One thing about that 27 min. version though. It's NOT the full on heavy metal version from the album. The 27 min. version was recorded around July 18, 1968 while the version we know on the album was recorded on Sept. 9, 1968. The earlier version is much more prodding and bluesy. The version on "Anthology 3" is what is sounded like.
people mention lots of bands here that made "heavy" music before helter skelter. but helter skelter in my opinion is on a whole other level. the vocals, the bass, the drums and the guitars are ALL exceptional. and that's what makes helter skelter so big. every part, every instrument is on 110%. it's extraordinary in every sense of the word.
Even today in Britain the term 'Helter Skelter' is much more associated with the big slide before the Beatles song. The lyrics to the song seem pretty simplistic: a crazy whirlwind relationship with disorientating effects on the singer. It sounds like it's all about how this person is giving mixed messages and it's making the protagonist feel unsure of where they stand. Helter Skelter is literally used because it's a big slide that makes you feel dizzy. It's weird and kind of scary how differently something can be interpreted when someone projects a different cultural interpretation onto what is a fairly innocuous set of lyrics.
Yes it seems that's the main reaction i get from people in the UK that watch this video. And i guess what you said at the end best describes what this video is about. How you interpret lyrics differently depending on the culture. Here in Norway i've never seen a helter skelter slide. Not even at theme parks or playgrounds. The first time i saw it was when i did research for this video lol. Thanks for sharing your interpretation btw. And good luck with your channel.
I wish that Paul McCartney/the Beatles really explored this sound more. McCartney really had a good voice when pushing it like this. I can't imagine hearing this song for the first time back in the 60s.
Me neither. That must've been a cerebral time to live in. When really heavy music started to break though. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer etc. McCartney definitely should've gone more for this style. I think that would've been great!
Everyone in the comment section angers me with their opinions on “who started metal music.” Personally, I don’t think anyone “invented” it - things like that just happen through influences and experimenting.
Who took the biggest step in experimenting though? Haha. I think questions like these are interesting. I do get your point though. What's the matter at the end of the day? Things happen.
I personally think "Revolution" is closer to heavy metal and the last three minutes of "I Want You" (She's So Heavy) clearly predicts Black Sabbath. However, The Beatles have a number of influential songs that influenced heavy metal from "I Feel Fine" to "It's All to Much". It was just a progression and "Helter Skelter" to many was the big bang of heavy metal because it combined all the elements.
I'm glad you see some of the points i tried to make. If i knew about those other songs, maybe i would've included them in the video. Thanks for sharing and adding value.
In hindsight, it seems that ole Charles may have been a bit prophetic indeed in his droolings. who woulda thought that it would take Trump's election and a particularly obnoxious virus from god knows where to tip things over the edge and make Manson's vision more than merely the wild-eyed apocryphal ramblings of an unloved orphan with venereal disease? if u close ur eyes the difference between the output of cult 45 and the Manson family is time, a presidency, and LSD.
The Trump cabinet has been listening to "Helter Skelter" on repeat constantly & are cutting crosses in their foreheads. That race war thing Charlie Manson was babbling about is on again! Incidentally Paul takes a swipe at Trump on his new album "Egypt Station".
Loaded with esoteric biblical references, HS paved the way for heavy metal. This song expanded the horizon of Rock n roll and inspired artists to explore the various landscapes of music in general. Absolute classic! And the video essay is great as always.
For sure. Thanks for resonating with this. I think this is especially the case with the Beatles because they had so much influence throughout their career. They were the biggest band in the world during the second half of the 60s.
The KKK and Nazi have predicted or encouraged this for years, I don’t think Manson was special in that.. the Beatles definitely didn’t bring about the apocalypse in the 60s or 70s ... don’t mean to rain on the parade... but he is just a crazy dude. When people look to Trump and Manson for reason that is the culmination of the end...
It wasnt a prediction everybody has been saying this bs would happen soon as they got their civil rights and it's only gonna get worse till our cou try is takin from us hand them out everything
I absolutely love the song (melody & chord progression, lyrics) & the production. First of all, the progression is made up of notes forming chords that I like to describe as a symphony of chaos. Seriously, listen close to each chord change & u cannot miss the untraditional nature of these note groupings. Many r layered, but done so in a way where they change in time together & repeat just as a traditional progression does. A few other stand out moments for my ears r one, the intentional abstraction of the open note. Probably done so through more organic maneuvers than today (no pitch pedals or software affects) such as playing with the tuning key, applying pressure to the guitar neck & body in opposing directions, & maybe an early tremolo as we can see John playing during the Let It Be moment of Get Back! (peter jackson). The eq of Pauls voice, keeping it small while his performance is anything but, creates a really cool juxtaposition. In general, like all good art, the production relies heavily on contrast. Then, as a finale, the fade out/fade in…… This has been done so often over the years it may feel benign, but when we consider the era & trends of that time, this was creative on another level compared to most artists working in sound as their medium. I am an older man today than when I first found the Beatles, but sincerely, the longer I live & the more access we have to facts regarding their creative process, the more they blow my mind. What a group of individuals, huh? Who were constantly able to take risks, which in return always seemed to find a connection to pop culture. Many artists have done one or the other, rarely do they land with a foot in both.
It's interesting that bands such as the Beatles and Pink Floyd were so fascinated with, 'raw music', music that you could lable as simple and not to technacly complex and refined. But, sometimes just being srate forward is a much more impactful, and more importantly, enlightening way of music. Of corse, there needs to be complexity in every from of art, so just listen to Pink Floyd's, 'Great gig in the sky', to know what I mean in having a balance.
