Monday, July 7, 2008

LeadBelly - Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Where Did You Sleep Last Night Lyric


My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

And once there was a hard working man
Just about a mile from here
His hair was found in a driving wheel,
But his body never was found

My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

Song Notes : "This is about a man who finds out his wife has been cheating on him. He goes out into the cold night and is killed in an accident"

"Nirvana covered this on their 1993 Unplugged In New York album. Kurt Cobain introduced it by saying, "This song is by my favorite performer." Earlier that year, Cobain had been offered one of Leadbelly's guitars for $50,000, although Cobain exaggerates the cost when introducing the song"

"The first "recent" cover version was by The Four Pennies under the title "Black Girl." It made the UK charts in October 1964 and rose to #20, but got nowhere in the USA"

The Beatles - A Day In The Life

A Day In The Life Lyric


I read the news today, oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords

I saw a film today, oh boy
The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look
Having read the book
I'd love to turn you on

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream

I read the news today, oh boy
4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
Although the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall
I'd love to turn you on

Song Notes : "The Beatles started this with the working title 'In The Life of...' "

"McCartney contributed the line "I'd love to turn you on." This was a drug reference, but the BBC banned it for the line about having a smoke and going into a dream, which they thought was about marijuana"

"This was recorded in 3 sessions: First the basic track, then the orchestra, then the last note was dubbed in"

"McCartney's middle section (Woke up, got out of bed...) was intended for another song"

The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

Strawberry Field Forever Lyric



Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

No one I think is in my tree
I mean it must be high or low
That is you can't you know tune in but it's all right
That is I think it's not too bad
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Always, no sometimes, think it's me
But you know I know when it's a dream
I think a "no" I mean a "Yes" but it's all wrong
that is I think I disagree
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever

Cranberry sauce...

Song Notes : "Lennon wrote this while he was in Spain working on a movie called How I Won The War. He house where he stayed was in Almeria, which is in the southeast corner of the country"

"Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army home in Liverpool where John Lennon used to go. He had fond memories of the place that inspired this"

John's aunt Mimi did not like John going to Strawberry Fields, as it was basically an orphanage and she thought they would lead John astray. John liked going there because having lost his father and later his mother he felt a kinship to the lads. When John and his aunt would argue about his going he would often reply, "What are they going to do, hang me?" Thus the line "Nothing to get hung about."

Lennon (from his 1980 interview with Playboy magazine): "Strawberry Fields is a real place. After I stopped living at Penny Lane, I moved in with my auntie who lived in the suburbs in a nice semidetached place with a small garden and doctors and lawyers and that ilk living around... not the poor slummy kind of image that was projected in all the Beatles stories. In the class system, it was about half a class higher than Paul, George and Ringo, who lived in government-subsidized housing. We owned our house and had a garden. They didn't have anything like that. Near that home was Strawberry Fields, a house near a boys' reformatory where I used to go to garden parties as a kid with my friends Nigel and Pete we would go there and hang out and sell lemonade bottles for a penny. We always had fun at Strawberry Fields. So that's where I got the name. But I used it as an image. Strawberry Fields forever."Some of the lyrics reflect being misunderstood. Lennon added: "The second line goes, 'No one I think is in my tree.' Well, what I was trying to say in that line is, 'Nobody seems to be as hip as me, therefore I must be crazy or a genius.'"

"There is a memorial to Lennon in Central Park called "Strawberry Fields." It is located across from The Dakota, the building in New York City where Lennon lived"

The Beatles - Hey Jude

Hey Jude Lyric


Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better

And anytime you feel the pain
Hey Jude refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Na na na na na
Na na na na

Hey Jude don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

So let it out and let it in
Hey Jude begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you
Hey Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Na na na na na
Na na na na yeah

Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better
Better, better, better, better, better, oh
Yeah

Na, na na na na na na
na na na na, hey Jude

Song Notes : "Paul McCartney wrote this as "Hey Jules," a song meant to comfort John Lennon's son Julian as his parents were getting a divorce. The change to "Jude" was inspired by the character "Jud" in the musical Oklahoma!. McCartney loves show tunes"

"This was the Beatles longest single, running 7:11, and at the time was the longest song ever released as a single. It was the first long song to get a lot of airplay, as radio stations still preferred short ones so they could play more of them"

"This was the first song released on Apple Records, The record label owned by The Beatles"

"This is the most commercially successful Beatles song. It was #1 in at least 12 countries and by the end of 1968 had sold more than 5 million copies"

Lennon: "I always heard it as a song to me."

