The Beatles reveal new ‘Rubber Soul’ reissue featuring rare John Lennon demo

An expanded edition of The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’ is set to arrive with a previously unheard John Lennon demo included in the collection.

Read More: Paul McCartney: “Writing a song is still a magic feeling for me, and hopefully always will be”

The refreshed editions of the celebrated 1965 record will be released on October 2 through UMG and Apple Corps Ltd. Producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell handled the new mixes.

More than 60 years after its original release, the influential album will be available in updated stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes for the first time. The box set will also contain the initial mono mix and the original Capitol US Album edition.

In addition to the familiar tracklist, which includes popular songs such as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’, ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Michelle’, and ‘In My Life’, the collection features the double A side single ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’. Fans will also receive several previously unavailable studio recordings and home demos.

Different versions of the release include the 14 song Special Edition Standard, the 30 track Special Edition Deluxe, and a Blu ray Edition containing 16 tracks and four videos.

The largest package is the Special Edition Super Deluxe, which will be offered as either a five LP box set or a four CD box set containing 68 tracks. Its contents include the new stereo version of ‘Rubber Soul’, two Sessions and Demos discs, the album’s original mono master, the original Capitol US edition, and the seven inch A side single.

Among the demos is ‘Little Girl’, a track written and recorded by Lennon that has never been officially released since it was originally created.

The Super Deluxe packages also feature an 88 page hardcover book with a newly written introduction from Paul McCartney and a foreword assembled using Lennon’s own words.

‘Rubber Soul’ was completed across four weeks in October and November 1965. The sessions took place shortly after the Fab Four played their record setting show for over 55,000 people at Shea Stadium in New York.

Every new edition includes the updated stereo mix of the album, created directly from the original four track master tapes. The team used separation technology developed at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd.

Visit here to place a preorder and see the complete tracklist for the “Special Edition Super Deluxe” package below.

The ‘Rubber Soul Special Edition Super Deluxe Box Set’ tracklist is:

LP1: New stereo mix

Side A

1. ‘Drive My Car’
2. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’
3. ‘You Won’t See Me’
4. ‘Nowhere Man’
5. ‘Think For Yourself’
6. ‘The Word’
7. ‘Michelle’

Side B

1. ‘What Goes On’
2. ‘Girl’
3. ‘I’m Looking Through You’
4. ‘In My Life’
5. ‘Wait’
6. ‘If I Needed Someone’
7. ‘Run For Your Life’

LP2: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 1

Side A

1. ‘Wait (Take 3, instrumental backing track)’
2. ‘Run For Your Life (Takes 1 to 5, instrumental backing track)’
3. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (First version, Take 1)’
4. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second version, Take 2)’
5. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Third version, Take 3)’
6. ‘Drive My Car (Takes 1 and 2, instrumental backing track)’
7. ‘Day Tripper (Songwriting work tape)’

Side B

1. ‘Day Tripper (Take 1, instrumental backing track)’
2. ‘Day Tripper (Takes 2 and 3, instrumental backing track)’
3. ‘If I Needed Someone (Take 1, instrumental backing track)’
4. ‘In My Life (Take 1)’
5. ‘In My Life (Extract with unused organ solo)’
6. ‘We Can Work It Out (Paul’s demo)’
7. ‘We Can Work It Out (Take 1, instrumental backing track)’

​

LP3: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 2

Side A

1. ‘Nowhere Man (First version, Take 2)’
2. ‘Nowhere Man (Second version, Take 5, instrumental backing track)’
3. ‘I’m Looking Through You (First version, Take 1)’
4. ‘I’m Looking Through You (Second version, Take 2)’
5. ‘I’m Looking Through You (Second version, Take 3)’
6. ‘Michelle (Guitar rehearsal)’
7. ‘Michelle (Take 1)’

Side B

1. ‘What Goes On (Take 1, instrumental backing track)’
2. ‘The Word (Takes 1 and 2, instrumental backing track)’
3. ‘Girl (Take 2, instrumental backing track)’
4. ‘Beatle Talk (Think For Yourself vocal overdubs)’
5. ‘Little Girl (John’s demo)’

LP4: Mono

Side A

1. ‘Drive My Car’
2. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’
3. ‘You Won’t See Me’
4. ‘Nowhere Man’
5. ‘Think For Yourself’
6. ‘The Word’
7. ‘Michelle’

Side B

1. ‘What Goes On’
2. ‘Girl’
3. ‘I’m Looking Through You’
4. ‘In My Life’
5. ‘Wait’
6. ‘If I Needed Someone’
7. ‘Run For Your Life’

LP5: US Album

Side A

1. ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’
2. ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’
3. ‘You Won’t See Me’
4. ‘Think For Yourself’
5. ‘The Word’
6. ‘Michelle’

Side B

1. ‘It’s Only Love’
2. ‘Girl’
3. ‘I’m Looking Through You’
4. ‘In My Life’
5. ‘Wait’
6. ‘Run For Your Life’

Seven inch single

Side A

1. ‘Day Tripper’

Side AA

1. ‘We Can Work It Out’

Elsewhere in Beatles news, the group will be explored through a collection of four films directed by Sam Mendes. All four movies are currently scheduled to reach cinemas at the same time in April 2028.

Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney, while Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Joseph Quinn will appear as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan will take on the role of Ringo Starr. Each movie will present the band’s journey through the eyes of a different member.

It has also been announced that 3 Savile Row, the famous London location closely connected to the group, will welcome visitors for the first time next year as part of the first official Beatles fan experience.

Earlier this year, Paul McCartney released his latest album, ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’. It marks his first solo project since 2020’s ‘McCartney III’ and includes his first duet with former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.

Before the record arrived, McCartney spoke with NME about both the past and future of his remarkable career. He discussed his “excitement” about appearing on the upcoming The Rolling Stones album and addressed whether retirement is part of his plans.