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Help Me, Rhonda

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"Help Me, Rhonda" is a song written by Brian Wilson and his cousin Mike Love. The song was released as a single which was released by The Beach Boys in 1965 through Capitol Records. The B-side of the single was "Kiss Me, Baby". The single peaked at number one in the United States, thus becoming their second number one single in the U.S. after "I Get Around". It also peaked at number twenty-seven in the United Kingdom. The song features Al Jardine singing the gutsy lead vocal, and it is considered by critics and fans alike to be Jardine's greatest vocal performance to date. The song features production by Brian Wilson. There are two versions of the song, this version and the earlier version, entitled "Help Me, Ronda". The single version of the song has become one of The Beach Boys best known and best loved songs and features regularly on many Beach Boys Greatest Hits compilations.

Recording the song

The single version of the song was recorded at Universal and Radio Recorders studios in Hollywood on the 24th February, 1965 with Chuck Britz as the engineer and production by Brian Wilson. Featured on the instrumental track were regular Wrecking Crew members such as Hal Blaine on drums and Carol Kaye on electric bass. The single version featured Alan Jardine on lead vocals with backing vocals by Carl, Dennis and Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston.

Album versions

Today! version

The first version of the song appears on the 1965 album The Beach Boys Today!. Though this is the earlier version and it features a different spelling in the title, "Help Me, Ronda". This version runs over three minutes and has the volume fading in and out towards the end. The studio session in which this song was recorded was interrupted by Murry Wilson, arriving in the studio drunk. He sat in on the session for over 30 minutes, berating the band and making odd demands. "Help me Rhonda -bang- syncopate it..."

Summer Days version

The single version, which appears on Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!), was re-recorded a few weeks later. It has a different arrangement, one word changed in the lyrics, an added guitar part and added piano part, loses the volume changes, the harmonica, and adds in different backing vocals such as the "Bow-wow-wow" part. It was The Beach Boys' second United States number one hit song. The song was only ever considered to be an album cut; however, radio stations began to play the track and a single version was recorded soon after. It was such a big hit it was included on the next album too.

Live versions

After becoming just The Beach Boys second number one hit in the United States, it immediately became a regular in the band's live set. The song has been released on two Beach Boys official live albums: 1973's The Beach Boys In Concert and Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980.

The song was performed by Ricky Martin at "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson (2001)".

References

See also

External links



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Last updated on Wednesday February 13, 2008 at 04:05:13 PST (GMT -0800)
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