Helter Skelter
Encyclopedia
"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.
interview with The Who
's Pete Townshend
where he described their latest single, "I Can See for Miles
", as the loudest, rawest, dirtiest song the Who had ever recorded. McCartney then "wrote 'Helter Skelter' to be the most raucous vocal, the loudest drums, et cetera" and said he was "using the symbol of a helter skelter as a ride from the top to the bottom; the rise and fall of the Roman Empire—and this was the fall, the demise." In British English
, the term helter-skelter not only has its meaning of "in disorderly haste or confusion" but is the name of a spiralling amusement park slide. McCartney has used this song as a response to critics who accuse him of only writing ballad
s.
On 20 November 1968, two days before the release of The Beatles, McCartney gave Radio Luxembourg
an exclusive interview, in which he commented on several of the album’s songs. Speaking of "Helter Skelter", he said: "Umm, that came about just 'cause I'd read a review of a record which said, 'and this group really got us wild, there's echo on everything, they're screaming their heads off.' And I just remember thinking, 'Oh, it'd be great to do one. Pity they've done it. Must be great — really screaming record.' And then I heard their record and it was quite straight, and it was very sort of sophisticated. It wasn't rough and screaming and tape echo at all. So I thought, 'Oh well, we'll do one like that, then.' And I had this song called "Helter Skelter," which is just a ridiculous song. So we did it like that, 'cuz I like noise."
. 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, gradually fades back in, almost completely fades back out again, then 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 Ringo's 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."
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 My 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.
told his followers that 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 manoeuvered 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 epic sequence of events.
Los Angeles
Deputy District Attorney
Vincent Bugliosi
, who led the prosecution of Manson and the killers who acted on Manson's instruction, named his best-selling book about the murders Helter Skelter
. The book was the basis for two television movies of the same title.
(2005), the Summer Live '09
(2009), the Good Evening Europe Tour
(2009), the Up and Coming Tour
(2010/2011) and, more recently, on 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.
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, credited to Lennon–McCartney, and recorded by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on their eponymous LP The Beatles
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
, 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
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
roar" and "unique textures." The song was ranked #52 on the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's "The Beatles 100 Greatest songs" list.
Writing and inspiration
McCartney was inspired to write the song after reading a 1967 Guitar Player magazineGuitar Player
Guitar Player is a popular magazine for guitarists founded in 1967. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products. It has been in print since the late 1960s and during the 1980s, under editor Tom Wheeler, the publication was...
interview with The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
where he described their latest single, "I Can See for Miles
I Can See For Miles
"I Can See for Miles" is a song written by Pete Townshend of The Who, recorded for the band's 1967 album, The Who Sell Out. It was the only song from the album to be released as a single, on 14 October 1967...
", as the loudest, rawest, dirtiest song the Who had ever recorded. McCartney then "wrote 'Helter Skelter' to be the most raucous vocal, the loudest drums, et cetera" and said he was "using the symbol of a helter skelter as a ride from the top to the bottom; the rise and fall of the Roman Empire—and this was the fall, the demise." In British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, the term helter-skelter not only has its meaning of "in disorderly haste or confusion" but is the name of a spiralling amusement park slide. McCartney has used this song as a response to critics who accuse him of only writing ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s.
On 20 November 1968, two days before the release of The Beatles, McCartney gave Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
an exclusive interview, in which he commented on several of the album’s songs. Speaking of "Helter Skelter", he said: "Umm, that came about just 'cause I'd read a review of a record which said, 'and this group really got us wild, there's echo on everything, they're screaming their heads off.' And I just remember thinking, 'Oh, it'd be great to do one. Pity they've done it. Must be great — really screaming record.' And then I heard their record and it was quite straight, and it was very sort of sophisticated. It wasn't rough and screaming and tape echo at all. So I thought, 'Oh well, we'll do one like that, then.' And I had this song called "Helter Skelter," which is just a ridiculous song. So we did it like that, 'cuz I like noise."
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 3Anthology 3
Anthology 3 is a compilation album by The Beatles released in October 1996 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. The album includes rarities and alternative tracks from the final two years of the band's career, ranging from the initial sessions for The Beatles to the last...
