Rythm acoustic guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums, bongos: Ringo
Piano: George Martin
Studio sessions
16 April 1964
20 April 1964
23 April 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
23 August 1964
27 August 1964
29 August 1965
30 August 1965
The boys make you wait for it (opening chord) and leave you hanging (ending chords), but in between, they make you think that being their reward at the end of a hard day could be the sweetest thrill in the world. The women of two continents were soon determined to find out. The title is another of Ringo's quasi-malapropisms.
Rythm guitar, harmonica: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
25 February 1964
26 February 1964
3 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
More of the harmonica. This is the full fruition of the early Beatlemania sound, with an interesting lyric twist; we think John's going to spin a heartbroken tale, but he's in the first flush of love. The Smart One at his most optimistic and open-hearted.
Rythm guitar, acoustic guitar opening: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
27 February 1964
3 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
23 August 1964
27 August 1964
Another conundrum: a stunningly beautiful ballad that conceals a good bit of bitterness. John pledges his love, but mainly to get revenge on the one who dumped him. Side One of AHDN is almost all John, and it's a fascinating trip through the complexities of his heart, a suite we wouldn't see the likes of until the Fabs had had their day.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
1 March 1964
3 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
A slight but sweet declaration from John, who wrote this for George. Ringo adds bongos, which, coupled with John's excellent rhythm work on guitar, gives this song an almost Latin feel.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Acoustic guitar: George
Bongos, claves: Ringo
Studio sessions
25 February 1964
26 February 1964
27 February 1964
3 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
Paul finally gets center stage with another quasi-Latin ballad. It's deceptively simple; Paul originally did this in a more typical arrangement, before finally ditching it for this three-guitar, all-acoustic version. Written for Jane Asher. If you think the Fabs got their musical ideas from God himself, listen to "A Taste Of Honey" and especially "Till There Was You" from the previous albums. They form almost a direct line.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
27 February 1964
3 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
Considering its climactic placement in this film, this song should have a higher place in Beatles fans minds -- it's on a level with any of the early Fab songs, especially those incredible triple harmonies, which really were meshing into one voice. That sort of makes sense, really: they were actually done by John, Paul, and... John.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
29 January 1964
26 February 1964
10 March 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
23 August 1964
27 August 1964
29 August 1965
30 August 1965
Paul's shining moment on AHDN and a huge hit for the Beatles on both sides of the sink. One of his bluesiest moments by far, and a nice skewering of the materialistic romance gestures that were currently clogging up the airwaves. Note: Paul insists he's NOT talking about prostitution. Another subversion of song form, starting cold and ending on an odd chord
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Piano
Studio sessions
2 June 1964
4 June 1964
22 June 1964
Fairly workmanlike John tune, nothing very special. John later admitted that this was just a rehash of "It Won't Be Long". Written and recorded merely to pad out side two, but don't you wish all filler sounded this good?
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
1 June 1964
4 June 1964
9 June 1964
22 June 1964
More vengeful behavior for John; he is really messed up. John would later speak badly of a lot of the music in this period, but he did like this one, especially the bridge. One of the Fabs' first country experiments.
Rythm guitar, piano: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums, tambourine
Studio sessions
2 June 1965
9 June 1965
22 June 1965
10 July 1965
23 August 1965
27 August 1965
Paul's contributions to AHDN were very folk-rhythmic in nature (even "Can't Buy Me Love", if you listen hard). This is no exception. It's a deceptively simple affair that again seems to describe a world of emotion. Written while Jane was around, and very autobiographical, the dark tone is not redolent of doubt so much as firm resolve. A quite serious and adult love song for supposed teenybop idols.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
2 June 1964
4 June 1964
22 June 1964
Doesn't hold up very well, especially placed as it is next to the similar but far superior "You Can't Do That". This Lennon composition is probably the weakest of the numbers on AHDN, and some fans consider it their worst original, but it actually rocks pretty nicely.
Rythm guitar: John
Bass, cowbell: Paul
12-string guitar: George
Drums, bongos: Ringo
Studio sessions
25 February 1964
26 February 1964
10 March 1964
22 May 1964
22 June 1964
23 August 1964
27 August 1964
To hear this song, you'd think John was the Beatles' lead guitarist; his solo is the best on the album. Supposedly inspired by Wilson Pickett, which explains the harder sound: they weren't imitating Motown but rather Stax. George's 12-string makes its first appearance, and that slow ending is a thrill. The best of John's "cowbell songs".
Rythm acoustic guitar: John
Bass: Paul
Lead guitar: George
Drums: Ringo
Studio sessions
1 June 1964
10 June 1964
22 June 1964
A verifiable classic, the John side of the minor-acoustic "Things We Said Today" coin, and a terrific album-closer (the title works on two levels, a conceit the Beatles would explore fully later). Never has bouncing between major and minor carried so much emotional weight; ? and the Mysterians would later borrow this for "96 Tears".
