Customer Reviews

A Hard Day's Night

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Unlike it's British counterpart of the same title, the American version of "A Hard Day's Night" is a soundtrack featuring eight songs preformed by The Beatles and four instrumental interpretations of Lennon/McCartney originals preformed by the George Martin Orchestra. Originally issued in both stereo and mono on June 26, 1964, this was the fourth Beatles album to be released in the United States and the second album to be officially released on a label other than Capitol (the first being "Introducing The Beatles" [Vee-Jay Records, issued July 22, 1963], "A Hard Day's Night" being released by United Artists as the "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" ).

All of the Beatles songs on the mono and stereo releases were created from the same mono master tape, the later being "duophonic" (a process of slightly altering e.q., panning and levels to create a "stereo" image) mixes created by the engineers at United Artists. Capitol would issue it's own versions of five of the eight Beatles tracks less than one month later (July 20, 1964) on it's ironically titled "Something New" album. Of the three remaining songs, "I Should Have Known Better" and "Can't Buy Me Love" would not see release on a Capitol album until the February 26, 1970 release of the "Hey Jude / The Beatles Again" compilation. The title track would not see a Capitol album release until the April 2, 1973 compilation "1962-1966" (also known as "The Red Album").

The four instrumental tracks by the George Martin Orchestra are jazz/lounge interpretations of Beatles songs. Unlike the tracks by The Beatles, The instrumentals were issued from separate mono and stereo masters, the later being "true" stereo. Although dismissed by most fans as "filler", these versions featured prominently in the film and bring to mind various scenes (who could forget Ringo's sad walk along the river to the instrumental tune of "This Boy"?) . Taken in the context that this is a soundtrack album (and bonus points that these are Lennon/McCartney originals, not anonymous score by an anonymous composer), these tunes are actually quite enjoyable!

This is the version of "A Hard Day's Night" that most American Beatles fans grew up with. The 1987 release of the Beatles EMI catalogue on cd replaced the various early Capitol albums and introduced America to the Beatles original albums the way the Beatles intended them to be heard. What was once twelve albums on Vee-Jay, Capitol and United Artists was now only seven albums on Parlophone. While the Parlophone albums were superior in most aspects, American fans soon began to notice that differences went beyond the running order and album titles. Some tracks were completely different mixes featuring different sounds (Capitol "Rubber Soul" had 2 false starts at the beginning of "I'm Looking Through You", not on the Parlophone release, etc.) and gone were the instrumental tracks from "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!".

EMI/Capitol finally saw fit in 2004 and again in 2006 to give the American fans back the albums that they grew up with in the form of two box sets, "The Capitol Albums" and "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2". Both box sets are completely remastered and feature both stereo and mono versions on the same cd as well as wonderful reproductions of the original artwork in the form of mini-sleeves. Unfortunately, only eight of the original twelve American albums have been released on cd. Missing are "Introducing The Beatles", "A Hard Day's Night", "Yesterday...And Today" and "Revolver". "Introducing" is null as it was released on Capitol as "The Early Beatles", but the remaining three (along with maybe 1977's "At The Hollywood Bowl") would make a wonderful final box set as everything from "Sgt. Pepper" forward was the same worldwide. [Capitol acquired the United Artists catalogue in the early 80's and subsequently re-issued this very same soundtrack - so inclusion in a Capitol box set would remain "authentic"]

Overall, this is a fun soundtrack to a fun film. This is the Beatles at the height of Beatlemania, simple pop songs with great hooks that will have you singing along. Innocent. Nothing deep, nothing philosophical. Songs about falling in love, being in love, and losing love. If you listen to this enough, you may also catch yourself singing along with the instrumentals! If you have access to a turntable, this would be a welcome addition to your Beatles collection. To the American generation who grew up on the 1987 standardized cd catalogue, you should definitely hear this version at least once to better experience Beatlemania as your parents (and dare I say grandparents) did.

A Hard Days Night is The Beatles best album if it's possible to pick just one.
As Fresh and Rockin' Today as 1964!!!
John L. Book

I didn't really use this to listen to.. I know, shame on me! I bought it because my sister LOVES the beatles and since she is a music lover I made her a clock for christmas using this record. I slightly sanded the hole in the record just to make it a tiny bit bigger so I could fit the clock piece in the center. I did not put any numbers or any decoration on it either because I didn't want it to ruin the clock and then I took the cover for her record and framed it. She LOVED it!