Beatles For Sale - Foreward

This is the fourth by the four
'Please, Please Me', 'With The Beatles'
'Hard Day's Night' that's three
Now'beatles For Sale'

The young men themselves aren't for sale
Money, noisy though it is
Doesn't talk that loud
But you can buy this album - you
Probably have, unless you're just browsing
In which case don't leave any
Dirty fingerprints on the sleeve!

It isn't all currency or
Current though there's priceless
History between the covers none of us is
Getting any younger when, in
A generation or so
A radio-active, cigar-smoking child
Picnicking on Saturn
Asks you what The Beatles affair
Was all about -
Did you actually know them?'- don't try to
Explain all about the long
Hair and the screams!
Just play the child a few tracks from
This album and he'll probably
Understand what it is
All about the kids of AD 2000 will
Draw from this music much the sam sense of
Well being and warmth we do today

For the magic of The Beatles is, I suspect
Timeless and ageless it has
Broken all frontiers and barriers it has
Cut through differences of race, age
And class it is adored by the world

This album has some lovely samples of
Beatles music it has, for instance
Eight new titles wrought by the incomparable
John Lennon and Paul Mccartney
And mingling with the new
There are six numbers culled from the
Rhythmic wealth of the past extraordinary
Decade pieces like Kansas City
And Rock and Roll Music marvelous

Many hours and hard day's nights of
Devoted industry went into the production
Of this album it isn't a
Potboiling quick-sale any-old-thing-will
Do-for-christmas mixture

At least three of the
Lennon-Mccartney songs were
Seriously considered as single
Releases until John
Popped up with I Feel Fine these
Three were Eight Days A Week, no Reply and
I'm A Loser each would
Have topped the charts
But as it is they are an
Adornment to this LP, and a lesson to
Other artists as on other albums
The Beatles have tossed in far more
Value than the market usually demands

There are few gimmicks or recording
Tricks, though for effect
The Beatles and their recording manager
George Martin have slipped in
Some novelties like Paul on Hammond
Organ to introduce drama into
Mr moonlight, which also, and
For the first time
Has George Harrison applying a thump
To an elderly African
Drum because Ringo was busy
Elsewhere in the studio
Playing bongos george's thump remains
On the track the
Bongos were later dropped ringo
Plays timpani in every Little Thing
And on the Rock and Roll
Music track George Martin
Joins John and Paul on one
Piano on Words of Love
Ringo plays a packing case

Beyond this
It is a straightforward 1964 disc
Making quite the best
Of it's kind in the world there is little
Or nothing on the album that
Cannot be reproduced on stage
Which is, as students and
Critics of pop-music know
Not always the case

Here it is then the best album
Yet-quite definitely, says John
Paul, George
And Ringo-full of everything which
Made the four
The biggest attraction the world has ever
Known full of raw John and Melodic
Paul a number from George, and a
Bonus from Ringo for those who like
To know who does exactly what
There are details alongside each title