I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" | |
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Song by the Beatles from the album Beatles for Sale | |
Released | 4 December 1964 |
Recorded |
29 September 1964 EMI Studios, London |
Genre | |
Length | 2:33 |
Label |
Parlophone PMC 1240 (mono) PCS 3062 (stereo) |
Writer(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
Producer(s) | George Martin |
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" | ||||
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single cover | ||||
Single by The Beatles | ||||
A-side | "Eight Days a Week" | |||
Released | 15 February 1965 (US only) | |||
Label | Capitol 5371 (US) | |||
The Beatles singles chronology | ||||
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"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a song by the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.[3] It was released on the album Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom in 1964. "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" was also released on the Beatles for Sale (No. 2) EP.[4] In the United States, Capitol released the song as the B-side of the single "Eight Days a Week", and later on the Beatles VI album, both in 1965. The single peaked at number one in the US[5] (it was not released in the UK);[6] "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" charted as a B-side, reaching number thirty-nine on Billboard.[5]
Lyrics
The lyrics revisit Lennon's familiar themes of alienation and inner pain. In this song, he is at a party, waiting for his girl to show up. When it becomes clear that she has stood him up, he decides to leave, rather than spoil the party for everyone else. Both the lyrics and melody share a melancholy sound and theme with previous songs on Beatles for Sale, such as "No Reply" and "I'm a Loser".[4]
Recording
The Beatles recorded the song on 29 September 1964 in 19 takes, the last of which was released.[7] McCartney sings the lower harmony on the verses, then the higher harmony on the choruses as usual.
Personnel
- John Lennon – vocal, backing vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney – bass, harmony vocals, backing vocal
- George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocal
- Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine
- Personnel per Ian MacDonald[8]
Chart positions
Chart (1964) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 39 |
Rosanne Cash version
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" | ||||
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Single by Rosanne Cash | ||||
from the album Hits 1979-1989 | ||||
Released | 1989 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:36 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Writer(s) | Lennon–McCartney | |||
Producer(s) | Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash | |||
Rosanne Cash singles chronology | ||||
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Rosanne Cash covered the song for her Hits 1979-1989 compilation. Her version went to number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 1989. It was also Cash's last number one hit to date, and is the only Lennon-McCartney song to top the country chart.
Chart positions
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
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Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[10] | 1 |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1989) | Position |
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Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[12] | 23 |
US Country Songs (Billboard)[13] | 16 |
Preceded by "Love Out Loud" by Earl Thomas Conley |
Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single 24 June 1989 |
Succeeded by "Come from the Heart" by Kathy Mattea |
Preceded by "A Better Man" by Clint Black |
RPM Country Tracks number-one single 26 June 1989 |
Succeeded by "Hole in My Pocket" by Ricky Van Shelton |
Notes
- ↑ The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press, USA. 4 January 2012. pp. 106–. ISBN 978-0-19-992083-9.
- ↑ Terence J. O'Grady (1 May 1983). The Beatles, a musical evolution. Twayne. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-8057-9453-3.
- ↑ Miles 1997, p. 175.
- 1 2 Ruhlmann 2009.
- 1 2 Wallgren 1982, p. 40.
- ↑ Lewisohn 1988, p. 200.
- ↑ Lewisohn 1988, p. 49.
- ↑ MacDonald 2005, pp. 129–130.
- ↑ "The Beatles – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for The Beatles.
- ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 6373." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 26 June 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ "Rosanne Cash – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Rosanne Cash.
- ↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1989". RPM. 23 December 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ "Best of 1989: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
References
- "Hits 1979–1989 > Charts and Awards". Allmusic. 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
- Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- Ruhlmann, William (2009). "Review of "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"". Allmusic.
- Wallgren, Mark (1982). The Beatles on Record. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-45682-2.