(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 down below)
The Beatles - "Paperback Writer"
Hit Number 1: June 25, 1966
Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks
Paul McCartney's aunt had a challenge for him. She wondered why he wrote songs about love all the time, and why he could never write songs about "a horse, the summit conference, or something interesting". He came up with a song written in the style of a letter, about a guy who was aspiring to be an author, and wrote his letter to a publisher. Our narrator claims he badly needs a job, and his letter to the publisher is shamelessly silly. McCartney would recall in a 2007 interview that he read about an aspiring author in the Daily Mail, and he got to work on the song after reading the article. "Paperback Writer" was the result of all this.
Our narrator starts off his letter by saying "Dear sir or madam can you read my book? It took me years to write can you take a look?" It's clear that he has no shame, and thinks his book has potential to be worth a million dollars, but still acknowledges that the publisher may not like it, and send it back to him instead. But he keeps saying over and over again that he needs a break, and really wants to be a "paperback writer". The lyrics of the song say nothing else about the publisher's response, or if the dude gets his big break on being an author. Nope, all the song is, is the narrator's letter word for word to the publisher. That might sound boring at first, until you hear the song for yourself. The song works as an unnecessary banger, which sounds a lot like the Beatles' earlier 1966 hit "Day Tripper", which had made it to #5. (It's a 9) It's not some big masterpiece or anything, and it often gets forgotten about as far as the great Beatles songs go, but it's one that I happen to really like, and is probably my favorite Beatles song.
Yep, "Paperback Writer" stands out as my favorite Beatles song. I've always loved the group's rock bangers, and I've given out great scores to several of their songs already on this blog. But there's something about the shamelessness of the narrator, that amplified bass guitar riff, John Lennon's and George Harrison's singing of "Frere Jacques" in the background, and the overall feel of a group letting themselves go, not caring about the opinions of anyone else. And I absolutely love it all. "Paperback Writer" could also be the point to where the Beatles fully established themselves as musical geniuses. The fact that they can turn a song about a guy writing a letter to an author, and singing "Frere Jacques" in the background, and somehow turn it into a great rock song. And one that I can't make fun of. That's some powerful stuff.
GRADE: 10/10
JUST MISSED:
The Cyrkle's fun and bouncy "Red Rubber Ball" (honestly, no pun intended) peaked at #2 behind "Paperback Writer". It's a 7.
SONG REFERENCED:
The Beatles - "Day Tripper"
MY INSPIRATION / MORE INFORMATION:
NOTE:
Some of you have become avid readers of this blog, and first I'd like to say thanks, I really do appreciate that. But some of you might be wondering where the hell I've been. Really, I just needed to take a break for a week. I'm having a lot of fun doing this, and I enjoy it a lot, but doing a post every day, you're liable to get burnt out on it every now and then. But I'm back, and will plan on doing a post every day again. If there's ever a time where I go a few days without posting, don't think I've abandoned the blog, as I'm never going to do that. I've already made it this far. I'm likely just taking a little break. Thanks for reading.
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