Drive My Car

Robert Bunter: What an opener! As the curtain rises on Rubber Soul, we are whisked away to a world that none of us had ever seen before. Sassy guitar and assertive bass set the scene, right before thudding toms and funky tambourine make their entrance. Suddenly, we're hearing the comfortable voice of our old friend Paul McCartney, but what's he talking about? He's having some sort of cryptic dialogue with "a girl" who has ambitions of making it in show business and wants to offer our narrator a job as a chauffeur. As the dialogue continues, it becomes clear that she has no idea who she's talking to.

Where does that leave a line like "you can do something in between"? I'll tell you where, straight in the dirty gutter with the rest of the rock and roll filth.

Richard Furnstein: I'm not sure if I should be confused by this story (a story song about a chauffeur audition with an ironic twist?). I assume any rock songs about cars are actually about sticky bedroom matters full of childish puns. Where does that leave a line like "you can do something in between"? I'll tell you where, straight in the dirty gutter with the rest of the rock and roll filth.

Robert Bunter: Where the hell do you file this one? Arch social commentary? If so, the message is muddled and unclear. Women are selfish and dumb? Love is for sale? On the other hand, maybe it's just a funky answer to the sounds of Stax and Motown which were filling the Beatles' ears and the lyrics are beside the point. I'll tell you one thing: placed back-to-back with Norwegian Wood at the beginning of side one, the boys were definitely not going out of their way to paint a flattering picture of contemporary femininity. I guess it makes sense: the women in their lives at this point consisted primarily of screaming lunatics chasing them around, boring wives, the Queen of England, and sophisticated, coy mistresses like journalist Maureen Cleave. Then it's time for "You Won't See Me," "Girl," "I'm Looking Through You," and "Run For Your Life." Sorry, ladies: the Beatles hate you.

Richard Furnstein: They may hate women, but they clearly love children (both boy people and girl people), because this song is for the young at heart. There is an empty headed exuberance in the "BEEP BEEP BEEP YEAH" refrain for the undeveloped child brains. Children can relate to the "what do you want to be when you grow up" conceit of the song, and the options presented to the wee ones are typically limited ("I drive a car like Daddy!" or "I am a movie star!"). Hand it to Sir Paul to write a catchy, lunky tune that relates to both children, misogynists, perverts, and beat rock enthusiasts!