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Una mattina Paul si alza. Brancola fino al pianoforte e appoggia le mani sui tasti. Ha in mente questa cosa… “Scrambled eggs… all my troubles seem so far away…” Paul chiude il pianoforte: uova strapazzate…che scemenza… Però la melodia non se ne va… (dirà poi lui che certe cose nascono perfette come un uovo: senza una crepa, senza un’imperfezione…)
Beh, a noi piace pensare che quella che è forse la canzone più famosa al mondo, “Yesterday”, sia nata proprio così. Un po’ per caso. Certo era mattina, certo c’erano di mezzo le uova strapazzate, ma tutto il resto fu magia. Su questa canzone sono anche fiorite diverse leggende, una delle più accreditate, e attribuita addirittura a George Martin, sostiene che Paul compose il brano nel gennaio del 1964. Se fosse vero, questo capolavoro assoluto sarebbe stato scartato da due album per finire solo all’ultimo momento in un terzo (questo “Help!”). É comunque vero che McCartney non riusciva a convincersi di essere il vero “padre” del brano: lo faceva ascoltare a tutti, incredulo del fatto che una melodia così… perfetta non fosse già stata composta da qualcun altro: temeva di averla inconsapevolmente copiata.
In ogni caso, il brano venne registrato il 14 giugno del 1964, la sera, dopo che per tutto il giorno Paul si era sgolato (altro fatto curioso) su “I’m down” (lato B del singolo “Help!”). Tra le tante versioni registrate venne alla fine scelta, non senza grandi resistenze da parte di Paul, quella eseguita con un quartetto d’archi. George Martin aveva in mente questa cosa del quartetto fin da subito, ma Paul non ne voleva sapere: non voleva una cosa “alla Mantovani”. Alla fine si convinse. Grazie a Dio.
Ma qui va detto che quell’intuizione di Martin non fu l’unica: nella storia musicale dei Beatles, le canzoni furono certo scritte da John, Paul, George e (qualcuna) da Ringo, ma la quasi totalità dei colpi di genio in fase di arrangiamento si deve al “Quinto Beatles”. É tutto suo il merito se spesso quella che era semplicemente una “buona canzone” è diventato qualcosa di immortale.
Tornando al disco, non c’è solo “Yesterday” in “Help!” (anche se per molti sarebbe più che sufficiente a giustificarne il prezzo): il disco era la colonna sonora del secondo film dei Beatles, ma aveva poco a che fare con il film stesso (cui peraltro i Beatles non diedero alcun apporto creativo, prestando praticamente solo la loro presenza), era invece una raccolta di buonissimi brani. Alcuni ottimi: ovviamente la citata “Yesterday” (non inclusa nel film), “Help!” (che nelle intenzioni di John che l’aveva scritta avrebbe dovuto essere una ballata, ma fu riarrangiata in chiave pop veloce e funzionò alla grande), “Ticket to ride” uno dei migliori brani di questo periodo del gruppo. E poi “You’ve got to hide away”, “The night before”, “I need you”, “Act naturally” e perfino la cover di “Dizzy miss Lizzy”… erano brani più che buoni, ma, al cospetto di “Yesterday”….
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 Help! (02:21)
(Help!) I need somebody
(Help!) Not just anybody
(Help!) You know I need someone
(Help!)
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self assured
Now I find I've changed my mind
I've opened up the doors
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
And now my life has changed in oh, so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
But every now and then I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you like
I've never done before
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
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self assured
Now I find I've changed my mind
I've opened up the doors
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 me, help me, oooo
07 Ticket to Ride (03:12)
I think I'm gonna be sad, I think it's today, Yeah
The girl that's driving me mad is going away
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
But she don't care
She said that living with me is bringing her down, yeah
For she would never be free when I was around
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
But she don't care
I don't know why she's riding so high
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
Before she gets to saying goodbye
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
I think I'm gonna be sad, I think it's today, Yeah
The girl that's driving me mad is going away, yeah, oh
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
But she don't care
I don't know why she's riding so high
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
Before she gets to saying goodbye
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
She said that living with me is bringing her down, yeah
For she would never be free when I was around
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
She's got a ticket to ride
But she don't care
My baby don't care
My baby don't care
My baby don't care
My baby don't care
My baby don't care
08 Act Naturally (02:33)
They're gonna put me in the movies
They're gonna make a big star out of me
We'll make a film about a man that's sad and lonely
And all I gotta do is act naturally
Well, I'll bet you I'm gonna be a big star
Might win an Oscar you can never tell
The movies gonna make me a big star
'Cause I can play the part so well
Well I hope you come and see me in the movies
Then I know that you will plainly see
The biggest fool that ever hit the big time
And all I gotta do is act naturally
We'll make the scene about a man that's sad and lonely
And beggin down upon his bended knee
I'll play the part but I won't need rehearsal
All I gotta do is act naturally
Well, I'll bet you I'm gonna be a big star
Might win an Oscar you can never tell
The movies gonna make me a big star
'Cause I can play the part so well
Well I hope you come and see me in the movies
Then I know that you will plainly see
The biggest fool that ever hit the big time
And all I gotta do is act naturally
13 Yesterday (02:07)
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it look as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Why she had to go
I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Why she had to go
I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
14 Dizzy Miss Lizzy (02:54)
You make me dizzy Miss Lizzy
The way you rock and roll
You make me dizzy Miss Lizzy
When we do the stroll
Come on Miss Lizzy
Love me 'fore I grow too old
Come on, give me fever
Put your little hand in mine
You make me dizzy dizzy Lizzy
Oh, girl you look so fine
Just a rocking and a rolling
Girl I said I wish you were mine, ah
Ooh, ah
You make me dizzy Miss Lizzy
When you call my name
Ooo, baby
Say you're driving me insane
Come on, come on, come on, come on baby
I want to be your loving man, Ah
Run and tell your mama
I want you be my bride
Run and tell your brother
Baby don't run and hide
You make me dizzy Miss Lizzy
Girl I want to marry you
Come on, give me fever
Put your little hand in mine, girl
You make me dizzy dizzy Lizzy
Girl you look so fine
You're just a rocking and a rolling
Ooo I said I wish you were mine, ah
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Altre recensioni
Di currahee72
Nascono qui, tra i solchi di questa opera fondamentale i primi standard da storia della musica.
The Beatles creano un magico e fantastico equilibrio nel quale dolce sentimento, insofferenza e triste realtà convivono perfettamente.
Di Rax
Lennon scrisse un pezzo tra i più sinceri, toccanti e drammatici che abbia mai ascoltato.
Con Help! termina la «produzione minore» del gruppo.
