One of the triggers for the memory I recounted in yesterday’s column, was reading Steven Tyler’s Rolling Stone Interview in RS1237. Lead singer of Aerosmith and a well known Bostonian, Steven recounted how he would rig a wire on his radio so he could pick up radio stations from far away and he specifically mentioned listening to WOWO AM radio Tyler has covered The Beatles with his band, and I like to think that we were both listening to “Help” on that world premiere weekend, 50 years ago!
Here’s a classic example of Aerosmith covering The Beatles’ “Come Together”:
I don’t remember the exact dates, because my memory may be for a weekend that took place earlier in the month.
One of my older brothers had a habit of taking me out of town when I was able to go. I had been able to read maps since I was four or five, so I wasn’t a bad traveling companion. He had a tendency to scan the AM radio dial for country stations. I, of course, when given the chance, would look for rock music.
Well, this July weekend fifty years ago, was a short trip into northern Indiana, and that meant that I could easily find the AM powerhouse station WOWO out of Fort Wayne. It was one of the better radio stations that I could pick up at night! They were playing the world premiere of The Beatles new Capitol Records single, “Help!,” from their upcoming film and album, and were pretty gracious with it, too! WOWO played it at least once an hour, along with the whispered phrase “world premiere.”
I don’t remember anything else about that weekend. It was great being able to hear that new song pretty much constantly—at least in my own mind!
I do know for a fact that today marks the Fiftieth Anniversary of the release date of the song, Help! So here it is: