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SongsHelp!I Need You
Help! album cover

I Need You

1965 · Help!

“Please come on back to me, I'm lonely as can be”

Harrison's first solo composition on a Beatles album, written for Pattie Boyd during the band's separation while filming Help! Built around his foot-pedal-controlled volume-swell guitar technique, with Lennon working the pedal at Harrison's feet.
VinylCD

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Year1965
AlbumHelp!
Track4 · Side 1
Duration2:30
Songwriter(s)Harrison
Lead VocalGeorge
RecordedFebruary 15, 1965
ReleasedAugust 6, 1965

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Text283 tags

Motif

LoveLonelinessRelationshipPleaCommunicationAnatomyNostalgiaSelf reflectionSadness

Influence

Bob Dylan influence

Title

Pronoun in title

Vocabulary

Casual languageNegative tone

Narrative

First personConversationalSecond personImperative

Rhyme type

Identical rhymeExtrametrical rhymeInternal rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas intro

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verse

Repetition

Recurring lineConsecutive lineRecurring verseConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

feelinglivelookedrememberupsetwithouta thingand neveras iback andback tobut whencan becould nevergo onhow ii couldi lookedi'm lonelylike thisme i'mmy lovinnever leavenever reallyor twoplease comeplease remembersaid youso comethe timeto telltold mewas iwhen itwithout youyes youyou hadyour eyesall the timeas can beback to mebut when youcan't go onhow much iin your eyesit hurt mereally live withoutso come onwas i toyou mean toa thing or twowhat you mean towhen you told mei just can't go onlove you all the timewhat you mean to me

Cover-shared words

aboutallanymorebackcomeeyesfeelgohurtitknowleavelikelonelylovelovinmemeanmuchmyneedneverohpleasesaidseetellthingtimetoldtwowantyouyourabout youall theand seecome ondon't wanthad ahurt mei didn'ti feeli justi needin yourjust can'tknow youleave youlove youneed youoh yestell methis ito knowto mewant mywhat youwhen youyou allyou don'tyou wouldi just can'ti need youyou all theyou don't wantyou don't want my

Lyric shape

[ADJ] as[VERB] this[WORD] reallycan't [WORD]could [WORD]how [WORD]i'm [ADJ]or [WORD][ADV] and [VERB][NOUN] or [WORD][VERB] as i[VERB] how [WORD][WORD] really [VERB]and [WORD] [VERB]as i [VERB]can't [WORD] ondon't [VERB] howhad a [NOUN]how i [VERB]i [VERB] init [VERB] meme i'm [ADJ]my [WORD] [WORD]or [WORD] toreally [VERB] [WORD]so [VERB] onwhen it [VERB]would [VERB] me[ADJ] as can be[VERB] how [WORD] i[VERB] in your [NOUN][WORD] yes you [VERB]a [NOUN] or [WORD]but when you [VERB]i [VERB] [WORD] youwas i to [VERB]when you [VERB] meyou don't [VERB] howyou would [VERB] me[VERB] you [WORD] the [NOUN]had a [NOUN] or [WORD]the [NOUN] and [WORD] [VERB]what you [VERB] to me[VERB] you [WORD] the [NOUN] andi just can't [WORD] on [WORD]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] and[ADV] to[NOUN] and[NOUN] or[VERB] as[VERB] how[VERB] in[VERB] just[VERB] me[VERB] my[VERB] on[VERB] to[VERB] you[WORD] i[WORD] on[WORD] the[WORD] to[WORD] yes[WORD] youa [NOUN]and [VERB]and [WORD]didn't [VERB]don't [VERB]i [VERB]it [VERB]my [WORD]on [WORD]really [VERB]so [VERB]the [NOUN]to [VERB]would [VERB]you [VERB]you [WORD]your [NOUN][ADV] to me[NOUN] and [WORD][VERB] [VERB] on[VERB] [WORD] you[VERB] my [WORD][VERB] on [ADV][VERB] to me[VERB] you [WORD][WORD] [VERB] you[WORD] i [VERB][WORD] on [WORD][WORD] the [NOUN][WORD] to [VERB]a [NOUN] orand [VERB] [VERB]don't [VERB] myi [VERB] [WORD]i [VERB] youi didn't [VERB]in your [NOUN]the [NOUN] andto [VERB] meto [VERB] youwhat you [VERB]when you [VERB]you [VERB] meyou [VERB] toyou [WORD] theyou don't [VERB]you would [VERB][VERB] you [WORD] the[VERB] you would [VERB][WORD] i [VERB] youdon't [VERB] my [WORD]what you [VERB] toyou [VERB] to meyou don't [VERB] myyou don't [VERB] my [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

AABAABCAAAAAAAABAB

Line length

2-2Unique line length

Distinctive word

realize
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Music144 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarClassical guitarBass guitarDrumsPercussionCowbell12-string guitarOther percussion

Instrument group

GuitarsPercussion

Guitar work

Volume pedalGuitar riff

Music genre

FolkPopRockFolk rock

Vocal work

Vocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Guitar riff

Melody

Appoggiatura

Tempo

Moderate

Key

A major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABABAAABA form

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas introHas riff

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

I to viV to I

Harmony

Circle of fifthsParallel harmonyHalf cadencePlagal cadence

Composition

Tonic openingVerse in ITonic verseChorus in viNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminorsus4

Scale degree

IiiiiiIVVvi

Chord degree

I–II–IVIV–II–I–IVIV–viI–vivi–IVvi–I–IVI–vi–IVvi–IV–Ivi–iiiiii–vivi–iiii–VI–IV–I–II–I–I–IVI–IV–viI–IV–I–vivi–I–IV–II–IV–I–vi–IVIV–I–viI–I–IV–viiii–vi–iii–vi–ii–VIV–I–IIV–I–I–IIV–vi–II–I–IV–Ivi–Ivi–ii–Viii–vi–ii–V

Chord shape

C → GC → CC → FC → C → FC → EmAm → CC → AmAm → FAm → C → FC → Am → FAm → F → CAm → EmAm → DmAm → DC → F → C → AmC → C → F → CC → Em → GAm → C → F → CC → Csus4 → C → FC → G → EmCsus4 → CC → G → G → GC → C → F → AmAm → Dm → Am → Dm → Gm → CC → F → C → Am → FAm → Dm → GC → G → GC → F → AmC → C → C → FC → Csus4Am → Dm → Gm → CC → F → C → C

Chord literal

A → AA → DD → AA → F♯mF♯m → A → DC♯m → F♯mBm → ED → A → F♯mA → D → F♯mF♯m → D → AF♯m → DA → D → A → AA → A → D → AA → A → A → DF♯m → AA → A → DA → Asus4 → A → DC♯m → F♯m → Bm → EA → D → A → F♯m → DA → Asus4F♯m → BmD → F♯mA → F♯m → DD → A → AF♯m → Bm → EF♯m → C♯m
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

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