“Help!” – Episode 88 with Jeremy Ivey

This Beatles podcast episode attempts to get at why Help feels so relatable even after all these years. We are joined by songwriter Jeremy Ivey and open up the song as a John Lennon turning point, a George Harrison guitar showcase, and a surprisingly strange bit of Beatles detective work.

We cover:

-George Harrison’s lead guitar part, the chromatic descent, and the countrified feel of the playing
-How John wrote Help, from the film title to Paul’s counter melody
-The mystery of a secret recording session pieced together from photos uncovered in 2002
-Where Help landed on the music charts with the other songs of the day

Check out Jeremy Ivey: https://jeremyivey.net
Video on George's guitar part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec6M_6ua16o

Listen to full episode :