Help!

Only the Beatles could make lightning strike twice -- although the film and album weren't quite as well recieved as A Hard Day's Night, there were definite signs that the Great Pop Leap Forward the Fabs had instituted was back on track and running right on schedule. After this album, many things would change: no more reliance on covers (3 of the first four albums were half-full of them), no more attempts at shoehorning the boys into teenybop constructs, no more Beatlemania, effectively. Oh, the world still loved them (although the love was shaky at this point), but not with the hair-pulling frenzy of the early days.

Help is one last great stab at Beatlemania; although the formula wouldn't change completely until Revolver, the reliance on originals and the expansion of the Beatles' sound had its first embryonic stages here. Yesterday and You've Got To Hide Your Love Away were completely unlike anything that the Fabs - or anyone else, really - had tried. Dylan was obviously the template for the latter, but John built on the style and revealed a despondent, closely guarded self. Both songs were not just meant to capitalize on the percieved emotions of the Audience; they were emotion, perfectly captured with three minutes of wax and a handful of chords.

The Night Before One of Paul's better efforts of the period, probably directed at Jane Asher. Sort of Paul's less-ranting version of "Help!", it creates a lot of the same turmoil. Great double-tracked solo and smooth, funky electric piano work from John!

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away To this day, it stands as the Beatles' biggest nod to Dylan, although the lyrics are nothing but John. Legend says that this was written about a fling behind John and Brian Epstein, which John would have obviously had to "hide away". I'm not a homophobe, but I'm also not buying. Lovely flute solo that adds a whole extra level of poignancy.

I Need You George's songwriting is improving here, but he's still a few albums back, stylistically (no mean feat; we're talking about catching up to Lennon-McCartney here). Interesting to note how the song has a more droning quality than the other originals, perhaps a preface to the Eastern tonality George would come to adopt. Written by George for Patti Boyd and featuring his new favorite toy: a wah-wah.

Another Girl A forgotten near-classic from Paul that shows him at his bluesiest, but also, characteristically, trickier than you'd think (dig the bridge). George lays down ultra-tasty fretwork all over this thing. It really grows on you! Written about Jane Asher; who's the other girl?

You're Gonna Lose That Girl A wonderful number from John that sounds like a throwaback to the "With The Beatles" days, except of higher quality than most of that material. Featuring one of George's most bizarre but satisfying solos.

Ticket To Ride One of the most enduring songs in the Beatles' canon, the apex of the folkish, stutter-step style of their middle period. Note the double-time in the bridge, a real stylistic gamble that worked. Act Naturally The sad, lonely, but resolute Emmett Kelly-like image that Ringo presented was tailor-made for this Buck Owens song. The first overtly country song in the Beatle catalog. George hauls out his formidable rockabilly chops.

It's Only Love Another "throwaway", made-to-order song, with Hallmark lyrics. And John, obviously, was embarrassed by it almost immediately. So why is it so incredibly, stupidly beautiful? And why does John give it so much vocally? Because he was an artist.

You Like Me Too Much George's other "Help!" offering isn't up to "I Need You". It is interesting, however, even if the piano sounds a little clunky. (Steinways do not work for boogie-woogie, I don't care who you are).

Tell Me What You See Another reason side 2 of "Help!" sags so much. Note the cool way the electric piano breakdown sets off the rest of the song, though.

I've Just Seen A Face Original title: Auntie Gin's Theme
A real standout for Paul, this hootenanny of a track sounds like nothing he'd done before or since. His aunt loved it, hence the title. Moves like a freight train, and boasts not only a rich hook but surprisngly tight lyrics in such a rigid structure.

Yesterday Original Title: Scrambled Eggs
The most-covered Beatles song ever. The most covered song ever, period, unless you count "Happy Birthday". The most famous Beatle compositional story ever; Paul fell out of bed with the melody already in his head, and hurried to find some stopgap lyrics before he forgot it... hence, "Scrambled Eggs". Ultra-tasteful string arrangement suggested by George Martin. Paul, fearful that it would turn into "Mantovani rubbish", worked with Martin on the arrangement, keeping it elegant and simple. Certainly the best crafted song in the Beatles' early repetoire. As timeless and unobtrusive as the sunset.