Pink Floyd were masters of their craft. And what's interesting is that they really worked for it throughout several years. They earned the ears and hands to make something that was outstanding from everything else. Very inspirational. And yes this balance you talk about was crucial for that i think.
@@LieLikesMusic Pink Floyd??? Masters of their craft??? What craft was that sucking??? They were right up there with Grateful Dead...you had to be tripping out of your mind to even remotely get into one of their song...any song by them. Comparing Floyd to the Beatles is like comparing a Volkswagen Beetle to a Lamborghini
@@bultacowally Search and you'll find a clip with Lamborghini Gilmour stating that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time. Not bad for a VW Beetle !!
The lyrics of Helter Skelter always make me think of Nietsche's philosophy. "When i get tomthe bottomnk go back to the top of th slide..." Could be related to the Eternal Return. And "You may be a lover but you are no dancer" reminds me of "I would only believe in a god who could dance"
Thank you David! That is very nice of you :) And i have an intense love for this stuff too, so i would be doing this no matter what. Is there anything i can do to improve these videos?
I’d loved it if McCartney done a full album of all out hard rock n roll with his full throttled singing throughout. He had blackbird, ob-la-di-ob- li-da,honey pie, back in ussr, and heltar skelter plus others all on one album. No other songwriter can do that many different styles all at once . A musical genius no doubt .
Exactly !! In fact whenever Paul's genius is 'dismissed' or downplayed by someone I often state this. Paul's paw into the White Album alone has more range than the entire catalogue of any other rock band. I mean someone that goes from Blackbird to Rocky Raccoon or Back in the USSR, from Honey Pie to Helter Skelter has to be a frigging genius in my books.
As someone who has been unwittingly drugged with lsd, I can totally understand how someone hammering that shit could get in their mind ideas like this.
What do you mean The Velvet Underground weren't the heaviness of Helter Skelter? Listen to the record White Light/White Heat, released in 1968, the same year as Helter Skelter. One of the noisiest, dirtiest rock records ever.
Yes that's true. You can even argue that they were more influential in terms of bringing in heavier music, since that whole album was from another planet in terms of heavyness. But remember, The Velvet Underground had a hard time becoming a commercial band. So i think The Beatles had more influence with their ONE heavy song, compared to the underground stuff that Velvet did back in the day.
Lie Likes Music For sure. Totally agree on that. The song is totally amazing for bringing some rawness and heaviness to the mainstream music scene in the late 60s.
Yes, it was based off an amusement park ride that they called Helter skelter but when you listen to that album and the crazy things that were on it, there’s more to this than it just being a random song like that
Just gotta say that I saw that live two weeks ago and it was soo amazing, so powerful and also funny to see the audience wondering if that was a Beatles song!
Do Jeff Buckley. Unbelievably talented, haunting voice, underrated and tragic end before he bloomed. Also along with Donovan my of my favorite singer songwriters and favorite is the only qualifier there is since words like best should never describe art. Peace brother.
I'll see what i can do my friend. I listened to a lot of Tim Buckley earlier this month. He made some awesome stuff as well. Thanks for suggesting Jeff though. I'll keep him in mind.
Also Charles Manson used the Beatles song sexy Sadie to describe one of his female followers and I think it was Susan Atkins. Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't consider helter skelter as the first heavy metal song because cream and Hendricks had some very loud songs out in 1967 and the white album didn't come out til 1968 and blue cheer had a remake of summertime blue that was loud and proud and it was out before the white album. Don't get me wrong, I love the Beatles but if anything you can say this song helped ozzy create black sabbath and their sound. Ozzy was crazy about this song
I’m trying to remember: didn’t Manson et al interpret some of the lyrics of “Blue Jay Way”? Whereas George was singing “Don’t be long” (as in coming to get us), Manson interpreted the lyrics as “Don’t belong”? I apologize if I have that wrong.
The thing about Helter Skelter and “heavy” music is that it defined what was missing in the attempts to get there, more than defining what developed into “heavy”rock or “heavy metal”. Thrashy guitar chords, harsh and trebly cutting timbre, screaming vocals, descending melody lines and repetition. Tick. But they had all been around in various combinations and as antecedents since You Really Got Me. The missing elements were unison riffing between guitar and bass, and much more prominence for the bass as the harmonic anchor of the song, working off the hi hat as much as the bass drum. That is what Zeppelin and Sabbath brought to the picture in equal measure, probably on the back of the musical prominence given to the bass by Cream. That orchestration of the bottom end of the rhythm is what defined heavy metal more than the top end of screaming vocals and guitar histrionics (textural or athletic). Jack Bruce got it right when he said that Bach was the heaviest musician of all, because the bass lines are contrapuntal; they reinforce and create tension and motion at the same time. It’s why rap music can sound “heavy”without any guitar at all. Ironically, in Helter Skelter the bass doesn’t really carry the effect, whereas in Paperback Writer or Rain it is singularly heavy and mixed way higher than in other contemporary rock music. Most punk guitar bands simple sounded thrashy and vigorous rather than heavy for this reason; they lacked bottom end cohesion. If you look for heavy metal precedents in the top end of the tonal spectrum you can find them in jazz as much as pop. Ornette Coleman or Cecil Taylor, anyone? But the bottom end really gels with Zeppelin and Sabbath, amongst others less commonly cited. What they might have in common is a pathway out of soul music, where the groove of the rhythm section was a fundamental. Anyway, my two cents after a couple or three decades of listening to this stuff.
