"Helter Skelter" (McCartney – November 15, 1968)
The Beatles (a.k.a., The White Album) – Side 3, Track 6 (4:29)
YouTube (McCartney live)"Helter Skelter" is a song written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon/McCartney, and recorded by The Beatles on their eponymous LP The BEATLES, better known as The White Album. A product of McCartney's deliberate effort to create a sound as loud and dirty as possible, the clangorous piece has been noted for both its "proto-metal roar" and "unique textures." The song was ranked #52 on the Rolling Stone Magazine's "The Beatles 100 Greatest songs" list. Slash (Guns 'n' Roses guitarist) placed it among his top three favorite songs of all times, behind "Back in the Saddle" (Aerosmith) and "The Ocean" (Led Zeppelin).
History –
Though the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were often thought of as the Beatles' chief rivals in the studio, "Helter Skelter" was that rare Beatles song inspired by The Who, already making their claim as the most raucous of the British Invasion bands (for many years, they held the Guinness Book of World Records title as the loudest band in the world). In a 1967 interview with Guitar Player magazine, Who leader Pete Townshend described his excitement over the band's upcoming single, "I Can See For Miles," calling it the most raw, aggressive track they'd ever made. McCartney liked the concept of writing something chaotic and hard, and came up with "Helter Skelter." (He claimed later to be disappointed with the final product of the Who.)
Paul made an acoustic demo of the song and presented it to the band at the White Album sessions; the band first attempted the song on July 18, 1968, crafting a slower, more hypnotic take on the song at first, then erupting into a 27-minute free-for-all, during which George Harrison helped create the proper mood by filling an ashtray with lighter fluid, lighting it on fire, placing it on his head, and running around the studio. Finally, on September 9, the band worked on 18 takes of the song in the arrangement we know now, keeping the last one -- Ringo's shout of "I've got blisters on my fingers!" was indeed a complaint! The next day, extra guitar overdubs were added, as were backing vocals. For extra chaotic noise, the group recorded Mal Evans' trumpet and Lennon squawking loudly into the mouthpiece of a saxophone.
A "helter skelter," in Britain, is slang for a circular child's slide; it's also a euphemism for the kind of chaos such a slide might stand for. But the song has since become notorious for the interpretation offered by cult leader Charles Manson.A career criminal who had assembled a "family" of hippie followers at a semi-deserted ranch near Los Angeles, Manson had missed most of the rock revolution while in jail. When his followers played him the White Album, however, Manson became convinced that the Beatles were telegraphing his thoughts and prophecy on an upcoming "race war" that he was to spearhead. "Helter Skelter," in Manson's mind, was the code name for the war itself, and when he ordered his "family" to set off on a murder spree, the words "Healter Skelter" (sic) were written on one of the victim's homes in their own blood.
Recording –
The Beatles recorded the song many times during sessions for The White Album. During the 18 July 1968 sessions, a version of the song lasting 27 minutes and 11 seconds was recorded, although this version is rather slow and hypnotic, differing greatly from the volume and rawness of the album version. Another recording from the same day, originally 12 minutes long, was edited down to 4:37 for Anthology 3. On 9 September, 18 takes of approximately five minutes each were recorded, and the last one is featured on the original LP. After the 18th take, Ringo Starr flung his drum sticks across the studio and screamed, "I got blisters on my fingers!" The Beatles included Starr's shout on the stereo mix of the song (available on CD); the song completely fades out around 3:40, then gradually fades back in, fades back out partially, and quickly fades back in with three cymbal crashes and Ringo's scream (some sources erroneously credit the "blisters" line to Lennon; in fact, Lennon can be heard asking "How's that?" before the outburst). The mono version (originally on LP only) ends on the first fadeout without Ringo's outburst. The mono version was not initially available in the US as mono albums had already been phased out there. The mono version was later released in the American version of the Rarities album. In 2009, it was made available on the CD mono re-issue of the White Album as part of the Beatles in Mono CD box set.
