The Beatles - Helter Skelter - Reaction (Surprisingly Heavy!)

[@dathorndike4908]

This entire song was like nothing ever created before it. When the Beatles made Helter Skelter they created an entire new genre of music that had never been heard before.

[@Maccaxxx]

No other song writer could write Yesterday and then write something like this, The Boss.

[@jamesdrynan]

That was Ringo at the end. The Beatles covered more genres of music than any other group. Pop , folk-rock, rock, reggae, classical, novelty songs, ballads, Indian music, heavy metal, swamp rock, country. All within six years. Phenomenal!

[@oreopithecus]

Sorry, no - that was John, who was not used to playing the bass, which in this case it only did exceptionally.

[@TommiBrem]

Unless you count Zappa as a group, then they're not 😁

[@ottocarson]

@@oreopithecus That was Ringo 100%

[@pjg58x]

Yes Ringo himself has stated in an interview that it was he who shouted out that phrase and then through his drum sticks across the room.

[@christinef7739]

@@pjg58x Threw

[@kenhoyer8601]

Ringo's drums are perfect

[@acrosstheuniverse1905]

I was 16 in '68 and Helter Skelter was mindblowing

[@bill3118]

Me too!

[@petejones879]

You are 3 yrs older than me then

[@chrissibersky4617]

You're old! 😂 I was born -72 and I get what you mean. This was a leap. I listened to metal as a kid and got two of those leaps in the same year, 1984, Bathory - First album and Metallica - Ride the Lightning. Huge leaps that I've never experienced again. But my heat belongs to the 70's rock and metal.

[@petejones879]

@@chrissibersky4617 thanks.. I don't need telling i see it in the mirror everyday lol.. Despite you are thinking I only listen to Frank sinatra I love metal too I've seen mettalica.. Type O negative.. Led Zep Sabbath.. Deep Purple just not into the thrashier stuff like my lad is.. He loves Nuclear Assault for instance .

[@chrissibersky4617]

@@petejones879 The "you're old" joke was more of the sour grapes kind. I wish I had been there too. One can get surprised by going back in time too and discover things to be amazed by. Not so many surprises in rock for me since my parents liked rock too but ten years ago I dived into delta blues and blue grass. Amazing lyrics and musicians both the old and new, all the way from Mississippi John Hurt to Billy Strings. I listen to everything more or less like most people in my age and above, but rock and metal are nostalgia for me.

[@genedecker3174]

For me, one of the truly great things about this song is the fact that not only was it the first metal/punk/thrash song, but without it, those genres would probably never have existed at all. There's no way that any record label would ever have released this track if it had come from anyone but The Beatles. It was just too heavy and too crazy for it to have been taken seriously at that time. The Beatles were the only recording artists who had ever had the clout and the power to make EMI/Capitol essentially put out whatever they gave them. Even the Stones would have been shut down with a song this wild. And just a short time later we got the debut albums from bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, Deep Purple, and all the other headbangers who came after them. Thank God for The Beatles!

[@lynnerapping7725]

That's why The Beatles are the GOAT!

[@deadlyredly1]

Hearing this for the first time must have been a fucking trip and a half lol

[@KL-mt9yk]

and not to forget, that leads to a really, really sweet next song

[@Terry-dl4nf]

I was that teenager ... 18 years old when I hear this for the first time, and it blew my mind.. Never heard anything like it before and it was incredibly exciting ... still my favourite song from the White Album. Well, it's a bummer being getting old, but I'm so glad I was there to witness music history as it was being made! Great reaction video, Texas, thanks.

[@Texas_Love]

Thank you! I bet it was amazing the first time!

[@hollywoodharriet13]

I had just turned 17 - you know what I mean. 😉

[@Terry-dl4nf]

@@hollywoodharriet13 Wow, just turned 17. Yes, I know what you mean ... there's been lots of great music produced since the Beatles, but nothing can surpass the incredible sense of excitement from those first years. Lots of love to you, Harriet 💙💜💚

[@Pat-nl4wk]

Paul was reading a magazine review for “l Can See For Miles” by The Who. The writer stated that ICSFM was the heaviest song he had ever heard. Paul, without ever hearing about the song or listening to the song writes “Helter Skelter”.