Damn it really sounds like you have a clear idea of the elements that went into this. You should've been a co-producer or writer for this thing haha. I'm not that into describing the technical ideas and facets that went into creating the sound. I'm very interested in telling the story. How the people thought on a bigger scale about their musical output. But your explanation makes a lot of sense too. Thank you so much for sharing your two cents. You added a lot of value to the comments!
HS has my all-time favorite Beatle moment: when after what seems like it’s going to be a fade out, Ringo comes back in and only then does the song begin to fade out.
Did I just watch a video essay that wasn't sponsored by Skillshare or some shit ? Wah, it has been a while.. Great video man, I am gonna look around your channel !
Yeah everyone's jumping on the sponsor train these days. I'm not there yet (and maybe i'll never be). Thanks for watching! And sure i really appreciate that :)
Just a quick typo correction. At 6.58 (with the Lennon quote onscreen) you mistakenly have "balmy" (meaning a warm, somewhat humid and lazy summer day). The English expression "barmy" (the equivalent of "nuts" used as a slang word, meaning "crazy") is actually what Lennon meant. And you're right about 'Helter Skelter' being innovative because of how 'heavy' and loud it was at the time, even though it was considered a throwaway track by The Beatles (the audio of Paul you have here confirms that, as do other utterances of his about the song).
The Beatles beginnings of heavy metal imho. I bought my copy of the "White Album" in December 1968 when I was 16 years old. Manson was a dangerous screwball who was probably angry because the song he wrote for The Beach Boys was changed.
I don't know too much about his connection with The Beach Boys, but yes maybe that helped fuel his anger and out-of-control imagination. Thanks for resonating with the video Brian!
Mike Love claimed that Manson “accompanied Terry Melcher and Dennis Wilson on several of their club outings. Manson was also in the car one day when Dennis dropped Terry off at his rented home at 10050 Cielo Drive, at the top of a steep hill in the Benedict Canyon area. Terry lived there with his girlfriend, the actress Candice Bergen.” But Melcher had moved out of the home when Manson family members arrived for the slaughter and killed pregnant Sharon Tate and the other occupants in the home instead. The next evening, the group killed the LaBiancas. “Neither Dennis nor I nor anyone associated with the Beach Boys had any idea that Manson was involved in these murders. In November, three months after the murders, the case finally broke,” he explained. “Dennis [was] shaken to the core. To my knowledge, he never told the authorities that he saw Manson murder that ‘black cat’ at Spahn Ranch, and he certainly couldn’t testify in court, where he would have had to look Manson right in the eye.” Melcher was the only child of actress/singer Doris Day.
Here's Capitol Records 2360 which was issued on December 2, 1968 on the same USA label as earlier Beatles records before they formed Apple Records. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Learn_Not_to_Love
Although Helter Skelter had a wild gritty edge to It I found it very lovable..One of my favorite Beatles songs...If there's ever such a thing as a FAVORITE Beatles song 😁
@@LieLikesMusic Each song has it's own unique flavor. Musically, the song " despite repeated warnings" is very much like a Wings song, in a great way. Lyrically, "happy with you" is just plain beautiful. Not a dud on the album
Thanks! Personally i thought it was a bit messy. But i'm in the learning process. So i'll most likely create a more consistent style in the close future. Thanks for watching.
After listening to the story’s of the “Helter Skelter” killings, I thought it would be super sad and depressing but then I heard the song and I thought, “oh, it’s like any other classic rock song”
"They knew very little about how a certain man would interpret the lyrics on the album." The Beatles didn't know anything about how Charles Manson would interpret their lyrics. They didn't know who he was.
Melody Marker: The Who's dirtiest, grittiest and filthiest piece of music 'I Can See For Miles' Paul: Bitch please, also.... I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS RIP Ringo fingers TT
Manson was charged and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. He did shoot a drug dealer known as Lots a papa, but the man survived and apparently was not the type to press charges. He may have been in on the murder of ranch hand "Shorty" Shea. For what it's worth, I did very briefly meet Manson in 1969 on Santa Susana Pass Road. Was screaming at my brother and I that we were trespassing on private property. I thought he was some deranged homeless guy but noticed he had a gun tucked under his belt. Could have been the infamous bunt-line revolver but can't say for sure. Were he not armed I would have told him to fuck off...
Damn you actually met the man? That's such a crazy coincidence. I'm glad you and your brother didn't get hurt. Smart of you to keep a low profile around this freak.
Didn't realize who he was till months later when he was on the front page of the LA Times and on the news on TV. My brother was like, "That was the guy..." And I replied, 'Yep!"
What's funny is that I Can See for Miles sounds so tame now. So does Helter Skelter to an extent, now that rock has pushed "heaviness" to the furthest possible extreme, but I think it still retains a lot of its power. Paul sure could scream.
That's true. There's way heavier music these days because of people continuously pushing the envelope. But it's always cool to look backward in time too imo.
What band/artist should be next? 🎤🤘
Radiohead again
*Between the buried and me*
Btw you are becoming one of my favorite channels
Muse
Muse
Muse
Melody Maker: "I Can See For Miles" is The Who's dirtiest song.
Paul McCartney: Hold my beer.
Pete Townshend didn't say that, the press did; and McCartney wrote Helter Skelter withiut even listen to I Can See For Miles and what it was about.
Luis Mario Guerrero Sánchez I gotcha. I was just making a dumb joke lol.
+Johnny (TimeRip) LOL
I think McCartney would've been cocky enough to be that in real life tho.
Lie Likes Music True
*I'VE GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS!*
You do?
Do you?**
I have blisters on my eardrums!
