Help!

** A TOP TEN FAVORITE **

Album: Help!

Year: 1965

Written by: Lennon & McCartney

It's hard to believe that this week marks 33 years since we lost John Lennon. I was in high school at the time, and I will never forget hearing the terrible news and witnessing the sadness people all over the world felt when this amazing artist died so young.

In honor of John, this week's song is one of his (and also one of my) favorites. Help! was a #1 hit song, written for the Beatles' second movie, which was also called Help! John once said that Help! was the first "honest" song that he wrote, because he was feeling a bit sad and confused at the time, and he felt he needed some help to get him through the tough time. The Beatles had become international superstars, and they had very little privacy or time to themselves. John was a very sensitive person, so the new-found fame seemed to affect him the most.

This video includes different scenes from the movie Help!, which is a funny film that shows the Beatles in many James Bond-like adventures. John sings a great double-tracked lead vocal and plays a really cool 12-string acoustic guitar. Paul and George sing a wonderful and quite complex backing harmony.