The Beatles' Top Singles, 6-12
In this segment of our list of 25 of The Beatles' top singles, you will find "Ticket to Ride" and "Eight Days a Week."6. "A Hard Day's Night" (1964)
This malapropism was uttered by Ringo, who often got American words and phrases mixed up. He was stating that the band had had a hard day, but then realized it was already evening. "A Hard Day's Night" became another number one for the band and served as the title for their documentary released the same year.
7. "I Feel Fine" (1964)
This song came out of some downtime between John and Ringo, who were playing with a riff John had come up with while working on "Eight Days a Week." "I Feel Fine" eventually went to number one in every major market. The song featured reverb -- Jimi Hendrix and The Who were using feedback in their concerts at the time, but The Beatles were the first to commit the sound to vinyl.
8. "Eight Days a Week" (1965)
The title of this song was again based on a Ringo-ism; the drummer claimed that he had worked so hard, he had added another day to the week. Even though the song reached number one in the States, it wasn't a band favorite, and they seldom performed it live.
9. "Ticket to Ride" (1965)
The meaning behind this song is unclear -- it could be about a prostitute, John getting his driver's license, or a girl walking out the door. Whatever the subject, it's a catchy tune that reached number one in both the U.K. and the U.S.
10. "Help!" (1965)
John would later claim that he penned the lyrics to "Help!" after dealing with the pressures of being part of a group that was, as he so notoriously put it, "bigger than Jesus." He said that he wished the song could've been recorded at a slower tempo, but fans liked it just fine, making it another chart-topper for the band.
11. "Yesterday" (1965)
This melancholy tune about lost love reportedly came to Paul in a dream, so he worried that he'd unintentionally plagiarized another artist's work. He hadn't, and once he completed the lyrics, he recorded the song in the studio without the other three Beatles. The song reached number one in the United States, but the other band members were initially against its release in the U.K.
12. "We Can Work It Out" (1965)
One of the Fab Four's fastest-selling singles, this moody Lennon-McCartney collaboration touched a nerve with struggling lovers everywhere. When The Beatles disbanded, this song took on an ironic and ominous overtone for the group that ultimately couldn't work things out.
On the next page, you will find even more of The Beatles' singles, including "Day Tripper" and "Lady Madonna."
