Still more lazy thoughts from this one…

A Song For This Day (and year): Help!

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Another year is over and upon us, and like I’ve done before (alright, it’s a habit), I’m highlighting a song that just felt right at this point in time. And given my general lack of attention to Ye Ol’ Blog of late1, decided to make sure I didn’t neglect this annual post before time ran out. Oh, and if we’re being honest, the year that just finished should definitely have had less drama (and a different outcome) than the previous, but given our political climate, it is now par for the course.

Thus, to christen 2025 went back six decades to another period and tune when we and things were changing — what is that old expression, “May you live in interesting times”2. And like last year, have chosen a popular song that came from a hugely successful LP and movie3 — the appropriately titled, Help!, a song for our times once more, it seems.

This is the energetic lead for both their 1965 album that provided the soundtrack, which included this as the title number, to The Beatles’ second movie that same year. At just 2:18 in length, The Lads (primarily John, but with Paul’s assistance) packed 267 words into its verse. As Songfacts noted…

“…making it one of the most lyrically dense hits of the era. It starts and ends on a vocal, and there are two vocal lines running throughout the song, as John Lennon sings lead while George Harrison and Paul McCartney do backgrounds, singing some of the same phrases either before or after Lennon. There are only a few seconds in the song where somebody isn’t singing.”

The documentary series The Beatles Anthology revealed that Lennon wrote the lyrics of the song to express his stress after the Beatles’ quick rise to success. ~ Wikipedia

That it was a successful tune, and a legitimate and sneaky call for help through a pop song by John Lennon 4, says something about the tune. Well, sneaky this post isn’t, and we’re going to need all the help we can get for the new year, I fear. But still, I sincerely hope it is a happy one for this and us all.

I need somebody
(Help) not just anybody
(Help) you know I need someone, help

So much younger than today
(I never need) I never needed anybody's help in any way
(Now) but now these days are gone (these days are gone)
I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) now I find I've changed my mind
And 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

In oh so many ways
(My independ-) my independence seems to vanish in the haze
(But) but every now and then (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) but now these days are gone (these days are gone)
I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) now I find I've changed my mind
And 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, ooh
  1. I mistakenly was under the misguided impression that things start to slow down when one turns 70; guess this is what happens when you don’t retire. ;-) ↩
  2. The phrase “May you live in interesting times” is an English expression that is commonly misattributed to being a traditional Chinese curse. ↩
  3. “Help!” topped both the UK and US singles charts in late summer 1965 while “Help!” the LP was another worldwide critical success for The Beatles. ↩
  4. “John Lennon has described this time of his life as his “fat Elvis period.” In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon said this is one of his favorite Beatles records, because, “I meant it – it’s real.” He added: “The lyric is as good now as it was then. It is no different, and it makes me feel secure to know that I was that aware of myself then. It was just me singing ‘Help’ and I meant it.”” ~ Songfacts ↩

9 Responses to “A Song For This Day (and year): Help!”

  1. Unknown's avatar Anonymous

    Really enjoyed reading this. “Help!” has always been a favorite song of mine, will definitely be my earworm for the next four years. I would say we have certainly lived through interesting times. Happy New Year!

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  4. Unknown's avatar Anonymous

    Happy New Year! Rachel (sgwordy; for some reason I always get posted as anon:) here just catching up on your posts. As always, some really lovely reads. I was just thinking my song for the year might be Brandi Carlile’s Hold Out Your Hand. We’re all gonna need some songs to soothe our souls this year, and in the coming years. The times are too interesting.

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    • le0pard13's avatar le0pard13

      Hi, Rachel! Oh, yes. We’re going to need all the help and soothing for the foreseeable future. Too interesting, indeed! Many thanks. 🙂

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