1965 Album Ranked as One of the Greatest of All Time - And It Still Holds Up

The Beatles weren't exactly a cult band as 1965 ended.  Their albums and singles dominated the pop charts. They played in front of more than 55,000 fans at Shea Stadium. They even conquered the big screen. Twice.

But Dec. 3, 1965, proved to be a seminal moment for the Fab Four – the release of Rubber Soul, the album where "the Beatles became the Beatles."

Widely considered one of the most influential albums ever made, it's hard to believe Rubber Soul was something of a rush job. The Beatles went into the studio in October 1965 to crank out an album in time for the holiday season. Despite the tight deadline, however, The Beatles decided to make their most audacious record yet.

"By the time of Rubber Soul, they were ready for new musical directions," said George Martin, The Beatles' long-time producer. "In the early days, they were very influenced by American rhythm and blues … and then, as time went on, other influences became apparent: classical influences and modern music."

Said drummer Ringo Starr: "We were all open to anything. You could walk in with an elephant, as long as it was going to make a musical note."  While filming the movie Help! in April of 1965, guitarist George Harrison was introduced to the sitar, a stringed instrument that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The sitar solo Harrison added on Rubber Soul's "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" is believed to be the first time the instrument was featured on a Western pop recording.

That was just one classic moment on an album brimming maturity and innovation. Rubber Soul spawned classics such as "Drive My Car", "Nowhere Man" and "In My Life", the latter of which is considered one of the greatest songs of all time.

Source: yahoo.com/John Lembo

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