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I Don't Want to Spoil the Party

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"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"
Song
"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"
Song
A-side"Eight Days a Week"

"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

Personnel per Ian MacDonald[8]

Chart positions

Chart (1964) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 39

Rosanne Cash version

"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"
Song

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
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[10] 1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1989) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[12] 23
US Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 16
Preceded by Billboard Hot Country Singles
number-one single
24 June 1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by RPM Country Tracks
number-one single
26 June 1989 		Succeeded by

Notes

  1. ^ The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press, USA. 4 January 2012. pp. 106–. ISBN 978-0-19-992083-9.
  2. ^ Terence J. O'Grady (1 May 1983). The Beatles, a musical evolution. Twayne. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-8057-9453-3.
  3. ^ Miles 1997, p. 175.
  4. ^ a b Ruhlmann 2009.
  5. ^ a b Wallgren 1982, p. 40.
  6. ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 200.
  7. ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 49.
  8. ^ MacDonald 2005, pp. 129–130.
  9. ^ "The Beatles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 6373." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 26 June 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Rosanne Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  12. ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1989". RPM. 23 December 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  13. ^ "Best of 1989: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1989. Retrieved 28 August 2013.

References

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