Help !

Help ! - Front Cover Detail

Help ! - Back Cover Detail

Label	Parlophone
Catalogue No.'s	PMC 1255 (Mono) PCS 3071 (stereo) CDP 7 46439 2 (C.D.)
Matrix No.'s	A-side   B-Side Mono : XEX 549-2   XEX 550-2 Stereo: YEX 168-2   YEX 169-1 1982 Mono : XEX 549-3   XEX 550-2
Release date	6th August 1965 30th April 1987 (CD)
Total time	33:22
U.K. Album Chart Detail :	Entry Date : 14th August 1965 Highest Position : 1 ... for 9 weeks from 14th August 1965 Weeks in Chart : + + + 37   2 from 24th July 1971 (reached no.33)   2 from 9th May 1987 (CD release, reached no.61)   3 from 13th September 2009 (reached no.29) == 44 weeks in total ==
Detail :	The Beatles fifth official album release, and second film soundtrack. Once again, side one contains the seven songs from the film, with side two having 6 tracks recorded during the same period. And yet again, the American version feautured ONLY the film songs with added film score, and the entire track selection were spread over four releases (Beatles VI, Help, Rubber Soul and Yesterday And Today). In the U.K. "Help!" had advance orders of 250,000 and actually sold 270,000 units in it's first week. Eventually it sold almost One Million copies, with world-wide sales estimated at about 2,500,000. Naturally it went straight to No.1 where it knocked "The Sound Of Music" off the top slot, but just two months later, it conceded the summit back to "The Sound Of Music". Cover photography was by Robert Freeman, but no sleeve notes are present. Any Boy Scout will probably tell you that the semaphore that The Beatles are indicating on the front cover is not H-E-L-P ! ... but spells N-U-J-V !! ... (more tricky to create a song from that title !). When taking the cover shot Freeman did try the proper semaphore spelling, but this simply didn't look as dramatic so they "improvised". Ticket To Ride was the first Beatles recording to break the three-minute barrier. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away was allegedly the first use by The Beatles of a session musician (oh yeah, what about Love Me Do ?) ... A flautist called Johnnie Scott was paid the standard £6 fee for his tenor and alto flute parts but received no sleeve credit. One should also note that the "Takes" were not as counted on previous recordings, in that now the new recording techniques allowed a basic backing track to be laid down, with many overdubs, voices, and additional instrumentation added onto the initial "take". Therefore we get lower take counts, but the sessions actually taking a lot longer ! It should also be noted that further tracks were recorded in these sessions : "If You've Got Trouble" (1 take only) on 18th February 1965, which was left unreleased .... AND .... "That Means A Lot" (6 takes) were recorded 20th Feb, and 30th March and also ignored for release. "Wait" (4 takes) were recorded 17th June 1965 ... ignored for this release, but brought back out when one track short for the next album (see Rubber Soul) The album was also part of "The Beatles Collection" 13 album box set (see Beatles Collection). On 30th April 1987 this album had it's first release on C.D. which was published in stereo, with a catalogue number of CDP 7 46439 2 And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered 3 CD Box Set Comprising: Help Rubber Soul Revolver + "Beatles Monthly No.12" - July 1964 This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25/2, and was in a limited edition of just 2,500 copies. The C.D. was also part of "The Beatles Box" 15 C.D. box set (see Beatles C.D. Box). 09/09/09 (Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine) - the album was re-released as part of the Beatles In Stereo Remasters collection. 13th September 2009 it re-entered the chart again at number 29 in the seventh highest position of SEVENTEEN chart positions The Beatles captured in one amazing week.          (see the box set detail for the chart position of all 17 titles together) 20th September 2009 - dropped ten places down to number 39. 27th September 2009 - dropped thirty-four places down to number 73. 4th October 2009 - No longer listed in the Top 100. Tape Media The album was also available on 4" reel-to-reel tape, 1965 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1255 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape) - first edition (mono only) in a cardboard box. 1968 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1255 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape)                                         TD-PCS 3071 (3¾ ips 4-track stereo) these editions in a "jewel" box. Prior to 1973: The album was released on stereo cassette tape (1⅞ ips) - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 3071. The album was also released on 8-track stereo continuous play cartridge (3¾ ips) - catalogue no. 8X-PCS 3071 In November 1987 the album was released on cassette tape (stereo only) - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 3071 (Originally released September 1965). U.S. Import This was an essential import purchase in 1965 as the American version of the album contained the Beatle songs from the film (no extra's !) ... and six orchestral pieces from the film by The Ken Thorne Orchestra. This release was on the Capitol label (catno. SMAS 2386). It was released on 13th August 1965, and stayed at number one in the U.S. for 9 weeks. The gatefold sleeve for the U.S. release can be seen at the end of this page.

Side 1

Side 2

Mono/Stereo Differences

Released Versions

The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd."
The label DOES have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.
The "mono" or "stereo" text on the cover is only in outline block type.

Help! - Mono First Pressing Label A-Side	Help! - Mono First Pressing Label B-Side

Second pressings (1966) - Mono AND Stereo versions

The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd."
The label DOES have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.
The "mono" or "stereo" text on the cover is in small solid black type.

The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd."
The label does NOT have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.

Now with a silver/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
The label has one EMI boxed logo.

Silver/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
The label has TWO EMI boxed logos.

Now with a yellow/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
This release is on a lightweight vinyl.

Now with a Black and Silver Parlophone label.
The sleeve has a printed statement which reads:
"This album has been Direct Metal Mastered From a Digitally Re-mastered Original Tape to give the best possible sound quality"
This release is (surprisingly) on a lightweight vinyl.

Help! - U.S. Import Front Cover	Help! - U.S. Import Back Cover
Help! - U.S. Import Interior

Beatles Album List