Help!

When John Lennon sat down to write Help!, he wasn't looking for a catchy tune to fall in love with. What emerged was a raw expression of his personal overwhelm, a cry for help in the face of the dizzying fame the Beatles were experiencing. It's interesting to note that this song marked a before and after, being the first time the band moved away from the usual romantic themes in their compositions. Paul McCartney collaborated in the process, contributing to complete the idea in a joint session at Lennon's home. The original recording, released in 1965, remained in their live repertoire until the end of that same year, having been performed for the first time in Blackpool.

The sincerity of Help! led John Lennon himself to consider it one of his favorites, although he regretted that it hadn't been recorded at a slower tempo. This idea of a slower version resonated with other artists; for example, Deep Purple notably slowed it down in 1968, and Paul McCartney himself performed it more calmly on his tours in 1990 and 2025. Other musicians like U2, Bon Jovi, and Noel Gallagher have also explored different speeds when covering it in their concerts. The song had a significant impact, reaching number one on major charts like the Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK. It was even used in advertising campaigns, something unprecedented for a Beatles song in 1985. An alternative version exists for the US album of the same name, which included an orchestra and evoked a style similar to James Bond music.