ALTHOUGH UNITED ARTISTS HAD SECURED THE AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK RIGHTS FOR THE FIRST BEATLES MOVIE, BY THE TIME THE GROUP'S SECOND FILM WAS IN ITS DEVELOPMENT STAGE, CAPITOL HAD THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO THE BEATLES RECORDINGS. THUS, CAPITOL COULD PUT OUT AN OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR "HELP!", AS OPPOSED TO A SEMI-SOUNDTRACK OPUS LIKE 1964'S "SOMETHING NEW".

CAPITOL CHOSE TO ISSUE "HELP!" AS AN ALBUM FEATURING THE SEVEN BEATLES SONGS FROM THE MOVIE PLUS "EXCLUSIVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FROM THE PICTURE'S SOUNDTRACK". THE LABEL'S DECISION TO ISSUE AN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK LP WAS INFLUENCED BY THE STRONG SALES PERFORMANCE OF THE UNITED ARTISTS SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR "A HARD DAY'S NIGHT".

FOR ITS "HELP!" ALBUM, CAPITOL PREPARED A COLORFUL GATEFOLD COVER, WHICH DESCRIBED THE PACKAGE AS A "VERY SPECIAL MOVIE SOUNDTRACK SOUVENIR ALBUM".  BEATLES FANS QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT CAPITOL HAD SOMETHING ELSE SPECIAL FOR THEM - A LIST PRICE OF $4.98 FOR MONO AND $5.98 FOR STEREO ALBUMS, A FULL DOLLAR MORE THAN OTHER ROCK ALBUMS OF THE DAY. BUT THIS WAS THE BEATLES, AND CAPITOL REASONED THAT BEATLES FANS WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY AN EXTRA DOLLAR.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT EVERY BEATLES FAN COULDN'T WAIT TO BREAK THE SEAL OF THIS LP TO SEE THE COLORFUL PRESENTATION OF THE INSIDE GATEFOLD PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS, THEREFORE FINDING A FACTORY SEALED MONAURAL COPY IN THIS MAJESTIC CONDITION IS QUITE A RARITY INDEED - AND THIS FACTORY STILL SEALED EXAMPLE IS A WORLD-CLASS JEWEL, VIRTUALLY "AS NEW" PERFECT, AND IS STELLAR CORNER TO CORNER. IT APPEARS FACTORY FRESH AS IT DID IN THE RECORD SHOPS WHEN RELEASED ON AUGUST 13, 1965.  SIMPLY STATED, THIS IS A TRULY MAGNIFICENT SEALED MONAURAL EXAMPLE AND IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE FINEST CONDITIONED STILL SEALED EXAMPLE OF THIS RELEASE FROM THE SUMMER OF 1965 KNOWN TO EXIST.

THIS GATEFOLD LP RELEASE DID NOT DICTATE FACTORY NUMBERS ON BACK COVER. THE OLIVE GREEN SLEEVE (SUMMER TO LATE 1965 CAPITOL SLEEVE) IS BARELY VISIBLE THROUGH THE MOUTH OPENING. THERE IS ONE FACTORY SHRINK "BREATH HOLE" EVIDENT ON THE FRONT COVER. THE SEAL ON THIS COVER IS EXTREMELY TIGHT CORNER TO CORNER.  THE FRONT AND BACK COVER IMAGES ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. BOLD, AND CRISP WITH NO RINGWEAR OR OTHER DISTRACTIONS. THE WHITE TONE IS VIBRANT AND A PRISTINE "SNOW WHITE", WITH NO DISCOLORATION AT ALL. ALL FOUR CORNERS ARE SHARP. THE SPINE IS PERFECTLY SQUARE, AND THE PRINT IS CENTERED.