Beatles "HELP" recording session question

Paul also plays those cool licks on Ticket To Ride!!

 

Everything I have ever seen or read on the subject indicates that George attempted to play that guitar riff in real time during the recording of the track. There are several bootleg discs that have early takes of the song with George attempting to play it, but without much success. Consequently, they decided to record the track without George's guitar figure and overdub it later. As I recall, you can hear John thumping on the body of his guitar to keep time during the blank measure where the guitar part would be over-dubbed. I certainly can't prove it, but to my ears, George plays that part, but only as an overdub. Paul could have played it, based upon his supposed lead on "Ticket To Ride" during that time period, but to me, it sounds like classic Harrison.

 

"String broke!!"

 

Boss - Yellow Dog??? Tsk, tsk...

 

George seems to have gotten the lick down on live versions.

 

I think it was in that tribute magazine to George that Rolling Stone put out, Tom Petty talks about putting on some Beatle boots for George, George grouses at first, but then picks up a guitar and starts playing along...He plays along with the Help! lick, Petty says he's surprised to see how easy it is, he'd never bothered to figure it out, George teaches it to him...The story takes on a whole new resonance if it was Paul playing on the recording. Anyway, it's a great story if you've never read it, I didn't do it justice.