Fab Facts About The Making Of "A Hard Day's Night" That The Beatles Didn't Admit For Years

Just a few months after the Fab Four introduced themselves on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, they dropped the classic movie A Hard Day's Night. That smash success brought Beatlemania to a frenzy, and it's still a favorite of film buffs today. There's no doubt it was a madhouse production, though some of the details were wrapped up for years. From backstage debauchery to battles over censorship, each crew member really was "working like a dog."

1. A Hard Day's Inspiration

John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote all the songs for the soundtrack, but it was Ringo Starr who came up with the film's title. Following an earlier gig that required them to play all day into the evening, the drummer looked out at the night sky and quipped that they'd had "a hard day...night."

2. George's Chord

Of course, after finding the perfect title, The Beatles had to write a song by that very name. John put together the basic tune one night before the group recorded it the next day. George Harrison, however, came up with the distinctive guitar chord that kicks off the classic son. Music theory experts debated what the cord was for decades before George finally revealed the truth in 2001.

3. Studio Motives

If you're wondering how The Beatles' first movie came together so quickly after their Ed Sullivan debut, well, the truth is that it was a bit of a cash grab. United Artists merely wanted a hit soundtrack, regardless how the film did with critics and the box office. That said executives did have some suggestions to make it more marketable — terrible suggestions.

4. Liverpudlian Accents

Concerned that American audiences wouldn't be able to comprehend The Beatles' thick Liverpudlian accents, studio heads suggested the lads be dubbed with mid-Atlantic accents. The idea was shot down, but not before infuriating the band. McCartney snapped back, "Look, if we can understand a f*****g cowboy talking Texan, they can understand us talking Liverpool."