Part 2: Album introduction 2
“A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” and “Something New”
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in the United States, an 8-disc box set “The Beatles: 1964 US Albums in MONO” will be released on November 22nd, compiling works from Capitol Records in the United States. (The six LPs, excluding the two-disc documentary album “The Beatles Story,” were also released simultaneously as individual works.)
The third installment in the series is about the album “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” released by United Artists, the distributor of the movie “A Hard Day’s Night” (reissued by Capitol Records in 1978). ) and “Something New”, which was subsequently released by Capitol, will be introduced.
In the UK, the Beatles’ singles from 1962’s “Love Me Do” to 1968’s “Lady Madonna” were released on EMI’s Parlophone label, and their albums began with “Please Please Me” in 1963. Parlophone released all of their releases up to 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967’s “Magical Mystery Tour” was a 2-disc EP set).
After that, the single “Hey Jude” in 1968, “Let It Be” in 1970, and the album “The Beatles (commonly known as the White Album)” in 1968, followed by “Let It Be” in 1970. Until then, it was produced by Apple Records, which was founded by the Beatles, and released by EMI.
On the other hand, most of the American compilations were released by Capitol Records, but there are two notable exceptions: Introducing the Beatles, which was released on January 10, 1964 by Vee-Jay Records, which had the rights to the songs included in the British debut album “Please Please Me,” is introduced here. This is the album “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” from United Artists.
The reason “A Hard Day’s Night” was not released by Capitol was that United Artists acquired the rights to the soundtrack in addition to distributing the film. The major difference from the third British original, A Hard Day’s Night, is the George Martin Orchestra’s Beatles covers used in the film: “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Two People in Love.” It includes four songs: “And I Love Her” and “This Boy.” In particular, the instrumental version of “This Boy” was used in a memorable scene of Ringo walking by the river, and was given the title “Ringo’s Theme (This Boy)”, and was also released as a single in Japan under the title “Ringo’s Theme (This Boy)”. Released.
The album “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” was released on June 26, 1964, two and a half months after “The Beatles Second Album”, the second album from Capitol. It was released on the day.
The total of 12 songs included are 7 new songs that were played in the movie (7 songs from the A-side of the British version of “A Hard Day’s Night”) – “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Two People in Love” ” “When I fall in love” “It’s wonderful Dance”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “Tell Me Why”, and the B-side “I Cry”, as well as the aforementioned George Martin Orchestra. 4 songs by.
“I Cry” was originally written for a scene in which the Beatles were involved in a chase with a police officer, but director Richard Lester didn’t like it, so the scene was replaced with “Can’t Buy Me Love”. ‘ was used. As a result, “Can’t Buy Me Love” appears twice in the film (when it was re-released in 1981, it was used as background music for the opening extra footage).
Another thing is that the original title of “I’ll Cry Instead” was “I’ll Cry Instead,” but the song title on “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” was mistakenly changed to “I Cry Instead.” was.
The title is “A Hard Day’s Night” in both the United Kingdom and the United States, but the American compilation is more effective as a movie soundtrack than the original British album of the same name, “A Hard Day’s Night.” There are many songs where you can enjoy the different mixes, such as “When I Fall in Love” and “And I Love Her,” in which John and Paul’s vocals are single-tracked instead of double-tracked.
“A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” remained at number one on the American album chart for 14 consecutive weeks. Ranked 37th in the 1964 annual ranking and 36th in the 1965 annual ranking. It sold over 4 million copies in the United States alone.
As the band’s popularity expanded in the United States, singles continued to appear. From this album, “A Hard Day’s Night / Two People in Love” was released on July 13, 1964, and “And I Love Her / Ringo’s Theme” by the George Martin Orchestra was released on July 18, 1964. On July 20th, 4 albums were released: “And I Love Her/When I Fall in Love” and “I Cry/Stunning Dance.”
“Something New” was produced by Capitol, who were unable to release the soundtrack edition of “A Hard Day’s Night,” with the intention of creating a “new album” to replace it, and released one month after the soundtrack edition. It was released on July 20, 1964.
11 songs were recorded. Eight songs from the British version of “A Hard Day’s Night”: “When I Fall in Love,” “It’s a Wonderful Dance,” “And I Love Her,” “Tell Me Why,” and “Any Time At.”・All”, “I Will Cry”, “Today’s Vow”, “When I Get Home”, and the British EP “Long Tall Sally” “Slow Down” and “Matchbox” from “The Beatles Second Album” (the remaining 4 EP songs “Long Tall Sally” and “I Call Your Name” were included on “The Beatles Second Album”) ), and what’s more (?) is the German version of “I Want to Hold You”, which is a connoisseur’s favorite.
