THE HIT HAMMER: The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night"

(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post)

The Beatles - "A Hard Day's Night"

Hit Number 1: August 1, 1964

Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks

It was just a matter of time before the Beatles released a song about sex. That's exactly what "A Hard Day's Night" refers to, and it's pretty obvious. The song is about a guy who works all day, wearing himself out. But then he comes back home to his woman who makes him "feel alright". We all know what that means, you're not fooling anyone John and Paul. It's one of those rare songs that opens up with the chorus rather than a verse, with John singing the chorus, and Paul singing the verses. It's barely a verse, cause all he sings is "When I'm home everything seems to be right, when I'm home baby you're holding me tight". Again, it's so obvious that the guys are referring to sex here, making "A Hard Day's Night" completely different from the other Beatles songs I've covered here so far.

One of the greatest prolonging mysteries in music is the opening chord you here on "A Hard Day's Night". The song is now 56 years old, and it's been concluded that it's really a combination of two different chords being played by John and George. So if you're ever at home by yourself doing a jam session, and you want to take a crack at "A Hard Day's Night", you can't play the opening chord by yourself. It can't be done. Sorry. However, it's on "A Hard Day's Night" where most of the spotlight, at least in my eyes, is on George. The lead guitar on the song is probably the strongest feature that it has, of course, besides the sex lyrics. There's not just one, but there's TWO guitar solos. There's one in the middle of the song, where you would usually find one, but then there's another one while the song is fading out. That one sounds completely out of left field, but somehow, it still fits.

"A Hard Day's Night" is probably the biggest rocker the Beatles have had hit #1 so far, and that's saying a lot. It certainly doesn't lack enthusiasm, and it was here that the Beatles started getting more experimental and creative. This was when they started getting away from the cute little boppers (yet still bangers) that made America fall in love with them in the first place. And they could afford to do that, cause everyone would have loved them no matter what. I swear, in 1964 the Beatles could've recorded a song of them belching the ABCs and it would be a hit. Obviously though, "A Hard Day's Night" does not involve any belching, and it absolutely SLAPS. There isn't a dull moment in the song, all the way from the "multichord" (cause I don't know what else to call it) to the fading guitar solo. It's like a ride on a roller coaster without the buildup. You go down the drop immediately on the "A Hard Day's Night" rollercoaster. John and Paul excitingly screech about their sex life after a long day at work, with the two screaming before entering George's first guitar solo. Kind of like what we heard on "Can't Buy Me Love".

Continuing with the roller coaster analogy, I like to think of the final fading guitar solo as getting off the ride. Your hair is a mess, your eyes are widened, and your heart is pounding. It was a hell of a ride, and you want to get back in line to ride again.

GRADE: 10/10