Help Me, Rhonda

1965 song by the Beach Boys

"Help Me, Rhonda"

U.S. picture sleeve

Single by the Beach Boys
from the album  Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
B-side| "Kiss Me, Baby"
Released| April 5, 1965
Recorded| February 24, 1965
Genre| Rock
Length| 2:46
Label| Capitol
Songwriter(s)|

* Brian Wilson
* Mike Love

Producer(s)| Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
| "Do You Wanna Dance?"
(1965)  | "Help Me, Rhonda"
(1965)  | "California Girls"
(1965)

|
|

Audio sample

* file
* help

"Help Me, Ronda"

Song by the Beach Boys
from the album  The Beach Boys Today!
Released| March 8, 1965
Recorded| January 8, 1965
Genre| Rock
Length| 3:10
Label| Capitol
Composer(s)| Brian Wilson
Lyricist(s)|

* Brian Wilson
* Mike Love

Producer(s)| Brian Wilson
Audio sample

* file
* help

"Help Me, Rhonda" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys, appearing first on their 1965 album The Beach Boys Today! (where it was spelled "Help Me, Ronda") and subsequently in re-recorded form on the following 1965 album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). It was written by Brian Wilson, with additional lyrics by Mike Love. Band member Al Jardine sings the lead vocal, a rarity for this era in the Beach Boys.

According to Wilson, "Help Me, Rhonda" was not based on a real person. After it was released as an album track on Today!, Wilson revisited the song, feeling it had commercial potential. This new version, featuring a different arrangement and slightly different lyrics, was released as a single in April 1965 and appeared on Summer Days later that same year. It topped the Billboard Hot 100, making it their second number-one single following "I Get Around" (1964). It remains one of the band's most acclaimed singles commercially and critically.

## Background

[edit]

"Help Me, Rhonda" was written by Brian Wilson with additional lyrics by Mike Love.[1] In his memoir, Wilson claimed the song was inspired by Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife", which he was playing on the piano when he came up with the music for "Help Me Rhonda".[2][nb 1] He has also cited "Fannie Mae" as an inspiration.[2]

The lyrics tell a story of a man who was attracted to a woman who then found another man; to aid the healing process, he begs a woman named Rhonda to help him get over her. According to Brian Wilson, "Rhonda" was not based on a real person.[4] The song's lead vocalist Al Jardine confirmed that Wilson had told him the song was fictional, though he commented, "I'm sure there was something down there in the psychology of it. ... We didn't really get into the meaning of the lyrics. They spoke for themselves."[2]

Mike Love cited the song as one where "maybe he [Brian Wilson] had a chorus idea" and Love would "come up with the lyrics to help finish off and complete the song."[5][nb 2] Of the lyrics, Love joked, "There are a lot of people, a lot of girls named Rhonda out there who have gotten remarks related to that song all their lives."[5]

## Recording

[edit]

Though Brian Wilson initially intended to perform the lead vocal for the song himself, he instead assigned the part to Al Jardine.[6] Brian Wilson later stated, "I'd heard Al sing a lot and liked his voice and wanted to write a song for him that showed off the quality of his voice and sure enough I did."[7] Jardine, who had only sung one lead vocal for the band up to that point,[nb 3] struggled with his vocal, recalling,

> I did have a hard time with it. I don't really know. Some kind of meter thing in there. I never really tackled a lead much before. I was always interested in the backgrounds. Carl [Wilson] and I were always on the harmonies, but to take a lead was a big leap forward. And this was not an easy lead, to be honest with you. It was pretty different. I was happy that Brian asked me to sing the lead. Brian had this idea of how he wanted it and I had an idea of how I heard it, and that's basically what you get [laughs].[8]

According to Jardine, he and Brian Wilson conflicted over Jardine's delivery of the lyric "Rhonda, you look so fine". Jardine explained, "I think the part that was hard was the length of 'fine', that was the part, to be specific with you. It could have been sung quicker or longer, and I just heard it longer and he heard it shorter. I think it kind of came out halfway in between [laughs]."[8]

The vocal overdub session for the second version of this song was notable for resulting in a particularly heated confrontation between Wilson and his father Murry, who at the time had been dismissed as the group's manager for nearly a year but was still present in the studio on occasion. After Murry (while inebriated) continually critiqued and ridiculed the group's singing throughout each take, Brian complained and got into a tense argument which ultimately led to a physical altercation over control of the soundboard. The unedited session tape has been extensively copied and shared.[9][10]

## Release

[edit]

Two versions of "Help Me, Rhonda" were released commercially in 1965. The first version, recorded in January 1965 and featuring a ukulele-driven arrangement, was included on the band's The Beach Boys Today! album under the title "Help Me, Ronda". Jardine characterized this version as "more of a laid-back shuffle" and said it "definitely wasn't a single."[8] Mike Love similarly recalled that he "didn't anticipate" the song would become a "breakout hit".[11] Brian Wilson, however, felt the song had hit potential and the band rerecorded the track in 1965 with a punchier, guitar-led arrangement and some minor lyrical tweaks.[8]

