Help! (1965) — Full UK Tracklist in Order

Help! was The Beatles' fifth UK studio album, released on 6 August 1965, and served as the soundtrack to their second feature film directed by Richard Lester. Produced by George Martin at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, the album marked a significant musical shift — incorporating folk-rock influences, acoustic arrangements, and more introspective songwriting. It bridges the gap between the early Beatlemania sound and the mature studio experimentation of Rubber Soul. Explore the Beatlemania Era | The Beatles Films

Full UK Tracklist

Side One — Songs from the film

1. Help!
2. The Night Before
3. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
4. I Need You
5. Another Girl
6. You're Going To Lose That Girl
7. Ticket To Ride

Side Two

8. Act Naturally
9. It's Only Love
10. You Like Me Too Much
11. Tell Me What You See
12. I've Just Seen A Face
13. Yesterday
14. Dizzy Miss Lizzy

Songwriting Breakdown

Lennon–McCartney originals (10): Help!, The Night Before, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Another Girl, You're Going To Lose That Girl, Ticket To Ride, It's Only Love, Tell Me What You See, I've Just Seen A Face, Yesterday

George Harrison compositions (2): I Need You, You Like Me Too Much

Cover versions (2): Act Naturally (Johnny Russell / Voni Morrison — originally by Buck Owens), Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Larry Williams)

Lead vocal highlights:

• John Lennon: Help!, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, You're Going To Lose That Girl, Ticket To Ride, It's Only Love, Dizzy Miss Lizzy
• Paul McCartney: The Night Before, Another Girl, Tell Me What You See, I've Just Seen A Face, Yesterday
• George Harrison: I Need You, You Like Me Too Much
• Ringo Starr: Act Naturally

Key Songs: The Story Behind the Tracks

Yesterday

McCartney woke up one morning with the melody fully formed in his head. Convinced he must have heard it somewhere, he played it to everyone he knew for weeks asking if they recognised it. Nobody did. He recorded it on 14 June 1965 alone in the studio — just his voice and acoustic guitar — with a string quartet arranged by George Martin. No other Beatles play on the track. It is the most covered song in history, with over 2,200 recorded versions. The working title was Scrambled Eggs.

Help!

Written by Lennon as a genuine cry for help — not a pop song dressed as one. By 1965 Lennon was overweight, unhappy, and overwhelmed by fame. He later said the song was his most honest of the period, and that he wished he had recorded it more slowly, as a ballad, rather than at the uptempo pace the film required. The opening descending chord sequence and the urgency of the vocal make it one of the most emotionally direct recordings in the Beatles catalogue.

Ticket To Ride

Written primarily by Lennon, Ticket To Ride was one of the heaviest-sounding records the band had made to that point — a dense, droning guitar sound and an unusual drum pattern from Ringo Starr that Lennon later described as one of the first heavy metal records. It reached No.1 in both the UK and the US.

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

The most direct expression of Bob Dylan's influence on Lennon's writing on this album — an acoustic folk song with a flute arrangement added by George Martin, played by session musicians. Lennon later said he was consciously writing in Dylan's style. The song is widely interpreted as being about Brian Epstein's homosexuality, which had to be hidden at the time.

I've Just Seen A Face

A joyful, tumbling acoustic track written by McCartney that anticipates the country-folk direction of Rubber Soul. It was recorded on the same day as Yesterday — 14 June 1965 — in the same session.

Historical Notes

• Yesterday was recorded on 14 June 1965 by McCartney alone, with a string quartet arranged by George Martin. No other Beatles play on the track. Its working title was Scrambled Eggs.
• Help! was written by Lennon as a genuine personal cry for help — he later said he wished he had recorded it more slowly as a ballad.
• Ticket To Ride was described by Lennon as one of the first heavy metal records, due to its dense guitar sound and unusual drum pattern.
• You've Got To Hide Your Love Away features a flute arrangement by George Martin, played by session musicians — the first use of orchestral woodwind on a Beatles track.
• I've Just Seen A Face and Yesterday were recorded in the same session on 14 June 1965.
• Act Naturally was originally recorded by Buck Owens in 1963 and became a country standard before the Beatles covered it.
• The album reached No.1 on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Help! released?

Help! was released in the United Kingdom on 6 August 1965 by Parlophone Records, produced by George Martin.

Is Help! a soundtrack album?

Yes — Side One contains songs featured in the film; Side Two contains additional studio recordings from the same sessions. Read more about the Help! film

Which song from Help! became one of the most covered songs ever?

Yesterday, sung by Paul McCartney alone with a string quartet arranged by George Martin, is the most covered song in history with over 2,200 recorded versions. Its working title was Scrambled Eggs.

Why is Help! considered an important Beatles album?

The album marked a significant shift in The Beatles' songwriting — incorporating acoustic arrangements, folk-rock influences, and more introspective themes. It directly bridges the gap between the early Beatlemania sound and the mature studio experimentation of Rubber Soul, released just four months later.

Which George Harrison songs appear on Help!?

George Harrison contributed two songs: I Need You and You Like Me Too Much, both recorded in February 1965.

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