Why Helter Skelter is Still The Most Controversial Beatles Song
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Published 2024-02-28
In this episode, we'll breakdown the fascinating recording history of Paul McCartney's wildest contribution to 1968's White Album. We'll also explore a mystery that fans have debated for years: who is really playing bass, John Lennon or Paul McCartney?
As a fair warning: you can't unhear this.
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Questions / Comments / Ideas:
youcantunhearthis@ gmail.com
Sources:
- Dave Rybaczewski www.beatlesebooks.com/
- The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn
- The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 4: The Beatles through Yellow Submarine (1968 - early 1969) by Jerry Hammack and Gillian G Gaar
- www.beatlesbible.com
- Recording the Beatles by Kevin Ryan & Brian Kehew
- Living The Beatles Legend by Kenneth Womack: amzn.to/3G0fnmx
"Whole Lotta Helter Skelter" - DJ Soundhog: www.reddit.com/r/ledzeppelin/comments/vse1fu/the_b…
Image Credits: Linda McCartney
Special thanks to @DLD2Music for providing isolated tracks, and to Ken Womack and Eli Rosen for historical insights.
Join my supporters on Patreon (patreon.com/youcantunhearthis):
Eli Rosen
Jeremy Ribakove
Kheng Lai Tan
Danny van Leeuwen
YouStainedMe
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#TheBeatles #YCUT #Music
All Comments (21)
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New episode! 🎧 It's the longest YCUT yet - there's just so much to discuss about Helter Skelter. What do you think about the bass debate? Let me know what you think in the comments! 🎸😎 Check out the entire 'Whole Lotta Helter Skelter' mashup: www.reddit.com/r/ledzeppelin/comments/vse1fu/the_b…
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I always found it chilling how they switched from the heavy Helter Skelter into the quiet Long Long Long on the album.
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5:25 those harmonies. OMG. Greatness.
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Before the age of 13, whenever I heard this song i was scared shitless. This song, as with Rev#9, gave me the willies as a kid.
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Favorite Beatles song; as a kid in the early 70s, my mother played the White Album frequently and "Helter Skelter" always got my little brother and I bouncing off the walls!!
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I'm proud to sing the watered hidden lyrics "It's the Helter Skelter" right since I listened to it in the 2009 remastered versions.
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No one: John randomly: Baaaaaaaa
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Couldn't someone just ask Paul McCartney himself whether he or John was the one playing bass on the final Helter Skelter track?
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I thought the most controversial song was "It's Okay To Leave a Dog In A Hot Car"
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I'm 70 and it's such a buzz to hear the music that got me through my teens is still being played. I love the Beatles and will continue to do so until they nail the lid onto my coffin. Even nowadays in 2024 they are still revered and respected.
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This is one of my favorite songs ever not to mention one of my favorite Beatles songs ever. I was so amazed when I found out some of those weird noises were actually from a saxophone mouthpiece. I hope they release the 27 minute first take some day!
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“Fanny Cradock”. Was a very popular TV chef on British TV in the ‘60’s. Teamed with her husband Johnny, they were the ones who pioneered cooking as entertainment. Fanny was very dramatic and let Johnny just recommend the wine to go with the dish of the day. They suddenly disappeared from TV after a fire on their yacht left Johnny badly burned.
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I can remember listening to this song on a tape recorder in my room back when I was in High School and my mother freaking out when she walked into my room and heard the song.
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21:22 Bass VI, with its three pickups, is capable of both those tones and more
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The Fender Bass VI has three pickups with a switch for each one this gives huge tonal palette, to say it's not a VI just because the tone is different from one song to the next doesn't really convince me. Play with just neck up (honey pie) vs. play with just the bridge pickup (Helter Skelter)....that's what I'm hearing
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This guy would have a field day with "You know my name".
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Honey wake up, You Can't Unhear This just uploaded
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Please please please do an episode on either Tomorrow Never Knows or Revolution 9. Your in depth video essay style would be fascinating about those tracks
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Incredible research.....Incredible video editing......Incredible analogy....Your time into this piece is so well appreciated. I'm the guy who helped you research your "The Drum Mystery in The Beatles' Most Beautiful Song"......BP....from the large book "Recording The Beatles" from Curvebender publishing. The authors of this book note that John played bass....at least on the earlier take of the song.
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great forensic work... as a lifelong professional bassist and beatles nut (who is old enough to have bought all the albums when they were first released), i concur with your assessment... thanks for this! really impressive!
