na Tae Boule despite Lenno:ts arcciapt to dingguise ies autobiographical aspect in a country texture, cooiplere swith [lavvison’s Perkias-seyle guieal tex turing. The second ven is telling: ‘Alehough Thngh and Tact like: 3 clown, beneath chis mask [ am weating,a frowa’, as is she chorus, which declares: ‘Tm a laser, ancl Pm not what i appear ca be,’ Tears uf-aclowe sougs are plesuilul in the pop cepratery. Bub Lennon lacee said chat these Jings in ‘I'ma Loser! summed ‘up his state of inind in Tce 1964. Hee was Lerghustiny to cire al! « Tite chat ke same times describes as chat of a performing fea. Ll had perfected the public persia that stardecn bea mess. Now cstablished in intel. Bud he corsidered tis life to bridge, a Londen subuib, he had A wife he arely saw ard from wham he ing exeramgedi, and 2 youlye son he hardly kincw. He had ubvew'a bisnself enthusiaseically into the argiastic cirens that che Bearles rauiring life had became. Yer he reseritedl the physical and poychic derands af dae ie “Ths a Loser’ was che first cr from the hear during what be later called his ‘Hie Berle peice. & mere dinecr amplifica tina of this mes- sage would be fouid db ube dle song of the Beuiles' second film, and their fnsc major project of wii fap!Homson, Lennon, Storr and MeLariney Behveen fakes 1 elp! set, 905, $96| [Nog 4aqqny puD jdjay Up sill ten, we bad deem making all rather like a iets ior of sigles, Noa we were really beginning to think about bit of'art am chee musa, as And Rubber Soul was the fist to © thas way Jams ats reir own. rae George Martin, 19804 The Bevin Help! and Rubber Saul 1965 The end of t964 brought respite of sons. Altbouph the Beatles sects bonked for their serand annmal Christmas show, From 24 Deveniber w 16 Jaouary, the endeawcur — in which they played aconcere set and parricipared in comedy skits - at lease kepe them in Londen. After a year that save nwo vine each to Enroge and North Amvrica, a film, an Australasian cous, cwo albums and asserted sing'es, a long residency ifdull, work. A ment. 1 the Hammermith Qdeon sesmed easy, , holiday Followed. Sram married his cightecn -year- old Liverpudlian fiancée, Manreen Cox,an 1 February. Lennon, ‘McCartney and [datsison, meanwhile, ficed the cask of composing, songs for the fifth allnam. Like a Aland Day Nigh, ie would double asthe soundtrack [or ute filin loon pasvisionally as Beasley No. 2 or tight Arms ta #fold Yate, and evermual y called Help! Shooring was scheduled ta begio in uhe Babanas ou 23 February, aod some of the soundrcack music had re be in hand so thae mimed musical aumbers could be choreographed So on the aftenzoon of ry Febrnary, she Bearles cook over Studio No, 2 at Abbey Road. Right hours lacer shey emerged with chree songs vitcually Gnished: Lonnonls “Vicka co Ride’, waich would be theauexs single, McCartney's ‘Anather Girl, and Harrisons fire, con: cibusion since 1963," Need You’, By the Babamisy a week liter, they had recorded ek amother Larrison effet. The sessions would resume at the end of ¢ they set our for the ducduulings he aracce samy March, and sould sererch, with fiming interniprians, through to mid-Junc. All totd, ubey recorded Lets songs, of which only throe— the Buck Owens dassic ‘Act Naturally’ and twa Larry Williams songs, ‘Bad Rey’ and ‘Dizzy Miss Licey’ - weiceowers, Alehough ‘Dirzy Miss Linay’ ended up 4s the rancous Finale te the Hefpéstauro, the Wiliams covers were actully recouded specificalls for che American marker, ca hop Capitol pad out ies Baeeler VZallium, « patchwork of Beailes ForHela! ied Poaner Sout 195 Ming Boor ny nee te te 1 -orstom aitpor in Fats wry 1255 cha ‘gave Ie tlar woth =n Modal in Ing Beara, Site Leflowers und euaterial [koe Use Mode sessions dat wus wot dee tined for the film sounderack, The