The Beatles
A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack

Artist: The Beatles
Title: A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack
Release Year: 1964
Pressing Year: 1964*
Label: United Artists Records
Catalog Number: ual 3366
Format: 33 RPM • 12” Album • Monaural
UPC: none

*This is a First Pressing. The mono mixes on some tracks are different to those on the regular UK mono album. The song I’ll Cry Instead is erroneously titled I Cry Instead on the jacket and the label.

The songs on this album were written and recorded at a time when the Beatles were constantly touring, giving regular BBC concerts, appearing on television, releasing non-LP singles and EPs, as well as filming their first motion picture. In that context, the achievement of this album is all the more astounding. It’s not as complete as the Capitol release but all the good stuff is here, plus a few soundtrack orchestral versions as well.

This album found the Beatles truly coming into their own as a band by performing a uniformly excellent set of songs. All of the disparate influences on their first two albums had coalesced into a bright, joyous, original sound filled with ringing guitars and irresistible melodies. They had certainly found their musical voice before, but this album is where it became mythical. In just a few years, they made more adventurous and accomplished albums, but this is the sound of Beatlemania in all of its giddy glory -- for better and for worse, this is the definitive Beatles album, the one every group throughout the ages has used as a blueprint.

Its punchy blend of propulsive rhythms, jangly guitars, and infectious, singalong melodies is remarkably fresh. Even more impressive are the songs themselves. Not only are the melodies forceful and memorable, but John Lennon and Paul McCartney have found a number of variations to their basic Merseybeat style. While both songwriters are developing their own distinctive voices on the album, overall, this recording stands as a testament to their collaborative powers -- never again did they write together so well or so easily. Even with the orchestral versions of a few tunes (after all it is a soundtrack) everything on the record is performed with genuine glee and excitement. It's the pinnacle of their early years.

Personnel: John Lennon (vocals, guitars, keyboards); Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards); George Harrison (vocals, guitars); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums, percussion); George Martin (musical director).

VINYL GRADE: VG+
Notes: Minimal surface noise. A good cleaning is all this one needs.

LABEL GRADE: VG+
Notes: No spindle marks, ring wear, tape, or writing. Standard black oval United Artists logo with white border on black. Nine circles across top of label with four filled in blue, gold, white, and red. Text is silver on black. 

SLEEVE GRADE: VG
Notes: Original full-color paper with 20 different Capitol album covers on one side and an advertisement for Capitol “Full Dimensional Stereo” on the other side. No writing, no stains, no tape, some crinkling, some yellowing. Two-inch split at center of left edge.

JACKET GRADE: VG+
Notes: Slight ring wear, no splits. No marks, no stains, no tape, no writing. Edges, corners, and spine (readable) are worn. There are a couple of tiny holes punched all the way through (probably from a price sticker) at the bottom of the “T” in “THE.” (See my original scan.) There’s a slight split (paper still clinging) in the sticker on the back cover in the upper left corner. 

Shipping is $4.00. NOTE: I will NOT be responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.

Combined shipping: I will be happy to combine multiple items. If you buy more than one item from me, the shipping cost will be the highest original shipping fee plus $1 per additional item.

Payments managed by eBay.

This is not a cut-out or a record-club issue. It is the original release.

Note: I haven't cleaned this 56-year-old vinyl record because everybody seems to prefer their own methods. I'll leave the cleaning up to the buyer. Also, I'm not a professional vinyl seller or buyer. This comes from my own collection. Bought at Leggett’s Dept. Store, downtown Radford VA.

Enjoy the auction — and good luck!