"George Harrison wanted to play a guitar riff after the vocal phrases, but Paul wouldn't let him. Things got tense between them around this time as McCartney got very particular about how Harrison played on songs he wrote"

Paul McCartney on his songwriting partnership with John Lennon in Observer Music Monthly October 2007: "I have fond flashbacks of John writing - he'd scribble it down real quick, desperate to get back to the guitar. But I knew at that moment that this was going to be a good collaboration. Like when I did 'Hey Jude.' I was going through it for him and Yoko when I was living in London. I had a music room at the top of the house and I was playing 'Hey Jude' when I got to the line 'The movement you need is on your shoulder' and I turned round to John and said: 'I'll fix that if you want.' And he said: 'You won't, you know, that's a great line, that's the best line in it.' Now that's the other side of a great collaborator - don't touch it, man, that's OK."

The Beatles - Let It Be

Let it Be Lyric


When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Song Note : "Paul McCartney wrote this song. It was inspired by his mother, Mary, who died when he was 14. Many people thought "Mother Mary" was a biblical reference when they heard it"

Since Let It Be was The Beatles last album, it made an appropriate statement about leaving problems behind and moving on in life. The album was supposed to convey an entirely different message. It was going to be called "Get Back," and they were going to record it in front of an audience on live TV, with another TV special showing them practicing the songs in the studio. It was going to be The Beatles getting back to their roots and playing unadorned live music instead of struggling in the studio like they did for The White Album. When they started putting the album together, it became clear the project wouldn't work and George Harrison left the sessions. When he returned, they abandoned the live idea and decided to use the TV footage as their last movie. While the movie was being edited, The Beatles recorded and released Abbey Road, then broke up. Eventually, Phil Spector was given the tapes and asked to produce the album, which was released months after The Beatles broke up. By then, it was clear "Let It Be" would be a better name than "Get Back."

"McCartney had a dream one night when he was paranoid and anxious. He saw his mom who had been dead for ten years or so; she came to him in his time of trouble, speaking words of wisdom. This brought him much peace when he needed it. It was this sweet dream that got him to begin writing the song"

"John Lennon hated this song because of it's apparent Christian overtones. He made the comment before recording it, "And now we'd like to do Hark The Angels Come." Lennon saw to it that "Maggie Mae," a song about a Liverpool prostitute, followed it on the album"

"This was the first Beatles song released in The Soviet Union. The single made it there in 1972"

The Beatles - I've Got A Feeling

I've Got A Feeling Lyric


I've got a feeling, a feeling deep inside
Oh yeah, oh yeah, that's right
I've got a feeling, a feeling I can't hide
No no no, oh no, oh no
Yeah yeah I've got a feeling yeah

Oh please believe me, I'd hate to miss the train
Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah
And if you leave me I won't be late again
Oh no, oh no, oh no
Yeah yeah I've got a feeling yeah
I've got a feeling

All these years I've been wandering around
Wondering how come nobody told me
All that I was looking for was somebody
Who looked like you

I've got a feeling, that keeps me on my toes
Oh yeah, oh yeah
I've got a feeling, I think that everybody knows
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Yeah yeah I've got a feeling yeah
Yeah

Everybody had a hard year
Everybody had a good time
Everybody had a wet dream
Everybody saw the sunshine
Oh yeah, oh yeah oh yeah, oh yeah
Everybody had a good year
Everybody let their hair down
Everybody pulled their socks up
Everybody put their foot down

