Sold Date: June 1, 2018
Start Date: May 31, 2018
Final Price: £20.00 (GBP)
Seller Feedback: 505
Buyer Feedback: 16

The Beatles - 'Alternative Help!’ CD

The Beatles 'Alternative Help!' bootleg CD. A wonderfully detailed CD featuring unreleased  songs, unreleased mixes, unreleased takes and live performances. None of these are the versions from the anthology series.

The CD brings together an extensive collection of 30 tracks recorded during the Help! sessions and live material from the Help! album.

The Help! album was very much a turning point for the Beatles in 1965. It showcased new recording techniques pioneered by the Beatles, a diverse range of styles and it of course hinted at what was to follow in 1966 and 1967. It was also during this period the Beatles began using large amounts of marijuana (from Dylan) and LSD. Both of which had effects on their writing.

This CD features some simply magnificent tracks. As a huge Beatles fan I actually never knew the title track was originally written as a ballad and not an outright pop song! (Lennon’s home piano demo is featured here). The two unreleased songs from the Help! sessions are featured here - ‘If You've Got Trouble’ (John Barrett mix) is a surprisingly strong version (not the anthology version) and numerous versions of ‘That Means a Lot’ (again no anthology versions). The multiple different takes really show how much the Beatles struggled to get this song right. For example the difference in styles between takes 20 and 21 is huge. I think time simply got the better of them with this track, it appears they could not decide on what style/tempo to pursue. ‘Day Tripper’ (take 3) is also one of my personal favourites and of course those live performances from the height of Beatlemainia are particularly good. I could talk all night about this!!!!

A really great boot package here. As the versions included here are unreleased it is designed to look like a acetate copy of the album.

The package includes:

• Double sided cover which features movie stills on the reverse.

• Accurate reproduction Emidisc acetate CD label design.

• Comprehensive booklet on the recording of Help!. 

• ‘Help!’ reproduction mini poster.

All in perfect MINT condition.

Track Listing:

1. HELP! (John Lennon home piano demo) 0:45

2. HELP! (complete instrumental take 5, not used for the released version) 2:26

3. HELP! (take 6 + take 7 instrumental breakdown) 3:01

4. HELP! (take 8 + take 9 stereo mix) 2:39

5. IF YOU’VE GOT TROUBLE (John Barrett mix) 2:51

6. THE NIGHT BEFORE (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:43

7. YOU’VE GOT TO HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:23

8. WALTZING MATILDA (interview, 15th June 1965) 0:35

9. I NEED YOU (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:43

10. ANOTHER GIRL (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:13

11. YOU’RE GONNA LOSE THAT GIRL (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:25

12. TICKET TO RIDE (take 2, dry mix without the fade) 3:23

13. TICKET TO RIDE (26th May 1965 BBC Radio appearance"Bank Holiday" special) 3:03

14. YES IT IS (take 1 + take 2) 4:23

15. YES IT IS (take 9) 2:49

16. ACT NATURALLY (The Ed Sullivan Show 14th Aug 1965) 2:48

17. THAT MEANS A LOT (test rehearsal) 0:55

18. THAT MEANS A LOT (take 2, remix 1) 2:28

19. THAT MEANS A LOT (take 20) 1:15

20. THAT MEANS A LOT (take 21) 2:11

21. THAT MEANS A LOT (take 22 + take 23 + take 24) 2:11

22. YOU LIKE ME TOO MUCH (rough mono mix with count In from United Artists reference acetate) 2:46

23. YESTERDAY (The Ed Sullivan Show 14th Aug 1965) 2:02

24. YESTERDAY (Candlestick Park, San Francisco 29th August 1966) 2:40

25. DIZZY MISS LIZZY (Candlestick Park, San Francisco 29th August 1966) 3:14

26. AM SONNTAG WILL MEIN SUESSER MIT MIR SEGEIN (George Harrison, March 1965 in London) 2:40

27. DAY TRIPPER (take 2 false start) 0:30

28. DAY TRIPPER (take 3) 3:05

29. I’M DOWN ('Blackpool Night Out', 1st August 1965) 2:27

30. OUTRO ('Blackpool Night Out', 1st August 1965)  0.56

This will be very carefully packaged for transit. UK postage is: £2.95. EU postage is: £4.95. Rest of the world postage is: £6.95. Combined discounted postage is available.

Any questions feel free to e-mail me.

Please view my other Beatles items.