Beatles album of the week: Help!

[AKA]

It had been eight months - almost an eternity in terms of '60s album releases - since we'd heard a new album from The Beatles. On August 6, 1965, they released their fifth album, Help!, in conunction with their film of the same name.

The fourteen tracks of the album were:

Side One:
Help! (Lennon/McCartney)
The Night Before (Lennon/McCartney)
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Lennon/McCartney)
I Need You (Harrison)
Another Girl (Lennon/McCartney)
You're Gonna Lose That Girl (Lennon/McCartney)
Ticket To Ride (Lennon/McCartney)

Side Two:
Act Naturally (Morrison/Russell)
It's Only Love (Lennon/McCartney)
You Like Me Too Much (Harrison)
Tell Me What You See (Lennon/McCartney)
I've Just Seen A Face (Lennon/McCartney)
Yesterday (Lennon/McCartney)
Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Williams)

Help!, which is the last Beatles album to contain covers, is considered by many to be the "bridge" album - that is, the album that marked their transition between their early work and their more creative latter period. On what other album can you hear a Dylan-tinged number like "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" with an oldies cover like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy?"

It's also the first album to contain more than one George Harrison composition. While he wasn't yet writing at the level of "Something" or "Isn't It A Pity," the spark was there.

Here's what Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the All Music Guide has to say:

Considering that Help! functions as the Beatles' fifth album and as the soundtrack to their second film — while filming, they continued to release non-LP singles on a regular basis — it's not entirely surprising that it still has some of the weariness of Beatles For Sale. Again, they pad the album with covers, but the Bakersfield bounce of "Act Naturally" adds new flavor (along with an ideal showcase for Ringo's amiable vocals) and "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" gives John an opportunity to flex his rock & roll muscle. George is writing again and if his two contributions don't touch Lennon and McCartney's originals, they hold their own against much of their British pop peers. Since Lennon wrote a third more songs than McCartney, it's easy to forgive a pair of minor numbers ("It's Only Love," "Tell Me What You See"), especially since they're overshadowed by four great songs. His Dylan infatuation holds strong, particularly on the plaintive "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and the title track, where the brash arrangement disguises Lennon's desperation. Driven by an indelible 12-string guitar, "Ticket to Ride" is another masterpiece and "You're Going to Lose That Girl" is the kind of song McCartney effortlessly tosses off — which he does, with the jaunty "The Night Before" and "Another Girl," two very fine tunes that simply update his melodic signature. He did much better with "I've Just Seen a Face," an irresistible folk-rock gem, and "Yesterday," a simple, beautiful ballad whose arrangement — an acoustic guitar supported by a string quartet — and composition suggested much more sophisticated and adventurous musical territory, which the group immediately began exploring with Rubber Soul.

Previous albums:
Please Please Me (1963)
With The Beatles (1963)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Beatles For Sale (1964)

See also:
Past Masters Volume One (1988)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Yellow Submarine (1969)
The Beatles (1968)
Let It Be (1970)
Past Masters Volume Two (1988)
Abbey Road (1969)

Beatle Facts

[Jrnygrl]

Another hard choice. I love this album/CD, I thought it was a good movie, not as good as "Hard Days Night," but George's "I Need You" has to be my favorite. I love how they are singing in the English country side, great scene.

[Brian]

I voted Ticket to Ride. I also like You're Going to Lose That Girl.

[dlemond]

Lots of good stuff here, but my favorite is:

You're Gonna Lose That Girl

[dandelion wine]

Out of the songs listed, "Yesterday" is my favorite.

[AKA]

Originally posted by dlemond
Lots of good stuff here, but my favorite is:

You're Gonna Lose That Girl

For me, it was between that one and "I've Just Seen A Face." The latter ultimately won, though.

Tough choice!

[crystals]

Ticket To Ride

[Steve M.]

"I've Just Seen a Face" (A lot of aging Boomers probably still think of it as a Rubber Soul song! )

[AKA]

Originally posted by Steve M.
"I've Just Seen a Face" (A lot of aging Boomers probably still think of it as a Rubber Soul song! )

Ah, yes. It's the lead track on the U.S. version, isn't it?

[Steve M.]

Originally posted by AKA
Ah, yes. It's the lead track on the U.S. version, isn't it?

Yes, it is. . .or was.

[Steve M.]

Various Help! covers:

"Help!" - Tina Turner

"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" - the Silkie

"Ticket To Ride" - the Carpenters

"I've Just Seen a Face" - Leon Russell

"Yesterday" - Matt Munro, Johnny Mathis, and about 1998 other folks!

[Penny Lane]

1. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
2. Yesterday
3.The Night Before
4. Help

[AKA]

Alternate versions of songs from Help!:

Beatles:
"Help!"
-Live; The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, 1965 - At The Hollywood Bowl (never issued on CD)
-Live; The ABC Theatre in Blackpool, England, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away"
-Take 5, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"Ticket To Ride"
-Live; The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, 1965 - At The Hollywood Bowl (never issued on CD)
-Live; Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1965 - Live At The BBC
-Live; The ABC Theatre in Blackpool, England, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"It's Only Love"
-Take 2, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"Yesterday"
-Take 1, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2
-Live; The ABC Theatre in Blackpool, England, 1965 - The Beatles Anthology 2

"Dizzy Miss Lizzy"
-Live; The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, 1965 - At The Hollywood Bowl (never issued on CD)
-Live; Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1965 - Live At The BBC

Solo:
"Act Naturally"
Live; venue and date unknown - Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band - The Anthology... So Far
Live; Chicago, 2001 - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo And His New All-Starr Band

"I've Just Seen A Face"
-Live; venue unknown, 1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings - Wings Over America
-Live; Limehouse Studios in London, 1991 - Paul McCartney - Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)

"Yesterday"
-Live; venue unknown, 1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings - Wings Over America
-Studio recording, 1984 - Paul McCartney - Give My Regards To Broad Street
-Live; Worcester, MA, 1989 - Paul McCartney - Tripping The Live Fantastic
-Live; Madison Square Garden, New York, 2001 - Paul McCartney - The Concert For New York City
-Live; venue unknown, 2002 - Paul McCartney - Back In The U.S., Back In The World

[jamier42]

1. Help
2. Yesturday
3. You're Gonna Lose That Girl
4. Ticket To Ride

[AKA]

Originally posted by Steve M.
Various Help! covers:

"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" - the Silkie

Surprised you didn't mention Eddie Vedder's version.