UK EP release: Extracts From The Film A Hard Day’s Night

Two Beatles EPs were released this week in the United Kingdom. The first was Extracts From The Film A Hard Day’s Night, which was followed two days later by /1964/11/06/uk-release-extracts-album-hard-days-night-ep/”>Extracts From The Album A Hard Day’s Night.

It was issued as Parlophone GEP 8920, and contained four songs: ‘I Should Have Known Better’, ‘If I Fell’, ‘Tell Me Why’, and ‘And I Love Her’.

Extracts From The Film A Hard Day’s Night entered the EP chart on 14 November, and quickly rose to the top. It remained at number one for two weeks from 12 December, then returned for three weeks from 9 January 1965, and a final week at the top from 6 February. In all it spent 30 weeks on the chart.

The sleeve notes for the EP were written by The Beatles’ publicist Tony Barrow.

Alun Owen began work on the original screenplay late last autumn. Producer Walter Shenson and Director Richard Lester watched their newest screen stars at work over Christmas and New Year. John and Paul began to compile new numbers for the soundtrack while The Beatles were in Paris, and one morning early in March 1964, a specially chartered train moved out of Paddington station and the first day’s shooting of The Beatles’ first feature film got under way. “A Hard Day’s Night”, which also stars Wilfrid Brambell in the role of Paul’s (mythical) grandfather, was premiered on Monday, 6th July, 1964, at the London Pavilion, Piccadilly Circus.

The story depicts something like 48 consecutive hours of activity in the bustling lives of four beat group boys, named John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The four soundtrack songs featured here on this EP have been selected as the highspot items from the full-length LP album released in July 1964, by Parlophone (PMC 1230/PCS 3058). John’s driving I Should Have Known Better makes an early appearance in the film, during a railway sequence when the four boys are seen playing cards in the guard’s van of the train. Paul and John share the vocal action on the wistful ballad If I Fell, the first of a series of songs featured in theatre/studio sequences which show The Beatles rehearsing and finally performing in a television spectacular. Tell Me Why is a lively fast-rocking piece with John and Paul stepping into the vocal spotlight. The final track, And I Love Her, is one of those gently-handled romantic ballads at which Paul excels. His persuasive threads its way through the lyrics smoothly and appealingly.