#79: It's Only Love

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John


It's amazing how great songs like "It's Only Love" got trashed by John (and even Paul, who is quoted as calling it filler), but we appreciate them. In fact, I think it's one of his best love songs. It talks about love as something that happens to everybody and can be shrugged off. Most songs around this period glorify love, but The Beatles were already moving beyond that idea. John tells us that love is just a simple explanation as to why these things happen when a girl comes by. It's something that I'm sure we all can relate to. 
The song proves right off the bat, too, that the best originals on the album are not the ones featured in the movie. Instrumentally, the song features a nifty, jangly guitar by George. I also love John's vocal. He gives that same tired vocal sound to the song that he gave "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party". 
The song got some unwanted attention in the US because Capitol used it as the opener to side two of Rubber Soul. The song has a very folksy sound and was recorded late in the HELP! sessions. By dropping all the 'tough' rock songs from Rubber Soul and adding "It's Only Love" and "I've Just Seen A Face", Capitol gave Rubber Soul a whole new sound. If you don't have the Capitol Albums, Vol. 2 box set, create a playlist using Capitol's Rubber Soul track-list and give it a listen. Then, come back to me, because it will give you a whole new appreciation for those two HELP! songs. 
Of course, the song was on Love Songs in 1977, but never issued as a single or anywhere else. Fun note: When John first came up with the melody, he called the song "That's A Nice Hat", just one of the many whimsical work-in-progress titles the Beatles used.     

#78: Act Naturally

Written by: Johnny Russel & Voni Morrison
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: Ringo


The Beatles were always good for a laugh, but they usually kept their humor off their records...until this one. 

Ringo was originally given the worst song John & Paul ever wrote, "If You've Got Trouble" (summed up by Ringo yelling "Oh, rock on...anyBODY!" during the solo) for HELP! Thankfully that song was quickly dropped because it just sucked. Instead, Ringo got to flex his rockabilly muscles again with a cover of Buck Owen's "Act Naturally" (done here on TV in 1965). 
The funniest thing about the song is the cruel irony. Ringo was thrown into the spot-light, thanks to his solo sequence in A Hard Day's Night and it was assumed that he would make a great actor. This is why Richard Lester made the story of HELP! revolve around him. (If you watch the Anthology, though, Ringo reveals that that wasn't acting in A Hard Day's Night - it was a drunk's walk-through of London.) Of course, Ringo isn't that great an actor (and as HELP! shows, none of them were - they were only good at playing themselves, which they obviously weren't in that film), so to have him sing a song about a misplaced 'actor' is a great idea.  
It also opened the non-film side of HELP! The British LP followed the same sequence as A Hard Day's Night. While "Act Naturally" may seem to signal that the second side of HELP! might all be filler, this is quickly proved incorrect by the next song. 


The Beatles obviously were hoping that "Act Naturally" would become an obscure joke, but Capitol in the US made sure that wasn't about to happen. Capitol, again capitalizing on the US's love for Ringo, released it as the B-Side to a much more important song. Thus, The Beatles performed it on the 1965 US tour and Ringo performs it to this day. In 1989, while Ringo was attempting a comeback from alcoholism, he recorded the song again with Buck Owens for Capitol. That was actually a success, reaching #27 on the Billboard country charts.    

#77: You're Going To Lose That Girl

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John


I've always thought "You're Going To Lose That Girl" was sort of a re-write of "I Should Have Known Better", except from a third-person view. John is telling the listener that, if you don't treat her right, she's going to walk away. Aside from Ringo playing bongos and Paul at the piano, I really don't see this as a unique song as it is similar to a lot of other John songs from the period. 
This is the last song from the film on the album, before the previously-released "Ticket To Ride". In the film, the Beatles 'perform' it in the studio, during the clever (and easily the best part) montage of attempts to get the ring off Ringo's finger. The 'session' abruptly comes to an end as Ringo falls through the floor. The best part of this sequence is the cool feature of showing Paul playing piano and bass at the same time. When the camera switches from showing George & Paul singing behind John to the piano player, Paul magically appears there! That's called great editing.


"You're Going To Lose That Girl" is a relatively obscure track that appeared on Love Songs. Capitol had the audacity to attempt to release the song as the B-Side to a 45 featuring "Girl" to promote Love Songs. All of Capitol's "themed" compilations were proceeded by a single, no matter how useless it was to release one. ("Helter Skelter" b/w "Got To Get You Into My Life" was for Rock And Roll Music in 1976 and "The Beatles Movie Medley" b/w "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" was for Reel Music.) However, this single, which was meant to promote Love Songs was cancelled.  


