice bass work
 
Very much so.  I've always liked this production with that discrete stereo separation.  Lennon's vocals are great on this too.

Posted 13 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
                   {#Daisy}  Love  {#Daisy}
Posted 13 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
Nice bass work
Posted 13 years ago by Dgradeworkunit    [ Reply ]
 rmurray248 wrote:
C- tune from an A+ band
 

Yeah, I agree.  It only warrants a mere 8.
Posted 13 years ago by jimbaca    [ Reply ]
 poodha wrote:
Thanks Bill. From my top desert island disk.
  One of 'em. Most excellent. Like to hear more of this and Revolver, both.

Posted 13 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
George Martin on the harmonium, ladies and gents.
Posted 13 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
At my going away party we put this on and everyone starting dancing spontaneously... we put it on repeat and freaked out  playing it liek ten times in a row! {#Bananasplit}
Posted 13 years ago by cirruss    [ Reply ]
I probably have not heard this is 35+ years, but remember every word.  Same with most Beatles tunes.  They are etched in my brain.
Posted 13 years ago by ronniegirl    [ Reply ]
 kopak wrote:
I used to sing this with a coworker in an office some years ago. {#Sorry}
 
Word.

Posted 13 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
I used to sing this with a coworker in an office some years ago. {#Sorry}
Posted 13 years ago by kopak    [ Reply ]
C- tune from an A+ band
Posted 22 years ago by rmurray248    [ Reply ]
Thanks Bill. From my top desert island disk.
Posted 22 years ago by poodha    [ Reply ]