- DVD
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Japan (Megaphon)
- ASIN: B00005AGAZ
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
How John Lennon's confessional song became the title for a silly James Bond spoof is still inexplicable. The funny thing is, it works both ways--as a young man's personal statement about learning to open up to others, and as the frantic theme for an exotic espionage chase comedy starring those loveable mop-tops (this time in COLOUR). Like A Hard Day's Night, only the first "side" of this album actually contains songs from the movie--the biggest hits being the eponymous cry for assistance and "Ticket to Ride". But part two has a few nice tunes as well, like "It's Only Love", "I've Just Seen a Face" and a little ditty called "Yesterday". And it's always fun when they do an all-out screamer like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", which sounds like John's raucous answer to Paul's "Kansas City / Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" vocal on Beatles for Sale. --Jim Emerson
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A lot of bleating goes on about the Beatles' work from Rubber Soul onwards. Their studio experimentation, massive success, refusal to conform to the boundaries of pop music and simply brilliant songwriting from the second half of 1965 onwards cannot be downplayed (outside of Magic Mystery Tour/Yellow Submarine). However, there is often a reluctance to accept the pre-Rubber Soul Beatles as being anything better than a very good pop band.
I beg to differ. I think that the Help album, while in posession of a duff track or two, is a simply magnificent, life-affirming 35 minutes of wonderfully written pop. Pop, yes, but - at the risk of becoming Bones McCoy - not as we know it. This is the catchiest, most well written pop with a great attention to detail.
One thing that has to be pointed out is that the 'classic' standout songs from this album - 'Yesterday' the most covered song ever, 'Help!', the most confessional of John's earlier songs - as good as they are, are not necessarily any better than the lesser known moments here. Both of George Harrison's contributions, while ignored by the man himself in his book I Me Mine, are great. Paul McCartney's 'Another Girl' sets a slightly vicious lyric to a quirky tune, preluding his dumping of Jane Asher for Linda Eastman by three years. 'Dizzy Miss Lizzie,' while being a shameless attempt to emulate their early cover of 'Twist And Shout', is underrated. While the guitar riff is somewhat meek, the constant crashing cymbal and Lennon's throat-shredding vocal make it a wonderful closer.
The only slack moment is Ringo's vocal turn on 'Act Naturally,' a cover of an artist the name of which escapes me, but even that is perfectly listenable when in the right mood.
This is a perfectly tuned album of pop genius. Avoiding this based on the later quality would be a big mistake.
I beg to differ. I think that the Help album, while in posession of a duff track or two, is a simply magnificent, life-affirming 35 minutes of wonderfully written pop. Pop, yes, but - at the risk of becoming Bones McCoy - not as we know it. This is the catchiest, most well written pop with a great attention to detail.
One thing that has to be pointed out is that the 'classic' standout songs from this album - 'Yesterday' the most covered song ever, 'Help!', the most confessional of John's earlier songs - as good as they are, are not necessarily any better than the lesser known moments here. Both of George Harrison's contributions, while ignored by the man himself in his book I Me Mine, are great. Paul McCartney's 'Another Girl' sets a slightly vicious lyric to a quirky tune, preluding his dumping of Jane Asher for Linda Eastman by three years. 'Dizzy Miss Lizzie,' while being a shameless attempt to emulate their early cover of 'Twist And Shout', is underrated. While the guitar riff is somewhat meek, the constant crashing cymbal and Lennon's throat-shredding vocal make it a wonderful closer.
The only slack moment is Ringo's vocal turn on 'Act Naturally,' a cover of an artist the name of which escapes me, but even that is perfectly listenable when in the right mood.
This is a perfectly tuned album of pop genius. Avoiding this based on the later quality would be a big mistake.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For some reason this album has quite often attracted less than flattering reviews complaining that The Beatles were tired and such like. Yeah right. I wouldn’t mind being tired if it meant I could churn out tracks like ’Ticket To Ride’, ’Yesterday’, ’I’ve Just Seen A Face’ and ’You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away.’ Perhaps it was because from their next album ’Rubber Soul’, released just a few months after this one in 1965, the music The Beatles produced was taken to such heights that it was virtually beyond criticism. So this was the poor relation after the exuberance of ’A Hard Day’s Night’ and before the psychadelia of the mid 60s output? Well that would be a pretty ridiculous conclusion. This album’s songwriting was for the most part far superior to that on ’Beatles For Sale’ from the previous year and only marginally less consistent than ’Rubber Soul’.