[@mibeatleman6767]

"Helter Skelter" was originally just under 27 minutes long and edited down to 4.5 minutes, that's why there's a fade out and then a fade in and Ringo screaming "I've got blisters on my fingers!" at the end.

[@simply_psi]

I loved how The Beatles used to change up who played what instruments in the band, this track John Lennon plays bass, and George and Paul both played lead and rhythm guitar and therefore invented the first punk rock riff

[@Katehowe3010]

John actually played "bass".

[@simply_psi]

@@Katehowe3010 sure did, the guitar not the fish

[@Katehowe3010]

@@simply_psi 😆

[@free..to..air..]

This is normal practice when you're multi talented

[@bobcorbin3294]

Paul McCartney said he wrote this song in response to a song by The Who called I Can See For Miles. He wanted to to sound heavier than The Who

[@MrKeychange]

He definitely did that

[@lennon1482]

yea , what a great melting pot the 60s where

[@TheRyanH.]

He said he was also Inspired because someone said he couldn't write rock songs only sappy Ballads. Which is interesting because George told Led Zeppelin the opposite: that they couldn't write Ballads and so they wrote Rain Song 🤣

[@kenhoyer8601]

No silly love song

[@kenhoyer8601]

No silly love song

[@stuartingersoll9163]

The Beatles could play just about any type of music, and play it well. They were true pioneers.

[@jnagarya519]

The way to listen to "Beatles" is in order from the very beginning, chronologically, to best grasp their evolution.

[@igsigsolutions5248]

Exactly.

[@WaynePickering]

I laughed at the same time you grinned at 4:45,lead guitar.I’ve heard this 1,000 times,but it still gives me chills.

[@samguberman2288]

Your face is a picture how it immediately broke into a smile, that's The Beatles for you , I can't get enough of watching young people react to this amazing song, the backing vocals are so brilliant too.

[@guidosarducci]

Your instant smile says all...rock on...

[@amygone2pot]

I remember when my older sister brought this album home. The whole album was a bit of a revolution and of course it was a massive hit.

[@MARKBUZZ1]

Just Imagine...1962 ..''Love me do.''.....And six years later...this.

[@cuebj]

McCartney wrote the song in response to The Who, 'I can see for miles'. Pete Townshend had said something about having made the loudest record and McCartney thought he could do louder. Saturday night at something like Nottingham Goose Fair in Autumn is very loud, neon lights flashing everywhere, loud music from every fairground attraction and all only a few yards apart. Lots of chaotic movement and often some violent crime. We still have something of that tradition now though it is toned down at Blackheath but, in 1950s and 60s things could get pretty wild - a bit like early Mardi gras or Carnival in Trinidad

[@nicklenz7030]

Very nice seeing you smile through the song :)

[@brianferris8668]

Love Ringo at the end "I've got blisters on my fingers".

[@mikenaykki3133]

I was 16 when I first heard that. It just blew me away! My friends were shock can’t believe what they were hearing also!! 👍👍😎

[@melvin768]

It was great I use to have the white album and when I played helter shelter, everyone listened to it

[@69zenos1]

I was 12 years old when my older brothers and sisters brought this stuff home. I heard it all and never heard anything nearly as good since.

[@billyraybar]

After hearing this song I no longer have the slightest shred of doubt that the Beatles are the GOAT.

[@andyfee6781]

Beatles I want you/she so heavy is a great heavy Beatles song.