Oh yeah
Yeah
I've got a feeling
A feeling deep inside
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
I've got a feeling
A feeling I can't hide

Oh no
Oh no no no
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I've got a feeling
I've got a feeling

Everybody had a good year
Everybody had a hard time
Everybody had a wet dream
Everybody saw the sunshine
Everybody had a good year
Everybody let their hair down
Everybody pulled their socks up
Everybody put their foot down

Oh yeah Oh yeah
I've got a feeling
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh my soul, so hard

Song Notes : "This is a mix of 2 unfinished songs, Paul McCartney's "I've Got a Feeling" and John Lennon's "Everybody Had a Hard Year." In later years, The Beatles would sometimes cobble together songs from bits they hadn't completed. "A Day In The Life" is a good example"

"This was the last song Lennon and McCartney wrote as a partnership"

The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down

Don't Let Me Down Lyric


Don't let me down, Don't let me down
Don't let me down, Don't let me down

Nobody ever loved me like she does
Oooo she does..yes she does

And if somebody loved me like she do me
Yes she do me Yes she does

Don't let me down, Don't let me down
Don't let me down, Don't let me down

I'm in love for the first time
Don't you know it's gonna last
It's a love that lasts forever
It's a love that has no past

Don't let me down, Don't let me down
Don't let me down, Don't let me down

And from the first time that she really done me
Oooo she done me she done me good

I guess nobody ever really done me
Ooo she done me...she done me good

Don't let me down, Don't let me down
Don't let me down, Don't let me down

Song Notes : "John Lennon dedicated this song to Yoko"

"Billy Preston played keyboards. Formerly Little Richard's keyboard player, Preston was one of the few outside musicians (excluding members of orchestras) to play on any Beatles song. George Harrison brought him in to smooth tensions in the studio. He did the same thing during The White Album sessions, when he brought in Eric Clapton. The presence of a musician The Beatles respected had a way of making them put aside their differences"

The Beatles - All You Need is Love

All You Need is Love Lyric


Love, love, love
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothin' you can sing that can't be sung
Nothin' you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy...

Nothin' you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothin' you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy...

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need

Nothin' you can know that isn't known
Nothin' you you can see that isn't shown
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
It's easy...

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need

All you need is love All together now
All you need is love Everybody
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need

Love is all you need
Love is all you need

Yesterday

Love is all you need
Love is all you need

She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah

Song Notes : "The Beatles wrote this in 2 weeks as a message to the world. It was written and released faster than any other Beatles song"

" 'All You Need Is Love' was a popular saying in the '60s anti-war movement"

"Musically, this song is very unusual. The chorus is only one note, and the song is in a rare 7/4 tempo"

"John Lennon's hand-written lyrics for this song sold for 1 Million pounds in the summer of 2005. Lennon left them in the BBC studios after The Beatles' last live TV appearance, and they were salvaged by an employee"

"This came out in the middle of the Summer of Love (1967). It was a big part of the vibe."

The Beatles - Yesterday

Yesterday Lyric


Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks 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

Song Notes : McCartney wrote some of the lyrics during a 5 hour car trip from Lisbon to Albufeira (in Algarve, south of Portugal), on the 27th of May, 1965, when he was on vacation with Jane Asher. The villa where Paul and Jane stayed was owned by Shadows' guitarist Bruce Welch. Bruce said that when he was packing to leave, Paul asked him if he had a guitar because (Paul) was working on the lyrics since the airport. Said Bruce: "He borrowed my guitar and started playing the song we all now know as 'Yesterday'."

"This is the most covered pop song of all time, over 3,000 versions recorded according to The Guinness Book Of World Records"

"McCartney is the only Beatle to play on this. It was the first time a Beatle recorded without the others"

"The working title was "Scrambled Eggs" until Paul could figure out lyrics"

McCartney has consistently talked about how easy this song was for him to compose. In describing it, he has said "I did the tune easily and then the words took about 2 weeks.