I actually have blisters on my fingers
I have got Xd
This is one of those songs where you listen for the first time and something in you changes
Yes that's exactly what happened to me!
what u mean?
if you have to ask, then you'll never understand
yeah i remember. it made me think, wtf beatles, i don't have anymore mind left to blow
Ahah, I think because someone *can* ask, it kinda blows FRF's theory out of the water.
6:40
"It was just a noise."
Says the guy who married Yoko Ono.
Lol John was a strange character.
Every heard her songs?
Caleb B. HOLY SKAKSKSKAAJJAKS
Lol. Well, I guess he was an expert on noise, by that time.
@@dequitaarabia1595 let me just say Bad Dancer is a bop
*_IVE GOT BLISTERS ON ME FINGAHS_*
Good old ringo
@Orange Juice it's the most common comment made about this song on UA-cam so he didnt steal the comment
DUDE I NEED TO HEAR THE FULL 27 MINUTE VERSION. It exists somewhere. i need it.
Yes it would be great to hear that. A long, progressive jam by The Beatles. You rarely see that around.
One thing about that 27 min. version though. It's NOT the full on heavy metal version from the album. The 27 min. version was recorded around July 18, 1968 while the version we know on the album was recorded on Sept. 9, 1968. The earlier version is much more prodding and bluesy. The version on "Anthology 3" is what is sounded like.
You'll have blisters on your eardrums!
Yeah, me too xdd
there’s a twelve minute version in their channel
It’s really bluesy I must say
people mention lots of bands here that made "heavy" music before helter skelter. but helter skelter in my opinion is on a whole other level. the vocals, the bass, the drums and the guitars are ALL exceptional. and that's what makes helter skelter so big. every part, every instrument is on 110%. it's extraordinary in every sense of the word.
I'm glad you see that. You can definitely hear that they put a lot of intention into the heaviness in of itself.
*Listen "Psycho" by THE SONICS (1966) and "SUMMERTIME BLUES" BY BLUE CHEER (early 1968):* "Helter Skelter" is Sesame Street
Helter Skelter was very raw like CCR or Nirvana
Robert Funke I haven’t heard “Psycho” but I’ll check it out tho. But Summertime Blues is not as heavy as Helter Skelter.
@@RobertoGinsburg have you even heard helter sketer? it doesnt compare to those two songs you mentioned
Even today in Britain the term 'Helter Skelter' is much more associated with the big slide before the Beatles song. The lyrics to the song seem pretty simplistic: a crazy whirlwind relationship with disorientating effects on the singer. It sounds like it's all about how this person is giving mixed messages and it's making the protagonist feel unsure of where they stand. Helter Skelter is literally used because it's a big slide that makes you feel dizzy. It's weird and kind of scary how differently something can be interpreted when someone projects a different cultural interpretation onto what is a fairly innocuous set of lyrics.
Yes it seems that's the main reaction i get from people in the UK that watch this video.
And i guess what you said at the end best describes what this video is about. How you
interpret lyrics differently depending on the culture. Here in Norway i've never seen a helter
skelter slide. Not even at theme parks or playgrounds. The first time i saw it was when i did
research for this video lol. Thanks for sharing your interpretation btw. And good luck with
your channel.
Yeah I kinda see the song as the musical equivalent of taking a fairground ride .
Wow never expected to come across you here Jamie.
Hope you’re well!
@Fred 1 great, thanks for sharing!
Someone wiser than u once said, all is metaphor.
Understanding Why My Dad Left Me
one my favourite albums
I play that on repeat
Who wouldn't?
I left you because ur mom gay.
Tone Seeker it’s a joke don’t worry, unless it isn’t a joke
I was listening to this song non stop for 3 days straight this week and the fact that you made a video about it terrifies me
Haha, yeah that's a crazy coincidence!
'Helter Skelter' doesn't sound like the first metal song ever recorded as much as I'd say it sounds like the first punk rock song ever recorded.
"Sister Ray" by The Velvet Underground came out first. It's A LOT stronger than this. Revolutionary
Andres a lot stronger than this? I certainly have to disagree, it’s a good song though.
Is give it metal cause it gives that head bang feeling and that those high notes are insane
It’s not metal, it’s a million times closer to grunge or punk rock. When you listen to Black Sabbath and Helter Skelter it’s completely different.
It inspired heavy metal
*I GOT BLISTAS ON MAH FINGAS!!*
BARRISTAS?
I wish that Paul McCartney/the Beatles really explored this sound more. McCartney really had a good voice when pushing it like this. I can't imagine hearing this song for the first time back in the 60s.
Me neither. That must've been a cerebral time to live in. When really heavy music started to break though. Black Sabbath,
Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer etc. McCartney definitely should've gone more for this style. I think that would've been great!
Check out Monkberry Moon Delight off of Ram.
I was born in 1964, the best time to be alive.
@@heatherwolmarans8287 Same here
Paul is by far BEST Rock singer all time
Understanding The Doors
A true feat.
Yess
Acid time
Oh yes. Yes please.
That video could be even 3 hours long :D
Everyone in the comment section angers me with their opinions on “who started metal music.” Personally, I don’t think anyone “invented” it - things like that just happen through influences and experimenting.
Who took the biggest step in experimenting though? Haha. I think questions like these are interesting.
I do get your point though. What's the matter at the end of the day? Things happen.
Understanding the Beatles' White Album (itself).
Ouh that would be interesting. Thanks for the request
I've been listening the album since December 1968 when I was 16 years old.
Paul said Blackbird was inspired by the Civil rights movement. It was a song about a Black girl dealing with racism.
