Song: Eight Days a Week/
Artist: The Beatles/
Writers: Lennon-McCartney/
Album: Beatles for Sale/
Release Date: 4 December, 1964
“Eight Days a Week” is one of my favorite Beatles songs during their “pre-Rubber Soul” era. It maintains a somewhat-unique composition and a possible double-meaning.
On the album of origin, Beatles for Sale, it is the first song on the B-Side, or back, of the vinyl long-play, alongside seven other original compositions, and pitted against six covers. This may have been done to illustrate just how exhausted the band was after being in the spotlight for all of 1964.
In other words, that means concert tours around America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as shooting for a movie and making radio appearances, notably on the BBC.
And the album reflects that. In almost every original composition on that album, each song is much more downbeat than their usual output at this time, especially “I’m a Loser” and “Baby’s in Black.” “Eight Days a Week’s” inclusion might have triggered similar feelings of feeling “down,” but I feel that this song has a much more uplifting second meaning.
For example, its instrumentation is much brighter in sound than any of the other originals on this track. It is more guitar-driven than “I’m a Loser,” also a brilliant track on the album.
It may have to do with the fact that while “I’m a Loser” was directly inspired by Bob Dylan’s overall sound, “Eight Days a Week” is much more subtle, as it may not have taken much inspiration from Dylan at all.
“Eight Days a Week,” instead, takes some inspiration from one of Ringo’s malapropisms, but Paul McCartney has also attributed the name to a chauffeur who drove him to John Lennon’s residence once.
From both interviews:
‘LINDA: Ringo also said, “Eight days a week.”
PAUL: Yeah, he said it as though he were an overworked chauffeur. In heavy accent “Eight days a week.” Laughter When we heard it, we said, “Really? Bing! Got it!”’ -1984 Playboy interview
‘Paul: I usually drove myself there, but the chauffeur drove me out that day and I said, “How’ve you been?” – “Oh working hard,’ he said, ‘working eight days a week.”’ -The Beatles Anthology
Secondly, “Eight Days a Week” maintains both sad and comparatively happier meanings. The desire for the song’s lead to stay with the girl that he loves despite some hinted, and maybe not really hinted at all, exhaustion, playing right back to the title of the song. The second, happier meaning, which can work alongside the other one, is the overall determination of the lead to continue despite all odds. And that’s what I feel was brilliant about this song.
The composition is somewhat simple. First, we have two verses, each ending with the title, then a bridge, followed by a refrain of the first verse, followed by a refrain of the bridge, and finally, a refrain of the second verse. Also notable about its overall composition was its fade-in intro.
Despite the fact that it wasn’t a complete fade in, it was the first time anyone has ever attempted that in a pop song, adding a little bit more uniqueness to this track.
Overall, I really like “Eight Days a Week.” It is simple, yet its lyrics can be interpreted in a few ways that actually improves the longevity of this song. It is definitely recommended.
“Eight Days a Week” can be found on the Beatles for Sale album, available on Amazon.com for at least $13. [8/10]
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