“With a Little Help from My Friends” (2) is a song by the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and sung by drummer Ringo Starr, his lead vocal for the album. As the second track on the album, it segues from the applause of the title track. Lennon and McCartney finished writing this song in mid-March 1967, written specifically as Starr’s track for the album. McCartney said: “It was pretty much co-written, John and I doing a work song for Ringo, a little craft job.” In 1970 Lennon stated: “Paul had the line about ‘a little help from my friends.’ He had some kind of structure for it, and we wrote it pretty well fifty-fifty from his original idea.”
English singer Joe Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help from My Friends” was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower 68 instead of the 44 beat in the original Beatles version, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction (featuring drums by Procol Harum’s B.J. Wilson, guitar lines from Jimmy Page, and organ by Tommy Eyre). After recording the song, Cocker and record producer Denny Cordell brought it to Paul McCartney, who later said of the recording, “it was just mind blowing, totally turned the song into a soul anthem and I was forever grateful for him for doing that.” Cocker’s version of the song reached number one in the UK in November 1968. The version also peaked at number 68 on the Billboard in December 1968. Cocker performed the song at Woodstock in 1969 and that performance was included in the film of the same name. In 2001, Cocker’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
In 1988, Scottish band Wet, Wet, Wet covered the song and released it as a non-album single in May 1988 with She’s Leaving Home (a song performed by Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey) as its B-Side. Wet Wet Wet’s version debuted at Number 1 in the UK in May 1988.
The UK duo Sam & Mark released a cover of the song in 2004 after coming third and second in the second and final series of Pop Idol. Their version topped the UK Singles Chart in February of that year.
In 2018, the track returned as a charity released by the NHS Voices with all benefits going to the UK NHS. The charity version reached only number 89 and stayed just 1 week on the UK charts.
Bethan Wyn is a UK based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Classically trained but raised on vinyl with a love of old school Blues, Soul and Jazz the influences openly flow throughout her shows and recordings. Aiming to share a contemporary twist on classic melodies, the versatility of Bethan’s vocals consistently shine through. Growing from her theatrical roots, and taking in her connection to the electronic music scene, she has harboured praise throughout her career as an adaptable chameleon with a consistent approach.
Although James Corden, Reggie Watts and The Muppets can’t be together in a studio because of Covid 19, the group comes together on video chat to sing The Beatles classic “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Sing along with Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Swedish Chef, Animal, Gonzo and so many more.
