Eight Days a Week (song)
Encyclopedia
"Eight Days a Week" is a song written by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
, based on Paul's original idea, recorded by The Beatles
and released on their December 1964 album Beatles for Sale
.
, who was noted for his malapropisms, which are credited as the source of other song titles (such as "A Hard Day's Night
and Tomorrow Never Knows
).
However, he has also credited the title to an actual chauffeur who once drove him to Lennon's house in Weybridge.
, as opposed to the common fade-out ending. The instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, bass and overdubbed handclaps. The fade-in and coda
both include more guitar overdubs.
". The single release in the US was the result of DJs playing the song from imported copies of the Beatles for Sale album as an exclusive since it was not included on the album's US counterpart Beatles '65
. Later, it made a US album appearance on Beatles VI
.
Although it was a huge American hit, the group did not think highly of the song (Lennon called it "lousy") and they never performed it live.
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, based on Paul's original idea, recorded by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and released on their December 1964 album Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released in late 1964 and produced by George Martin for Parlophone. The album marked a minor turning point in the evolution of Lennon and McCartney as lyricists, John Lennon particularly now showing interest in...
.
Inspiration
The inspiration of the song has been attributed to at least two different sources by Paul McCartney. In a 1984 interview with Playboy, he credited the title to Ringo StarrRingo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, who was noted for his malapropisms, which are credited as the source of other song titles (such as "A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (song)
"A Hard Day's Night" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released on the movie soundtrack of the same name in 1964...
and Tomorrow Never Knows
Tomorrow Never Knows
"Tomorrow Never Knows" is the final track of The Beatles' 1966 studio album Revolver but the first to be recorded. Credited as a Lennon–McCartney song, it was written primarily by John Lennon...
).
However, he has also credited the title to an actual chauffeur who once drove him to Lennon's house in Weybridge.
Recording
"Eight Days a Week" is the first song which The Beatles took into the studio unfinished to work on the arrangement during the session, which would later become common. The song was mainly recorded in two recording sessions on 6 October devoted exclusively to this song, which lasted nearly seven hours with a fifteen-minute break in between. Lennon and McCartney tried several ideas for the intro and outro of the song. The first take featured a simple acoustic guitar introduction. The second take introduced an "oo"-ing vocal that was experimented with until the sixth take, when it was abandoned in favour of the final guitar intro. The final outro (along with unused intro takes) was recorded separately on 18 October. The final version of the song incorporated another Beatles' first and pop music rarity: the song begins with a fade-inFade (audio engineering)
In audio engineering, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the level of an audio signal. The term can also be used for film cinematography or theater lighting, in much the same way ....
, as opposed to the common fade-out ending. The instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, bass and overdubbed handclaps. The fade-in and coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
both include more guitar overdubs.
Release and acclaim
The song, along with two others from the album ("Baby's in Black" and "No Reply") was planned as a single release. In the end, it was released as a single only in the United States on 15 February 1965 becoming a number-one hit (their seventh). Its B-side was "I Don't Want to Spoil the PartyI Don't Want to Spoil the Party
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a song by The Beatles, written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on the album Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom in 1964. In the United States, Capitol released the song on the Beatles VI album and also as the B-side...
". The single release in the US was the result of DJs playing the song from imported copies of the Beatles for Sale album as an exclusive since it was not included on the album's US counterpart Beatles '65
Beatles '65
Beatles '65 is The Beatles' fifth Capitol release, but seventh American album. It was released in mono and stereo versions. The album was also issued in Germany on the Odeon label....
. Later, it made a US album appearance on Beatles VI
Beatles VI
Beatles VI is The Beatles' seventh Capitol Records release in the United States . It was the ninth album released into that market in less than one and a half years...
.
Although it was a huge American hit, the group did not think highly of the song (Lennon called it "lousy") and they never performed it live.