. On 9 September, 18 takes of approximately five minutes each were recorded, and the last one is featured on the original LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
. After the 18th take, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
flung his drum sticks across the studio and screamed, "I got blisters on my fingers!" The Beatles included Starr's shout on the stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
mix of the song (available on CD); the song completely fades out around 3:40, gradually fades back in, almost completely fades back out again, then 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 Ringo's 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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
The Beatles in Mono
The Beatles in Mono is a box set compilation comprising the remastered monophonic recordings by The Beatles. The set was released on 9 September 2009, the same day the remastered stereo recordings and companion The Beatles Stereo Box Set were also released, along with The Beatles: Rock Band videogame...
CD box set.
According to Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas (record producer)
Chris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...
, who was present, the 18 July session was especially spirited. "While Paul was doing his vocal, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
had set fire to an ashtray and was running around the studio with it above his head, doing an Arthur Brown
Arthur Brown (musician)
Arthur Brown is an English rock and roll musician best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Marilyn Manson, George Clinton, Kiss, King Diamond, and Bruce Dickinson, among others, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and...
." 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."
Critical reaction
The song has been coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by a number of bands (see below) and praised by critics, including Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
of Allmusic. Unterberger called it "one of [the] fiercest and most brutal rockers done by anyone" and "extraordinary." Ian MacDonald
Ian MacDonald
Ian MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
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 My 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 MansonCharles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
told his followers that 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 manoeuvered 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 epic sequence of events.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
Deputy District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Vincent Bugliosi
Vincent Bugliosi
Vincent Bugliosi is an American attorney and author, best known for prosecuting Charles Manson and other defendants accused of the Tate-LaBianca murders. His most recent books are Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy , The Prosecution of George W...
, who led the prosecution of Manson and the killers who acted on Manson's instruction, named his best-selling book about the murders Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter (book)
Helter Skelter is a true crime book by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry. The subject of the book is the 1969 Manson Family murders and Bugliosi's own prosecution of Charles Manson and his followers....
. The book was the basis for two television movies of the same title.
Cover versions
- In 1975, AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
recorded a cover of "Helter Skelter", but it was not released until 1991, on the Pandora's BoxPandora's Box (album)-Disc two:-Disc three:-Recording locations:*Back in the Saddle- Recorded at the Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. & Record Plant Studios, NYC, Feb-March 1976*Cheese Cake- Recorded at Media Sound and Record Plant Studios, NYC, May-Aug., 1979...
compilation. The cover charted at #21 on the Mainstream Rock TracksMainstream Rock TracksHot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart. - In 1978, Siouxsie and the Banshees included a cover of this song on The ScreamThe Scream (album)The Scream is the debut album by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released in November 1978 on Polydor Records. Even before this release, the band already had a strong reputation as a live act, as well as having a Top 10 UK single under their belt with "Hong Kong Garden"...
. A live version of the song appears on their 1983 album Nocturne. - In 1980, Dianne HeatheringtonDianne HeatheringtonDianne Mae Heatherington was a Canadian singer of several genres, particularly rock, whose musical career spanned nearly two decades...
included a significant rearrangement of the song on her EpicEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
album, Heatherington Rocks; the song was also released as a single. - In 1981, Pat BenatarPat BenatarPat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
released a cover of "Helter Skelter" as the final track on Precious TimePrecious Time (album)Precious Time is the third album from Pat Benatar, released in 1981. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 and produced hits like "Fire and Ice", which reached #17 on the U.S. Pop chart and #2 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart, and "Promises in the Dark", which reached #38 on the U.S. Pop chart and...
