[Intro: John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
(Help!) I need somebody
(Help!) Not just anybody
(Help!) You know I need someone
(Help!)
[Verse 1: John Lennon]
(Mmm, when I was young) When-when I was younger, so much younger than today
(I never need) I never needed anybody's help in any way
(Now these days are gone) But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
[Verse 2: John Lennon]
(Now my life has changed) And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
(My independ) My independence seems to vanish in the haze
(But now and then) But every now and then I feel so insecure
(I know that I) I know that I just need you like I've never done before
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
(Help!) I need somebody
(Help!) Not just anybody
(Help!) You know I need someone
(Help!)
[Verse 1: John Lennon]
(Mmm, when I was young) When-when I was younger, so much younger than today
(I never need) I never needed anybody's help in any way
(Now these days are gone) But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
[Verse 2: John Lennon]
(Now my life has changed) And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
(My independ) My independence seems to vanish in the haze
(But now and then) But every now and then I feel so insecure
(I know that I) I know that I just need you like I've never done before
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
[Verse 3: John Lennon]
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
(Now these days are gone) But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
[Outro: John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me! Help me, ooh
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
(Now these days are gone) But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
(And now I find) Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
[Chorus: John Lennon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
[Outro: John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison]
Help me! Help me, ooh
About
Genius Annotation
The title track of the album and film of the same name, “Help!” was released in 1965 as a single, and eventually ranked No. 29 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Primarily written by John Lennon, the song comments on his feelings about Beatlemania, as revealed on 1995’s Anthology. Lennon said he felt that “Help!” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” were his most honest compositions and not just songs “written to order.”
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
What did The Beatles say about "Help!"?
Genius Answer
John Lennon has been very open and direct about the song’s meaning:
Most people think it’s just a fast rock & roll song. Subconsciously, I was crying out for help. I didn’t realize it at the time; I just wrote the song because I was commissioned to write it for the movie.
More, he was eating
like a pig, drinking too much and smoking marijuana for breakfast… I don’t like the recording that much. We did it too fast, to try and be commercial.
- 2.Misery
- 4.Chains
- 5.Boys
- 6.Ask Me Why
- 10.Baby It’s You
- 12.A Taste of Honey
- 13.There’s a Place
- 14.Twist and Shout
- 16.It Won’t Be Long
- 18.All My Loving
- 19.Don’t Bother Me
- 20.Little Child
- 24.Hold Me Tight
- 33.If I Fell
- 35.And I Love Her
- 36.Tell Me Why
- 38.Any Time at All
- 39.I’ll Cry Instead
- 41.When I Get Home
- 43.I’ll Be Back
- 45.No Reply
- 46.I’m a Loser
- 47.Baby’s in Black
- 50.Mr. Moonlight
- 53.Words of Love
- 54.Honey Don’t
- 60.Help!
- 61.The Night Before
- 63.I Need You
- 64.Another Girl
- 66.Ticket to Ride
- 67.Act Naturally
- 68.It’s Only Love
- 72.Yesterday
- 73.Dizzy Miss Lizzy
- 75.Drive My Car
- 77.You Won’t See Me
- 78.Nowhere Man
- 80.The Word
- 81.Michelle
- 82.What Goes On
- 83.Girl
- 85.In My Life
- 86.Wait
- 90.Taxman
- 91.Eleanor Rigby
- 93.Love You To
- 99.For No One
- 100.Doctor Robert
- 101.I Want to Tell You
- 103.Tomorrow Never Knows
- 108.Getting Better
- 109.Fixing a Hole
- 110.She’s Leaving Home
- 113.When I’m Sixty-Four
- 114.Lovely Rita
- 117.A Day in the Life
- 119.Magical Mystery Tour
- 120.The Fool on the Hill
- 121.Flying
- 122.Blue Jay Way
- 124.I Am the Walrus
- 125.Hello, Goodbye
- 127.Penny Lane
- 131.Back in the U.S.S.R.