Personnel
- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– lead vocalSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, acoustic rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, handclaps - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals, handclaps - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, handclaps - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, handclaps
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
Cover versions
The song has been covered by:- Alma CoganAlma CoganAlma Cogan was an English singer of traditional pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. Dubbed "The Girl With the Laugh/Giggle/Chuckle In Her Voice", she was the highest paid British female entertainer of her era...
in 1965 as a double-A sided single with "Help!Help! (song)"Help!" is a song by The Beatles that served as the title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album. It was also released as a single, and was number one for three weeks in both the United States and the United Kingdom....
" - The SupremesThe SupremesThe Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
in 1965 - Procol HarumProcol HarumProcol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
in 1975 on their album Procol's NinthProcol's NinthProcol's Ninth is the eighth studio album by Procol Harum, that was released in September 1975.- Side one :# Pandora's Box - 3:39# Fool's Gold - 3:59# Taking The Time - 3:39# The Unquiet Zone - 3:39# The Final Thrust - 4:41... - Billy PrestonBilly PrestonWilliam Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
in 1976 on his album Billy's Bag - The RunawaysThe RunawaysThe Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
in 1978 on their album And Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The Runaways is the fourth and final studio album by the The Runaways, released in 1979. The album was issued by Cherry Red in the UK... - Joan JettJoan JettJoan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
in 1982 - The Wright BrothersWright Brothers BandThe Wright Brothers Band, formerly known as the Wright Brothers Overland Stage Company, formed in 1972, is an Indiana based music group. They perform songs from the 1920s to the present day, and can cover bluegrass, pop standards, country, gospel, and even Aerosmith rock standards...
in 1984 on their album Easy Street; their version peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & TracksHot Country SongsHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart - Lorrie MorganLorrie MorganIn 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
in 1989 on her album Leave the Light OnLeave the Light On (Lorrie Morgan album)Leave the Light On was a #6 country album on the Billboard charts for country music singer Lorrie Morgan, with such singles as "Trainwreck of Emotion" at #20, "Dear Me" at #9, "Out of Your Shoes" at #2, "Five Minutes" at #1, and "He Talks to Me" at #4... - The PunklesThe PunklesThe Punkles were a band performing songs by The Beatles in punk style. They formed in 1998 in Hamburg, Germany and it was actually a side project of Prollhead!....
did a punk cover of this song on their first album in 1998. - The LibertinesThe LibertinesThe Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
in 2003 - The Worthless PeonsThe ButtiesThe Butties are a Beatles cover band that formed at Syracuse University in 1983, best known for their Christmas album "12 Greatest Carols." Their version of "Joy to the World" -- done in the style of The Beatles' "Please Please Me" has been featured on NBC's Scrubs and the motion picture soundtrack...
in 2004 in the ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
season 3 episode "My Best Friend's Wedding" - B. E. TaylorB. E. TaylorB.E. Taylor was the lead singer of the pop rock band B.E Taylor Group, and is currently a solo artist....
in 2006 on his album Love Never FailsLove Never FailsLove Never Fails is the fifth album by solo artist B. E. Taylor. It was released in November 2006. The album features two covers and remakes of 3 songs B.E. co-wrote while in the B. E. Taylor Group. The rest are all original recordings.... - DebaucheryDebauchery (band)- History :They are currently signed to German label AFM Records and have toured extensively through Europe. The band was formed in 2000 as Maggotcunt, but changed their name in 2002 to Debauchery. Debauchery consisted of Thomas Gurrath and Dani until Dani was forced to leave the band in 2006...
did a death metal cover on their 2007 album Back in Blood (available as a bonus track) - In 2008, country singer Kristy Lee CookKristy Lee CookKristy Lee Cook is an American country singer who was born in Seattle, Washington and was the seventh place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. In 2005 Cook released her debut album called Devoted. In June 2008, Cook signed to 19 Recordings and Arista Nashville. She released her...
performed a bluegrassBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
version of this song on American IdolAmerican Idol (season 7)The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
as her selection for the first Beatles-based week.