By 1965, The Beatles ruled the world, and there was no real severe question of any artist/band competing with them on that precious level of fame and influence. Help, both the Richard Lester (he did Hard Day’s Night as well) film, and album were a massive presence on the radio and in movie theaters. Again, but not as intense as the screaming from young girls in the Fox movie theater audience in Westwood, but still a noisy reception for the Fab Four’s almost James Bond/Carry On take of a music-based adventure. At the time, I loved the film because I loved the brand of The Beatles. In truth, it wasn’t as good as their first film, which is a masterpiece on many levels. Still, it’s remarkable how well these four musicians adapted to the screen. All were equally good actors, or at the very least, they had an actual movie star presence on the net. And the music was superb, but this was the first Beatles album I passed up. I didn’t buy it, nor did my parents. I think we were overwhelmed with the previous Beatles’ releases, so we already had a full and satisfying plate in front of us. There was no reason to take on extras, and I had almost digestion with the Beatle material that came out the previous two years. I was exhausted. And I suspect that The Beatles themselves were getting tired as well. If you studied photos of that time of the Fab Four, there are signs of exhaustion on their youthful faces.
I actually slightly prefer Help! because of its quasi-espionage story. And it added Roy Kinnear to Victor Spinetti. And Leo McKern & Eleanor Bron. And Patrick Cargill. Of course, A Hard Day's Night had Wilfrid Brambell, which counts for a lot. And I like the songs from Help! a little better. Help! (UK tracklist) and Rubber Soul are my favorite Beatles albums as albums, although I also like A Hard Day's Night (UK tracklist).
I love the Beatles posts, Tosh, because so many of us have equally rich experiences with them to draw upon. For creative kids (don't make me say it... ok, I'll say it, "sensitive" kids) who had their antennae out, these albums were road maps into territory that Pink Floyd and other bands pursued hard. That psychedelic impulse starts on this album, the sitar, the introversion, the sadness you mention, the desire to leave the body and go elsewhere, the world-weariness, the exhaustion felt from the first albums, and maybe also the growing sense that the public psyche was about to change. I still use the Beatles as a drug, there are certain sounds and passages and moods on certain songs that you can't get anywhere else. Tomorrow Never Knows is a one off. Had those tape loops been looped up on another day, the track would be different, we'd be living in a parallel reality! The drums on Polythene Pam are so heavy! I mean really heavy, a primal expression that was lurking in those cute mop-tops who eventually wanted to be taken seriously... And also, the band ended. No bad 80s Beatles albums we have to make excuses for. Anyhow, could go on and on in these non-sequiturs. Thanks for the space to reminisce about songs past and blab!
I actually slightly prefer Help! because of its quasi-espionage story. And it added Roy Kinnear to Victor Spinetti. And Leo McKern & Eleanor Bron. And Patrick Cargill. Of course, A Hard Day's Night had Wilfrid Brambell, which counts for a lot. And I like the songs from Help! a little better. Help! (UK tracklist) and Rubber Soul are my favorite Beatles albums as albums, although I also like A Hard Day's Night (UK tracklist).
I love the Beatles posts, Tosh, because so many of us have equally rich experiences with them to draw upon. For creative kids (don't make me say it... ok, I'll say it, "sensitive" kids) who had their antennae out, these albums were road maps into territory that Pink Floyd and other bands pursued hard. That psychedelic impulse starts on this album, the sitar, the introversion, the sadness you mention, the desire to leave the body and go elsewhere, the world-weariness, the exhaustion felt from the first albums, and maybe also the growing sense that the public psyche was about to change. I still use the Beatles as a drug, there are certain sounds and passages and moods on certain songs that you can't get anywhere else. Tomorrow Never Knows is a one off. Had those tape loops been looped up on another day, the track would be different, we'd be living in a parallel reality! The drums on Polythene Pam are so heavy! I mean really heavy, a primal expression that was lurking in those cute mop-tops who eventually wanted to be taken seriously... And also, the band ended. No bad 80s Beatles albums we have to make excuses for. Anyhow, could go on and on in these non-sequiturs. Thanks for the space to reminisce about songs past and blab!