According to Chris Thomas, who was present, the 18 July session was especially spirited. "While Paul was doing his vocal, George Harrison had set fire to an ashtray and was running around the studio with it above his head, doing an Arthur Brown." Starr's recollection is less detailed, but agrees in spirit: "'Helter Skelter' was a track we did in total madness and hysterics in the studio. Sometimes you just had to shake out the jams."
According to Chris Thomas, who was present, the 18 July session was especially spirited. "While Paul was doing his vocal, George Harrison had set fire to an ashtray and was running around the studio with it above his head, doing an Arthur Brown." Starr's recollection is less detailed, but agrees in spirit: "'Helter Skelter' was a track we did in total madness and hysterics in the studio. Sometimes you just had to shake out the jams."
Takes: 21
Personnel
John Lennon – Backing vocals, bass guitar (1961 Fender Bass VI), tenor saxophone
Paul McCartney – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1965 Epiphone E230TD(V) Casino)
George Harrison – Backing vocals, lead guitar (1962 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard)
Ringo Starr – Backing vocals, drums (Ludwig)
Mal Evans – Trumpet
Critical Reaction –
The song has been covered by a number of bands (see below) and praised by critics, including Richie Unterberger of Allmusic. Unterberger called it "one of [the] fiercest and most brutal rockers done by anyone" and "extraordinary." Ian MacDonald was critical, calling it "ridiculous, McCartney shrieking weedily against a massively tape-echoed backdrop of out-of-tune thrashing." Alan W. Pollack said the song will "scare and unsettle" listeners, citing "Helter Skelter"'s "obsessive nature" and "undercurrent of violence", and noted "Paul's savage vocal delivery" as reinforcing this theme. Billy Joel used the phrase, "I've got blisters on me fingers", at the end of the extended 12-inch version of "Sometimes a Fantasy".
Paul McCartney – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1965 Epiphone E230TD(V) Casino)
George Harrison – Backing vocals, lead guitar (1962 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard)
Ringo Starr – Backing vocals, drums (Ludwig)
Mal Evans – Trumpet
Critical Reaction –
The song has been covered by a number of bands (see below) and praised by critics, including Richie Unterberger of Allmusic. Unterberger called it "one of [the] fiercest and most brutal rockers done by anyone" and "extraordinary." Ian MacDonald was critical, calling it "ridiculous, McCartney shrieking weedily against a massively tape-echoed backdrop of out-of-tune thrashing." Alan W. Pollack said the song will "scare and unsettle" listeners, citing "Helter Skelter"'s "obsessive nature" and "undercurrent of violence", and noted "Paul's savage vocal delivery" as reinforcing this theme. Billy Joel used the phrase, "I've got blisters on me fingers", at the end of the extended 12-inch version of "Sometimes a Fantasy".
In a 1980 interview, Lennon said, "That's Paul completely . . . It has nothing to do with anything, and least of all to do with me."
In March 2005, Q magazine ranked "Helter Skelter" number 5 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
Charles Manson –
Charles Manson told his followers that several White Album songs including "Helter Skelter" were a part of the Beatles' coded prophecy of an apocalyptic war in which racist and non-racist whites would be maneuvered into virtually exterminating each other over the treatment of blacks. Upon the war's conclusion, after black militants would kill off the few whites they would know to have survived, Manson and his companions would emerge from an underground city in which they would have escaped the conflict. As the only remaining whites, they would rule blacks, who, as the vision went, would be incapable of running America. Manson employed "helter skelter" as the term for this sequence of events.
Charles Manson –
Charles Manson told his followers that several White Album songs including "Helter Skelter" were a part of the Beatles' coded prophecy of an apocalyptic war in which racist and non-racist whites would be maneuvered into virtually exterminating each other over the treatment of blacks. Upon the war's conclusion, after black militants would kill off the few whites they would know to have survived, Manson and his companions would emerge from an underground city in which they would have escaped the conflict. As the only remaining whites, they would rule blacks, who, as the vision went, would be incapable of running America. Manson employed "helter skelter" as the term for this sequence of events.
Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi, who led the prosecution of Manson and four of his followers who acted on Manson's instruction in the Tate-LaBianca murders, named his best-selling book about the murders Helter Skelter. The book was the basis for two television movies of the same title.
