Helter Skelter

:This article is about the Beatles song. For other things with this name, see Helter Skelter (disambiguation).

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"Helter Skelter" is the title of a song by Paul McCartney, though credited to Lennon/McCartney. It was recorded by the Beatles on their 1968 self-titled album, also known as The White Album. The working lyric of the song was briefly "Heather Leather."

Related Topics:
Paul McCartney - Lennon/McCartney - The Beatles - 1968 - The White Album

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McCartney was inspired to write the song after reading a newspaper review of The Who's latest single, most likely "I Can See For Miles." The review described the single as the loudest, wildest song ever recorded, with distorted guitars, reverb, and screaming. McCartney took this as a challenge to write something louder and "Helter Skelter" was the result. Some historians of popular music believe that this song was a key influence on the development of heavy metal.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - The Who - Heavy metal

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The song opens abruptly with a loud, repeated, distorted guitar chord. McCartney then screams the introductory lyric and the full band joins in as the refrain is introduced. The tone of the song is aggressive and frightening and the music seems ready to turn into meaningless noise at any moment. The lyrics of the song are a hallucinogenic evocation of using a helter skelter in a children's playground, ironically contrasting the aggression and volume of the music.

Related Topics:
Helter skelter - Playground

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