. - In 1983, Mötley CrüeMötley CrüeMötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
recorded their version of this song on their Shout at the DevilShout at the DevilShout at the Devil is the second album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young to Fall in Love" became huge hits and "Shout at the Devil" became very popular as well.-Reception:...
album (1983). It has also appeared on their 1999 and 2006 live albums, Live: Entertainment or DeathLive: Entertainment or DeathLive: Entertainment or Death is a live album by the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on November 23, 1999. The album is a collage of live recordings of the band from 1982 to 1999...
and Carnival Of Sins LiveCarnival of Sins LiveCarnival of Sins: Live is a 2-CD live album by Mötley Crüe released in 2006, featuring the Grand Rapids, Michigan performance from their 2005-2006 Carnival of Sins reunion tour. Carnival of Sins is also available on DVD featuring the album in its entirety. Wal-Mart also released the 2 discs...
, respectively, and again on their 2005 compilation album, Red, White & Crüe. - In 1983, The BobsThe BobsThe Bobs were dubbed the first new wave a cappella group in history when they were founded in San Francisco, California in the early 1980s. Now based in Seattle, Washington, this genre-bending, eccentric vocal group has maintained a healthy cult following in the U.S...
released an a cappella version on their eponymous album. It earned them a 1984 Grammy nomination for best new arrangement of an existing song. - In 1985, Mari HamadaMari Hamadais a Japanese female rock singer, songwriter and producer.- Biography :Mari Hamada started her professional singing career in 1983 as a heavy metal idol, produced by the late Munetaka Higuchi . Her records were successful in the Japanese rock market...
released a cover of this song on her Blue Revolution album. - In 1988, U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
released a live cover version of "Helter Skelter" as the opening track on their Rattle and HumRattle and HumRattle and Hum is the sixth studio album by rock band U2 and companion rockumentary directed by Phil Joanou, both released in 1988. The film and the album feature live recordings, covers, and new songs...
album (see below). - In 1989, Skinny PuppySkinny PuppySkinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
released the song "WorlockWorlockWorlock is a single by the band Skinny Puppy from the album Rabies. The song uses a sample of the guitars in "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles, as well as a vocal sample of Charles Manson singing the song....
", which includes a movement where samples of Charles MansonCharles MansonCharles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
singing the first verse of "Helter Skelter" are played on top of samples from The Beatles' song. A music video exists and features short clips of Lennon, Manson and McCartney. - In 1989, GillanGillanGillan was a rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.-History:In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusion style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns, and formed a new band entitled Gillan...
released a cover of "Helter Skelter" as a bonus track on the reissue of MagicMagic (Gillan album)Magic is an album by British rock band Gillan, their final collaboration, released in 1982. It was reissued in 1989 with seven "bonus" tracks, including cover versions and B-sides. "South Africa" /"John" was a single Ian had written and recorded with guitarist Bernie Marsden.Although the album was...
. - In 1989, Vow Wow recorded "Helter Skelter", released it as a single and named their album after the song.
- In 1997, Dimension Zero included a cover of the song on Penetrations from the Lost WorldPenetrations from the Lost WorldPenetrations from the Lost World is the debut EP by Swedish melodic death metal band Dimension Zero.It was re-issued in 2003 with bonus tracks.- Track listing :-Note:Tracks 5-6 recorded in November 2001....
. - In 1997, SkrewSkrewSkrew is an influential industrial metal band. Formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1998, the group announced its return in 2009.-Biography:Skrew was formed in 1990 in Austin, Texas, by Adam Grossman and Danny Lohner...
included a cover of the song on Angel Seed XXIII. - In 1999, Joe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn TurnerJoe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
release a cover of the song on his fifth solo album Under Cover 2Under Cover 2-Personnel:*Joe Lynn Turner: Lead vocals, Backing vocals on 5,7,10*Tony Bruno: Guitars*Greg Smith: Bass*Paul Morris: Keyboards*Kenny Kramme: Drums*Akira Kajiyama: Guitar on 1,10,11*Jeff Golub: Guitar on 2*Vernon Reid: Guitar on 3...
. - In 2000, OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
released a studio version which was released as B-sides to "Go Let It OutGo Let It Out"Go Let It Out" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by the band's lead guitarist, and chief songwriter, Noel Gallagher. It was released in 2000 as the first single from the fourth studio album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. The song peaked at #1 in the UK charts where it went...
