Because well we all knew a Nowhere Man . . . . . . .didn't we? . . . . . . A forerunner of Dylan's Mr Jones? . . . . . .well something was definitely going on around Rubber Soul . . . . . . .the inner journey at least was starting to happen with the introspect and more subjective imaginative themes and enquiry . . . . . please listen 

On this day in music history: February 15, 1966 - “Nowhere Man” by The Beatles is released. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it is recorded October 21 - 22, 1965 in Studio Two at Abbey Road Studios in London. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it is the twenty fourth US single for the legendary rock band from Liverpool, UK. Composed primarily by John Lennon, he comes up with the song after spending five hours trying to write something without success. Finally, the words and melody come to him all at once. Lennon shows what he’s come up with to McCartney, who helps him complete the song. “Nowhere Man” represents another departure for The Beatles, with Lennon and McCartney writing more introspective material, moving away from the subject matter of their earlier work which focused more on love and romance. Another one of the songs’ crowning touches is the dual guitar solo played by George Harrison and John Lennon on a pair of matching ‘61 sonic blue Fender Stratocasters, purchased for them by their roadie Mal Evans from Grimwoods Music in Whitstable, Kent. When the song is mixed, Lennon and Harrison asks producer George Martin and engineer Norman Smith, double the amount of treble on the guitars to create an even brighter and cutting sound that is instantly apparent on the finished recording. Originally a track on the UK version of “Rubber Soul, the song is left off of the US version of the album and is instead released as a stand alone single backed with the country flavored "What Goes On” (#81 Pop) sung by Ringo Starr, also extracted from the UK version of “Rubber Soul”. “Nowhere Man” peaks at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 26, 1966. Both songs make their US album debut on the compilation “Yesterday And Today” in June of 1966. “Nowhere Man” is also prominently featured in the animated film “Yellow Submarine” in 1968. “Nowhere Man” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

RUBBER SOUL

"The uncropped and untilted photo that was used for The Beatles’ RUBBER SOUL (Robert Freeman 1965).RUBBER SOUL might be my favorite Beatles album*. It has an Indian summer mood—the sunny joy of their early work is still there, but shadows of melancholy and introspection have appeared and are growing longer. The instruments sound clear, as if they are being played in an open field, McCartney’s soulful fuzz bass is like a hummingbird buzzing around your head. And the grass… well, the grass is there to be smoked."

(Source: talesfromweirdland)

I alternate as I have said before between Sgt Pepper, Revolver and Abbey Road as to an actually favourite Beatles album depending upon my mood but Rubber Soul was a benchmark in the exotic, the strangeness of British pop and the emergence of the true creative writing style and growing adult sophistication of these guys and I KNEW something was happening 

Rubber Soul photo more here . . .

On this day in music history: January 8, 1966 - “Rubber Soul”, the sixth studio album by The Beatles hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 6 weeks. Produced by George Martin, it is recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London from June 17, October 12 - November 11, 1965. The album is recorded in a relatively brief and intense four weeks worth of recorded sessions (with the exception of one song started during the “Help!” sessions (“Wait”), but not completed until later), following the bands’ second world tour. It is a major progression for the band musically and lyrically boasting such classics as “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)”, “Michelle”, “Nowhere Man”, “In My Life”, and “I’m Looking Through You”. The album is regarded by both critics and fans as one of their greatest works. The album is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2000, and is the subject of a pair of tribute albums titled “This Bird Has Flown” and “Rubber Folk”. “Rubber Soul” is certified 6x Platinum in the US by the RIAA. 

I think we have said here before that it is the seminal 'Rubber Soul' that really stood out for me and made me take real notice of the band. I APPRECIATED, and possibly took for granted, all the love songs and sillier more trite things they sang about before but here, their own songwriting to the fore, I realised this was getting interesting and really spoke to me. 'Norwegian Wood' told a story and had such a special flavour, Ringo on 'Michelle' was singing in FRENCH about a girl he KNEW (as far as we could tell* though written actually by McCartney but at the time we wondered . . . .who WAS this girl aaaah) and 'Nowhere Man' was our pantheon to those who didn't 'get it'! 'In My Life' spoke to us all about pathos and heartfelt emotions previously unable to find expression. These were feelings we shared! We were growing up . . . . . . together