- 132.Dear Prudence
- 133.Glass Onion
- 134.Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- 135.Wild Honey Pie
- 139.Martha My Dear
- 140.I’m So Tired
- 141.Blackbird
- 142.Piggies
- 143.Rocky Raccoon
- 144.Don’t Pass Me By
- 146.I Will
- 147.Julia
- 148.Birthday
- 149.Yer Blues
- 150.Mother Nature’s Son
- 152.Sexy Sadie
- 153.Helter Skelter
- 154.Long, Long, Long
- 155.Revolution 1
- 156.Honey Pie
- 157.Savoy Truffle
- 158.Cry Baby Cry
- 159.Revolution 9
- 160.Good Night
- 162.Yellow Submarine
- 163.Only a Northern Song
- 164.All Together Now
- 165.Hey Bulldog
- 166.It’s All Too Much
- 167.All You Need Is Love
- 168.Pepperland
- 169.Sea of Time
- 170.Sea of Holes
- 171.Sea of Monsters
- 172.March of the Meanies
- 176.Come Together
- 177.Something
- 179.Oh! Darling
- 180.Octopus’s Garden
- 182.Here Comes the Sun
- 183.Because
- 185.Sun King
- 186.Mean Mr. Mustard
- 187.Polythene Pam
- 189.Golden Slumbers
- 190.Carry That Weight
- 191.The End
- 192.Her Majesty
- 194.Two of Us
- 195.Dig a Pony
- 196.Across the Universe
- 197.I Me Mine
- 198.Dig It
- 199.Let It Be
- 200.Maggie Mae
- 201.I’ve Got a Feeling
- 202.One After 909
- 204.For You Blue
- 205.Get Back
- 207.Love Me Do
- 208.From Me to You
- 209.Thank You Girl
- 210.She Loves You
- 211.I’ll Get You
- 213.This Boy
- 215.Sie Liebt Dich
- 216.Long Tall Sally
- 217.I Call Your Name
- 218.Slow Down
- 219.Matchbox
- 220.I Feel Fine
- 221.She’s a Woman
- 222.Bad Boy
- 223.Yes It Is
- 224.I’m Down
- 225.Day Tripper
- 226.We Can Work It Out
- 227.Paperback Writer
- 228.Rain
- 229.Lady Madonna
- 230.The Inner Light
- 231.Hey Jude
- 232.Revolution
- 234.Don’t Let Me Down
- 236.Old Brown Shoe
Credits
Producer
Writers
Background Vocals
Vocals
Tambourine
Drums
Bass
Rhythm Guitar
Recorded At
Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Released on
July 23, 1965
Help! Covers
Help by Jerry Inman, Help! by R. Stevie Moore, Help (I Need Somebody) by The Crusaders (Ft. Tina Turner), Help! by Andy Ellison, Help! by The Brothers Four, Help by Rick Wakeman, The Help Trilogy by Rick Wakeman, Help! by Extreme, Help by Michael Stanley, Help by McFly, Help! (Live 1996) by DC Talk, Help! by The Blades of Grass, Help! by Miley Cyrus, Help by John Farnham, Help! by Cast of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (Ft. Jerry Hey), Help by Dolly Parton, Help! (Live at Pier Hotel) by Himesh Patel, Help by Glee Cast, Help by Bananarama (Ft. Lananeeneenoonoo), Help by The Damned, Help by David Porter, Help by Carpenters, Help! by Deep Purple, Help! by Little Texas, Help! by Henry Gross, Help by Krokus, Help! by Howie Day, Help by Big Time Rush, Help! by Tina Turner, Help! by Elisabetta Citterio, Hesh by Beatallica, Help! by Silverstein, Help! (Live in LA) by Oasis, Help! by Count Basie, Help by Aegis, Help by Saucy Lady, Help! by Kontrollverlust, Help by April Boy Regino, Help! by Buddy Greco & Help! by Rita Lee (Ft. Charly García)
Help! Remixes
Help! Live Performances
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