A Hard Day's Night --> The Track-by-Track Review

Following the Beatles pun on my first post, I wanted to take some extra time between posts with a fun special. And since pretty much everyone likes the Beatles, I figured why not look at an old classic. Released in 1964, it was the bands' first all-original album (all by Lennon-McCartney) and is considered a pinnacle of its time because of how it captures the early 60s spirit. And a damn catchy capturing it is - the album has perhaps the most infectious set of music I have ever heard, front-to-back. 

This aforementioned album is a rare one where every track has something really interesting on it. So I decided to say something about each track. Since you probably don't remember anything past "hard day's night" and "can't buy me love" (and maybe "and I love her" if you're already a fan), I recommend listening to the whole thing again; a close listening will surprise by how well written it is, and show how you probably took those songs for granted after the 80,000th time you heard them...

Track 1 - "A Hard Day's Night"

Literally the greatest statement of Beatlemania, this song, even to this day, is one of the most excellent expressions of joy I have ever heard. It shows everything that was great about the Beatles - the excellent vocal interplay between the Lennon verse and McCartney bridge, simple but effective songwriting and playing, and an even brighter production than ever before (plus Martin gets some fun keyboard stuff in the middle too). 

Yes, it's quite old-fashioned with its all-too-obvious gender dynamics, but you can say that about all their songs. I mean, girls were screaming and flocking to their concerts as much or more than men - it is simply a product of the times and probably not intentionally sexist. Anyways, like I was saying, it demonstrates all their skills simultaneously, while being insanely catchy and under three minutes, so it's not shocking it went No. 1 in both the US and UK.

Track 2 - "I Should Have Known Better"

Another interesting and extremely exuberant track following "A Hard Day's Night." Since it is the second track on the album (as well as the B-side for the "A Hard Day's Night" single in the US), it is easy to let it get overshadowed. Still, I think it has merit on its own and is one of my favorites from the record.

The song has a very Californian sound, which is probably why it ended up as a B-side in the US (and why it was covered by the Beach Boys a year later). Tracks like this that still hold onto the older album sound of Lennon+acoustic guitar+harmonica also remind us how this came out only a year after the band's debut, and how they made it amidst constant touring, tv specials, and filming a motion picture. Pretty impressive stuff I'd say.

Track 3 - “If I Fell”

This song is a really strong ballad, I kind of see it as the flip side of “And I Love Her,” as this song is led by John and the other by Paul. We do get some wonderful backing vocals, and it gives the song a really crunchy edge. McCartney was better known for his gift of melody, but Lennon, especially in the early days, could craft a beauty. There’s something to be said about the early days of bands, and how the creative drive changes and diminishes over time. The whole album is a wonderful statement of beauty in simplicity, but the complexity of the lyrical content matched with the melancholy chord changes and structure is masterful. Listen for the arc of sad and happy in both the chords and lyrics to hear how carefully constructed it all is.

Track 4 - “I’m Happy Just To Dance With You”

This song may be a pretty safe one, even compared to other Beatles songs, but it is quite catchy and exciting nonetheless. Following the similar upbeat chunky chord sound of "All My Loving" but with a more obvious minor key flair, the song is one of only a few Lennon/McCartney songs sung by George Harrison. Clearly, it was so that he would get his one lead vocal credit on the album and film, and the formulaic nature of the song makes it an obvious choice as a throwaway. 

Still, there is something ridiculously fun about this song, and I would guess it's that I/IV/V chord progression switched into a minor key. It may sound basic now, but the historical importance of the "Beatles formula" cannot be overstated. "I'm Happy..." is a classic example of taking basic song structure ideas and slightly tweaking them in a unique way.

Track 5 - "And I Love Her"

One of the greatest of Beatles ballads, "And I Love Her" comes in out of nowhere with acoustic instruments and percussion, combining an echo-y melody with Latin rhythms to create a totally new sound for British Invasion to explore. An early demonstration of the genius of Paul McCartney, the song begins with a unique arrangement and then continues to take stylistic turns to the next level with a daring key change going into the guitar solo and a surprising major chord at the end. Even on such a classic set of songs, this one stands out for its unmatched beauty. Quite a masterwork, and not nearly as popular as it should be.

Track 6 - "Tell Me Why"

Another sort of formulaic one, and perhaps the most evident of any song on A Hard Day's Night that the band was writing songs at an exhilaratingly fast rate. The song is clearly a tribute (or ripoff) to the other harmony-laden groups of the 50s and 60s like the Four Seasons, particularly with that bit of falsetto harmony in the bridge. The band still brings it up to their high standard of rock 'n' roll, but it is easy to construe as filler. The upbeat, sharp rhythm of the intro and following the chorus make the song rock a little harder than usual, but the rest of the song plants it firmly as a product of the times.

Track 7 - "Can't Buy Me Love"

Just like "She Loves You" a year prior, this iconic song launches directly into the chorus. Preceding and following singles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "A Hard Day's Night" somewhat overshadow its popularity, but it remains essential as the first single following the band's crossover success in the US. Stands out because it mixes 50s rock elements with their own unique style, the most important piece of pop-culture puzzle is that timeless statement of the chorus, summing up the carefree youthful protest of the 60s. 

