The Beatles Become Slick!

A Hard Day's Night is the first Beatles album where production techniques were explored. After this album was released, the raw, primal, rock n' roll style of the band was abandoned for a more slick, polished, sophisticated style. For those of you who read my Beatles reviews, you know that I view the Beatles as an evolutionary, work-in-progress. This album is just one more step in the transition.

A list of songs and a brief synopses of each is as follows:

1. A Hard Day's Night-- The title tune, supposedly written after an off-handed comment by Ringo Starr. A chord from George's twelve-string guitar opens the song, and John Lennon sings the verses with his characteristic vigor. Paul sings the bridges ("when I'm home..."), and this song scores as a glittering piece of pop music. The tune ends with George fiddling around with his twelve-string guitar.

2. I Should Have Known Better--A bit of feel good pop, featuring John Lennon's harmonica and lead vocals and a pristine twelve string guitar solo by George.

3. If I Fell--A beautiful acoustic ballad which features a duet by Paul and John. Like so many of the Beatles' songs, it's really difficult to distinguish the melody from the harmony--both lines could be melodies. Paul's voice cracks at the end of the second bridge--a truly priceless mistake in such a delicate arrangement.

4. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You--Written by John and Paul for George, Harrison delivers a fine vocal performance in this song, with background help from John and Paul. John's rhythm guitar drives this song as well as any beat ever could.

5. And I Love Her--A beautiful ballad sung by Paul and featuring a gorgeous acoustic guitar solo by George. This tune had wide appeal, everytime I get on a elevator somewhere, I hear the Muzak form of it.

6. Tell Me Why--Pure John Lennon. His vocal delivery is as strong as you will ever hear it. In opinion, he's the greatest rock n' roll vocalist of all time, and this song backs up my opinion. This one features good backing vocals and some really potent pauses.

7. Can't Buy Me Love--Paul sings this one, backed by acoustic guitars. The only electric guitar in the song in George's solo, which is double-tracked and actually sounds like two guitars.

8. Any Time At All--The listener will be struck by the sense of urgency in this song. John starts the song vocally, and is simply reassuring his girl that he will be there for her, no matter what. This is not unusual for a Lennon tune--he wears his heart on his sleeve. There's some nice piano work in this one.

9. I'll Cry Instead--Another Lennon I'm-baring-my-soul song. He's been jilted and is trying to deal with it. All of his alternatives are bad, so he decides that he'll just cry. Paul does some great solo bass work on this one.

10. Things We Said Today--An upbeat acoustic number sung by Paul with some appropriate harmonies for John at the crucial points. The body of the song is in a minor key, and it shifts to major at the bridge, creating a sense of resolution. This is a common Lennon-McCartney songwriting quirk--except usually the body is in major and the bridge in minor--they just flip-flop it here, and it works.

11. When I Get Home-- Another Lennon influenced song. Some say that this was Lennon's best solo album. I don't believe that, but his influence is overt and dominant. The use of 7th chords in this one create a bluesy feel, and John's delivery moves the song.

12.You Can't Do That-- My all-time favorite Beatles song. It features Georges twelve-string guitar and a stirring vocal performance by John Lennon. He's bawling his girlfriend out and you can practically see him wagging his finger in her face. The guitar solo is performed by John Lennon, and his use of block chords and rhythmic figures give the impression that he's torturing his guitar. A real piece of rock n' roll.

13. I'll Be Back--The weakest track on the album. I don't know to this day why they would want to close an album with this tune. It's not a bad song, it just doesn't live up to what preceded it.

That's all. Hope you enjoyed my thoughts on this album.