[@laureliechapman1267]

The Beatles were experimenting with new and innovative recording techniques. McCartney and Lennon were looking for new sounds, new ways to make sounds, using audio clips of any sound they thought interesting and working with the recording engineers to use the clips - backward, looped, overdubbing, and on and on. Listen to ""Tomorrow Never Knows" on the "Revolver" album. Definitely marks a new direction for the "Fab Four". They stopped doing live performances in 1965, I think - one reason was to concentrate on creating these new sounds that could not be reproduced live.

[@Texas_Love]

Thanks for the info!

[@hungfao]

They stopped touring in Sept 1966, Candlestick Park.

[@laureliechapman1267]

@@hungfao ah, yes, I should have double-checked. I knew it was Candlestick Park, and I knew it was about the time "Revolver" and "Rubber Soul" were released. I majored in History but I was never very good at the dates!

[@donaldkennedy9573]

It has George and Paul on Lead guitar. John on the 6-string electric bass.

[@jnagarya519]

I was 15 when "The Beatles" hit the US and 20 when this LP was released. The local FM station played it through, all 4 sides, without commercials, 5 nights per week for two weeks ahead of its release. And then on weekends played it at random intermixed with all sorts of other "Beatles". That's an indication of the massive impact "The Beatles" had.

[@SteveHolst]

I was in high school when this came out. It was different and I loved it.

[@CraigPMiller]

I got blisters on my fingers! 😎❤ Love that album - The Beatles were mind blowing

[@tonyfeuerhelm]

Blisters'...

[@venderstrat]

Ringo's drumming on this is PERFECT!

[@billalbritton4972]

He’s always perfect. Never repeated himself.

[@gertrudelaronge6864]

Birth of Metal.

[@petehealy9819]

Loved your reaction and your comment about what it must have been like to hear this for the first time back then as a teenager. I was about to turn 16 when this came out. I cranked this and much of the "White Album" at full volume on my parents' Magnavox console to the point where our dogs would start howling. 😅

[@Texas_Love]

Nice! I wish I could have experienced it!🤘🤘

[@rodneycraft1005]

fantastic

[@genebaughbba]

There is an actual slide in a park either in London or Liverpool called the helter-skelter. It's big and tall and has multiple shoots down that twist and turn like corkscrews.

[@jimcomvideos]

I played in a rock band in late 80's early 90's and my lead guitar guy said he was unsure how he felt when he heard the Beatles getting more into distorted guitars and "heavier" like almost into heavy metal. Great stuff.

[@stlmopoet]

Have never in my life heard the Roman Empire interpretation. Have been listening to all my life.

[@se6369]

is it something Paul confirmed though?

[@scottsmith1712]

Born in 63, parents had this album.... for at least the first 10 years of having this album laying around this was the only song i cared to hear, wasnt until around high school i started listenng to the other songs.

[@60secthebaptist9]

I llike your appreciation of context . context is everything. too many reactors ingore it / don't do any homework.

[@Texas_Love]

Thank you! I like your picture, Post Office is one of the best books I've ever read! Top 5 easily!

[@petehealy9819]

Btw, since you're checking out the White Album, take a listen to "Everybody's Got Something to Hide (etc)"! It's one jacked up party song, also way ahead of its time!

[@Bluewizard7131]

Unfortunately, the Beatles stopped playing live in 1966, with the exception of the rooftop concert on top of Abbey Road studios in 1969. The concerts had gotten out of hand with the craziness. You couldn't hear them play. They lived like prisoners in their hotel rooms while touring and could go nowhere in public. So, they stopped touring to focus solely on music creation. Paul's live versions of their later stuff is all we have, and it's absolutely great, but we can only imagine what the Beatles would have sounded like live on their later music.

[@Condadoking]

Not Abbey Road, it was the rooftop of their Apple Offices in Savile Row 😊

[@arrow5599]

I've got blisters on me fingers !!

[@signe2023]

Ringo

[@chrislc35]

1968...imagine hearing this then. they influenced everyone, easy to see how listening to this.

[@brianconvery1246]

The outro is very Hendrix inspired that they were blown away by when they saw him in London

[@christull6572]

Listen to that amazing bass line!!