Oh man, The White Album is a very mighty beast! Do you think that Lie Likes Music is up for the challenge?
1 word: clusterfuck
Cream and Hendrix were playing "heavy" before that
That's true.
And The Yardbirds and The Kinks before that.
MC5
Yes but the important man behind that heaviness was Eric Clapton, and he was best buds with Ol George Harrison. So it goes full circle
And my chemical romance before that
I've heard this song about a million times and every time I play it, it's on way too loud and I'm thinking to myself, this is f*cking awesome.
I'm on that level too man. There's so much energy in that song, so you never really get tired of it.
I personally think "Revolution" is closer to heavy metal and the last three minutes of "I Want You" (She's So Heavy) clearly predicts Black Sabbath. However, The Beatles have a number of influential songs that influenced heavy metal from "I Feel Fine" to "It's All to Much". It was just a progression and "Helter Skelter" to many was the big bang of heavy metal because it combined all the elements.
I'm glad you see some of the points i tried to make. If i knew about those other songs, maybe i would've
included them in the video. Thanks for sharing and adding value.
It's all too much is more psych rock in my view
The white album is one of the best albums ever to exist, change my mind.
I'm not going to. I really dig it too, and i have a hard time picking my favorite Beatles albums anyways.
Number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9number9...
Lots of filler as far as I'm concerned. Could have been a monster single album. I like Revolver the best, however this is just my humble opinion.
piggies and honey pie are terrible.
lots of experiments by the beatles on that album
Charles Manson: Helter Skelter is about a race war
2020: aight *b e t*
Now, it almost seems prophetic.
Exactly!
I was watching something on BLM & thought of Charles Mansons race war lol
its about a fricking slide
In hindsight, it seems that ole Charles may have been a bit prophetic indeed in his droolings. who woulda thought that it would take Trump's election and a particularly obnoxious virus from god knows where to tip things over the edge and make Manson's vision more than merely the wild-eyed apocryphal ramblings of an unloved orphan with venereal disease? if u close ur eyes the difference between the output of cult 45 and the Manson family is time, a presidency, and LSD.
We still waiting death grips my man
Haha, even more now when i mentioned them in the video?
YUH
and you know it bro ;)
Lie Likes Music please dad
The Trump cabinet has been listening to "Helter Skelter" on repeat constantly & are cutting crosses in their foreheads. That race war thing Charlie Manson was babbling about is on again! Incidentally Paul takes a swipe at Trump on his new album "Egypt Station".
Loaded with esoteric biblical references, HS paved the way for heavy metal. This song expanded the horizon of Rock n roll and inspired artists to explore the various landscapes of music in general. Absolute classic! And the video essay is great as always.
For sure. Thanks for resonating with this. I think this is especially the case with the Beatles because
they had so much influence throughout their career. They were the biggest band in the world during the
second half of the 60s.
You should do a video about "hurricane" from Bob Dylan
David Romulo Good idea
Yes.
Just watch the Denzel movie
4:08 Pink Flord is my favorite band
cyman Pinc Flored
1:57 “I can’t see f miles” is my favorite song
Dark Side of the Moon is my #1 album oat
cool bro
That voice change threw me off!
I'm really confused still
Lol i'll try to keep my guest voices to a minimum for consistency.
Nah it's not that, more that I didn't expect that from here.
I rather like the idea, although an intro explaining might help, or something else.
It's buttery smooth tho
TRUU
I know I’ve probably commented this already but I’d love to see a video on Brian Jones, Brian Wilson or The Wall.
Great content as always👍
Thank you. I'll see what i can do. Most likely i'll create a poll where people can vote for one
or more of these guys in the future.
Fuck yes Brain Jones!
You could do a video with Emerson, Lake & Palmer :) i would love it!
@@littleUrsulet yes, please!
I had never heard Helter skelter but damn lowkey they started some metal with how heavy it was for it’s time
Helter Skelter is both my favourite Beatles and metal song.
First heavy metal song ever, no doubt. The Beatles are the GOATs forever, not only for their firsts, but for their forevers.
Notice in the interview Paul refrains from name dropping The Who, pretty classy.
discardmyfriends He was talking about a different band there. He got the inspiration from several sources it seems.
Please do a video on the doors my man
He kinda predicted whats happening in America today...
EXACTLY
No shite
The KKK and Nazi have predicted or encouraged this for years, I don’t think Manson was special in that.. the Beatles definitely didn’t bring about the apocalypse in the 60s or 70s ... don’t mean to rain on the parade... but he is just a crazy dude. When people look to Trump and Manson for reason that is the culmination of the end...
It wasnt a prediction everybody has been saying this bs would happen soon as they got their civil rights and it's only gonna get worse till our cou try is takin from us hand them out everything
I absolutely love the song (melody & chord progression, lyrics) & the production.
First of all, the progression is made up of notes forming chords that I like to describe as a symphony of chaos.
Seriously, listen close to each chord change & u cannot miss the untraditional nature of these note groupings. Many r layered, but done so in a way where they change in time together & repeat just as a traditional progression does.
A few other stand out moments for my ears r one, the intentional abstraction of the open note. Probably done so through more organic maneuvers than today (no pitch pedals or software affects) such as playing with the tuning key, applying pressure to the guitar neck & body in opposing directions, & maybe an early tremolo as we can see John playing during the Let It Be moment of Get Back! (peter jackson). The eq of Pauls voice, keeping it small while his performance is anything but, creates a really cool juxtaposition. In general, like all good art, the production relies heavily on contrast.
