(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)
The Beach Boys - "Help Me, Rhonda
Hit Number 1: May 29, 1965
Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks
Something that all of us know, is that the Beach Boys loved to sing songs about, well, the beach. They were the true pioneers of the surf rock genre, and without them, surf rock would cease to exist. No matter how popular groups like Jan & Dean were, they could've never promoted the surf rock genre to the extent of the Beach Boys. But that's what's funny. The Beach Boys had four #1 hits, but none of them had anything to do with the beach or surfing. (You could make a solid case for "Kokomo" however, their fourth and final #1 hit, which will come in virtual 1988) Their first #1, "I Get Around", was about a guy with a huge ego who'd cruise around town, and get all the girls. Their second one was about love gone wrong, which seems to be a popular theme in this time, called "Help Me, Rhonda".
The plot of the song is pretty simple: guy was with this girl, their love failed, and now he's all depressed about it. But there's a catch. The guy finds a new girl, named Rhonda, and he begs to her to please help get the other girl "out of his heart". (I'd be a little bit taken aback by that if I was Rhonda, but whatever) So that puts an interesting twist on things. Instead of having a sad song about heartbreak, they at least give the song a potential happy ending for our narrator. All hope isn't lost for this guy. If you listen to this song, you'd also be able to tell that it's just as fun as "I Get Around". You've still got the Beach Boys' harmonies, the twangy guitar licks and struts, and the overall feel of a bright sunny day by the ocean. Which is how surf rock songs are SUPPOSED to make you feel! Even though some of their songs weren't about the beach itself, these guys make you feel like you're there anyway. I still get that feeling on "Help Me, Rhonda". Maybe the song is a little TOO simple, with the chorus only compromising of the song's title over and over, but you know what, it's still a great song.
There's a little bit of an interesting backstory on "Help Me, Rhonda" too that I feel like is worth mentioning here. The single version that hit #1 wasn't the original recording, but it's a BETTER recording. The song, which is one of the few to feature member Al Jardine on lead vocals, originally had the same upbeat vibe, but it was still missing something. It sounds more like a demo recording rather than an actual song, and I have a hard time seeing it ever going anywhere. But they remastered the song while still keeping Jardine on lead vocals, added a more lively persona to it, and the result was a #1 song. There's no way that the original version could've reached #1 status. The Beach Boys just simply knew what they were doing.
GRADE: 8/10
JUST MISSED:
Here's an interesting case: "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs was the top song in the year 1965, staying on the charts longer than any other song. However, it never hit #1, being kept off the top spot by "Help Me, Rhonda" and the next entry on this blog. It's extremely rare that this happens, but it would happen twice in future years as well. (We'll eventually get to that) Anyway, "Wooly Bully" is an extremely fun song. It's a 9. Check it out!
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