Tis Better To Have Loved And Lost Than To Never Loved At All. Alfred Lord Tennyson –– Part 5

12/31/16

The air is cold, and New Year’s Eve, 2016 is counting down. A countdown just hours away from the beginning of my finest year ever, 2017. Why? I’m glad you asked. To be sure, there is no doubt, all the credit and thanks goes to my best and closest friends.

Okay, enough daydreaming about 2017, it’s time to separate unrequited vs. mutual love songs from the dozen original tracks the Lads of Liverpool shaped onto their fifth LP,released August 6, 1965, Help. A powerhouse of innovative excitement that entered the pop charts at #1 for nine weeks and produced three singles. Its fascination aimed at fans and lovers of music kept the LP beneath the Billboard #20 spot for 37 weeks.       

5^th LP; Help. (Mutual Love /3 vs. One-Sided Love /8)

Track 1 – Help. Not a love song at all, but rather, an authentic life experienced cry for help, 75% written by Lennon, in that John’s insecurities rippled over his self-called ugly weight gain (fat like Elvis stage). Another plight haunting the rock icon was the upsurge sub-par appearance of the pop star’s photographs donning his cursed glasses, which he believed marred his sex appeal and changed him into a homely dork. A ridiculed issue only in his mind but showered him with anxiety. Background Fun Facts: Written August 11, 1965, immediately after learning their second film titled, Eight Arms To Hold You had gotten the boot and replaced with the simple singular syllable, Help! Richard Lester and his scriptwriters had always wanted to name the new movie, Help, but the copyright lawyers had found someone else held registered rights to the sought after heading. Ringo suggested the caption, Eight Arms To Hold You, in connection with the multi-armed sacrificial statue in the film. I always thought Ringo’s quip centered around the arms of the Beatles, on account the statue shoulders ten arms. Desperate for a better title, lawyers questioned if an exclamation point solves a copyright infringement; it would, so it was added. Lennon had been working on an unfinished song for a long spell called, ‘Keep Your Hands Off My Babe,’ and once Paul arrived at the Kenwood Home, they adapted it with fresh lyrics then composed the knockout intro title piece that very day. John previously had all the chords and melody, but Paul added a new countermelody echoing John’s lines. The next morning both played it for Lester and aced its full acceptance.

Track 2 – The Night Before. A one-sided love song by Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer wants to be treated like the night before, in that his girl held him so near, and love was in her eyes, but since then, she changed her mind and only tells him goodbye. Background Fun Facts:  Written January 1965 inside Jane Asher’s parents’ home on Wimpole Street, London without any help from John. However, this is the first recording John ditched his rhythm guitar and produced the tune’s driving force with his talent at the dominated sounding keyboard. Recorded February 17, 65 at Abbey Road’s studio two, which took five hours to complete after the second rhythm track passed quality muster. Overdubs included Paul’s lead vocal supported by John and George’s background vocals, then a double-tracked vocal by Paul, and afterward, Ringo overdubbed maracas on the bridge. The guitar solo received a duet performance played together by George and Paul. Each pluck the same notes except one of them slid his hand way up the neck to reach octave duplicates in the higher register. Only the mono mix made it onto the film as well as records, even stereo records. A new true stereo mix surfaced in 1986 when the album’s compact disc made its debut.

Track 3 – You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away. A one-sided love song by John, based on the lyric portrayal the singer stands head in hand and can’t go on if his lover is gone. He loses hope knowing he’ll never win love and doesn’t believe her when she says “love will find a way.” Therefore, he hides his love emotions  behind a mask of heartbroken pride. Background Fun Facts: Written alone inside John’s Kenwood home late December 64 to early January 65. Highly influenced by Bob Dylan’s songwriting strengths connected with his song, I Don’t Believe You, which starts verse one with––“I can’t understand, she let go my hand, and left me here facing a wall.”  According to lifelong friend Pete Shotton, John’s lyrics near the end of the first verse originally sang, “feeling two-foot-tall,” but John goofed and sang “small,” and liked it much better uttering, "let’s leave that in." Also, Pete gets the glory for suggesting John shout the word, “Hey,” before the chorus begins. If you exclude Andy White’s drumming on the lads first single and the many times George Martin spiced up Beatles material with his keyboard flair, we could announce this was the first song John or Paul invited an outside musician to add class to one of their compositions. Johnnie Scott provided the lovely flute melody tagged at the end using his tenor flute, and then his alto flute on an overdub. Mono and stereo mixes differ only from the lead vocal, which is a tad louder and more reverb within the stereo version.