Paul McCartney Live performances –
Since 2004 McCartney has performed the song with his band on every tour, starting on 24 May 2004, while on the '04 Summer Tour, through The 'US' Tour (2005), the Summer Live '09 (2009), the Good Evening Europe Tour (2009), the Up and Coming Tour (2010/2011) and the On the Run Tour, which started on 25 July 2011. In the last tours, the song has been generally inserted on the third encore, which is the last time the band enters the stage. It is usually the last but one song, performed after "Yesterday" and before the final medley including "The End".
Paul McCartney Live performances –
Since 2004 McCartney has performed the song with his band on every tour, starting on 24 May 2004, while on the '04 Summer Tour, through The 'US' Tour (2005), the Summer Live '09 (2009), the Good Evening Europe Tour (2009), the Up and Coming Tour (2010/2011) and the On the Run Tour, which started on 25 July 2011. In the last tours, the song has been generally inserted on the third encore, which is the last time the band enters the stage. It is usually the last but one song, performed after "Yesterday" and before the final medley including "The End".
Paul McCartney performed the song live at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards on 8 February 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In 2009, McCartney performed the song live on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater during his appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.
The version of the song from McCartney's live album Good Evening New York City, recorded during the Summer Live '09 tour, was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards in the category of Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance. It won, becoming McCartney's first solo Grammy win since he won for arranging "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" in 1972.
McCartney opened his set at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief with the song.
Trivia –
The mono mix of "Helter Skelter" differs more from its stereo counterpart than in any other Beatles song: at approximately 3:10, the stereo mix splices a jump to another mix of the song, and fades in an out twice. The mono version ends at 3:36, almost a full minute shorter than the standard stereo version, and also features more squeaking sax and trumpet sounds in the mix.
Trivia –
The mono mix of "Helter Skelter" differs more from its stereo counterpart than in any other Beatles song: at approximately 3:10, the stereo mix splices a jump to another mix of the song, and fades in an out twice. The mono version ends at 3:36, almost a full minute shorter than the standard stereo version, and also features more squeaking sax and trumpet sounds in the mix.
The three initial takes of this song recorded on July 18 run 10:40, 12:35, and 27:11. A drastically edited version of Take 2 can be found on Anthology 3. The acoustic demo has also been bootlegged, as has audio and video from another of the July 18 takes. An alternate US stereo mix of the released song was done by George Martin for the 1976 compilation album Rock N' Roll Music.
U2 gained some notoriety themselves when they included a live version of "Helter Skelter" on their 1989 album Rattle And Hum: the performance begins with lead singer Bono claiming "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. Tonight we're stealing it back."
Today in Beatles History (From The Internet Beatles Album) February 17
1963 – Teddington TV Studios, Teddington Lock, Middlesex. Filming appearance for ABC's Thank Your Lucky Stars. The first visit to Teddington TV Studios.
1964 – Colonel Parker phones Brian from Hollywood to Miami to congratulate him and the group.
– Cilla Black reaches UK number 1 with "Anyone Who Had A Heart". From the USA Brian sends her a congratulatory telegram.
– Cilla Black reaches UK number 1 with "Anyone Who Had A Heart". From the USA Brian sends her a congratulatory telegram.
1965 – Studio 2. 2.00-7.00pm. Recording: "The Night Before" (takes 1-2). Studio 2. 7.00-11.00pm. Recording: 'You Like Me Too Much' (takes 1-8). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Norman Smith; 2nd Engineer: Ken Scott.
1967 – UK single release: "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane". Third double A side.
Studio 2. 7.00pm-3.00am. Recording: "Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite!" (takes 1-7, tape reduction take 7 into takes 8, 9, overdub onto take 9). Mono mixing: "Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite!" (remix 1, from take 9). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. The mix is taken home by Paul.
1969 – Clive Epstein sells Nemperor Holdings to Leonard Richenberg's Triumph Trust.
US LP release: Under The Jasmine Tree.
1972 – Evening. British screening of John and Yoko's film protesting the innocence of James Hanratty, in the crypt of the St Martin-In-The-Fields church.
1975– US LP release: Rock'n'Roll.
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