"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

Both the lyrics and melody share a melancholy sound and theme with songs that precede it on Beatles for Sale, such as "No Reply" and "I'm a Loser".

[4] Author Ian MacDonald views the song as a return to the subject matter introduced by Lennon on "I'll Cry Instead", from the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night album, and a "preview" of "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", from Help!

[7] George Harrison's guitar solo, played on his new Gretsch Tennessean in the style of Carl Perkins,[6] was enhanced by midrange resonance boost, giving it an especially bright sound.

[6] Among the band's biographers, opinions differ on which Beatle sings the low harmony part during the verses, below Lennon's lead vocal.