amount of sew sevaverial abe Beales bromplat uo the Hep! seve sions showed hac they had moved past rhe compositional dry spell af late 1964. Nor was there any reaching back tar marerial fram che Quacsy Men cra, Yee the new originals were not of uniformly top quualiry: 8 few = "The Night Betiare’ and “Tell Me What Yau: See, example - are Tittle more than pleasant filler. The Beacies themselves were not simgent with everything they had recorded: in Fact, chree of the originals 0.1 de February sessions were left on die shell, One, a Jgnnen—MACartney collaboration, “Wai, was cevived and complered Tee others, Ten ve Cot Traulle! and “That Means: a Lac, were lef unissued. acer in ube y Lennan a UW MuCariney had composer VP VYoue Gat Treble as Sears vocal showease, Starr had, actually, been erying, co come ap swiuh a sory: of his own, and in published interviews as early as 1983, cone finds isfirsnecs to a song, in papecss called “Don't Pass his By, the sang with which he made his compositions! debuc in 188. Hoe the present, though, bi Lemon and McCarmey hhad co eely che on covets at an wehar camed up farbim, And in chis case, in was“he Becler nol tap-drawer oslertal. Ts music sas litle imore than a sis-nore lead guitar Lit with the arceac of Stax-Molt. che American soul label, set against a steely, steadily repeated, single hell-tike guitar rani and a chuoley shyehun crack, Sraci was given aslim avledy to sing. and event less impressive lyrics. In the end, the song wns scrapped, anc Scart seliled ott Act Naturally’, which. siven ie fila eeferences und lis wwn centeal rele in S4ejpf scemed a thoroughly appropiate eacice MeCarney's That Means a Lov she ather rejece, was ae sich 3 bad song, Ie has ¢ lilting oiclody, anda sieeet aweee lyric about ube emtarive early stag “They crmplen oF & remrsine aversion af it early Ib the sessions, and perhaps one cout agsinot JL was diet ie nosed ccactly che: same kind oF accompanienent as “Licker ta Rid? ar rolliny snace anc steady; crackling rhythin yuiters. Tn view ol thei disinclinacion to repsat eescures wichour significant alteration, they may have duced a choose herween the eve, 2 “Ticket w Ride ing prefimence: Uhasy ccitd co remake “l'har Viaans a Loe’ with a differane arrange- micat it Marchi, hut were unable ue sustain. mucres. in ie. Bu i was by no means wasted, McCamey passed icon co the American singer Pf Peoly, wher recorded! ic in early April. They were, in fret, still giving, anray songs thar chey did no: see [it ro cord themselves. MeCarcaey arory far friends, Most notakly, ke saved the wuneful "World Wilou Love’. 1 Boat Wha ou Sce act became a hit alway | Know! and ‘Woman! (the hist under the pene name Beusud Webb, ins 1966} ur the fale duu Peter and Gorden, Poser being the brother of McCartney's gitlfriend, jane Asher, There was une votable elvan ier Ube way the Boules and Ma:tio used the studio's Four-tracs facilicies this cme. Cncil new, hey ha worked larpely as uhey had during snr pro-track days, singing and phying their songs as if they were live performances. 8hen dey had Hey would refine and embellish ic sich au acceywable basic recordings overdobhed instrumental and veral lings. Rare near the nel af ee Beastes For Safe sessions, ‘ey tried a aaw appowack that involved building » performance in layers. Linge they recordet faye rack, swith basic pulsars, bass ancl drunns, ule instrumental couches were shen acide. and then, ence che complere backing wis recardad, che vocals would be added, Lermaea in pacdcular protorred this metho: tio! basing ro play while he 25 singing leer hinn free i coneentraicHiei and Robbe: Sou! 1845 on bis vocals, Anouber peeuliar aspect ce the the Hef sexsionas wins cher for che frst rime, insteanvemtal duriss within the bard were blurred. For the very furst $obg laped. “Ticket to Tide’, MeCareney played noc oly the bass. buc the lead guirac as well, Ee Js also said 10 hive suggested the distinctive rolling deur figure thar Starr pl Later in che session, Harrison resumed [is usual position, playing lead guiear or ‘Anacher Cir!’ Yer, che nese dey McCartney dubbed a new lead guitar Hise on he sons fv che fire barch of sangs recarded For the album, | cnnan end MeCarcney continued in some ol the di-ections that featies For Sale had taken them, alchough fo: che mase pare cacy backed sway from cant alhams conncey leanings. Lennon's Vicker 1 Ride! u's genase wut ae uu petting guitar vi dis ean: owls a slighe syarce potion and a sharper edge. OF eonrse, the rext is jase the epposice of ae cane pur (buts in 7 Feel Fine’, The eerlier swig is pasa ua voinan ssho appreciates her man and cerars him sight, ‘Thewoman in “Ticker fo Ride’ is more imelapenceme. "Shee said thar living with me is bringing hor down, She would never be tree when L was aiound.” And so she’s off withour a second though, leaving che singer 19 muse daar i ripht, despice che lyrics imaliewion dhs le kas only fir! to blame,'Lbe chavd propcession ‘s slishely quitky. Phe entice verse melody hovers over an A majaz chon, Iur these is se much going om ais ube guitar rill, Stare’ cas-eatel:ing drumming, and imeezmiceent voral harmonies in finuzths and caircls, used messtly sis a kind ast aen siow buibling accessing — chat us unchanging: harmony docs ot seem momnrangus in the Iesst, Ir is noe vari] che seftain thar | ennan. elanges chords. MeCarmoy's offering at the first session,‘ al-wust a disect response ta Lenman's sang, baat in his version ke has a trowip card, oancly, a replacement to watn be could happily Ace. e's sweeter than all che girls, snd I've net nother Girl’, sommed, She bas grea: credeneale “SI quite a few,” MoCa:uncy crus, ‘iubudy in all the worl ca do wLat she can do? Which expliins why a song builr araund a modified blues plogression, with a slicky Lucy yuicer live aucicingy derugl ic, sounds ap remarkebly cheerful_ Hartison must ave afgucd stsangly on betrall al bis somgwredthogs this rie around, becarse che granp rocarded ow of his composiriaans duting the Arst ubece seasintis. The songs, T Need You’. vehich wasMa Copeawie, on mastic Fantay snot in the Bah= was, Lend sl thy Sia Alp, ile! did net ange the Beatles ax fly nc at Wal they nti vba! oy ‘ears in tein 200m Fl, The Bsales used in the film, and “You Like Me ‘lien Much’, which vas not, ace hoch native declerateie ol love, vat either the cantlice nor the dimension thar Lennon and MictJarcnes were weaving ince Uneir best se 2 Yet, chure ane craves of Elarrisen’s laren style in these, They arcy fot instanes, mose the work of a guitarist daza of a sonpwriver fn the sense rhar thay seem driven by their chord sequences rather than chcis mckidies, Those sequences dar. Iseely beuseen major und miner keys, and yield saclodies with rhe slightly cxesie ond sometimes mournful charauter typicel ol Harrison’ work Unrough che Beatles years and I ince his solo work, Harrison bronght a new ray ro the sessions, a solime pecal. which alowed him 1 fade ia on a guizar nowelter it bad been plucked. He used it ro embellish "I Need You’. doubling rhe ccoustic. guitar chosds acatrategic pointe and avcenting the opening chord sequence, which pplays with vatieins oft A ma‘or chord Le sed ir again on Lennen's “Yes TIS, a song thar was Tf ons ef dhefiden ancl afl the alburn. Sar was seleased as the Beside ef Ticket te Ride’. Lennon later spoke disparagingly of -he sung, eying it was lie are ere renter sec Se TT eT ee both ave slow Sallads and rely on cvec-voice harmonics, wich Lennon taking a sule eaniene in alt arching bridge section. But Bor’ was