Next up: Side Two, the songs not in the film, of HELP!

#76: Another Girl

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: Paul


A Hard Day's Night is better than HELP! in every way...including the songs. "Another Girl" is yet another example of that proves this. Really, aside from "Help!", "Ticket To Ride" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", all of these songs have fallen into obscurity (at least as obscure as a Beatles song can be) and aside from "The Night Before", I wouldn't exactly call these 'hidden gems'. 
"Another Girl" is another Paul song where the relationship is strained, so he runs off with another girl. Paul plays lead guitar...again, providing a jangly guitar solo that George gets stuck miming to in the movie. The song is done on the beach in the Bahamas, done while the Beatles switch instruments (except, Paul gets to play a girl). 
It's a fun song, but with so many better songs recorded during the HELP! sessions, I wish they reconsidered using this in the movie. "Another Girl" never got issued anywhere else and was never performed live.     

#75: I Need You

Written by: George Harrison
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: George


"'I Need You' by George Harrison!!"


"I Need You" is the first song written by George to appear on an album since "Don't Bother Me" back on with the beatles. It hardly helps to prove that George was actually as good a songwriter as John and Paul. In fact, George 'forgot' to include both of the songs he wrote for HELP! in his autobiography, I, Me, Mine. A few others were left out, but these were the only ones written and released during the Beatles years that he dropped. 
Since George got a vocal shot in A Hard Day's Night, it's only right that he does get one in HELP! and like the last film, he gets the worst song. "I Need You" feels like a routine love song that he wrote just to prove that "Don't Bother Me" wasn't all that he could do. Still, the only thing interesting about the song is the use of the volume pedal that George used to give "Yes It Is" a unique sound. George does a pretty good vocal, but that's about it. 
The really funny thing about "I Need You" is during the HELP! credits. On the card that says "Songs written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney", we hear George yell "'I Need You' by George Harrison!!" This could be a jab at the fact that in A Hard Day's Night, the card also said the same thing, even though "Don't Bother Me" was partially used during the dancing sequence. Either that, or the boys and Richard Lester probably thought it was funny. During the film itself, the song is played during the same sequence as "The Night Before".


"I Need You" has only ever appeared on HELP! making it one of the more obscure Beatles songs. Considering it's not one of their best (and that George himself neglected it), I suppose it's for the best. 

#74: You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John


John's affection for Dylan is in full swing here. This is easily the best song that was featured in the film.
The love affair in the song is very Dylan-esque, where the girl is the one leaving the guy with an insult. "How could she say to me, 'love will find a way'?" Then, the guy can only offer himself advice which is that he can't be so open with his love. Gather 'round all you clowns, let me hear you say-ay-ay: Hey! You've got to hide your love away! The song is very much like "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)". In fact listen to the first lines of the two songs and you'll see they're strikingly similar. 
The song is also the first song since the original version of "Love Me Do" to feature a musician outside of the Beatles. Film composer John Scott, who at the time was under an EMI contract to work with their top artists, played the flute part at the end of the song. 


On Beach Boys' Party!, The Beach Boys covered it, along with "I Should Have Known Better" and "Tell Me Why". That album's point was to get something out for the Christmas of 1965 while Brian Wilson was working on Pet Sounds. So, they just took a couple of days to make the first ever "Unplugged" album, recording their favorite songs of the day. Dennis Wilson, the 'wild' Wilson, sang the song beautifully on the album, but the silly party overdubs get in the way! 


"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" was included on 1963-1966, but since it was never issued as a single, never appeared anywhere else. It did make it's way to that terrible Love Songs set in 1977.     

#73: The Night Before

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: August 6, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: Paul


Man, I love this song...I just have to say that.
Anyway, HELP! is a movie made for the sole purpose of giving the Beatles a great vacation. For "The Night Before", The Beatles got to perform the song in the middle of a giant field, because, for some reason, this giant, open field is the safest place to be when you're being chased by Indian extremists. Of course, things don't go as planned and eventually everything explodes. 
"The Night Before" is by Paul and, like "Ticket To Ride", he plays lead guitar and gets the solo. While it's little things like this that bring into question George's guitar playing, the truth is that Paul probably just wanted to play guitar on his song. Also, John is playing the piano, meaning that somebody has to play rhythm and with overdubbing available, there was no reason why Paul couldn't just overdub his bass parts. 
The song, which continues Paul's string of interesting relationship songs, is about a guy who said goodbye to his girlfriend last night, but she decided today that she wants to come back. So, the guy wants her to treat him like the night before she said goodbye. 

