A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

It's a little known fact, but the Lake District had its own Loch Ness Monster; an unexplained phenomenon that puzzled visitors and worried locals.

Rather than resemble an ancient prehistoric beast though, the Lakeland creature travelled at a great speed, made wailing noises and had wheels. It would only be spotted on summer evenings and strangely coincided with the pubs closing.....

We were frequent visitors to the Lake District. You could say that it was our favourite stomping ground. Plenty of opportunities for Dave to get us into death defying scrapes. Our lives were in his hands. The only way to relax and cleanse the adrenaline from our system, or at least that is what we told ourselves, was to go to the pub. Yes beer and pub food was just what the Doctor ordered.

So after several hours of 'recovery' and the sun had set over the fells, we would return to the car with the intention of heading back to the campsite. But Dave, the designated driver, had other plans. A Beatles tape would be inserted and within a few bars of 'A Hard Day's Night' we'd all be singing. Badly. Inevitably the turning for the campsite would be missed as we did an unscheduled lap of the lake. The fact that we were tone deaf did not dampen our enthusiasm as we attempted complex harmonies with great gusto. I blame the beer!

Speeding past villages and hamlets, whilst the best of The Beatles early recording career were given our unique vocal treatment, was a great way to end the evening. Anyone who was lucky enough to catch this special performance must've been impressed. Who wouldn't?

'A Hard Day's Night' does not need any introduction. Although it was a soundtrack to their first feature film and the songs were written in a hurry you wouldn't know it. It really is an impressive collection finely honed guitar pop music. If I had to pick one then it would be 'Things We Said Today'. A fab tune, if you pardon the pun.

Sightings of the Lakeland monster have been thin on the ground of late. Life has returned to normal in the villages around Lake Coniston as memories of the horror fade. But they let their guard down at their own peril. Rest easy in their beds they should not as there is always the possibility, however slim, that one day it will return........