Released: November 22, 1968

Songwriter: Lennon-McCartney Paul McCartney

Producer: George Martin

[Intro]
When I get to the bottom, I go back to the top of the slide
Where I stop, and I turn, and I go for a ride
'Til I get to the bottom, and I see you again!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!

[Verse 1]
Well, do you, don't you want me to love you?
I'm coming down fast, but I'm miles above you
Tell me, tell me, tell me, come on, tell me the answer!
Well, you may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer

[Chorus]
Now, Helter skelter
Helter skelter
Helter skelter
Yeah
Woo!

[Verse 2]
Oh, will you, won't you want me to make you?
I'm coming down fast, but don't let me break you
Tell me, tell me, tell me the answer!
You may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer

[Chorus]
Look out!
Helter skelter
Helter skelter
Helter skelter
Ooh!

[Bridge]
Look out!
'Cause here she comes

[Intro]
When I get to the bottom, I go back to the top of the slide
And I stop, and I turn, and I go for a ride
And I get to the bottom, and I see you again!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!

[Verse 3]
Well, do you, don't you want me to make you?
I'm coming down fast, but don't let me break you
Tell me, tell me, tell me your answer!
You may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer

[Chorus]
Look out!
Helter skelter
Helter skelter
Helter skelter

[Outro]
Well look out! Helter skelter!
She's coming down fast!
Yes, she is!
Yes, she is
Coming down fast
Oh, yeah, Helter Skelter
Wooh!

[Breakdown]

[Spoken: Ringo Starr]
I got blisters on my fingers!

The Beatles

The Beatles are arguably the most famous, critically-acclaimed, and successful rock band of all time—certainly the preeminent group of the 20th century. They started out as four teenagers playing grimy basement clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, but they progressed to become world-beating rock stars who are still influential to this day.

John Lennon first formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen in March 1957. A fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney joined shortly thereafter, eventually inviting his friend George Harrison to audition for the band. After finally impressing John with his guitar skills, George was asked to join—but this juncture would be short-lived as John’s departure to college signaled the other quarrymen to go their separate ways.

By 1960, Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had re-branded from ‘Johnny & the Moondogs’ to ‘The Silver Beetles’ at the behest of their new bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. The name would eventually evolve into ‘The Silver Beatles’ by July of that year, before settling on ‘The Beatles’ come August—just in time for their trip to Hamburg with new drummer, Pete Best. Though club residencies in Germany would prove fundamental to the group’s progress as a whole, the tour turned out to be a blessing and a curse, following the deportation of a then-seventeen-year-old George Harrison, and the eventual tragic death of Stuart Sutcliffe.

more tracks from the album

The Beatles (The Original Studio Recordings) Boxset