Questions about the "I Am Sam" soundtrack

I love the movie and the soundtrack so much. I think the producers got the right people to do the right Beatle covers. I was reading the other day about how John Lennon always thought The Beatles' version of "Help" was too fast. Did Howie Day know this?
Did John ever try to record a slower version of "Help" on his own?

 

Great soundtrack! Do you have the version with Neil and his son, Liam Finn singing "Two Of Us"? It should have been on the domestic release--good stuff.

Anyway...as for Howie Day's version of "Help!", I wouldn't be surprised if he had read one of John's interviews in which he states his opinion about the "rushed" Beatles version. It's also just as likely that a knowledgeable producer recommended a slower arrangement.

John recorded a slow version of "Help!" on piano in Ascot in November 1970. It's mentioned in Chip Madinger's great book "Eight Arms To Hold You" on page 41. I've heard it (from the Lost Lennon Tapes radio series) and it's really nothing special--his version is incomplete as he can't remember the chords.

 

If you want to hear a slow "Help!" you have to hear Deep Purple's version from their first album. Really psychadelic and tripped out!

 

No, I can't say that I do. All I have is the soundtrack with Aime Mann and Michael Penn singing "Two Of Us". Where can I find Neil and Liam's version?

 

It was included as a bonus track on the Japanese version of the soundtrack. It's a nice version of the song and should have been included on the domestic version--then again, I'm kind of a Neil Finn freak.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=V2CP-122

The link above shows you the Japanese track listing. Predictably, it's more expensive than the regular version of the disc. I feel like hearing Neil's version of the song right now and wouldn't you know it...a friend has my disc.

 

michael stanley di a slow version of 'help' on his 'friends and legends" album. very nice.

renny

 

Amazon.com has an import version of the "I Am Sam" CD with not only the Neil Finn song, but additional Aimee Mann and Nick Drake covers as well ("Lucy In The Sky" and "Here Comes The Sun", respectively).

Awesome soundtrack -- I recently made a CDR that added a few extras that fit the "theme" of the CD (modern/Gen X artists covering the Beatles): Elliott Smith's "Because"; Fiona Apple's "Across The Universe"; Eels' "I'm A Loser" (from a KCRW broadcast); and Grant Lee Buffalo's "Here Comes The Sun."

Sean Murdock

 

I am in the minority, but Fiona Apple's version is great, and I'll bet John Lennon would have felt she did it the right way.

 

BTW, I am still trying to find James Brown version of Something on cd (George Harrison said this was the favorite cover of one of his songs)
I have it on 45, but I have no way to transfer it digitally.

 

as for covers, Cheap Trick did a very heavy cover of Magical Mystery Tour.

 

I don't really care for Fiona Apple at all, but I love her version of "Across the Universe." It's hypnotic, which is exactly what that song should be. Better than the Rufus W. version on the I Am Sam CD, IMO.

Sean Murdock