Then, as a finale, the fade out/fade in……
This has been done so often over the years it may feel benign, but when we consider the era & trends of that time, this was creative on another level compared to most artists working in sound as their medium.
I am an older man today than when I first found the Beatles, but sincerely, the longer I live & the more access we have to facts regarding their creative process, the more they blow my mind. What a group of individuals, huh? Who were constantly able to take risks, which in return always seemed to find a connection to pop culture. Many artists have done one or the other, rarely do they land with a foot in both.
It's interesting that bands such as the Beatles and Pink Floyd were so fascinated with, 'raw music', music that you could lable as simple and not to technacly complex and refined. But, sometimes just being srate forward is a much more impactful, and more importantly, enlightening way of music. Of corse, there needs to be complexity in every from of art, so just listen to Pink Floyd's, 'Great gig in the sky', to know what I mean in having a balance.
Pink Floyd were masters of their craft. And what's interesting is that they really worked for
it throughout several years. They earned the ears and hands to make something that was
outstanding from everything else. Very inspirational. And yes this balance you talk about was
crucial for that i think.
@@LieLikesMusicThis is why you are top tier in my opinion. Because you know your shit. And thanks for the like.
@@LieLikesMusic Pink Floyd??? Masters of their craft??? What craft was that sucking??? They were right up there with Grateful Dead...you had to be tripping out of your mind to even remotely get into one of their song...any song by them. Comparing Floyd to the Beatles is like comparing a Volkswagen Beetle to a Lamborghini
@@bultacowally Search and you'll find a clip with Lamborghini Gilmour stating that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time. Not bad for a VW Beetle !!
Helter skelter was like a song from the future. It would sound modern, if it came out today
For sure. The production would be very different though. It wouldn't sound like it was recorded with 60s equipment if you know what i mean.
fucking outstanding video. great job
The lyrics of Helter Skelter always make me think of Nietsche's philosophy.
"When i get tomthe bottomnk go back to the top of th slide..."
Could be related to the Eternal Return.
And "You may be a lover but you are no dancer" reminds me of "I would only believe in a god who could dance"
I love your videos. So informative in such a digestible way...it enhances my already-intense love for these artists ! Thank you for being you
Thank you David! That is very nice of you :) And i have an intense love for this stuff too, so i would be doing
this no matter what. Is there anything i can do to improve these videos?
Bro your visual edits are impeccable. Whoever clips these up needs a raise. I'm tripping out to all the subtle wiggles and wavy layers. Brilliant.
I’d loved it if McCartney done a full album of all out hard rock n roll with his full throttled singing throughout. He had blackbird, ob-la-di-ob- li-da,honey pie, back in ussr, and heltar skelter plus others all on one album. No other songwriter can do that many different styles all at once . A musical genius no doubt .
I always wanted Paul to do more songs like this too. He has a fantastic dirty rock voice.
Exactly !! In fact whenever Paul's genius is 'dismissed' or downplayed by someone I often state this. Paul's paw into the White Album alone has more range than the entire catalogue of any other rock band. I mean someone that goes from Blackbird to Rocky Raccoon or Back in the USSR, from Honey Pie to Helter Skelter has to be a frigging genius in my books.
As someone who has been unwittingly drugged with lsd, I can totally understand how someone hammering that shit could get in their mind ideas like this.
I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS !!
I really want to hear that 27 minute version to be honest, I love long songs so that would be great to listen to
One of multiple reasons why the Beatles are the greatest band that ever lived.
What do you mean The Velvet Underground weren't the heaviness of Helter Skelter? Listen to the record White Light/White Heat, released in 1968, the same year as Helter Skelter. One of the noisiest, dirtiest rock records ever.
Yes that's true. You can even argue that they were more influential in terms of bringing in heavier music,
since that whole album was from another planet in terms of heavyness. But remember, The Velvet
Underground had a hard time becoming a commercial band. So i think The Beatles had more influence
with their ONE heavy song, compared to the underground stuff that Velvet did back in the day.
Velvet Underground wasn't much revered at that time as it is done now.
Lie Likes Music For sure. Totally agree on that. The song is totally amazing for bringing some rawness and heaviness to the mainstream music scene in the late 60s.
I mean, Hendrix, Cream and the Yardbirds were heavier still.
Pawnshop Roses Than what?
That song is a good example of how powerful music can be
For sure. Thanks for watching Kevin!
Yes, it was based off an amusement park ride that they called Helter skelter but when you listen to that album and the crazy things that were on it, there’s more to this than it just being a random song like that
Just gotta say that I saw that live two weeks ago and it was soo amazing, so powerful and also funny to see the audience wondering if that was a Beatles song!
You saw it live? With Paul McCartney? Damn i didn't know he still performed.
@@LieLikesMusic he fell through a hole in a stage
Charles Manson really listened to a song about a slide and went “mhm yup apocalypse”
Do Jeff Buckley. Unbelievably talented, haunting voice, underrated and tragic end before he bloomed. Also along with Donovan my of my favorite singer songwriters and favorite is the only qualifier there is since words like best should never describe art. Peace brother.
I'll see what i can do my friend. I listened to a lot of Tim Buckley earlier this month. He made some
awesome stuff as well. Thanks for suggesting Jeff though. I'll keep him in mind.