When discussing a weaker link amongst Beatles albums, one does not think of Anne Robinson. And this album was way above what most bands were producing at the time and still sounds remarkably fresh and vibrant 40 years later. If you can I would avoid purchasing Beatles compilations. Their original albums are so much more rewarding. They each give a snapshot of where they were at the time. But blink and you’ve missed a few beats as the next album was always different. Other artists have successfully reinvented themselves it is true. David Bowie, Dylan, even The Stones on occasions. The Beatles did it with practically every album.
Other tracks worthy of note here are ’The Night Before’ from Paul, a fast catchy number with great backing vocals. ’I Need You’ is a simple but effective and quite charming Harrisong (check out Tom Petty’s version on Concert For George). ’You’re Gonna Lose That Girl’ is one of those lost Lennon classics that one finds on most Beatles albums. Among the covers, ’Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ is delivered with gusto and ’Act Naturally’ is a suitable vehicle for Ringo’s country vocal (he was to do a whole album of country songs in 1970 after the split entitled ’Beaucoups Of Blues’, to great effect).
A couple of the other songs are a little ordinary but only by this band’s Everest High standards. The title track was a genuine cry for help from Lennon (or so he said later) but is actually one of their less engaging singles. Not that it’s bad or anything. On the whole this album finds The Beatles at or very near their peak. I rediscovered it recently and it was great. It is the kind of album that you forget how good it is. And surely ’Ticket To Ride’ is their most majestic single for their early-mid period.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I believe Help to have improved the most from the Beatles Remastering process.
If you've only ever heard the 1987 CD release i wholeheartedly recommend you purchase the remaster. The sound is really full, good bass sound, the guitars ringingly crisp and clear. And of all the Beatles ALbums Help! has by far the best stereo spread - great to listen on headphones from 1st track to last.
On many tracks on Help! the Beatles continue the country tinged feel of some of its predecessor (Beatles for Sale - also a great remaster)but the highlight is Ticket to Ride which is now heavier than ever - superb, it really hits home with the droning repeated chord to the fore.
However, no amount of remastering can salvage Dizzy Miss Lizzy which provides a disappointing end to an album that is due reappraisal.
If you've only ever heard the 1987 CD release i wholeheartedly recommend you purchase the remaster. The sound is really full, good bass sound, the guitars ringingly crisp and clear. And of all the Beatles ALbums Help! has by far the best stereo spread - great to listen on headphones from 1st track to last.
On many tracks on Help! the Beatles continue the country tinged feel of some of its predecessor (Beatles for Sale - also a great remaster)but the highlight is Ticket to Ride which is now heavier than ever - superb, it really hits home with the droning repeated chord to the fore.
However, no amount of remastering can salvage Dizzy Miss Lizzy which provides a disappointing end to an album that is due reappraisal.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Superb music from a fun film.
I first went to see "Help" on its release in 1965 and queued up right down the street with my mum in anticipation of seeing my four heroes from Liverpool in their second feature... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Petey
Help by the Beatles
if you like the Beatles this is one of a few of their that you must have, it makes a cd collection complete (if you have 'Rubber Soul', 'Sgt Peppers' and 'Revolver' that is. Read more
Published 3 months ago by James
They could have made it better, review explains why
This album has some excellent tracks on it but its somewhat marred by some unnecessary self-doubt on the part of the Beatles that stops it from being a truly satisfying and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. I. De Beresford
AH HAPPY MEMORIES
I HAD THE ORIGINAL VYNIL OF THIS WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL. I COULDNT WAIT TO GET IT AND WHEN IT ARRIVED PUT IT STRAIGHT ON TO LISTEN TO TO DISCOVER I COULD REMEMBER ALL OF THE WORDS... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. P. A. Lee
It needed the remastering, but now ... ?
I never liked the Help album on vinyl. The reasons for this were not the songs, not the fact that the keyboard / organ was augmenting rhythm quite a lot, it was, and it seems... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. J. M. Haines
Help the remaster ?
There are too many reviews already to go into any detail on this product so I will just say that the album is great and this issue with the re mastered version has good points and... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Ms. M. Potter
Good album
This product arrived quite promptly and was in excellent condition. I would certainly use this seller again. Read more
Published 15 months ago by swhisky
Fantastic as you would expect
I had this on vinyl and so have just upgraded to CD. It's the Beatles, it's Help, it's a classic, what more can you say
Published 19 months ago by Sally
The Greatest Beatles Album
Whilst there are not many bad tracks on any of the earlier Beatles albums (Not a great lover of Ringo's stuff though)all Lennon/McCartneys and Harrison stuff on this Album are... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Peanuts
Memory Lane
I have been listening to this album since its conception back in the sixties, good to sing along to, and brings back memories of long ago, priceless.
Published 20 months ago by WakeyJ
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