It seems clean and tight now, but from a historical perspective, the song has quite a few unhinged moments. From the start and stop chorus, the multiple screams from Paul, and a pretty raw guitar solo from George, the song is propelled to its final moment, where it seems to collapse in a sigh of finality and peace. In sum, a front-to-back classic.

Track 8 - "Any Time at All"

Another song with many great parts, this track feature is, of course, a standout Lennon vocal performance. Its simplicity is made up for by injecting the personality of the group into every moment, a quality that makes Beatles filler songs far greater than those of other groups at the time. Along with a catchy chorus and awesome energy, every part of the song grabs the listener, especially the hooky guitar lines and the adventurous instrumental bridge. The latter is one of my personal favorites; it shows the band even then in a state of exploration, incorporating more and more interesting elements into their music beyond the scope of the average pop bands of the time. 

Track 9 - "I'll Cry Instead"

The country song format was later explored better in the Buck Owens song "Act Naturally," but this song is interesting because it A) is not a cover, and B) has some super dark lyrical subjects that Lennon was only beginning to explore (the other dark one on this album being "You Can't Do That"). The feelings he outlines are of anger, sadness, and even revenge - not typical sources of Beatles music. John certainly had his moments of showing these feelings in other songs, but it is usually relegated to one or two songs per album. The forward lines of "I'd get myself locked up today" and "I'd try to make you sad somehow" make the song stand out among the wealth of other heartbreak pop songs. This song was also released as a single and surprisingly did well for its negative subject matter.

Track 10 - "Things We Said Today"

Another underrated favorite of mine from A Hard Day's Night, this McCartney-heavy song is relatively mellow compared to the rest of Paul's Beatles career. To me, this is one of their best examples of contrasting emotional color and texture blending the melancholy melody with a much brighter bridge, as well as matching simple boy-loves-girl sentiments with mature lyrics and songwriting. The transition into folk from the country beat of "I'll Cry Instead" shows the great range on side 2 of the album (these are the songs not included into the film). These interesting explorations are what give the popular songs more impact and importance, contrasting what the Beatles (and their producers) know will be popular and what they want to share as they become more mature artists.

Track 11 - "When I Get Home"

Lennon never let loose his lust as much as he did on "When I Get Home," literally screaming about how much he wants his girl. The song is overlooked because of its aggression, but I think it's fun when bands step outside of their comfort zone. The verse may not be particularly catchy, and the structure is already played out by this time (in a musical paint-by-numbers kind of way), but the rousing chorus makes it more of a fun, upbeat, classic interlude between the following and preceding tracks. 

The simple and direct lyrical and musical concept of the song illustrates the bands effective utilization of the 2-minute pop song length: these ideas are something everyone already knows, so it should come across as simple but with subtle, almost hidden complexities (for this track, check that bombastic 3 beat chorus lead-in, a basic but powerful statement for a filler track).

Track 12 - "You Can't Do That"

I hinted before that this song had some darker lyrics than normal, but it comes across more so than on "I'll Cry Instead" because it is probably the roughest and most rocking song on the album. The dynamic hits and breaks at the end of each section are well complimented by a great guitar hook and a funky four-on-the-floor cowbell-driven beat. Mostly written by Lennon (even the strange but fitting overdriven guitar solo), we once again see how these song pieces contribute to his angriest (and most misogynistic) lyrics yet. This kind of sonic painting later became a defining aspect of the Beatles music (think the floaty, relaxing feel of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" or the folky intimacy of "Norwegian Wood"), so it's interesting to look in hindsight at the moments that started this trend.

Track 13 - "I'll Be Back"

This track is probably the most fascinating way that the Beatles could have ended A Hard Day's Night. The song shifts back and forth from major and minor tonalities, with tense, dissonant harmonies and, weirdest of all, no chorus. The pop paradigm is still followed but shifted to fit the mixed messages of love and heartache that the lyrics describe. The consistent, slightly dragging beat pulls the song from an upbeat tempo, giving the track a kind of apprehensive feel. 

Though the song breezes by without sticking too much, a couple of close listens reveal the same fascinatingly mature compositional techniques that again would come to define the Beatles later in the 60s. And of course, in an unresolved dissonant fade-out ending, the listener is left wondering what comes next, yearning for the next few months wondering what follows this bizarre final message. The answer would later be the first track of the wearied Beatles for Sale, the bleak and fittingly titled "No Reply."

----------------------

Without a doubt, A Hard Day's Night is a classic of the Beatles' early years. It is easy to dismiss some Beatles albums as classics just because of their immense popularity, but hopefully, I have persuaded you to consider why the album became so classic. 

As well, hopefully I'll have time to do more of these in the future because this took way too long to write down. Let me know your thoughts so I can feel like I spent my time wisely ;)

Thanks for reading!