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shinygoku · 5 months

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Help! (1965)

It’s May Day, and a Mayday is a cry for Help!

Released shortly after the film of the same name [I gotta find better quality footage of it lmao], this album has only 2 covers and may have the most iconic songs featured since A Hard Day's Night. Does the whole selection hold up or could it have done with a bit more ....NUJV?!

That's right, in Flag Semaphore they aren't spelling HELP, but NUJV, which naturally I only know from reading about The Band haha. Done that way for more pizzaz, don'cha know. A very minimalist cover, I like it more than With The Beatles but I wonder why they tinted their black garb to be blue?

SIDE ONE

Help!: While they've dabbled in "Depression song set to upbeat music" before, I think this is their most iconic of that genre. I also think it's well known – at least among Beatlemanics, that it's a lot less ironic. John wrote this one quickly and in doing so put a lot of himself in there. With that knowledge, I feel a little more guilty going "Haha #mood", as I think it's safe to say the average listener has fewer Problems than John did, not least the lack of being on a microscope slide as The Beatles were... but it IS still a relatable number that's a fun song, too! For an anxiety number it makes a great opening, which is odd to say, but here we are. Splendid backing vocals and drums with occasional moments of very audible guitar also lift it above similar vibe'd numbers.

The Night Before: I love this one, and the depiction of the Stonehenge scene with interesting camera angles from the movie is forever married to the music in my mind! I think it says something that I'm much more into the "Hey Girl don't be mean to me" style than I was on past albums, maybe it's related to the dude being on the receiving end of someone leaving in the morning this time having it feel fresher? idk. Groovy instruments drive it very nicely and the harmonies add dimension to the mournful vibes in counter to the almost rock 'n' roll flavour, methinks.

You've Got to Hide your Love Away: I'm not as keen on this one myself... again, the sequence in the Film comes clearly to mind for this, but in that they were like, slouching in the communal house and that matches the sluggish energy. This feels like it shoulda been on the previous album with the slower tempo and grumpy lyrics. But all that said, it's still very solid and well performed, and again I know people connect to the exasperated words. Also hi, Tambourine! "Two foot small" is the standout line to me, and I think there could be allegory for non-heterosexual relationships in here, but a lot of the song is murky and mumbly. Maybe on purpose, it sure adds to the Mood, but it again makes me less energised.

I Need You: This was also in the film, but it wasn't as distinct a cinematography sponge. I think it shared the Stonehenge scene but The Night Before overshadowed it somewhat lol. Sorry, George! ^^;; – I guess it's down to this being much more mild and downbeat, even though the themes on paper are pretty damn similar. I'm not into the stated thesis of trying to guilt a relationship back on, which is a common pop song template. The bridges[?] are really lovely though, the stringing and bongos make a dope backing track with more "aaahhh-hhhh" type harmonies.

Another Girl: Ahh yes, in the film the Beatles were in the Bahamas and miming this song, like Paul playing the Bikini Wearing Girl - Anyway this is kinda another "Nyah nyah sucks to be you, I've UPGRADED with New Girl" that was common in AHDN and BFS, but I'm feeling more generous this time, maybe as it's got a jaunty tempo and more cheerful energy, even with spite lacing it lol. The short guitar solos add a certain je ne sais quoi.

You're Gonna Lose That Girl: Ok, first of all the whiplash from the previous title to this is soooo funny. I've also seen comparison to She Loves You, that this one offers a Quiet Part Said Loud; You've upset your Girl and you can either make nice with her pronto, or I'm gonna shoot my shot and be a better BF at that lmao. Either way, it's pretty refreshing to hear this kind of counterpoint to the hypothetical situations in other songs, this one isn't bragging or pleading but Stating that Improvement is needed, Dude. Albeit still with a smidge of arrogance to assume the girl will so easily fall into the POV's arms hahaa. Still, any nod to Girls Having Agency is groovy, like the instruments (includes Bongos this time!) and oooohhh man the smoke and colour filled Studio in the film.... you're making Smoking look too cool!! Aaaaaa! (It’s my 2nd Fave Music Vid sequence in the whole movie~)

Ticket to Ride: Did someone ask for another mopey song? I didn't, but I'm not complaining. The instrumental opening and strumming that continues until the sudden build up in the Bridge(?) makes this really fun to listen to! I forget if this is the one that may be about a prostitute or not, but it could explain the Girl's nonchalance about heading off lol, but it could be another sign of a slow to dawn realisation that 'Oh yeah, Girls do things off their own bat sometimes too....' which seems to be a theme in this album so far. Also seen a hypothesis /Paul allegedly claimed that the Ticket is to Ryde in the Isle of Wight, but as ya can see it's spelled different, so that may be a Reach. ALSO!! The Alps Music Vid from the film set to this music is my absolute fave part of the movie, even though the Bugs mucking about in the snow has no relevance to the song, it's just sooo pretty and a joy to watch while cool music plays~ And it has a fun coda, too!