built on a common i9jus' chord progression, swith encirely eriadlic harmusnies. "Yer Ie 1? is nerully more vriginl and adventucous, It vocal harmonics, fer example, ave spivod with dissainances, pa icularly major secrends (ra addjacene whole ss a che scale}, Moreover, uheee dissouances are funcional: chey highlight the richer ¢ omy mowed of the Ty Tn the opening Tine, i you wear red tenigh’, Lennon, McCartney nd Harrison besjis on ars major chon, brie when chy reach “rel? -ceoluur which. he sony, gues on Lo explain, has painful associstions he vocal harmony changes co 2 major second. ‘The word ‘tonighe. coming 2s ii does at che cod of the line, might be expected to resolve inte comfarcably sermled barmemy, Barit mo is set tes dissonance. The cension » inereaed just when it weuld normally be dissipaced. The aeet Fine, “temember-whar J said ronight’, hax 2 similar efleet, with ‘said’ and “tonight exuplisized. As ever, che: Bearles were afrar new terraces, and beedes Harrison's vohime pedal, duy began using an clecuie piano, somcrimes inHelpl and Rubber Soat T885. ne i a THE BEATLES ELEANOR BRON = YIGTOR SPINETTI ROY K]NNERR oy MOLTEN SHENSON juenany 9 HERI ARN 2 CMARESE WON way by NORE REON seen HUDKRNE CFEGE EASTMAN BOLOUR eg ithe Vee mee tS A BO ec Rd LONDON PAVILION120 Ths Beatlos combination with the seadio’s cunzere yrand. The sessions would alse. sec the inureduction af moxe exer percasston. including a South Americun guirs, on “Tell Me What Yau See’. But rhe higgese «lepar- ‘sue was ce use of uiside musicians on imo songs, Leanoe’s “Youve Gorte [ide Your Love Awny? and McCarren’ “escerday’, “You've Gor o Hide Your Love chway’ a poignant balad tllows she inteespective line started with ‘rn a Loser. les subject has been a spacer oF acrivee qyeculacioa, Th aury soply be a caded description oF an extramarital eslauionship, of which Leanen's cxperience was be sow considerable. Anwrher carrer chaory ic clue ic refers to Fpstain's eloscted bomusexuality. Bech songg shaw Lennon's Lascinaiion with Bob Uxdanis music. On ‘I’m a Loser’, thar influence ean be he: she distinctly Dylanesy ut harmoniuy lira — quite diferent in sp saul echoigue fiom anyching Lennon ‘aid played before — and the ached Iyric. Tait there the Dilan influence was cempered by 4 2oun- uy and western suain. “You've Got wo Hide Yous Lave Away’ is mene “olkishly direct. Seill, there are expressive touches similar en those dead iu dhe nue Lanesically comple ‘YerTuls, Inthe ciouus, for example. the word ‘hide! — the sou:ve of pain aud conflict in che sone, — is nm given the high vate ir. the anelndy. ar: eeabasis sharpened Try she face caac rhe note clashes with che chord thar accompanies it. D was elsar co Lennon and Martin ter the basic recsording, simple atfair on whic’ the vocal was suppe-tce. by soft-focus acoustic goiter cramming, maracess and rambourine — Licked something. ‘Mastin drought in John Seoul, a Gautist, who played a ligacle orma- mented version nf rhe melody on renorand alto Hires, overdubbed in candem, in the sny?s closian; seconds Hieving taken the phonge, che Isearles brongk in rurside rasan: Tur month: liter when MuCarany sacesded ‘Yeaweday?, a 601g, that immisdiaccly became a pop scemdarc. MeCarmey has aften cle- setibed “Yestetday’ ax lis mose perfect song, bul perhaps die most startling ¢hing, abou ic is che ic came to hin in a biese af pire, wn conscious inspiration. As he wells 1, be simply woke up onc morning, and bad the cure in his head. His Fest chaught wes chae in was a melacly he had heard somewhere and could not place, and for several we she Sunni ws people, asking therm if they Kaew what i was Finding the Iyrics-was rot as easy. “Scrambled eggs, ah baby how | lowe your legs was ityprovisinnal opening, hue ones MelTartaey