A Hard Day's Night review

The third Beatles album, and the first to consist entirely of original material written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Tracks:

1. A Hard Day's Night: 9/10 a monumentally catchy title track, this brilliantly named song is one of The Beatles best early songs.

2. I Should Have Known Better: 9/10 unique-sounding among early Beatles, the effectiveness of what initially seems like another love song is a major rug pull.

3. If I Fell: 8/10 a less showy track filled with honesty which connects in a very genuine manner.

4. I'm Happy Just to Dance With You: 8/10 short but highly enjoyable.

5. And I Love Her: 9/10 as a simple, unsophisticated and blunt love song, it's a smash-hit success and might be one of the best Beatles love songs of all time. And since so many of their songs are about love, that's seriously saying something.

6. Tell Me Why: 8/10 it's sung with such conviction and played with such skill it's impossible to ignore despite the familiar material.

7. Can't Buy Me Love: 9/10 the biggest hit on the album aside from the title track, and with very good reason. Another case of simple but effective, this one stays in the memory.

8. Any Time at All: 8/10 more of the same in some ways, but this basically means more delightful music so I'm not complaining at all.

9. I'll Cry Instead: 8/10 mature and compelling in terms of narrative, although one of the early attempts at a more downbeat for The Beatles isn't entirely successful since the seemingly upbeat instrumental doesn't always match up to the lyrics.

10. Things We Said Today: 8/10 one of Paul McCartney's touching love songs, and a good one at that.

11. When I Get Home: 8/10 not one of the album's standouts, but typically strong stuff all the same.

12. You Can't Do That: 8/10 once again, the more serious material doesn't always work but it's still a good song.  

13. I'll Be Back: 8/10 this time, the seriousness works and it concludes the album in excellent style.

Best song: A Hard Day's Night
Worst song: When I Get Home

Summary: A delightful album from The Beatles, and their best yet. This time consisting of just original material, it's an honest representation of the band's genius, and although not all of the songs are massively memorable, the standard of quality is remarkably consistent. Only half an hour in length, it doesn't outstay its welcome either. Great stuff from The Beatles, and the best album of the early, pre-psychedelic years.



Final rating: 9/10