A Hard Day's Night
Strummmmm!That dramatic guitar chord that kicks ofA Hard Day's Night(album, song, movie) still jumps right out at you, slaps you in the face, and jump-starts your heart. And you know what?  Both the musicandthe film are still as crisp and lively as they were in 1964. Of course, only the first seven songs are actually in the movie (and they are the strongest of the bunch, from the rousing rock & roll of the title track and the hit single "Can't Buy Me Love," to the beautiful ballads "If I Fell" and "And I Love Her"). But nobody's going to complain about having songs like "I'll Cry Instead" and "Things We Said Today" in the second half of the record; they sure don'tfeellike leftovers. Yet another high-point for John, Paul, George, and Ringo--four fab fellows who hit the highest heights imaginable.--Jim Emerson