Help

For this week's song I've chosen Help. Love Me Do was requested by my dad, but that will come at a later date when I can get a harmonica in the key of C! I'd also like to take a break from the very early stuff for the time being.

Help is the title track off the album of the same name released in 1965. This to me was a major turning point for The Beatles. I just read Cynthia Lennon's book John and her account of the effects fame had on all the guys, especially John. This song was literally a cry for help from John Lennon who was feeling the overwhelming effects of the fame that The Beatles were experiencing at the time. It's definitely more rock and roll than their songs they'd previously released, but in a moody way, not the typical inspired by soul and blues kind of way you'd experience in their early cover tunes. The trademark harmonies are still there, but it's no longer sticky sweet. It definitely carries the jaded feeling.

I want to play this because I need some practice doing fast picking, but I know I couldn't pull of an entire song with it yet (Blackbird, I'm coming for you...) and the little riff before each verse is perfect for that. I'm also going to look into some garage band tutorials so the recording process isn't such a problem. See you in a week!