Track 4 – I Need You. A one-sided love song by George, based on the lyric portrayal the singer hears a thing or two that upsets him in that his ladylove reveals she doesn’t want his lovin’ anymore. Background Fun Facts: Written between December 64 to February 65 while touring London and during the production of “Another Beatles Christmas Show.” George had a tuff time spitting out commercial compositions like his band mates, J & P. If the youngest Beatle hit on something promising, he’d record the ditty, forget about it for five weeks, then add to it with a fresh approach. This method usually took a three-month stint till completion. Mr. Harrison submitted two songs to Richard Lester for consideration as a featured scene in the new film. His second song being, ‘You like Me too Much,’ would have been my choice had I any authority above the film director. Recorded on February 15, which concretized a new procedure of recording the rhythm track first and then lay down the vocals using overdubs. The boys last recording session took place last October 26 finishing up ‘Honey Don’t’ and ‘What You’re Doing,' and the refined quality of their newer improved composition arrangements was too good to spoil should someone forget the words or sing off key. Thus, ‘Ticket To Ride’ launched the new policy, followed by ‘Another Girl,’ then ‘I Need You.’ Five takes brought Harrison’s song a fine rhythm track pleasing everyone. 2:30 pm, the next afternoon, George sang his lead vocal then double-tracked his vocal with Paul adding harmony to the phrase, ‘I need you’ and ‘you told me.' Another overdub captured background aahs from J & P.  Thereafter; George recorded his lead guitar part using his volume pedal. The last assigned overdub utilized Ringo’s timing four-count steady beat pounding on a cowbell throughout the bridge.

Track 5 – Another Girl. A one-sided love song by Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer informs his old girlfriend that as from today he’s got somebody new. Someone sweeter than all the rest and nobody can do what she does, so he proclaims he’s no fool and won’t take what he don’t want, hence, he has got another girl who will love him till the end. Background Fun Facts: Written between February 4 & February 14, 1965, inside a lovely rented home in Hammamet, a seaside resort in Tunisia, while on vacation. Paul takes over as lead guitarist on this one, erasing all the licks George had performed on tape the day before. Mono and stereo mixes are close except for a tiny volume boost on the stereo rhythm track.

Track 6 – You’re Going To Lose That Girl. A one-sided love song by John, based on the lyric portrayal the singer feels obligated to warn a misguided friend that if he doesn’t start treating his girl right, the singer will step in and make a point of stealing her away by treating her kind and doing her right. Background Fun Facts: Written between January & February 1965 inside John’s Kenwood home. John claims sole composer but Paul remembers a joint effort contributing maybe forty percent. Recorded February 19 with acoustic guitar by John, electric guitar by George, bass guitar by Paul and drums by Ringo. Overdubs included vocals, double tracked vocal by John, lead guitar solo by George using his Fender Strat again, piano by Paul, and bongos by Ringo. No noticeable mix differences between mono and stereo this time.

Track 7 – Ticket To Ride. A one-sided love song by John and Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer is unclear why his girl is going away, other than her directly informing that living with him brings her down, and she never can feel free to express herself when he’s around. Background Fun Facts: Written between late December and February 14, 1965. Beginning portions were written together during their last Christmas show rehearsals, then John worked on it while vacationing in Switzerland, and finally, both Paul and John finished out the rough spots after the bass man returned home from Tunisia. Not only did Paul compose and perform the lead guitar solo, he also showed Ringo how to play the tumbled drum beats. The preliminary sign of Paul's takeover control happened their first day back, ready to tape new songs inside the recording studio since 3 and ½ months before. The opening guitar riff comes from George using his Rickenbacker 360-12 string for the last time on any further Beatles songs. Overdubs included John double tracking vocals, Ringo using hand claps then later a tambourine, and George plucking open string A notes on his Fender Strat during the verses. Variances with the mix allow the song to run an extra seven seconds highlighting a few more guitar licks by Paul on the stereo version, plus, the bass guitar received more gain with this stereo mix.    

Track 8 is a cover song.

