(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
Billy Swan - "I Can Help"
Hit Number 1: November 23, 1974
Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks
Something a lot of us guys go through at some point in our lives is trying to appeal so much to that one girl. For example, you'd throw everything out the window and change your plans just because that girl is at a party, so you wanna go too. There's countless other scenarios I can come up with here, but you get the idea. So of course, it shouldn't be any shocker that there's been songs written about guys that will do anything to please their girl, or love interest. "I Can Help" by Billy Swan might be one of the best examples of that; the song is about a guy who insists that he can help with any problems the girl has. He's even willing to be a father figure to her children if she so desires. He doesn't care what her problem is, but he can assure her that he can help with any problem she might have.
Swan was over 30 years old when he wrote "I Can Help", and he hadn't had any other hits before the song, but he still came with some quality musical experience. He had written some country songs for other artists, with one of the best examples of those coming from all the way back in 1962 when he wrote Clyde McPhatter's "Lover Please", and he'd sometimes take part in playing in other artists' songs as a session musician. ("Lover Please" made it to #7 on the Hot 100. It's a 7) However, his own song was something he'd never thought about doing, at least not until 1974 when he signed his own recording contract with Monument Records and made the necessary move to Nashville, the country music capitol. According to Swan, "I Can Help" was one of the quickest songs he'd ever written, which he says only took him about 20 minutes to write. He had the verses, and not long after that he was quickly able to come up with the bridge. It's a cliché thing that songwriters say, but Swan said everything just came to him. He said the whole thing just "came out of the air."
Swan recorded the song with his friend, producer Chip Young, at Young's studio. Swan played keyboards on the track, and a rumor is that Young's puppy was tugging on Swan's pant leg while the song was being recorded. But Swan clearly kept his composure and played through the whole song without letting the dog become a distraction to him. His finished product is a twangy little thing, something you can't resist to have some fun with but also something that isn't going to light the world on fire. Swan has no clear, impressive range with his voice, so he sings the song with a bland tenor, but one that's clearly comfortable for him. Swan's accompanied with some female backing vocalists that give their stereotypical "oohs" and "ahhs" as well as a fun deescalating guitar solo. The song was able to hit #1 on the Country charts too, but this thing is clearly pop. I don't get any country vibes here.
Anyway, my final verdict for the song is that I think it's just another one of those decently fine, background music type songs. There's nothing bad about "I Can Help", and I like its positive outlook and guitar work, but there's nothing all that amazing about it either. It's your standard piece of '70s pop music, and one that's not going to impress you but it won't offend anyone either. (At least for those that for some reason get offended by music) Swan never returned with a follow up hit, and today he's known as just another one-hit wonder to come from the decade that was full of one-hit wonders. However, he has a #1 hit to his credit, and while his song doesn't amaze me that much, it does have some decent little qualities to it. He could've done worse. And I really hope that girl let him help with something.
GRADE: 6/10
IN POP CULTURE:
"I Can Help" has actually been covered by several different artists. But the one I'm going to share here is a cover by Elvis Presley. Yep, the King himself covered this song. Here's that audio:
Comments