"Helter Skelter"

Song: “Helter Skelter”

Album: The Beatles (The White Album) (1968)

Paul wrote “Helter Skelter” in an effort to make the loudest, dirtiest sounding song he could, apparently in response to a 1967 Guitar Player interview in which Who guitarist Pete Townshend described their single, “I Can See for Miles,” as the loudest, rawest song they’d ever recorded. Many critics credit “Helter Skelter” as a forerunner of heavy metal.

Paul said he used the “symbol of helter skelter as a ride from the top to the bottom; the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.” Charles Manson, however, infamously cited several The Beatles (The White Album) songs as a coded prophecy for an apocalyptic vision of white people killing each other off with Manson and his followers emerging as the rulers of the remaining black people, or some such ridiculousness.  Manson referred to the prophetic course of events as helter skelter.

The song was recorded several times during sessions in July 1968, including 12 and 27 minute versions, and apparently all acted quite zany during the recording. It’s rumored that George even ran around the study with a flaming ashtray held above his head while Paul recorded his vocals.