“Meet the Beatles” and “The Beatles Second Album”, which I introduced last time, had complementary content, “front and back” and “yang and yin,” but “A Hard Day’s Night (original・Motion Picture Soundtrack)” and “Something New” can be considered to be in a similar position.
By the way, four songs were left out of the British version of “A Hard Day’s Night”: “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Two People in Love,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and “I’ll Be Back.” “I’ll Be Back” is on Capitol’s fifth album, “The Beatles ’65” (released December 15, 1964), and “Two People in Love” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” are on Capitol’s 16th album. Work “Hey Jude” (7 However, “A Hard Day’s Night” was only included on the United Artists soundtrack edition, and was not included on the Capitol compilation edition of 17 works. Not done.
Although the content is for connoisseurs’ tastes, the jacket design, which uses a performance scene from “The Ed Sullivan Show” that appeared in February 1964, and the stylish title text of “SOMETHING NEW” are especially wonderful. Along with “The Beatles 2nd Album,” which was also a connoisseur’s favorite, this album is one of the best Beatles compilation albums released by Capitol.
“Something New” stayed at number 2 on the American album chart for nine consecutive weeks and sold over 2 million copies in the United States alone. Only one single from the album, “Matchbox/Slow Down”, was released on August 24, 1964.
**Beyond its musical content, what specific elements of the “Something New” album, such as its tracklisting, cover art, or promotional strategies, made it particularly appealing to American collectors and contributed to its enduring desirability?**
## Interview: The Beatles American Invasion, Part 2
**Today, we delve deeper into the fascinating world of The Beatles’ early American success with our esteemed guests, Dr. Eleanor Davies, a renowned musicologist specializing in Beatles scholarship, and Mr. Mark Reynolds, a leading collector and expert on Beatles discography and memorabilia.**
**Welcome to both of you!**
**Section 1: Mastering the American Market**
**Host:** Dr. Davies, the article highlights the unique story of “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” being released by United Artists instead of Capitol Records. Can you elaborate on the reasons behind this decision and its impact on the band’s American strategy?
* **Possible Discussion Points:** Film distribution deals, contrasting marketing approaches by United Artists and Capitol, target audiences for soundtrack albums vs. studio albums.
**Host:** Mr. Reynolds, you’ve amassed an impressive collection of Beatles records. Can you share what makes “Something New,” with its specific track selections, stand out as a particularly desirable album for collectors?
* **Possible Discussion Points:** Rarities like the German “I Want to Hold Your Hand” version, appeal of EP tracks, significance of the album cover art.
**Section 2: Soundtracks vs. Studio Albums**
**Host:** Dr. Davies, both “A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” and ”Something New” presented unique listening experiences compared to British releases. What are some key musical differences between the soundtrack album and the standard studio albums produced by Capitol at the time?
* **Possible Discussion Points:** Mixing variations, inclusion of orchestral arrangements, track arrangements for film sequences versus standalone songs, influence of George Martin’s contributions.
**Host:** Mr. Reynolds, the article mentions that some songs, like “A Hard Day’s Night,” never appeared on a Capitol compilation album. How do these “missing links” contribute to the mystique around early Beatles albums for devoted fans?
* **Possible Discussion Points:** Completionist collecting, value attributed to rare tracks, the thrill of discovering lesser-known versions.
**Section 3: Lasting Impact and Legacy**
**Host:** Dr. Davies, The Beatles achieved astonishing commercial success in the US. What factors contributed most significantly to their rapid and intense popularity, considering they were already well-established in the UK?
* **Possible Discussion Points:** The “British Invasion” cultural phenomenon, American media receptiveness, unique songwriting talent, appeal to a young, evolving generation.
**Host:** Mr. Reynolds, the upcoming “The Beatles: 1964 US Albums in MONO” box set will surely excite fans. What does this release signify in terms of preserving and celebrating The Beatles’ legacy, particularly for those new to their early works? *
* **Possible Discussion Points:** Historical accuracy, appreciation for vintage recordings, accessibility for a modern audience, the enduring power of The Beatles’ music.
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your valuable insights. This exploration into ”A Hard Day’s Night” and “Something New” reveals not only the intricacies of The Beatles’ early American discography but also strategies used to refine and conquer a new market. It’s clear these two albums hold a unique place in Beatles history!