Track 9 – It’s Only Love.  A mutual love song centered around a man and woman's tipsy relationship by John and Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer asks is it right they both fight every night. And yet, just the sight of her makes things bright. So, hasn’t he the right to make up, cause its love he feels. Nevertheless, it’s so hard loving her under those fight and forgive conditions. Background Fun Facts: Written between May and June 1965 inside John’s Kenwood home. Paul contributed about forty percent. The original working in progress title was called, “That’s A Nice Hat.” John hated this song due to its lyrics, pure rubbish; he’d often admitted. Paul shares a snip inside his book, “Many Years From Now,” and I quote, “Sometimes we didn’t fight it if the lyric came out rather bland on some of those filler songs like, ‘It’s Only Love.’ If a lyric was really bad we’d edit it, but we weren’t that fussy about it, because, it’s only a rock ‘n’ roll song. I mean, this is not literature.” Recorded on June 15, after a short rehearsal that allowed George and Ringo time to learn the number. The rhythm track captured John’s lead vocal and also consisted of John and George on acoustic guitars, Paul on bass, and Ringo behind the drum set. Six takes finished the job. Next, George added lead guitar licks played through a warbling sounding Leslie speaker, like his solo on ‘Let It Be.’ Other overdubs included John using his custom Rickenbacker with choppy strums on each verse while Ringo brought in a tambourine only during the chorus. John completed the tune double-tracking his vocals on the chorus and ending. A flub appeared in the mixdown that found John’s double-tracked vocal off pace singing the word ‘only’ during the fourth measure on the first chorus. Engineers muted those few milliseconds’ blooper, but in so doing, also blanked out Ringo’s tambourine. The same problem occurred again at the fade out when engineers hushed the double-tracked slipup; they also lost the tambourine. Years later, the compact discs of 1986 overlooked the gaff, and we hear the previous missing double-track and tambourine untouched.

Track 10 – You Like Me too Much. A mutual love song about a couple barely intact by George, based on the lyric portrayal the singer stands assured his girl will never leave him because she likes him too much and he likes her. However, if the day happens she does leave, he will follow her and bring her back where she belongs because he couldn’t stand losing her, admitting his faults ready to make things right. Background Fun Facts: Written between January & February 1965 and influenced by the very recent romance with Pattie Boyd competing with the carnal knowledge shenanigans the lads dipped into on their U.S. tour from August 19 – September 20, 1964, then again, during their UK tour from October 9 – November 10, 1964. But with all the past forgiven, Pattie married George on January 21^st, 1966, almost eleven months after recording the song during mid-evening February 17, 1965. Eight takes needed to form an approved rhythm track featuring George singing lead and playing his Fender lead guitar, John on a Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar, Ringo on drums, and Paul with George Martin both playing the same Steinway piano, ran through a Leslie speaker, plunking the ivory keys in time together. Overdubs consisted of George double-tracked vocal with some harmony, Paul included a bass guitar arrangement, John added a Hohner electric pianet bit, and Ringo used a tambourine to spice up the bridge and instrument solos. Incidentally, because Capitol issued Beatles VI in June of 1965, this fine Harrison composition tickled the American fans seven-and-a-half weeks before EMI released the prized anticipated Help LP.

Track 11 – Tell Me What You See. A one-sided love song plea by Paul and John, based on the lyric portrayal the singer lays down some reasons why he should win the heart of his lady love to be. All she need do is open her eyes and see the truth of his adoration. Background Fun Facts: Written most likely in mid-February 1965, since the boys had trouble recording it on February 18 committing many mistakes, which provides a likely clue, not enough time to learn it. The whole process for this one song took three-and-a-half hours. The rhythm track comprised each Beatle playing his usual instrument with take four as the winner. Overdubs contained J & P harmonizing together, Paul’s lead vocal, then double-tracked the second and fourth line of each verse. Singing mistakes expose where all the flubs and breakdowns occurred, stretching the duration before finished. Additional overdubs point to Paul playing piano during a short interlude at the bridge’s close, again at the tune’s finale, and on another track, Mr. McCartney overdubbed a guiro; the wooden grooved Latin percussion instrument rubbed with a stick. Last but not least, Ringo supplemented the sound with a pair of claves and later, the ring man kept tempo with a tambourine. Both mono and stereo mixes sound identical, but let me share two interesting facts. #1: Heard on the intro, right about the second upward strum John gives his guitar, you can just make out a soft practice from Paul singing the line, “If you let” just before he delivers the first melody phrase. #2: Years earlier, Paul and George wrote a song together, “In Spite Of All The Danger” and the result turned out to be the only song credited to these two chaps. Well, that song received enormous inspiration from an old Elvis tune called, “Tryin’ To Get To You.” How obvious Paul sought a fix from one of his biggest idol’s lesser known album fillers to help complete this tune..   