The Beatles - Twist and Shout

Twist and Shout Lyric


Well, shake it up baby now shake it up baby
Twist and shout twist and shout
Come on, come on, come on, baby now come on, baby
Come on and work it on out work it on out

Ooooooooh

Well work it on out now work it on out
You know you look so good look so good
You know you got me goin' now got me goin
Just like I knew you would just like I knew you would

Oooooooh

Well, shake it shake it shake it baby now shake it up baby
Twist and shout twist and shout
Come on, come on, come on baby now come on, baby
Come on and work it on out work it on out
You know you twist little girl twist little girl
You know you twist so fine twist so fine
Come on and twist a little closer now twist a little closer
Let me know that you're mine let me know you're mine

Aaaaah, aaaaaah, aaaaaah, aaaaah

Yeah, shake it up baby now shake it up baby
Twist and shout twist and shout
Come on, come on, come on baby now come on baby
Come on and work it on out work it on out
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby yeah shake it, baby
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby yeah shake it, baby
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby yeah shake it, baby

Aaaaah, aaaaah, aaaaaah, aaaaah

Song Notes : "This was the first hit song written by Bert Berns. He went on to write songs for The Drifters, Ben E. King, and Van Morrison. He died of a heart attack in 1967"

A Philadelphia R&B group called The Top Notes originally recorded this in 1961. It was a hit for The Isley Brothers in 1962, which is the version The Beatles emulated. Engineer Norman Smith explained how The Beatles version came about: "Someone suggested they do 'Twist and Shout' with John taking the lead vocal. But by this time all their throats were sore; it was 12 hours since we had started working. John's, in particular, was almost completely gone so we really had to get it right the first time. The Beatles on the studio floor and us in the control room. John sucked a couple more Zubes (a brand of throat lozenges), had a bit of a gargle with milk and away we went."

"The Beatles recorded this in the last few minutes of the Please Please Me session. They had been recording all day, and Lennon's voice was shot. They got it right in the first take, which was fortunate because Lennon's voice probably couldn't have handled another"

The Beatles - Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride Lyric


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 ridin' 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

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 ridin' 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

Ah, 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, my baby don't care

Song Notes : "According to A Hard Day's Write by Steve Turner, many Americans concluded the "ticket" was from British Railways, and "ride" was the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. McCartney confessed to his biographer Barry Miles that they were partly right. Paul had a cousin who ran a bar in Ryde and he and John had visited them there. Paul later mentioned that although the song was primarily about a girl riding out of the life of the narrator, they were conscious of the potential for a double meaning"

"Don Short, who traveled with the Beatles in the '60s, recalled that John coined the phrase "Ticket to Ride" for another meaning - The girls who worked the streets in Hamburg had to have a clean bill of health and the authorities would give them a card saying they were clean. Don later said that although he specifically recalls John telling him that, John could of been joking - you had to be careful with him like that"

John Lennon: "That was one of the earliest heavy-metal records made."

"The brief, but recognizable guitar solo was played by Paul McCartney, who was The Beatles bass player"

The Beatles - The Long And Winding Road

The Long and Winding Road Lyric


The long and winding road that leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before it always leads me here
Leads me to your door

The wild and windy night that the rain washed away
Has left a pool of tears crying for the day
Why leave me standing here, let me know the way
Many times I've been alone and many times I've cried
Anyway you'll never know the many ways I've tried
And still they lead me back to the long and winding road
You left me standing here a long, long time ago
Don't leave me waiting here, lead me to you door

But still they lead me back to the long and winding road
You left me standing here a long, long time ago
Don't keep me waiting here (Don't keep me wait), lead me to you door
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Song Notes : "One of the last Beatles songs, Paul McCartney wrote this based on tensions within the band"

McCartney: "I just sat down at my piano in Scotland, started playing and came up with that song, imagining it was going to be done by someone like Ray Charles. I have always found inspiration in the calm beauty of Scotland and again it proved the place where I found inspiration."