Also Charles Manson used the Beatles song sexy Sadie to describe one of his female followers and I think it was Susan Atkins. Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't consider helter skelter as the first heavy metal song because cream and Hendricks had some very loud songs out in 1967 and the white album didn't come out til 1968 and blue cheer had a remake of summertime blue that was loud and proud and it was out before the white album. Don't get me wrong, I love the Beatles but if anything you can say this song helped ozzy create black sabbath and their sound. Ozzy was crazy about this song
I’m trying to remember: didn’t Manson et al interpret some of the lyrics of “Blue Jay Way”? Whereas George was singing “Don’t be long” (as in coming to get us), Manson interpreted the lyrics as “Don’t belong”? I apologize if I have that wrong.
"DONT BELONG", a reference to William taking over for Paul?@@quentindaniels4533
The thing about Helter Skelter and “heavy” music is that it defined what was missing in the attempts to get there, more than defining what developed into “heavy”rock or “heavy metal”. Thrashy guitar chords, harsh and trebly cutting timbre, screaming vocals, descending melody lines and repetition. Tick. But they had all been around in various combinations and as antecedents since You Really Got Me. The missing elements were unison riffing between guitar and bass, and much more prominence for the bass as the harmonic anchor of the song, working off the hi hat as much as the bass drum. That is what Zeppelin and Sabbath brought to the picture in equal measure, probably on the back of the musical prominence given to the bass by Cream. That orchestration of the bottom end of the rhythm is what defined heavy metal more than the top end of screaming vocals and guitar histrionics (textural or athletic). Jack Bruce got it right when he said that Bach was the heaviest musician of all, because the bass lines are contrapuntal; they reinforce and create tension and motion at the same time. It’s why rap music can sound “heavy”without any guitar at all. Ironically, in Helter Skelter the bass doesn’t really carry the effect, whereas in Paperback Writer or Rain it is singularly heavy and mixed way higher than in other contemporary rock music. Most punk guitar bands simple sounded thrashy and vigorous rather than heavy for this reason; they lacked bottom end cohesion. If you look for heavy metal precedents in the top end of the tonal spectrum you can find them in jazz as much as pop. Ornette Coleman or Cecil Taylor, anyone? But the bottom end really gels with Zeppelin and Sabbath, amongst others less commonly cited. What they might have in common is a pathway out of soul music, where the groove of the rhythm section was a fundamental. Anyway, my two cents after a couple or three decades of listening to this stuff.
Damn it really sounds like you have a clear idea of the elements that went into this. You should've been a co-producer
or writer for this thing haha. I'm not that into describing the technical ideas and facets that went into creating the sound.
I'm very interested in telling the story. How the people thought on a bigger scale about their musical output. But your
explanation makes a lot of sense too. Thank you so much for sharing your two cents. You added a lot of value to the comments!
HS has my all-time favorite Beatle moment: when after what seems like it’s going to be a fade out, Ringo comes back in and only then does the song begin to fade out.
Did I just watch a video essay that wasn't sponsored by Skillshare or some shit ? Wah, it has been a while..
Great video man, I am gonna look around your channel !
Yeah everyone's jumping on the sponsor train these days. I'm not there yet (and maybe i'll never be).
Thanks for watching! And sure i really appreciate that :)
Just a quick typo correction. At 6.58 (with the Lennon quote onscreen) you mistakenly have "balmy" (meaning a warm, somewhat humid and lazy summer day). The English expression "barmy" (the equivalent of "nuts" used as a slang word, meaning "crazy") is actually what Lennon meant. And you're right about 'Helter Skelter' being innovative because of how 'heavy' and loud it was at the time, even though it was considered a throwaway track by The Beatles (the audio of Paul you have here confirms that, as do other utterances of his about the song).
Deer hoof or Cage the Elephant
Ouh i wanna make one on Deerhoof!! I reaaaaally want to.
@@LieLikesMusic no make a cage the elephant one
Please I want to listen to the twenty seven minute version where is it
I would really like it to finally be published and listen to it before I die!!!
Well that just about doubled my respect for Paul. I've never been a big Beatles fan and never listened to this song. Really ahead of its time.
Cool cool. Take the time to check them out if you can. The Beatles were ahead of their time in SOOO many ways.
The madman makes an upload while he's live.
Lol i wasn't live. For some reason UA-cam mislabeled the video. I guess i'm live forever now.
I'd watch it
The Beatles beginnings of heavy metal imho. I bought my copy of the "White Album" in December 1968 when I was 16 years old. Manson was a dangerous screwball who was probably angry because the song he wrote for The Beach Boys was changed.
I don't know too much about his connection with The Beach Boys, but yes maybe that helped fuel
his anger and out-of-control imagination. Thanks for resonating with the video Brian!
Mike Love claimed that Manson “accompanied Terry Melcher and Dennis Wilson on several of their club outings. Manson was also in the car one day when Dennis dropped Terry off at his rented home at 10050 Cielo Drive, at the top of a steep hill in the Benedict Canyon area. Terry lived there with his girlfriend, the actress Candice Bergen.” But Melcher had moved out of the home when Manson family members arrived for the slaughter and killed pregnant Sharon Tate and the other occupants in the home instead. The next evening, the group killed the LaBiancas. “Neither Dennis nor I nor anyone associated with the Beach Boys had any idea that Manson was involved in these murders. In November, three months after the murders, the case finally broke,” he explained.
“Dennis [was] shaken to the core. To my knowledge, he never told the authorities that he saw Manson murder that ‘black cat’ at Spahn Ranch, and he certainly couldn’t testify in court, where he would have had to look Manson right in the eye.” Melcher was the only child of actress/singer Doris Day.