Released as a single in April 1965, the "Help Me, Rhonda" rerecording was a commercial smash hit, reaching number one in the US and knocking the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" from the top spot.[8] It was the band's second number one and the first since 1964's "I Get Around". In the aftermath of its chart success, the new track was then included on the band's next studio album, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!).[nb 4] Brian Wilson recalled, "That was one of the hits that Capitol wanted."[3]

The song would also appear on several compilation albums, among them 1967's Best of the Beach Boys Vol. 2[11] and 1974's Endless Summer, with the latter featuring the original recording from the Today! album.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Upon release, Billboard described the single version as "an intriguing off-beat rouser" which "can't miss."[13] Cash Box described it as "a power-packed hard-driving romantic surfin’-rocker with an extremely infectious danceable back-beat."[14] Record World said it "should be big b. o." although it "has less of their surf sound than usual, by the way."[15] Wilson later said of the song, "I would've made a better rhythm — it wasn't in the pocket."[16]

"Help Me, Rhonda" continues to attract critical acclaim. Writers from Paste Magazine and The Guardian included the song on their lists of the best Beach Boys songs, with the former publication calling the song Brian Wilson's "finest pre-Pet Sounds track."[17][18][nb 5] In a retrospective review, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic said of the song, "It remains one of the best examples of [Brian] Wilson's ability to turn the turmoil of his life into stirring music."[19]

## Personnel

[edit]

### Today! version

[edit]

Per Craig Slowinski.[20]

The Beach Boys

* Al Jardine – lead vocals
* Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals
* Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals
* Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, 12-string electric guitar
* Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals

Additional musicians and production staff

* Bill Pitman – electric guitar
* Glen Campbell – 12-string acoustic guitar
* Billy Strange – ukulele
* Ray Pohlman – bass guitar
* Leon Russell – grand piano
* Hal Blaine – drums, timbales
* Julius Wechter – claves
* Billy Lee Riley – double-reed harmonica
* Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
* Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone
* Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
* Chuck Britz – engineer
* unknown – tambourine (possibly Ron Swallow)

### Summer Days version

[edit]

Per Craig Slowinski.[21]

The Beach Boys

* Al Jardine – lead vocals
* Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals
* Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, upright piano, Hammond B-3 organ
* Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, 12-string guitar
* Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, tambourine

Additional musicians and production staff

* Billy Strange – 12-string guitar
* Glen Campbell – electric guitar
* Barney Kessel - ukulele
* Carol Kaye – bass guitar
* Larry Knechtel - Wurlitzer electronic piano
* Don Randi - grand piano
* Hal Blaine – drums, timbales
* Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
* Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone
* Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
* Chuck Britz – engineer

## Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts  Chart (1965)  | Peak
position

|

Canadian RPM Top Singles[22] | 1
Swedish Radio 3[23] | 5
UK Record Retailer[24] | 27
US Billboard Hot 100[25] | 1

Year-end charts  Chart (1965)  | Position

|

US Billboard Hot 100[26] | 11

## List of later versions

[edit]

