Help Yourself (Julian Lennon album)

Help Yourself is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, released in 1991 through Atlantic Records in the US and Virgin Records in the UK.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]

Help Yourself
Studio album by Julian Lennon
Released	20 August 1991
Studio	The Enterprise (Burbank, California) Amigo Studios (North Hollywood, California)
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	58:22
Label	Virgin (UK) Atlantic (US)
Producer	Bob Ezrin
Julian Lennon chronology
Mr. Jordan (1989) Help Yourself (1991) Photograph Smile (1998)
Singles from Help Yourself
"Saltwater" Released: 12 August 1991 "Help Yourself" Released: 14 October 1991[2] "Get a Life" Released: 6 April 1992[3]

The album was a commercial success in Europe for Lennon, spawning a UK No. 6 hit "Saltwater" (as well as topping the charts in Australia for four weeks); however, it did not do as well in the US, where Atlantic Records were said to have under-promoted the album.^[6]

The album was reissued, along with The Secret Value of Daydreaming and Mr. Jordan, on 8 September 2009 by Noble Rot Records.^[7]

Track listing

Side one

1. "Rebel King" (Julian Lennon, Anthony Moore, Bob Ezrin) – 5:51
2. "Saltwater" (Lennon, Mark Spiro, Leslie Spiro) – 4:07
3. "Get a Life" (Lennon, Glenn Martin Tilbrook, Scott Humphrey) – 4:17
4. "Would You" (Lennon, Moore) – 6:19
5. "Maybe I Was Wrong" (Lennon, Justin Clayton) – 4:27
6. "Help Yourself" (Lennon, John McCurry) – 4:41

Side two

7. "Listen" (Lennon) – 5:04
8. "Other Side of Town" (Lennon, Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell) – 5:34
9. "New Physics Rant" (Lennon, Moore, Ezrin, Humphrey) – 4:48
10. "Take Me Home" (Lennon, Ezrin, Clayton) – 4:26
11. "Imaginary Lines" (Lennon, Moore, Clayton, Ezrin) – 5:12
12. "Keep the People Working" (Moore) – 3:36

Personnel

Musicians

• Julian Lennon – lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, guitars, mandolin, bass and drum programming, percussion
• Bob Ezrin – keyboards, programming, percussion, backing vocals
• Scott Humphrey – keyboards, synthesizer programming, computer programming, backing vocals
• John Haeny – sound effects
• Justin Clayton – guitars
• Steve Hunter – guitars
• John McCurry – guitars
• George Harrison – guitars [uncredited, disputed]
• Matt Bissonette – bass guitar
• Louis Molino – drums
• Allan Schwartzberg – additional drums
• Bobbye Hall – percussion
• Paul Buchanan – lead vocals (8)
• Maxi Anderson – backing vocals
• Kim Edwards-Brown – backing vocals
• Peter Fletcher – backing vocals
• Clydene Jackson – backing vocals
• Bobette Jamison-Harrison – backing vocals
• Carmen Twillie – backing vocals
• Clarise Wilkins – backing vocals
• Paul Winger – backing vocals
• Olivia D'Abo – additional backing vocals
• Mark Spiro – additional backing vocals
• San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Troop 592 – additional backing vocals

Production

• Bob Ezrin – producer
• Lenny Derose – recording
• James Guthrie – mixing
• Martin Horenburg – recording assistant, mix assistant
• Marko Olson – recording assistant
• Robert Hrycyna – production supervisor, technical supervisor
• Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
• PhD – art direction, design
• Mark Hanauer – photography
• Tony Smith – management
• Paddy Spinks – management

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Position Australian ARIA Album Chart[8] 5 UK Albums Chart[9] 42

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[10] Gold 35,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Thomas, Stephen. "Help Yourself – Julian Lennon : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
2. "New Singles". Music Week. 12 October 1991. p. 33.
3. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 4 April 1992. p. 29.
4. Caro, Marc (22 August 1991). "Julian Lennon Help Yourself (Atlantic)". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
5. "Rolling Stone review: Julian Lennon: Help Yourself". Rolling Stone. 31 October 1991. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
6. "Help Yourself Menu at Hey Jules". Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
7. "JULIAN LENNON'S ATLANTIC YEARS REISSUED ON NOBLE ROT THROUGH COLLECTORS' CHOICE MUSIC". Top40-charts.com. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
8. "australian-charts.com Julian Lennon – Help Yourself". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original (ASP) on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
9. "Julian Lennon > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
10. "ARIA Monthly Certifications 1990–Present". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 June 2013.