#72: I'm Down

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: July 23, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Lead vocal: Paul



"You tell lies, thinkin' I can't see
But you can't lie 'cause you're laughin' at me!"


"I'm Down" is Paul's final Little Richard rip-off and it's great fun. The song is most famous as the closing number to the famed Shea Stadium concert in 1965. (Here's probably the best version of it on YouTube.) I can never get tired of watching those four sweaty guys singing (and screaming) their heads off. Then there's John playing his organ with his elbow! I think at that point of the show, they were just so exhausted that John just threw out the play book and went with whatever looked wilder! 
While listening to Paul doing his "Long Tall Sally" re-writes is fun, thankfully, this is the last time he did it. "I'm Down" is fun, but we should be thankful that the Beatles made the track a B-Side. It's one of those songs that's actually better live. 


"I'm Down" is one of those rarities in the Beatle world in that it actually became a true rarity. It never appeared on either a UK or US album. In both countries, the song failed to make an LP appearance until 1976's Rock 'N' Roll Music. Capitol skipped all opportunities they had to issue it on manufactured albums like "Yesterday"...And Today or Hey Jude. Parlophone in the UK could have issued it on A Collection of Beatles Oldies...But Goldies but failed to do so then.

#71: Help!

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: July 23, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John


Two weeks before the album came out, "Help!" was issued on 45 in the UK and the US. For some reason it was released a few days ahead in the US. Just six days later, the film HELP! opened worldwide. 
The song is John's true cry for help and easily one of his most personal songs. It's the kind of emotional power that lead to his work throughout the rest of the Beatles' career. John always said that he wished the Beatles were able to record it at a slower tempo so people could understand how personal the lyrics actually were. However, this is still 1965, when Beatles songs, especially those with a John lead vocal, are expected to be powerful rockers. 
It's a fantastic song with some great vocals. "Help!" also features the unique idea of having the backing vocals sing the line before the lead. That's another one of those Beatle innovations that we take for granted today, but it was (and still is) a very unique thing. 


In the US, the HELP! album was released as a soundtrack, despite the fact that Capitol was going to issue it instead of United Artists. Capitol used Ken Thorne's whimsical score between the songs, which makes it more of a soundtrack than UA's A Hard Day's Night, which had newly-recorded George Martin pieces that weren't actually in the film. When you dropped the needle on Capitol's HELP!, the first thing you heard was not The Beatles crying "HELP!!! I need somebody!", but instead you got Thorne's hilarious James Bond-esque intro. This is the way Americans heard it. Even on the US version of 1963-1966 (The "Red" Album), where it opened Side Three, the intro was present. When the compilation was issued on CD, however, it was dropped, not to be heard again until the soundtrack was included in The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2. 

#70: Yes It Is

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: April 9, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Volume One
Lead vocal: John, Paul & George (John on the bridge)


It's only fitting that the seventieth Beatles song is one of their most heart-breaking songs, taking their harmonies to new heights and adding a new, rare sound to the mix. "Yes It Is" is very similar to "This Boy", but much more mature and technically interesting. George employs a volume pedal to make his guitar fade in and out, which makes what could be a relatively boring song interesting. 
I personally like it, especially the imagery in the lyrics. John requests that the girl not wear red because he associates the color with bad memories. John's vocals are also brilliant, especially during that magical bridge: "I could be happy with you by my side/If I could forget her, but it's my pride/Yes it is, yes it is...oh yes it is!!!" 


In the US, since the song was not going to be in HELP!, Capitol was able to issue it on Beatles VI. In the UK, the song wouldn't make an appearance until Rarities and not again until Past Masters in 1988. (It was on Love Songs, but I don't think anyone has a problem if I try to forget about those silly 1970s compilations.)