See also: List of cover versions of Beach Boys songs

* 1970 – Roy Orbison, The Big O.
* 1975 – Johnny Rivers, New Lovers And Old Friends (with an assist from Brian Wilson on back-up vocals); reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
* 1999 - Pastor Troy, We Ready I Declare War.
* 2010 - Al Jardine re-recorded the song with Steve Miller and Flea for his 2010 album, A Postcard from California.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ In a later memoir, however, he claimed to first write the music on bass and came back to complete the song on the piano.[3]
2. ^ Love's lyrical contributions to "Help Me, Rhonda" were originally uncredited, but, following a 1994 lawsuit by Love, he was retroactively awarding songwriting credit to the song, among others.[5]
3. ^ Jardine's sole lead vocal before "Help Me, Rhonda" was on the song "Christmas Day", which appeared on the band's 1964 christmas album.[2]
4. ^ Bruce Johnston, who had recently been recruited by the band, claimed to have suggested to Brian that, since it was a new recording, the single version should be included on the Summer Days album.[12]
5. ^ Paste ranked it at number four on their list, while The Guardian ranked it at number 31.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Slowinski, Craig (2007). "The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today!" (PDF). Retrieved October 27, 2012.
2. ^ a b c d Dillon, Mark (June 1, 2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.
3. ^ a b Wilson, Brian (October 11, 2016). I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-306-82307-7.
4. ^ Will, George F. (June 20, 2012). "The Beach Boys still get around". Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
5. ^ a b c MacIntosh, Dan. "Mike Love of The Beach Boys". Songfacts. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
6. ^ "Brian Wilson tells personal stories behind 10 Beach Boys hit songs". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia. June 20, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
7. ^ Sharp, Ken (March 2, 2011). "Best Individual Artist: Brian Wilson". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
8. ^ a b c d e Sharp, Ken (July 28, 2000). "Alan Jardine: A Beach Boy Still Riding The Waves". Goldmine.
9. ^ Greene, Bob (November 2, 1997). "The Secrets of the "Help Me, Rhonda" Tape". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
10. ^ "I'm a Genius, Too! The Murry Wilson Tapes".
11. ^ a b Love, Mike; Hirsch, James S. (September 13, 2016). Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-698-40886-9.
12. ^ Sharp, Ken (September 2013). "Bruce Johnston On the Beach Boys' Enduring Legacy (Interview)". Archived from the original on September 30, 2013.
13. ^ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. April 10, 1965. p. 48. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
14. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 10, 1965. p. 18. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
15. ^ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Record World. April 10, 1965. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
16. ^ "Brian Answer's Fans' Questions In Live Q&A". Brianwilson.com. January 29, 2014. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
17. ^ Blau, Max (May 15, 2011). "The 20 Best Beach Boys Songs". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
18. ^ Petridis, Alexis (January 27, 2022). "The Beach Boys' 40 greatest songs – ranked!". the Guardian. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
19. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Help Me, Rhonda by The Beach Boys - Track Info". AllMusic. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
20. ^ Slowinski, Craig (2007). "The Beach Boys- The Beach Boys Today!" (PDF). Retrieved April 4, 2019.
21. ^ Slowinski, Craig. "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)". Retrieved April 8, 2019.
22. ^ "Item 9502: Top Singles - Volume 3, No. 15, Jun 07, 1965 – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". bac-lac.gc.ca/. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
23. ^ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Kvällstoppen i P3 (1st ed.). Sweden: Drift Musik. ISBN 91-630-2140-4. Note: Kvällstoppen combined both singles and albums into a single chart.
24. ^ "Beach Boys". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
25. ^ "The Beach Boys". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
26. ^ "Top Singles of 1965", Billboard 1966 International Record & Talent Showcase. Section Two. December 25, 1965. p. 23-24. Retrieved October 19, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

The Beach Boys Today!

Songs|

| Side one|

* "Do You Wanna Dance?"
* "Good to My Baby"
* "Don't Hurt My Little Sister"
* "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"
* "Help Me, Ronda"
* "Dance, Dance, Dance"

|

Side two|

* "Please Let Me Wonder"
* "I'm So Young"
* "Kiss Me, Baby"
* "She Knows Me Too Well"
* "In the Back of My Mind"
* "Bull Session with the 'Big Daddy'"

Outtakes|

* "Guess I'm Dumb"
* "All Dressed Up for School"

Related articles|

* Keep an Eye on Summer – The Beach Boys Sessions 1964

* v
* t
* e

Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)

Songs|

| Side one|

* "The Girl from New York City"
* "Amusement Parks U.S.A."
* "Then I Kissed Her"
* "Salt Lake City"
* "Girl Don't Tell Me"
* "Help Me, Rhonda"

|

Side two|

* "California Girls"
* "Let Him Run Wild"
* "You're So Good to Me"
* "Summer Means New Love"
* "I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man"
* "And Your Dream Comes True"

Related articles|

* "The Little Girl I Once Knew"
* "Sherry She Needs Me"
* The Beach Boys
* The Beach Boys discography

* Surfin' Safari
* Surfin' U.S.A.
* Surfer Girl
* Little Deuce Coupe
* Shut Down Volume 2
* All Summer Long
* The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
* The Beach Boys Today!
* Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
* Beach Boys' Party!
* Pet Sounds
* Smiley Smile
* Wild Honey
* Friends
* 20/20
* Sunflower
* Surf's Up
* Carl and the Passions – "So Tough"
* Holland
* 15 Big Ones
* The Beach Boys Love You
* M.I.U. Album
* L.A. (Light Album)
* Keepin' the Summer Alive
* The Beach Boys
* Still Cruisin'
* Summer in Paradise
* Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
* That's Why God Made the Radio

* v
* t
* e

The Beach Boys singles

1960s|

| 1961|

* "Surfin'" / "Luau"

|

1962|

* "Surfin' Safari" / "409"
* "Ten Little Indians" / "County Fair"

1963|

* "Surfin' U.S.A." / "Shut Down"
* "Surfer Girl" / "Little Deuce Coupe"
* "Be True to Your School" / "In My Room"
* "Little Saint Nick" / "The Lord's Prayer"

1964|

* "Fun, Fun, Fun" / "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
* "I Get Around" / "Don't Worry Baby"
* "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" / "She Knows Me Too Well"
* "Dance, Dance, Dance" / "The Warmth of the Sun"
* "The Man with All the Toys" / "Blue Christmas"