" and "Who Feels Love?Who Feels Love?"Who Feels Love?" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. It became the second single to be released from the album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, peaking at number 4 in the UK charts...
". - In 2007, the StereophonicsStereophonicsThe Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
release a cover of the song as a bonus-track on the Japanese release of Pull the PinPull the PinPull the Pin is the sixth studio album by Stereophonics, released in the UK on 15 October 2007. A Stereophonics newsletter released the "Pull the Pin" album artwork to subscribers. The cover was also shown to MySpace users that had added the band in a bulletin...
. - In 2007, Dana FuchsDana FuchsDana Fuchs is an American singer, songwriter, actress and voice over talent most famous for her performance in the 2007 film Across the Universe, in which she played the role of Sadie.-Early life:...
performs the song in Across the UniverseAcross the Universe (film)Across the Universe is a musical romantic drama film directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film's plot is centered around songs by The Beatles. It was released in the United States on October 12, 2007. The script is based on an original...
. - In 2008, AutoluxAutoluxAutolux is an avant-garde rock group consisting of Eugene Goreshter , Greg Edwards and Carla Azar...
released a cover of the song as a B-side on their single "Audience No. 2". - In 2009, ThriceThriceThrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
released a cover of the song as a bonus track on their album BeggarsBeggars (album)- Personnel :Thrice* Dustin Kensrue – lead vocals, guitar* Teppei Teranishi – guitar, keyboards, piano* Eddie Breckenridge – bass* Riley Breckenridge – drumsProduction* Produced by Thrice and Teppei Teranishi at New Grass Studios...
. - In 2011, ThriceThriceThrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
's cover version of the song was used with the Red Faction: ArmageddonRed Faction: ArmageddonRed Faction: Armageddon is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It is the fourth and final installment in the Red Faction series, and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in various countries around the world between June 7...
trailer.
Live cover performances
- In 1986, Hüsker DüHüsker DüHüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
covered "Helter Skelter" live and issued it on their "Don't Want To Know If You Are LonelyDon't Want to Know If You Are Lonely"Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" is a song by Hüsker Dü from their album Candy Apple Grey. The song was written by Grant Hart. It was released both as an EP in the United States and as a single in the United Kingdom in March 1986...
" EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. - In 1987, U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
recorded the song in concert for their Rattle and HumRattle and HumRattle and Hum is the sixth studio album by rock band U2 and companion rockumentary directed by Phil Joanou, both released in 1988. The film and the album feature live recordings, covers, and new songs...
movie and album which was released the following year. BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
's introduction to the song was, "This is a song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles. We're stealing it back." Also noteworthy of this cover is that Bono reworked McCartney's original line "You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer" and sung it as (in a kind of double-negative) "you ain't no lover but you ain't no dancer". - In 1993, White Zombie played the song live while on tour. This version thus far has only been issued as a bootleg called Resurrection Day.
- On 31 October 1994, PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
covered the song as part of their "Musical Costume" performance of (almost) the entire White Album. This version contained heavy discords; it concluded with the line "I've got Blisters on my Fingers" sung in four-part harmony. This concert was released as Live Phish Volume 13Live Phish Volume 13Live Phish Vol. 13 was recorded live at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, New York on Halloween night, 1994. It was released on October 29, 2002, along with Volume 14, Volume 15, and Volume 16....
. - On 7 September 1995, Bon JoviBon JoviBon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
performed the first and second verse of this song live on the streets of Times SquareTimes SquareTimes Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
for the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards1995 MTV Video Music AwardsThe 1995 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 7, 1995, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1994, to June 15, 1995. The show was hosted by Dennis Miller at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. David Sandlin was commissioned to design the program catalogue.TLC and Weezer were...
before going into their own "Something for the PainSomething for the Pain"Something For The pain" is a song by Bon Jovi from their 1995 album These Days. It charted at #39 on the top 40 mainstream charts and peaked at #8 on the UK Singles Chart....
