With a Little Help from My Friends (originally titled A Little Help from My Friends) is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney and credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. The song was written for and sung by Ringo Starr. Though being sung by all the Beatles in half the song, it is only credited as Lennon-McCartney.
Origins[]
Lennon and McCartney finished writing this song in mid-March 1967, written specifically as Starr's track for the album. It was briefly called Bad Finger Boogie (after Lennon had composed the melody on a piano using his middle finger after having hurt his forefinger), later the inspiration for the band Badfinger. However, the notion that Lennon is responsible for the song's melody, as opposed to McCartney alone, or Lennon in collaboration with McCartney, is highly questionable in light of Lennon's remarks, in his 1980 Playboy interview, where he refers to 'With a Little Help from My Friends'" by stating: "This is Paul, with a little help from me. 'What do you see when you turn out the light/ I can't tell you, but I know it's mine...' is mine."
Lennon and McCartney deliberately wrote a tune with a limited range - except for the last note, which McCartney worked closely with Starr to achieve. Speaking in the Anthology, Starr insisted on changing the first line which originally was "What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you throw ripe tomatoes at me?" He changed the lyric so that fans would not throw tomatoes at him should he perform it live. (In the early days, after George Harrison made a passing comment that he liked jelly babies, the group was pelted with them at all of their live performances. (They were also pelted with jelly beans in the United States where jelly babies were not available.))
The song's composition is unusually well documented as Hunter Davies was present and described the writing process in the Beatles' official biography. The song reads like a conversation between the singer and a group of people. For example, "Would you believe in love at first sight/Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time". In the preceding quotation from the lyrics, the other three Beatles sing the first line, with Starr answering in the following one.
The band started recording the song the same day that they posed for the Sgt. Pepper album cover (30 March 1967). The session finished at 7:30 the following morning. This song also leads in from the title track of the album. The first lyric is "Billy Shears" which is the last lyric of the title track.
Lyrics[]
[Segue]
Billy Shears!
[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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?
[Chorus]
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
[Bridge]
Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
[Verse 3]
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
[Chorus]
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
[Bridge]
Do you need anybody?
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
[Outro]
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends
Instrumentation[]
- Ringo Starr – Lead and Harmony Vocals, Drums (Ludwig Super Classic), Tambourine, Hammond Organ (RT-3)
- Paul McCartney - Piano (Challen Upright or 1905 Steinway Vertegrand Piano), Bass (1964 Rickenbacker 4001S), Hammond Organ (RT-3), Backing and Harmony Vocals
- John Lennon - Cowbell, Rhythm Guitar (1965 Epiphone 230TD Casino), Hammond Organ (RT-3), Backing and Harmony Vocals
- George Harrison - Backing and Harmony Vocals, Lead Guitar (1961 Fender Stratocaster), Hammond Organ (RT-3)
- George Martin - Hammond Organ (RT-3)