Eight Days A Week

Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 6, 18 October 1964
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

Released: 4 December 1964 (UK), 15 February 1965 (US)

John Lennon: lead vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, handclaps
Paul McCartney: harmony vocals, bass, handclaps
George Harrison: lead guitar, handclaps
Ringo Starr: drums, handclaps

Available on:
Beatles For Sale
1
Anthology 1

Eight Days A Week was written as a potential title song for The Beatles' second film. In the end it became an album track on Beatles For Sale, although Capitol released it as a US single in February 1965.

Beatles For Sale (Remastered)

The Beatles. EMI 2009, Audio CD, $9.48

Anthology 1

Beatles. Capitol 1995, Audio CD, $10.99

I think we wrote this when we were trying to write the title song for Help! because there was at one time the thought of calling the film Eight Arms To Hold You.

John Lennon later voiced his dissatisfaction with Eight Days A Week, framing it negatively along with the film.

Help! as a film was like Eight Days A Week as a record for us. A lot of people liked the film, and a lot of people liked that record. But neither was what we wanted - we knew they weren't really us. We weren't ashamed of the film, but close friends knew that the picture and Eight Days weren't our best. They were both a bit manufactured.

Its relegation to the album occurred once John Lennon came up with I Feel Fine, the riff of which he toyed with several times during the main recording session for Eight Days A Week.

Eight Days A Week was the running title for Help! before they came up with Help. It was Paul's effort at getting a single for the movie. That luckily turned to Help! which I wrote, bam! bam!, like that and got the single. Eight Days A Week was never a good song. We struggled to record it and struggled to make it into a song. It was his initial effort, but I think we both worked on it. I'm not sure. But it was lousy anyway

Although principally sung by Lennon, the initial idea for Eight Days A Week came from McCartney. He had the idea for the title following a remark from his chauffeur.

I remember writing that with John, at his place in Weybridge, from something said by the chauffeur who drove me out there. John had moved out of London. to the suburbs. 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.' 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 We were always quick to write. We would write on the spot. I would show up, looking for some sort of inspiration; I'd either get it there, with John, or I'd hear someone say something.

John and I were always looking for titles. Once you've got a good title, if someone says, 'What's your new song?' and you have a title that interests people, you are halfway there. Of course, the song has to be good. If you've called it I Am On My Way To A Party With You, Babe, they might say, 'OK...' But if you've called it Eight Days A Week, they say, 'Oh yes, that's good!'

Curiously, McCartney had previously remembered the quote as coming from Ringo Starr.

Linda McCartney: Ringo also said, 'Eight days a week.'
Paul: Yeah, he said it as though he were an overworked chauffeur: [Heavy accent] 'Eight days a week.' When we heard it, we said, 'Really? Bing! Got it!'

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