Help (1984)

Help is a Beatles cover and the follow up European single to the smash hit Let’s Stay Together to promote Tina’s ongoing UK-Tour. Tina recorded the song first with Richard Perry at the end of 1981 at Studio 55 in Los Angeles, but this version stayed unreleased. The TV-Special What Makes Her Hot from 1985 shows a short scene of the recording session. The version on this single was recorded later with The Crusaders, which was also included into the European edition of the Private Dancer album. 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 a previously unreleased song, recorded and produced by John Carter in 1982.

Writer: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producer: Joe Sample, Wilton Felder & Ndugu Chancler
Release: February 1984
Label: Capitol / EMI
Format: 7“ Vinyl (Picture) / 12“ Vinyl
Charts: UK: #40 / Europe: #30
Album: Private Dancer

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 as well as on Tina’s official YouTube channel.

Director: Simon Milne
Home Video: Never officially released
Time: 3:41