"The road McCartney is talking about is the B842 which runs down the east coast of Kintyre and on into Campbeltown near his Scottish farmhouse"

"The Beatles performed this in the movie Let It Be. Both the movie and album were the last The Beatles released. Abbey Road was the last album they recorded"

"This was the only Beatles song where John Lennon played bass. He was ordinarily their rhythm guitarist. Harrison and Ringo had their parts removed by Phil Spector, so they don't appear on this at all"

The Beatles - And I love Her

And I Love Her Lyric


I give her all my love
that's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Song Note : "Paul McCartney wrote this about his girlfriend, an actress named Jane Asher. For a while, they were the most popular couple in England. After they broke up in 1968, McCartney married Linda Eastman and Asher became a proficient author. She runs her own business called 'Jane Asher Party Cakes'. "

"Ringo played the bongos, George Harrison played the acoustic guitar solo"

The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

While My Guitar Gently Weeps Lyric


I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know why nobody told you how to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

Well...

I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted you

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all...
Still my guitar gently weeps

Oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, ooh

Song Notes : "Eric Clapton played lead guitar on this song. He and George Harrison were good friends, but George had to convince him to come to the studio because Clapton was worried the other Beatles wouldn't want him there. Clapton's presence eased the mood in the studio at a tense time for The Beatles. They were at each other's throats during recording of The White Album, but they all relaxed when Clapton showed up"

"Harrison often had to fight to get his songs on the albums. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were not interested in this at first, but came around when Harrison brought Clapton to the studio"

"According to A Hard Day's Write by Steve Turner, Harrison was reading I Ching, the Chinese book of changes, and decided to write a song about the first words he saw, which were 'Gently Weeps'. "

"This was originally recorded as an acoustic ballad with just Harrison on acoustic guitar and Paul McCartney on organ. This version can be found on some bootlegs and on The Beatles Anthology 3"

"This was the first song Ringo played on after leaving the band in frustration a few weeks earlier. He returned to find flowers on his drums to welcome him back"

"The guitar Clapton used on this was a Les Paul. Later in his career, he switched to a Fender Stratocaster"

"Clapton became good friends with Lennon, and played with him on some of his solo work. When Harrison threatened to leave The Beatles in 1969, Lennon was ready to replace him with Clapton"

The Beatles - With A Little Help From My Friends

Song Notes : "This was one of the very last songs Lennon and McCartney sat and wrote together. They were at Paul's house messing around on the piano"

John Lennon claimed this was not about drugs, but many people didn't believe him, including US vice president Spiro Agnew, who once told a crowd that this song was a "Tribute to the power of illegal drugs." He said the lines, "I get by with a little help from my friends, I get high with a little help from my friends," "Is a catchy tune, but until it was pointed out to me, I never realized that the 'friends' were assorted drugs!"

"Ringo sang lead on this as "Billy Shears," a name chosen because it sounded good. The album was recorded as if Sgt. Pepper was a real band"

"The first line was originally "What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and throw tomatoes at me?" Ringo did not want to sing it, fearing that if they ever did it live he would be pelted with tomatoes"

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From My Friend

Live at Woodstock 1969

With a Little Help From My Friend Lyric


What would you think if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

What do I do when my love is away?
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day?
Are you sad because you're on your own?

No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love

Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
What do you see when you turn out the light
I can't tell you but I know it's mine,

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody?
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends

Song Note : "John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote this. The Beatles recorded it a year earlier. The Beatles were so impressed with Cocker's version of this that they sent him a telegram of congratulations and placed an ad in the music papers praising it"

"This was recorded in 3/4 time - a waltz. The Beatles original version was in traditional 4/4 time"

Cocker also covered The Beatles "I'll Cry Instead," "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window," and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away."

"Joe Cocker is only one of 2 acts who performed at Woodstock to have had a UK #1 hit. The other was Jimi Hendrix, who had a chart topper with 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)'. "