1965|

* "Do You Wanna Dance?" / "Please Let Me Wonder"
* "Help Me, Rhonda" / "Kiss Me, Baby"
* "California Girls"/ "Let Him Run Wild"
* "The Little Girl I Once Knew" / "There's No Other (Like My Baby)"
* "Barbara Ann" / "Girl Don't Tell Me"

1966|

* "Sloop John B" / "You're So Good to Me"
* "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "God Only Knows"
* "Good Vibrations" / "Let's Go Away for Awhile"

1967|

* "Then I Kissed Her" / "Mountain of Love"
* "Heroes and Villains" / "You're Welcome"
* "Wild Honey" / "Wind Chimes"
* "Darlin'" / "Here Today"

1968|

* "Friends" / "Little Bird"
* "Do It Again" / "Wake the World"
* "Bluebirds over the Mountain" / "Never Learn Not to Love"

1969|

* "I Can Hear Music" / "All I Want to Do"
* "Break Away" / "Celebrate the News"

1970s|

| 1970|

* "Add Some Music to Your Day" / "Susie Cincinnati"
* "Cottonfields" / "The Nearest Faraway Place"
* "Slip On Through" / "This Whole World"
* "Tears in the Morning" / "It's About Time"

|

1971|

* "Cool, Cool Water" / "Forever"
* "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (live) / "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (by Merry Clayton)
* "Long Promised Road" / "Deirdre"
* "Long Promised Road" / "'Til I Die"
* "Student Demonstration Time" / "Don't Go Near the Water"
* "Surf's Up" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1972|

* "You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" / "Cuddle Up"
* "Marcella" / "Hold On Dear Brother"

1973|

* "Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"
* "California Saga/California" / "Funky Pretty"

1974|

* "Surfin' U.S.A." / "The Warmth of the Sun"
* "Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1975|

* "Sail On, Sailor" / "Only with You"

1976|

* "Rock and Roll Music" / "T M Song"
* "It's O.K." / "Had to Phone Ya"
* "Everyone's in Love with You" / "Susie Cincinnati"

1977|

* "Honkin' Down the Highway" / "Solar System"

1978|

* "Peggy Sue" / "Hey Little Tomboy"

1979|

* "Here Comes the Night" / "Baby Blue"
* "Good Timin'" / "Love Surrounds Me"
* "Lady Lynda" / "Full Sail"
* "It's a Beautiful Day" / "Sumahama"

1980s|

| 1980|

* "Goin' On" / "Endless Harmony"
* "Livin' with a Heartache" / "Santa Ana Winds"

|

1981|

* "The Beach Boys Medley" / "God Only Knows"
* "Come Go with Me" / "Don't Go Near the Water"

1985|

* "Getcha Back" / "Male Ego"
* "It's Gettin' Late" / "It's O.K."
* "She Believes in Love Again" / "It's Just a Matter of Time"

1986|

* "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" / "Good Vibrations" (live)
* "California Dreamin'" / "Lady Liberty"

1987|

* "Happy Endings" (with Little Richard) / "California Girls" (live)

1988|

* "Kokomo" / "Tutti Frutti" (Little Richard)

1989|

* "Still Cruisin'" / "Kokomo"

1990s|

| 1990|

* "Somewhere Near Japan" / "Kokomo"
* "Problem Child" / "Problem Child (Instrumental)"

|

1992|

* "Hot Fun in the Summertime" / "Summer of Love"

1996|

* "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" / "Wouldn't It Be Nice" / "Here Today"

2010s|

| 2011|

* "Good Vibrations" / "Heroes and Villains"
* "Don't Fight the Sea" / "Friends"

|

2012|

* "That's Why God Made the Radio" / "That's Why God Made the Radio" (instrumental)
* "Isn't It Time" / Live in Chicago

* Category

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Johnny Rivers

* Discography

Studio albums|

* In Action
* Johnny Rivers Rocks the Folk
* Changes
* Rewind
* Realization

Live albums|

* At the Whisky à Go Go
* Here We à Go Go Again!
* Meanwhile Back at the Whisky à Go Go
* ...And I Know You Wanna Dance

Songs|

* "Memphis"
* "Maybellene"
* "Mountain of Love"
* "Midnight Special"
* "The Seventh Son"
* "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
* "Secret Agent Man"
* "(I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water"
* "Poor Side of Town"
* "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"
* "The Tracks of My Tears"
* "Summer Rain"
* "Into the Mystic"
* "Fire and Rain"
* "Sea Cruise"
* "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu"
* "Blue Suede Shoes"
* "So Fine"
* "Six Days on the Road"
* "Help Me, Rhonda"
* "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)"
* "The Monkey Time"
* "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um"

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