Help!

By John T. Marck

Written by John, with some help from McCartney, Lennon described this song as one of his favorites. At this time, Lennon was eating and drinking too much, was overweight, and felt somewhat overwhelmed by their celebrity. In "Help!" he is crying for help. Although a great title track for the film as it turned out, it really is a song about Lennon. It was recorded April 13, 1965.

(Help) I need somebody, (Help) not just anybody,

(Help) you know I need someone (Help)

when I was younger, so much younger than today (I never needed) I never needed anybody's help in any way

(Now these days are gone) but now these days are gone I'm not so self assured

(And now I find) now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round

Help me get my feet back on the ground, won't you please, please help me?

(Now my life has changed) and now my life hand changed in oh, so many ways

(My independence) my independence seems to vanish in the haze

(But every now and then) but every now and then I feel so insecure

(I know that I) I know that I just need you like I've never done before

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round

Help me get my feet back on the ground, won't you please, please help me?

When I was younger, so much younger than today I never needed anybody's help in any way

(Now these days are gone) but now these days are gone I'm not so self assured

(And now I find) now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round

Help me get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me?

Help me, help me, ooo

NOTE: On the American single (45rpm), the A-side was Help! and the B-side was a song by McCartney titled I'm Down, which did not appear on the soundtrack album "Help!" "I'm Down," was Paul's attempt to write a Little Richard type rockin' song to replace "Long Tall Sally," during their concerts. They did use "I'm Down," to close a few concerts in 1965 and 1966. The last song The Beatles played in concert ironically was "Long Tall Sally," when their concert careers ended on August 29, 1966 at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. I believe that Paul's studio version of "Long Tall Sally," is the finest rock n' roll song he has sung in his long recording career. His throat-searing lead vocal was indeed his finest up tempo performance ever. It is simply magnificent! This version can be heard of The Beatles Past Masters CD, Volume 1. Amazingly, this version was the first and only take.

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