#69: Ticket To Ride

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: April 9, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John & Paul


"Ticket To Ride" is just a brilliant song, mostly by John, and starts the Beatles' middle period. HELP!, Rubber Soul and Revolver, along with the single sides issued during that period all have a distinct and similar feel that is nowhere else in the Beatles' catalog. The fact is that these songs are more serious and personal than any of the songs before or after. 
"Ticket To Ride" was released nearly five months before its LP appearance, giving listeners a great preview of what the Beatles were going to sound like until 1966. It was also their first single to go over three minutes. Can you imagine that? A single going over three minutes! In 1965, that was amazing. These are the days before "Good Vibrations", before FM radio and...definitely before "Hey Jude". 
I think the song itself is also the Beatles' first 'heavy' song. Paul lays the foundation for his out-of-this-world bass playing that defines the latter half of his Beatle career. Ringo's drumming is brilliant and John & Paul's harmony is great. George plays his 12-string on the song, but he really gets stuck taking a back seat. Paul actually plays lead guitar for the first time on the song and he's great. 
The song is an interesting love song where the singer is happy to get the girl out of his life and she's perfectly fine with it, too. It's not exactly the most positive subject for a single, but with the Beatles, always expect the unexpected.
Of course, the song was a #1 single on both sides of the Atlantic. When Capitol was assembling Beatles VI, they were actually interested in including the song, but since they knew it was going to be in HELP! it could only be released on the soundtrack for that film. Another bizarre note is that on the US 45, Capitol jumped the gun and printed on it that it was "taken from the film 'Eight Arms To Hold You'". This was just a working title for HELP! and this text was never taken off the 45, even on later pressings. In fact, I have a 1980's re-issue (the last time it was issued, I think) that has this under the song title!  

#68: Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

Written by: Carl Perkins
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: George

Carl Perkins makes another appearance on Beatles For Sale in the guise of "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", the closing number on the album. Now, the original is a great song, but the Beatles performance is lacking a little power. I think part of that is that they used it as the closer after the powerhouse duo of "Money" and "Twist And Shout" and the brooding "I'll Be Back". This song just isn't the type of song that could have been the closer. Personally, I think "Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" would have been better here than at the end of side one. 

I also think the Beatles were a little trigger-happy with the technical wizardry here. The double-tracking of George's vocal is just useless. It doesn't add anything to the song, which in reality is just a straight up rock song. If you want to hear the song without double-tracked vocals, there's a take of it on Live at the BBC that proves how great the song is without having to hear two George vocals at once. Considering how well George sings the song ("Well, they took some honey from a treeeeeeeee..." I love that part when he drags that line out towards the end), I can't figure out why they thought it was necessary. It's also kind of sad that the only thing they could find George to sing on Beatles For Sale is a cover that they'd been doing since Hamburg. 

In the US, it was used as the closer for Beatles '65 and was performed at the Shea Stadium show in 1965 (that performance is on Anthology 2). 

Next up: "Oh...she's got a ticked to ride, and she don't care!"   

#67: What You're Doing

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: Paul


Hear that drum into? That is the start of one unique Beatles song. 
"What You're Doing" is really the start of Paul's mean streak. His relationship with Jane Asher was already pretty much on the rocks, although they didn't officially break up until 1968. So, many of Paul's songs up to Revolver deal with loneliness and feeling apart from the girl in the song. This reaches an all-time high with "For No One", but "What You're Doing" is really just the start of this. This also allows for Paul to have more emotional songs. This one is very much like John's songs on the album and so it feels at home on Beatles For Sale.

As the last original, it is only bettered by the opening number on the album, "No Reply". 
Again, this one got held over until Beatles VI in the US. 

#66: I Don't Want To Spoil The Party

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: John 


"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is like the reject of the opening trilogy of Beatles For Sale. It's a song about rejection, much like the first three songs on the record, but this time, it's in public and at a party. I always think that when something like that happens it public, it's more embarrassing. 
This song reflects that. 
The reason why it's placed so far removed from those songs, too, is pretty obvious. Could you imagine a Beatles record opening with four straight songs about rejection? Thankfully, the Beatles and George Martin were smart enough not to have us sit through that. (Not that it would be torture of course...I think we all agree that if the Beatles released a song of two-minutes of coughing, the Beatles would be coughing better than anyone else.)
Anyway, I like "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", especially John's really subdued vocal. I mean, he just sounds disappointed. There's also a great harmony vocal by Paul. 
Also, as John's last song, this really represents the end of John's dominance as 'head' songwriter. From now on, Paul's contributions will be as important as - and as many as - John's. 


