With a Little Help from My Friends

"With a Little Help from My Friends" was the second track on the Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The vocal was by Ringo Star, in the persona of the band's lead singer, The One and Only Billy Shears. It was not released as a single at the time, but Joe Cocker did release it as a single in 1968, reaching number one on the British charts but only 68 on the U.S. Hot 100. Nonetheless, Cocker's performance of it at Woodstock was legendary (see bottom of this post, right after the audio from Sgt. Pepper), and many probably remember his version more than the Beatles'. Interestingly, the Beatles's version was reissued as a single in 1978 (I am not sure how that was authorized), but it went nowhere. "With a Little Help from My Friends" was never performed live by the Beatles, but Ringo has included it in his live sets, often with guest stars as a duet.

 

Don't be discouraged by the blank screen, the video shows up almost immediately:

 

Comments

[Cory]

For my money, the best Joe Cocker cover of The Beatles - little-known, superior to the original and with Jimmy Page on guitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1KOwvPgu4Y

[A non]

What do your musical preferences, fine as they are, have to do with a law blog?

Why don't you just stop?

[Barton Swinney]

There are those of us who very much appreciate the musical interludes. If you don't like them just don't click on the blog uniil Monday. Better yet, if you do click, don't go negative; embrace the Joy!

[Barton Swinney]

A blast from the past: It is said, Paul McCartney was killed in an auto wreck in 1966 ("He blew his mind out in a car"). His death was covered up by getting a double named “Billy Shears” and that he successfully impersonated Paul “with a little help from my friends.” John, at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever” on the Magical Mystery Tour album says “I buried Paul.” Try it and listen carefully.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_is_dead

Note: Tongue firmly in cheek.

[Richard Zitrin]

Joe Cocker's cover is perhaps the second-best ever, behind Aretha's Respect and just ahead of Marvin Gaye's Grapevine and Aretha's (yes, her again) Say a Little Prayer.

[Richard Zitrin]

But the great secret of the Cocker version is how much the arrangement IS different. It’s a totally new song. Did Denny Cordell do the arrangement? Or did it just come from an organ and guitar riff? My guess is Cordell.

Those three strong chords in the beginning are the ones most often reprised in other Friends covers. As good and clean as the Beatles original is, it’s the Cocker cover that lends itself so much better to getting covered in turn. A rock anthem.

Interesting that the other 3 covers I cited also completely change the originals.

[Richard Zitrin]

And how come James Taylor, no matter whose song he's singing, always makes it sound like a James Taylor song? ;)