Help (1984)
Help is a Beatles cover, recorded from Tina with Richard Perry in 1981 at Studio 55 in Los Angeles. The TV-Special What Makes Her Hot from 1985 shows a short scene of the recording session. This very different version stayed unreleased until 1984, when it was released as the follow up European single to the smash hit Let’s Stay Together to promote Tina’s ongoing UK-Tour. It was later also included into the tracklist of the European version of the album Private Dancer. Tina promoted it at several TV-Shows in England and performed it live at most of her concert tours, available on the album Live In Europe from 1988. The b-side track „Rock’n Roll Widow“ was also a previously unreleased song, recorded and produced by John Carter in 1982.
Photographer: Norman Seeff
Release: February 1984
Label: Capitol / EMI
Format: 7“ Vinyl (Picture) / 12“ Vinyl
Charts: UK: #40 / Europe: #30
Album: Private Dancer
- Help (Edit) 3:45
- Help (Full Length Version) 4:30
- Rock’n Roll Widow 4:45
Capitol Records are Proud to Announce the Release of the New Single HELP, Produced by Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and Ndugu Chancler for Crusaders Productions Inc. Available on 7“ & 12"
The music video shows a nightclub with guests sitting at tables in front of a stage. In the first scene, Kenny Moore plays the intro on piano. Then Tina appears in a very elegant white mini dress, singing the song together with her two background singers Ann Behringer and Lejune Richardson. During the instrumental part, Tina leaves the stage and the band comes up from behind. At the end, the curtain closes and Tina disappears in a ray of light. The clip has not been officially released until today on home video, but it's available on the promo sampler Now That's What I Call Music.
Director: Simon Milne
Release: YouTube
Time: 3:41