Charles Manson wrote this one! ua-cam.com/video/LRGI5Exr3ZQ/v-deo.html
Here's Capitol Records 2360 which was issued on December 2, 1968 on the same USA label as earlier Beatles records before they formed Apple Records. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Learn_Not_to_Love
Information about Terry Melcher en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Melcher
"I'm coming down fast but I'm miles above you" - I think of a divine vision of a Free fall into a Beyond, in your mind.
You should do The Beach Boys!!!
Although Helter Skelter had a wild gritty edge to It I found it very lovable..One of my favorite Beatles songs...If there's ever such a thing as a FAVORITE Beatles song 😁
make video about kinks.not much people talking about them nowadays
It’s the HollyhoBs! Dude is awesome.
Nice to see the hollyhobs here
His videos are great. Love that guy
Hey brother, what do you think of McCartney's new album, Egypt Station? I was pleasantly surprised by it myself
I haven't listened to it yet. What songs did you enjoy the most?
@@LieLikesMusic Each song has it's own unique flavor. Musically, the song " despite repeated warnings" is very much like a Wings song, in a great way. Lyrically, "happy with you" is just plain beautiful. Not a dud on the album
Bless this editing! Really well made video
Thanks! Personally i thought it was a bit messy. But i'm in the learning process. So i'll most likely create a more
consistent style in the close future. Thanks for watching.
Such cool effects!
Thanks! I tried to up my After Effects game during the making of this.
4:00 Blue Cheer's Vincebus Eruptum, released January 1968, heavy as shit.
Oh i totally forgot about them. Thanks for giving them a shout!
its scary how right you were mr manson.
After listening to the story’s of the “Helter Skelter” killings, I thought it would be super sad and depressing but then I heard the song and I thought, “oh, it’s like any other classic rock song”
Understanding "Still Life" by Opeth? Pretty please
Yes, I can see where this would be the beginning of the heavy metal genre, this song/album was a big change from previous albums.
This is my favorite Beatles song.
It's pretty damn amazing.
When he made that song, it opened the door for future heavy musicians. Helter Skelter
Sure did. You gotta love that song.
@@LieLikesMusic yes I do love it im also beatle mania 😂🙏
6:35
*Barmy
British for crazy.
Nice.
OK
Metal: We’re so heavy
Paul McCartney: Hold my beer
This came out a month after MC5 Kick Out the Jams. That is the first Heavy Metal album.
KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKERS!
Great video, I will now forever associate that song with an amusement ride on a beach in the UK.
Why are there no comments about the fantastic picture of Paul at 2:17
There is one now ;) Thanks for watching!
You see Charles face for a scene, and then Pauls little baby face and you’re like- damn how the hell did this happen
Yeah it's a crazy story. Thanks for watching.
Helter Skelter is my favourite song from The Beatles
Talking about artists that flirted with heavy metal and fails to mention JIMI HENDRIX!!! Come on!!
Amazing video buddy! looking forward to seeing more of beatles work!
Yes i'll make more about them for sure. Glad you like it bro
"They knew very little about how a certain man would interpret the lyrics on the album."
The Beatles didn't know anything about how Charles Manson would interpret their lyrics. They didn't know who he was.
That's true. Thanks for correcting me.
Happy Birthday man!
Thank you ;) First birthday congratulation i've ever gotten on the channel hehe
Melody Marker: The Who's dirtiest, grittiest and filthiest piece of music 'I Can See For Miles'
Paul: Bitch please,
also....
I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS
RIP Ringo fingers TT
i got jumpscared by fucking deathgrips
Manson was charged and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. He did shoot a drug dealer known as Lots a papa, but the man survived and apparently was not the type to press charges. He may have been in on the murder of ranch hand "Shorty" Shea.
For what it's worth, I did very briefly meet Manson in 1969 on Santa Susana Pass Road. Was screaming at my brother and I that we were trespassing on private property. I thought he was some deranged homeless guy but noticed he had a gun tucked under his belt. Could have been the infamous bunt-line revolver but can't say for sure. Were he not armed I would have told him to fuck off...
Damn you actually met the man? That's such a crazy coincidence. I'm glad you and your brother didn't get hurt.
Smart of you to keep a low profile around this freak.
Didn't realize who he was till months later when he was on the front page of the LA Times and on the news on TV. My brother was like, "That was the guy..." And I replied, 'Yep!"
fucking fantastic research god damn. Favourite music history channel hands down
Now THIS is podracing.
Podracing? As in Star Wars?
I don't know the relation to this vid, but I love the quote
Can you do a video about understanding Mr. Bungle? I would really appreciate it. Love your channel, keep up the good work!
I love Mr. Bungle, so it's just a matter of time, really :)
mr bungle ... dont even try to figure out them
@@kevcatnip7589 hes already uploaded the video about their first album xD
Pink Floyd - Interstellar overdrive - 1967
Just saying, that's pretty damn heavy a year before helter skelter.
Probably darker, but not heavier.
What's funny is that I Can See for Miles sounds so tame now. So does Helter Skelter to an extent, now that rock has pushed "heaviness" to the furthest possible extreme, but I think it still retains a lot of its power. Paul sure could scream.
That's true. There's way heavier music these days because of people continuously pushing the envelope.
But it's always cool to look backward in time too imo.
This will NEVER sound tame. I Can See For Miles is tame…and I love The Who. But Paul WAY outclassed them on this.
1:58 did you really call the song, “I can’t see for miles”?
Yeah my collaborator made a mistake there that i didn't catch when first publishing this vid.
Helter Skelter is permanently on my Halloween playlist thanks to this situation
you forgot the line "through the helter skelter morning" from the song "paper tiger" by beck.
Oooh i should've included that! Love Beck to bits