Recorded - April 16, 1964
First Released - June 26th, 1964 (US), July 10, 1964 (Uk)
#1 for weeks of August 1 and 8, 1964.
It's quite rare that a film that is essentially a vehicle for a pop group is a good movie. It's even rarer that said movie has garnered critical acclaim, even having a 100% fresh rating on movie review website "Rotten Tomatoes". "A Hard Days Night" works so great because it shows the band as four hard working every-men with just a touch of comedy and plenty of music. The title track alone is one of the most memorable pieces of music ever created. It's hardly surprising then that it reached number one in both the UK and the US during the summer of 1964 as the movie was in theaters.
"A Hard Days Night", the song, was actually written and recorded near the end of the movie's filming. In fact, when The Beatles filmed their famous opening sequence of them running away from fans, nobody had any idea what music piece was going to be put there. The song title comes from one of Ringo Starr's many malapropisms and the music and lyrics are almost entirely John.
What makes this song most famous is its opening chord. Musicians, sound engineers, scientists, and fans alike, have all tried and often failed to replicate its exact sound. Whatever combination of notes the The Beatles played remains known only to a select few. I would easily place it as one of the top 10 song introductions of all time.
Lyrically, we can hear John progressing as he sings about the stresses of his day and looking forward to coming home and being with his wife. During 1964, this was exactly what John and the band was going through with the constant touring, recording, filming, and radio appearances. It's no wonder that his main songwriting style has always been very personal.
Musically, besides the famous opening chord, there is quite an array of impressive instrumentation. We have 12-string guitars, the sound of which would inspire a whole music sub-genre one year later. There's some cowbell, which is always welcome in rock music, and a surprisingly complex solo section featuring a dual piano and guitar part, the former played by producer George Martin.
To the joy of Beatles fans and the dismay of the more conservative folks, this song cruised effortlessly to #1 and became the band's fifth American number one and their sixth in Britain. While people back then might not have realized it, the band were continuing to expand their musical and lyrical horizons. The next time the group his #1, they would unintentionally cause yet another innovation, but that's a story better saved for review #125.
Final Verdict - One of The Beatles best early songs. It captures everything that was great about the band in only two and a half minutes. A deserved #1 hit for sure!
Coming Up Next - "Everybody Loves Somebody" by Dean Martin.
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, and I should be sleeping like a log -
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