". - On 20 November 1996, Urban Dance SquadUrban Dance SquadUrban Dance Squad was a Dutch rap rock band formed after what was originally intended as a one-time jam-session at a festival in Utrecht on December 20, 1986...
finished their show in Belgrade with a crossover version of the song, which subsequently appeared on their live album Beograd live. - SoundgardenSoundgardenSoundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
played the song frequently during their West Coast 1996 tour. A live version, played and recorded on 30 November 1996 at Del Mar FairgroundsDel Mar FairgroundsThe Del Mar Fairgrounds is a property that is the site of the annual San Diego County Fair . Its Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club in 1937 by founding members Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien with Paramount Studios as corporate sponsor.The fairgrounds is owned by the State of...
in Del Mar, CaliforniaDel Mar, CaliforniaDel Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
, released on their first live album Live on I-5Live on I-5Live on I-5 is a live album by the American rock band Soundgarden. It was recorded during the West Coast leg of their 1996 tour, and released on March 22, 2011. They announced the album, the band's first live album, on their website on January 13, 2011....
, released 22 March 2011. - In 1996, Pat BenatarPat BenatarPat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
released a live version on her Pat Benatar: Heartbreaker: Sixteen Classic Performances album. - In 1997, Bob ForrestBob ForrestBob Forrest is the lead vocalist and lyricist for Los Angeles bands Thelonious Monster and The Bicycle Thief. In September 2006 he released his first solo album, Modern Folk And Blues Wednesday. He is also a drug counselor, appearing alongside Dr...
of Thelonious MonsterThelonious MonsterThelonious Monster is a post-punk rock band from Los Angeles, led by singer-songwriter Bob Forrest. Active from 1983 to 1994, and again since 2004, the band has released five original studio albums...
and John FruscianteJohn FruscianteJohn Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
formerly of Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
performed the song live at Small's Bar in Hollywood, a year before John entered rehab and rejoined RHCP. - In 1999, Bon JoviBon JoviBon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
released a live version on their Rare Tracks album. - Australian band TumbleweedTumbleweed (band)Tumbleweed are a Wollongong-based rock group in Australia, popular during the grunge years of the 1990s. As an opening band for Nirvana on their 1992 tour of Australia, Tumbleweed reached out into the mainstream with their crunchy-psychedelica...
performed their version of "Helter Skelter" live to air on Australian 'youth network' radio station, Triple J in the mid 1990s. - In 2000, OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
covered "Helter Skelter" live, this performance is included on their live album Familiar to MillionsFamiliar to MillionsFamiliar to Millions is a live album by the British rock band Oasis. It was recorded at Wembley Stadium on 21 July 2000. It debuted at #5 in the UK charts with 57,000 copies sold in the first week. To date Familiar to Millions has sold around 310,000 copies in Britain alone , about 70,000 copies in...
. A studio version was also recorded for the B-side to the single "Who Feels Love?Who Feels Love?"Who Feels Love?" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. It became the second single to be released from the album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, peaking at number 4 in the UK charts...
" and was recorded during the sessions for Be Here Now. - In 2005, Zoot WomanZoot WomanZoot Woman are a British electronic music band consisting of Adam Blake, Johnny Blake and Stuart Price.Known for their live shows, the group has gained a worldwide following. With the album Living In A Magazine Zoot Woman established themselves on the music scene.Credited by many within the...
performed the song at the Benicassim Festival, Barcelona. - The Killers and Louis XIVLouis XIV (band)Louis XIV was an American rock band from San Diego, California.-Beginnings: :Lead singer/guitarist Jason Hill, guitarist Brian Karscig, and drummer Mark Maigaard formed the group in April 2003 while living in Paris, France. Bassist James Armbrust soon joined after.Louis XIV, the band's first album,...
performed "Helter Skelter" at a concert in Australia in 2007, as part of the "Sam's Town Tour". - In 2008, Anneke Van GiersbergenAnneke van GiersbergenAnneke van Giersbergen is the former lead singer of the Dutch progressive/alternative rock band The Gathering which she departed in August 2007. Since then, she has been involved in a solo project called Agua de Annique which also included her husband & drummer of the band, Rob Snijders...
