Can't Buy Me Love

Can't Buy Me Love is a song composed by Paul McCartney. It was released as a single with "You Can't Do That" as it's B-side. The song is featured on the album A Hard Day's Night.

About
While the Beatles were in Paris they stayed at the five star George V hotel and a grand piano was moved into one of their suites so that songwriting could continue. It was here that McCartney came up with "Can't Buy Me Love."

Recorded the same day as the German songs ("Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" and "Sie Liebt Dich"), "Can't Buy Me Love" was captured in just four takes. As can be heard on the Anthology, the song was originally more bluesy with John and George adding similar backing vocals. Take three was the first to feature the more familiar sound, beginning with the chorus rather than a verse, which was George Martin's idea.

Take four, the master, features a overdubbed lead vocal and lead guitar solo which were recorded back at EMI on February 25. The guitar solo is different on the mono and stereo versions, with the overdub being much sloppier on the latter version.

This single hit #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. In fact, when it was #1 in America on April 4, 1964, it was followed by "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Please Please Me," a feat which no other artist has come even close to matching.

"Can't Buy Me Love" was featured not once, but twice in A Hard Day's Night. The first being the band's exuberant escape from the television studio to have a run in the field and the second during their run from and after the police trying to find Ringo for the big show.

Rolling Stone ranked "Can't Buy Me Love" at #289 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Credits

 * Paul McCartney – bass guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), lead vocals
 * John Lennon – rhythm guitar (1964 Gibson J-160E)
 * George Harrison – lead guitar (1963 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman)
 * Ringo Starr – drums
 * Norman Smith - hi-hat (stereo only)