In the US, Capitol held the song back for Beatles VI and was first used as the B-Side to "Eight Days A Week" in the US.

#65: Every Little Thing

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: John (& Paul)


This blog's namesake is an interesting song, primarily because the writer of the song is not the lead vocal. Both John and Paul have said that the song is Paul's, but John sings lead, with Paul on harmonies. Why this decision was made was a mystery, but the song is fantastic. Ringo's use of a timpani is a great idea that makes the song unique. ("Every little thing she does....BUM-PUM!...She does for me, yeah!" What's not to like about that?)
While it is hardly one of the Beatles' most popular songs, it still works and is one of my favorite originals on the album.  It's kind of unfortunate that there's not much to say about it except that listening to it is a good way to spend two minutes. 


In the US, this was another track that got held-over for some reason until Beatles VI and was used as the closing number. 

#64: Honey Don't

Written by: Carl Perkins
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: Ringo


Back when I wrote about "Matchbox", I mentioned that it was one of two songs the Beatles recorded where they switched vocalists. "Honey Don't" is the other. John had been singing this Carl Perkins number (here's the awesome original) as late as August, 1963 when they recorded it for the BBC. This version featuring John is on 'Live At The BBC'. 
Since Ringo hadn't been given an original song to sing since "I Want To Be Your Man", John & Paul obviously felt that there was no reason to break Ringo's streak of covers. So, John gave up "Honey Don't" to Ringo. Of course, hearing John do it is great, but again, nobody sings rockabilly like Ringo. 
The song is a lot of fun and you can tell that they had fun making it. Ringo gets to yell "Rock on, George, for Ringo one time!" Still, it's impossible not to get that same feeling you get from all the other covers here - that they feel forced to do these old songs after an album full of originals. 


In the US, the song came up on Beatles '65. 
It's kind of funny how Ringo still does this at every single show he does. He also felt that it was necessary to do it at The Concert For George, even though it might have been classier for him to find another Perkins song to do.  

#63: Words Of Love

Written by: Buddy Holly
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: John, Paul & George



Despite their love of Buddy Holly, they had yet to cover the master until "Words Of Love". In fact, this is the only Holly cover they ever recorded in the studio for EMI. "That'll Be The Day", Holly's signature tune, was covered by them when they were still the Quarrymen and it appeared on their home-made 45 (that's currently in Paul's possession, as far as I know) that's on Anthology 1. 
The original version of "Words of Love" (heard here) was first released on Brunswick's Buddy Holly LP in 1958.  
Now, the interesting thing about the Beatles' version is that they copied Holly almost note-for-note. Ringo even went as far as playing a suitcase to get the sound of Holly's percussion right. This makes it a real rarity in the Beatles' catalog. Most of their covers add something unique, but here The Beatles copy an already perfect song. 
Sure, it's entirely possible that it was recorded because they needed to fill a slot on the LP...but, I like to think that it's the Beatles making sure that their single-most important influence is finally represented on one of their records.  

In the US, this was another song that got held over until Beatles VI, but it was not issued on a 45. 

#62: Eight Days A Week

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: John & Paul

When the time came for The Beatles to issue a 45 for the Christmas, 1964 season, "Eight Days A Week" was the obvious choice. However, John came up with "I Feel Fine", letting "Eight Days A Week" become a simple album track.

The title is another example of how John and Paul were always listening to the odd ball things that people say and looked for ways to incorporate them into songs. Paul says in the Anthology book that when they asked their chauffeur how he was doing, he commented that he had been working hard, like 'eight days a week'! So, that's where the title comes from.

The song is one of those interesting joint Lennon/McCartney numbers, where they actually worked together on the song. If you look at the song technically, it is the most difficult number on the album, from it's fade-in intro to the intricate vocal arrangement.

It's also the happiest original song on the record. Aside from the title, it is, lyrically, the simplest song. The singer loves the girl so much, that not even eight days a week would be enough to show it.

It's a good, fun song, especially when you can stop whatever you're doing to stamp your feet and clap when the song tells you to. That's another cool part - audience participation. The Beatles were certainly the best in that regard!

In the US, the song was issued as a single and hit #1 for just a week. Capitol issued the incredibly radio-friendly song on Beatles VI. The song just begged to be released as a single, so you really can't blame Capitol for that decision.


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