performed the song at a Jampod session concert in 's-Hertogenbosch, Nederlands on 2 February. - In 2008, Portugal. The ManPortugal. The ManPortugal. The Man is an American psychedelic rock band based in Portland, Oregon, but originally from Wasilla, Alaska. The group released their first two albums with Fearless Records. They also released material on their own imprint Approaching AIRballoons through indie label Equal Vision Records...
incorporated lyrics from "Helter Skelter" into an extended version of their song "Tommy". - In 2011, Portugal. The ManPortugal. The ManPortugal. The Man is an American psychedelic rock band based in Portland, Oregon, but originally from Wasilla, Alaska. The group released their first two albums with Fearless Records. They also released material on their own imprint Approaching AIRballoons through indie label Equal Vision Records...
performed "Helter Skelter" during their U.S. tour.
Paul McCartney live performances
Since 2004 Paul has been continuously performing the song with his band on every tour, starting on 24 May 2004, while on the '04 Summer Tour, through The 'US' TourThe 'US' Tour
The US Tour was Paul McCartney's third North American concert tour of the 21st century. This was in promotion of 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. Rusty Anderson, Brian Ray, Paul "Wix" Wickens, and Abe Laboriel Jr. returned as the backing band, the first to fully remain intact for more...
(2005), the Summer Live '09
Summer Live '09
The Summer Live '09 tour by Paul McCartney was his fourth North American concert tour of the 21st century. The tour began on July 11, 2009 at the Halifax Common public parkland, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and closed at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on August 19, 2009.McCartney performed...
(2009), the Good Evening Europe Tour
Good Evening Europe Tour
The Good Evening Europe Tour was a concert tour by Paul McCartney in Europe. The tour began on December 2, 2009, at the Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany, and concluded on December 22, 2009, at The O2 Arena in London....
(2009), the Up and Coming Tour
Up and Coming Tour
The Up and Coming Tour is a concert tour by Paul McCartney. The tour began on March 28, 2010, at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona , included two concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, following with concerts in Miami and San Juan, the latter marking McCartney's first...
(2010/2011) and, more recently, on the On the Run Tour
On the Run Tour
The On the Run Tour is a concert tour by Paul McCartney. The tour began on July 15, 2011, with McCartney's first two concerts at Yankee Stadium in New York City....
, 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
Yesterday (song)
"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
" and before the final medley
Medley (music)
In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks...
including "The End
The End (The Beatles song)
"The End" is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney for the album Abbey Road. It was the last song recorded collectively by all four Beatles, and is the final song of the medley that dominates side two of the LP version of the album.-Composition and recording:McCartney said, "I wanted...
".
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
Ed Sullivan Theater
The Ed Sullivan Theater, located at 1697-1699 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th, in Manhattan, is a venerable radio and television studio in New York City...
during his appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
.
The version of the song from McCartney's live album Good Evening New York City
Good Evening New York City
Good Evening New York City is a CD/DVD double live album by Paul McCartney consisting of material performed over three nights as the inaugural concert at New York City's Citi Field, 17, 18 and 21 July 2009, part of his Summer Live '09 concert tour. Over 180,000 tickets were sold within hours of the...
, recorded during the Summer Live '09
Summer Live '09
The Summer Live '09 tour by Paul McCartney was his fourth North American concert tour of the 21st century. The tour began on July 11, 2009 at the Halifax Common public parkland, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and closed at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on August 19, 2009.McCartney performed...
tour, was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11. Nominations were...
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
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is a song by Paul and Linda McCartney from the album Ram. Released in the United States as a single on 2 August 1971, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1971, making it the first of a string of post-Beatles, McCartney-penned singles to top the US...
in 1972.
Personnel
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– lead vocals, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, six-string bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, sound effects (through brass instruments) - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– backing vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, sound effects - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, shouting ("...Blisters on my fingers!") - Mal EvansMal EvansMalcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
– trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Personnel per Mark LewisohnMark LewisohnMark Lewisohn is an English author and historian, regarded as the world's leading authority on the English rock band The Beatles.-The Beatles and related subjects:...
and Alan W. Pollack