SIDE TWO

Act Naturally: WOOOOOOOOO!!! YEAH, BAYBEE!! This may be my absolute favourite Cover the boys have performed, it's utterly perfect for Ringo and the bouncy energy really make this one I go out of my way to listen to. In keeping with the album's theme, it's up-tempo and has lyrics about how dang miserable the POV looks that he's the obvious pick for a particularly depressed role in a film! Uh... yay? (Pushes Depressing Ringo Lore away for this.) Seeing how Ringo seems to still do performances of this in more modern times, I think he's really fond of it, too~ And it is eerie how close this song is to Ringo's role in AHDN [Film] and Help! [Film] where he's the poor little Meow Meow undergoing the Horrors, and doing a pretty great act when not completely baked (and tbh, in Help! I think their High-ness enhances a daft plot rather than dragging it down). Also Paul's backing vocals in the chorus are very nice lol

It's Only Love: I don't recall hearing this one before. Maybe as it's not as good? lol. John's words are a bit tricky to parse out from the energetically strumming guitar. Again I'm keen on the music but the main Theme is "Girl you're difficult or something girl. Ow my feelings" and I'm not sure if it's meant to be a good or bad thing in this song's narrative. idk, mebbe this song would grow on me if I heard it more, but I'm not inclined to put it on the Underrated Gem shelf with IHJTDWY from AHDN or an upcoming song from Revolver...

You Like Me Too Much: George's 2nd whack at a song on the album! And I don't think I've heard this before either. And I'm not sure I'll remember this one later today lmao. I like the piano opening. Seems to be about a less-than-healthy relationship where the Girl is incapable of staying away... but has POV done anything to cause this? It seems like they threaten to get the girl even if she did leave successfully, so, assuming I didn't get the wrong end of the stick (which is possible as the sound balance is a bit murky on the mono uploads) then yeah, another L here. Geoooorge!! You can and will do better, but this ain't it!

Tell Me What You See: Not heard this one before lol. It seems less Creepy and more optimistic than most'a these less-than-memorable numbers, but it's not doing much for me, so yet again I will warmly comment on the Instrument work, a very consistent strength (which may be getting stronger and stronger, but it's less clear in this exact song lmao). The humming at the end wasn't very good though.

I've Just Seen A Face: Ohh! It's much faster tempo'd than expected! This shock to the system gets me liking it more than expected lmao. Somehow it seems more modern in this way (when I refer to Modern music, that's not actually a compliment most times fyi), but I dig it. Woooow that guitar is being strummed and a half!

Yesterday: Ahh yes. This song is quite load bearing indeed. Hearing the melody in a dream. Scrambled Eggs. The string quartet. Paul's work without any significant contributions from the others but released as Lennon/McCartney anyway as these days were so early and something like this hadn't been done yet. Potentially a first crack between that pair, it's later cited in John's Diss Song after the divorce... But I'm not planning to delve into conjecture, and other than my own fruit loop takes I don't wanna get too deep into rabbitholes here. It's easy to be mislead on Beatle Theory, tediously! But it's a beautiful, heart tugging song and it's no surprize that it's become the most covered of 'em all. So sad, mournful and regretful, yet compelling and easy to find yourself murmuring as you go about your day.

While I don't rate any covers over the original [listen to it on the '23 Red Album ver!!], I do get a kick outta an instrumental cover with Japanese Instruments (in part cause of my Weeb Leanings, but it's SOOOO JRPG End Credits material too lmao)

Dizzy Miss Lizzy: And we close the album with one more cover! ........Yeah, a bit of a damp squib to end on lmao. Anything is gonna be a Coughing Baby after the Hydrogen Bomb that is Yesterday, but it doesn't even seem to have many lyrics to speak of! Feels very much like Live Performance Filler when they need to space the Good Stuff out and have a bit of a break hsdjhjgdfhdf

CONCLUSION

Best 3: Help!, You're Gonna Lose That Girl, Yesterday

Blurst 3: It's Only Love, You Like Me Too Much, Tell Me What You See

I've had a hard time picking only 3 to put in the Best Category before, but this time it's even trickier as there's more Noticeably Strong Songs and Act Naturally is such a charming cover I wanted to cram more in! (something something The Economy Class Beatles getting just pushed out of my own spotlight on AHDN/Help!, oh woe is me as I love their songs!) That's good!! But again the Off Vibes for some'a these, especially on Side 2 again, make that easy to fill too. Still, this is an overall advancement over the previous 4 Albums, so I'd say overall Help! is Promising. But we aren't quite at the stage where they cement their position as the greatest Band of all time, but I think it's soon, VERY soon indeed...

🪲🪲🪲🪲

Once more I do wanna get into the Sillay Time that is their Movies, but I'm focusing on the Albums first and will do a reccy for missed Notable Songs and other media if I can get my paws on 'em ¬w¬;; - But what'll come next is exciting and not quite what is on the underside of shoes by spelling differences. That's right, Rubber Soul!

#The Beatles #Help! (1965)#Help! (Album)#The Beatles Help!#CutCat listens to Bug Music #Music Review #How many variations of the title should I put lmao #Not the beloved Stoner Film but a very tight Album #My music term knowledge is still pretty bad and the chorus and bridge differences blur in my head ^^;;

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