Title:Can't Buy Me LoveA Hard Days Night
Credits:John Lennon - Paul McCartney
Recorded:Pathe' Marconi, Paris, 29 January 1964
Produced:George Martin
Engineer:Norman Smith
Location:A Hard Day's Night - track 7

A key part of the film A Hard Days Night, Can't Buy Me Love became the A-side of the Beatles' sixth single in March 1964. In Paris for a concert season at the Olympia music-hall, the Beatles taped the basic track and outtakes of Can't Buy Me Love at the end of a session at EMI's Pathe' Marconi studios in which they also recorded German-language versions of I Want To Hold Your Hand and She Loves You. Vocal and guitar overdubs were added to the master, Take 4, back at Abbey Road on 25 February, but the previous Paris recording of Can't Buy Me Love presented here, all vocals and instruments live, is Take 2 (with the main guitar solo "flown in" from Take 1). Paul's vocal style was more bluesy in these first two rough takes - though it should be recognized that he was not attempting a definitive vocal track - while John and George's backing vocal idea was later dispensed with too.

Detailed track information:

The Beatles recorded 'Can't Buy Me Love' in four takes on January 29, 1964 in Paris, France. On takes one and two John Lennon and George Harrison add backing vocals. Take 3 is a breakdown. Take 4 was used for release. A stereo mix was created on March 10, 1964, but was never used. The mono mix was prepared February 26. The final stereo mix was completed June 22. This track was first released as a single in the UK on March 20, 1964. Both the stereo and mono releases of the US LP "A Hard Day's Night" contain the US mono version. On February 26, 1987 the album "A Hard Day's Night" was released in both the US and the UK on the CD format. Originally a new stereo mix was prepared for this release; however, George Martin later remixed the album in mono. The new mono mix is found on the CD release of the album "A Hard Day's Night."

Take 2 and take 3 from the January 29 recording session have both been bootlegged. Take two, with the guitar solo from take one superimposed was released in both the US and the UK on November 21, 1995 on "The Beatles Anthology Volume 1."

This song was recorded February 28 for The Beatles' second BBC Radio special "From Us To You" (aired March 30). This recording was released in both the US and the UK on December 6, 1994 on "The Beatles Live At The BBC." Recordings made March 31 for "Saturday Club" (aired April 4) and May 1 for the third "From Us To You" special (aired May 18) have both been bootlegged.

The Beatles recorded 'Can't Buy Me Love' on April 19, 1964 for Associated-Rediffusion's television special "Around The Beatles" (aired May 6). This recording has been bootlegged and is available with and without overdubbed audience effects. The Beatles also taped a performance on June 5 for VARA-TV in the Netherlands. This broadcast was aired June 8 as part of the TV show "The Beatles in Nederland." The Beatles mimed to their released recording of this song but their microphones were left on and a double-track effect was created. Although the released recording does not qualify as a bootleg, the double-tracking demands that this recording be included as an unauthorized recording.

The Beatles also performed live concerts during 1964 including: the "New Musical Express" 1963 - 1964 Annual Poll Winners All-Star Concert (April 26), K.B. Hallen in Denmark with Jimmy Nicol replacing Ringo (June 4), Adelaide (June 12), Melbourne - two shows - (June 17), Seattle (August 21), Vancouver (August 22), the Hollywood Bowl (August 23), Philadelphia (September 2) and Indianapolis, Indiana (September 3). All of the above performances have been bootlegged.

During 1965 The Beatles played several live concerts at which 'Can't Buy Me Love' was performed, including two shows at the Palais des Sports in Paris (June 20), the Teatro Adriano in Rome (June 27), Shea Stadium (August 15), Atlanta Stadium (August 18), two shows at the Sam Houston Coliseum (August 19) and the Hollywood Bowl (August 29). All of these performances have been bootlegged. The Beatles also performed a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on August 30, 1965. This performance was recorded and released on the album "The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl" in the US on May 4, 1977 and in the UK on May 6, 1977.

Paul McCartney performed this song at several concerts during his 1989 - 1990 world tour including Stockholm's Johanneshovs Isstadion (September 30), Milan (October 26), Rotterdam (November 8), Los Angeles (November 23 and 27), New York (December 15), Berkeley (March 31 and April 1), Glasgow (June 23) and Washington, DC (July 4). All of these performances have been bootlegged. Paul also performed this song at his concert at the Olympiahalle, Munich on October 21, 1989. This performance was released on his album "Tripping The Live Fantastic" in both the US and the UK on November 5, 1990.

This song was also performed at Paul's "secret gigs" on May 10, 1991 at London's Mean Fiddler Club and on July 19, 1991 at Cliff's Pavilion, Westcliff on Sea. Both of these performances have been bootlegged. Paul also performed the song each evening during the taping of MTV's "Up Close" program at the Ed Sullivan Theater on December 10 - 11, 1992. The program aired February 3, 1993, and although this song was not used both nights' performances have been bootlegged. Paul's performance of this song at several concerts during his 1993 New World Tour including Las Vegas (April 14), Anaheim (April 17), Charlotte, North Carolina (June 15), Paris (October 13), Tokyo (November 12) and Mexico City (November 27) have all been bootlegged.