  | |
| Written by | John Lennon and Paul McCartney |
| Date | 1967 |
| Source | album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band |
| Publisher | Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC./Beatles |
"With a Little Help from My Friends" is a Beatles song performed by Janice, some pagan pigs and their Sacrificial Idol in episode 419 of The Muppet Show. Janice ultimately gets rescued by Dr. Teeth, Animal, Floyd and Zoot at the end of the number.
Previously, on an Ed Sullivan Show performance from January 17, 1971, Mahna Mahna briefly sings a bit of the chorus, also playing his drums, while The String Quartet performs.
The Electric Mayhem later performed the song, specifically the Joe Cocker arrangement, during their appearance at the 2016 Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival along with backup from Oakland's Interfaith Gospel Choir. The same arrangement was used as the encore for both The Muppets Take the Bowl (joined by Fred Martin and the Levite Camp Choir) and The Muppets Take the O2.
The Muppets (repurposing the same recording as the live shows) performed the song with James Corden on The Late Late Show with James Corden in June 2020. The backing choir vocals were recorded by the Muppet performers themselves from their homes, and mixed by Ed Mitchell.[1]
A video message recorded for "Henry's Loving Team," a nonprofit organization based in New Jersey, features Zoe, Telly Monster, and Count von Count singing the song.
References
- Joe Cocker's cover of the song was spoofed on Sesame Street as "With a Little Yelp from My Friends."
- In Sesame Street Episode 3968, Rosita rallies her friends to help draw pictures of everybody on Sesame Street. As they march off, Rosita remarks, "I get by with a little help from my friends," and the scene is punctuated with a cue from the chorus of the song.
Releases
- Video
- Muppet Treasures (1985)
