A Hard Day's Night

"Can anything be more important than this?" Brian Epstein would utter these words every time The Beatles accomplished some major feat. During 1964-1965, it seemed that The Beatles had the Midas touch. Their single I Want To Hold Your Hand smashed it's way onto the American charts, along with Capitol Records finally releasing a Beatles album titled Meet The Beatles. In addition, the group appeared in the U.S. on the Ed Sullivan show for three appearances, and in April 1964, The Beatles held the top five positions on the Billboard singles chart as well as the top two positons on the Billboard album charts simultaneously.

Now, back in England on February 25, 1964, The Beatles set out to make a movie for United Artists, chronicling 48 hours in the life of the Fab Four. The working title of this movie was called Beatlemania until Ringo one evening after shooting scenes all day looked around and said "It's been a hard day", and then realizing it was already nighttime added "day's night"

In England, Beatles fans were treated to the A Hard Day's Night album with the seven songs from the movie on Side 1 with six new Beatles songs written as excess, but were placed on Side 2. In fact two of those songs (You Can't Do That and I'll Cry Instead) were supposed to be part of the film's soundtrack. However it was decided that seven songs were enough for the movie, so they were not used.

American record buyers, however got a different soundtrack album than their British record buyers. Under a legal agreement with Capitol Records, United Artists could only use the six soundtrack songs (plus I'll Cry Instead) as part of the album. To make up the rest of the album, United Artists used four instrumental Beatle songs composed by George Martin and his Orchestra.

Both the movie A Hard Day's Night and it's soundtrack album were an instant success worldwide.