Track 12 – I’ve Just Seen a Face. A mutual love song by Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer is falling in love with the very girl who keeps calling him to return to her, for she is unable to cope with the hours they are apart. Background Fun Facts: Written between 1957 and 1958, known as Auntie Gin’s Theme, however, revised lyrics developed around May or June 1965 inspired by Jane Asher. First Beatle song ever recorded strictly unplugged, no electric bass, just acoustic guitars accompanied with Ringo’s drums. Paul uses an Epiphone Texan Ft-79 six-string and even supplies the instrumental guitar solo introduction rather than George. Recorded on June 14, 65 after a well-deserved month-long rest, specifically to finish up the Help LP. John played another six-string, and George opted to use a 12-string acoustic concentrating on the bass notes and dished out a middle spot spiffy musical solo while Ringo switched from sticks to brushes tapped against the snare drum skin. They chose take #6 as the best. Overdubs included Paul on lead & harmony vocal, then double-tracked, maracas supplied by Ringo. Paul tried to harmonize the entire third verse but a voted decision was made to wipe it off the mix. Nevertheless, you can still hear bits and pieces in the right channel on the stereo version. I had never heard about this tiny nugget before today, and for the last five years, when I perform this song live, I do include a higher harmony during the last verse using my Vocalist Live 3 enhancer. Although the Help album was released on August 6, 1965, American fans had a four-month waiting period before being introduced to this song, as well as, ‘It’s Only Love,' by getting their hands on the Capitol December issued, Rubber Soul.

Track 13 – Yesterday. A one-sided love song by Paul, based on the lyric portrayal the singer has no clue why his woman walked out on him without a word. He does know he said something wrong and wished he could turn back time because he’s only half the man he used to be without her. Background Fun Facts: Written between January 1964 & June 1965, and after fifty-one years, still holds the record as most recorded song of all time, over 2,500 versions by other artists’.  Recorded on June 14, 1965, following a ninety-minute break from just laying down the tracks and overdubs to the screaming rocker, ‘I’m Down.’ Imagine the versatility and superior resourcefulness Paul and his voice was blessed with, to shift in such drastic directions from tearing apart the vocal cord inside his throat, then return to sing the beautiful ballad so soft and tenderly. Most of us would have saved the roaring ripper for last––like John’s Twist and Shout, put an end to Lennon singing any further that session, a brutal performance sounding as if he gargled with razor blades. Mono and stereo mixes differ in that the string quartet fades out just before the song’s conclusion on the stereo version, but the string section is left unbroken to the very final moment on the mono version. Also, Paul’s double-tracked voice has much more reverb at the bridge compared to the verses on the mono mix. Only Capitol Records released it as a single, backed with ‘Act Naturally’ sung by Ringo. How on earth can EMI explain the greatest composition of the Twentieth Century, written by a Beatle, found its place as an album filler song?        

Track 14 is a cover song.                          

Look what happened at this juncture! Usually, our findings run a close fifty percent per unrequited love songs that can slip unnoticed onto each just released, popular by demand, Beatles albums’. Here, tables have turned, and it looks like heartache has jumped into the driver’s seat––scoring 8 to 3.

Oh, hey, did you all catch the common thread that links both movies, A Hard Day’s Night film in cahoots with the Help film? No? Well, in both pictures, who is the main star with the most scenes? Who struggles under the most conflicts? Who doesn’t receive a featured song to spotlight his charming ways with the ladies by singing a solo? Right, Ringo.

Next week, part 6 uncovers the dynamic and spellbound music that triggered Brian Wilson to compose, Pet Sounds. That’s correct, Rubber Soul comes to you in seven days with all its glory. Please post any comments you wish, and I’ll do my best to reply accordingly. Thanks, friends.