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Today (July 23) marks 50 years since the release of one of The Beatles' finest singles.

Recorded at Abbey Road in 12 takes on April 13, 1965, Help! was written by John Lennon in a moving attempt to express his stress after the Beatles' quick rise to success.

Watch The Beatles playing Help! live in 1965

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"I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for 'Help'," Lennon told Playboy. He later described it as one of his favourite ever songs and one of his first ever attempts at writing from the heart.

Help! went to number one on both the UK and US singles charts in late summer 1965. It was the fourth of six number one singles in a row on the American charts; I Feel Fine, Eight Days a Week, Ticket to Ride, Help!, Yesterday, and We Can Work It Out.

In 1989 the song was recorded by Bananarama (with French & Saunders and Kathy Burke) and released as the Red Nose Day single to raise money for Comic Relief. French, Saunders and Burke were credited as "Lananeeneenoonoo" (a parody of Bananarama, whom they imitated in the French & Saunders television programme). This version reached number three in the UK charts.

Watch Oasis's Noel Gallagher covering Help!