61 years ago today, on March 13, 1965, The Beatles‘ beloved classic “Eight Days A Week” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The success occurred nearly a month after they released the timeless pop-rock bop in the US.
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The song would give the band members, Paul McCartney,John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, their seventh consecutive No. 1 hit, following a string of already achieved charttoppers in America throughout the year, including: “Love Me Do,” “Please Please Me,” “From Me to You,” “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and “A Hard Day’s Night.”
Though The Beatles are a British rock band, “Eight Days A Week” was not marketed as a single in the U.K. Regardless, the March of that year brought enormous success to the band from Liverpool, and the group was in the midst of working on their second movie titled Help!. “Eight Days A Week” lived in the top spot on the Hot 100 for two weeks before exiting the No. 1 position, but Beatlemania was at its height, and the timing also marked what was known as The British Invasion in the US.
A New Musical Technique in the Recording Studio
Unlike other hits, “Eight Days A Week” was unique as it became the first song by the group to feature a fade-in introduction, which marked the beginning of a new element in rock music. The Beatles took their time in the studio coming up with a way to begin “Eight Days A Week,” eventually settling on an electric guitar riff that crescendos into the opening lyrics and the signature hand claps that can be heard in the background.
With credits going to the McCartney-Lennon mastery, “Eight Days A Week” finds the band singing about needing loving affection from a romantic partner for the entire week, plus one more day. From a sonic standpoint, the instrumentals are simple with an effervescent tempo and each band member playing their respective instruments.
The Inspiration Behind the Song
The inspiration for the track, according to American Songwriter, was cited in the 1995 Beatles Anthology docuseries, with McCartney recalling a drive to a songwriting session with Lennon.
“[T]he chauffeur drove me out that day, and I said, ‘How’ve you been?’ … ‘Oh, working hard,’ he said, ‘working eight days a week,’” McCartney said. “I had never heard anyone use that expression, so when I arrived at John’s house, I said,‘Hey, this fella just said, “eight days a week”.’ John said, ‘Right … Ooh I need your love, babe,’ and we wrote it.”
“Eight Days A Week” belongs on the Fab Four’s Beatles for Sale and Beatles VI albums.
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