Helen Wheels

Album: Band On The Run (1973)
Charted: 12 10
Play Video
  • Said farewell to my last hotel
    It never was much a kind of a bode
    Glasgow town never brought me down
    When I was heading out on the road
    Carlisle city never looked so pretty
    And the Kendal freeway's fast
    Slow down driver want to stay alive
    I want to make this journey last

    Helen, hell on wheels
    Ain't nobody else gonna know the way she feels
    Helen, hell on wheels
    And they never gonna take her away

    M six south down to Liverpool
    Where they play the west coast sound
    Sailor Sam he came from Birmingham
    But he never will be found
    Doing fine when a London sign
    Greets me like a long lost friend
    Mister Motor won't you check her out
    She's got to take me back again

    Helen, hell on wheels
    Ain't nobody else gonna know the way she feels
    Helen, hell on wheels
    And they never gonna take her away

    Got no time for a rum and lime
    I want to get my right foot down
    Shake some dust off of this old bus
    I gotta get her out of town
    Spend the day up on the motorway
    Where the carburetors blast
    Slow down driver want to stay alive
    I want to make this journey last

    Helen, hell on wheels
    Ain't nobody else gonna know the way she feels
    Helen, hell on wheels
    And they never gonna take her away

    Say bye bye Writer/s: Linda Mccartney, Paul Mccartney
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Dennis from Spokane WaSir Paul McCartney as always be the best in my book songs I've always loved he will always be loved for his songs thank you god bless
  • Don from Sevierville, TnI always thought this song bore resemblance to Got to Get You into My Life.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 6th 1974, "Helen Wheels" by Paul McCartney peaked at #10 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on November 18th, 1973 and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #12 in the United Kingdom...
    Between 1973 and 1982 he had three others records that also peaked at #10 on the Top 100; "Hi, Hi,Hi" (1973), "Maybe I'm Amazed" (1977), and "Take It Away" (1982); and the Beatles had one record to peak at #10, "P.S. I Love You" in 1964...
    Sir James Paul McCartney will celebrate his 72nd birthday come June 18th.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1979 Cher released a record titled "Hell On Wheels"; it peaked at No. 59 and it stayed in the Top 100 for five weeks!!!
  • Pat from St. Paul, MnAlways wondered why there were no lyrics for this song on the inner sleeve of the "Band On The Run" album. If McCartney didn't intend for the song to be on the album, it makes sense that the lyrics weren't included.
  • Rich from Bellevue, WaNot quite true. While the song is overwhelmingly on an A chord, there is a touch of E in there, during the words "never gonna take her a-".
  • Kevin from Reading , PaFans know that this fun little tune is in the vein of numerous McCartney rockers throughout the 70s, with a chugging electric guitar propelling the song nicely along ("Junior's Farm," "Girls School," etc. etc.) Guitar players will find it interesting that the song is built enitrely around an "A" chord. There are no changes. The numerous lead guitar parts give the song an illusion of chord changes, but, in fact, there are none.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.