[@signe2023]

John on 6- String bass!!

[@VIRGODRAGON2009]

We had Hendrix Cream Who Yardbirds for hard rock guitar in 1966/7 my 15th year, this was 68 and a wonderful surprise for us from the Beatles.

[@ontrack16]

That WAS a tasty twisty lick by George Harrison that you liked. I believe, Paul is on the intro guitar riff/rhythm while George is comping him. And yes, John slamming it on the bass. That blew me away when I found that out. Apparently, they had this cool "alto" guitar, for lack of a better word that was tuned an octave down but could be played more or less like a guitar, as well. They loved it for a rockous bass sound heard throughout The White Album and Let It Be/Get Back sessions. The earliest I think it was used was for 'Baby, You're A Rich Man' the year before. Thank you, Texas Love, from the Bay Area in California, for reacting to such an underrated Beatles' track!

[@robertthompson5908]

I was eleven years old when the white album came out. I listened to it over and over again and could sing the lyrics to practically every song on it.

[@hv3926]

You should check out Paul's 2018 Dodger Stadium concert where he and Ringo do this song and the crowd just goes apesh*t.😃

[@jimnicosia5934]

They lead the music trends.

[@hungfao]

After leading the pack for several years and virtually leaving everyone in the dust with 'Sgt Pepper...', and after a brief foray to India, the band returned to the studio and produced this two album set. Each song seems to delve into a different genre but gone were the psychedelic sounds. Instead, they demonstrated mastery over the other genre's as well. Unfortunately, the diverse sounds were a clue that the members were drifting apart into their own thing. As they put it, they weren't so much The Beatles anymore as much as the backing band for whomever wrote the song. It may not be their best, but if I put on one of their albums it's this one. The variety as well as the hidden things throughout make it endlessly entertaining for me.

[@rhemaafaese]

"IVE GOT BLISTERS ON ME FINGERS!!!" - Ringo Starr

[@pmR32red]

Yes! 'Hard Core Punk' not heard that description before but I think you're right 👍

[@zedekwinsit]

Nice review bro...glad you liked it cause when I first heard when I was 13 in '68 ...it blew my mind.

[@davidgagne3569]

Dug your reaction. I was a teen at the time this came out. By now, in listening to the Beatles, we knew you could never predict what the Beatles would do next. Except that it would be amazingly good.

[@gregkerr725]

I was 14 in 1968 and though I'd bought a few 45's prior to this album...the White Album was my first Album purchase....still have it and haven't been the same since!

[@SuperCoffee14]

Love your reactions so so much, you're so genuine about it and it's so great you do a bit of research on the songs before you listen to them, it's just so fun watching you listen to stuff, you seem so thoughtful and into discovering new music:) The official video for Revolution by them is an amazing live version, think it could also very much be your cup of tea!

[@paulknight9998]

I'd recommend "Revolution". Melodic but hard rocking song with insane guitar sound. And there's a live video.

[@JohnNielsen-bd5ur]

Hey dude you're coool

[@mikegardner267]

@Texas_Love Great reaction video, thank you! Yes, John, Paul, and George all did vocals, and Ringo a few times. The way they handled who did the lead vocals, most often, was based on who wrote the song, or the majority of the song.

[@genebaughbba]

That's Ringo with the blisters on his fingers from playing so hard.

[@phillipharrison7283]

The term 'Heavy Metal' was first mentioned in "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf in the same year as "Helter Skelter", 1968. There were several bands around making heavier sounds, like Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience and of course 1969 saw led Zeppelin emerge. Check out the Steppenwolf song, Foxy Lady by Hendrix, White Room by Cream and Dazed and Confused by Led Zep.

[@MrKeychange]

None of those bands made anything heavier than this track back then. They were more consistently heavy/ hard rock, but this is way more brutal and messy (in a good way) than anything I can think of from the period.

[@MrKeychange]

@Josh I can hear it, but it's in small sections. They sound like if the Who and Zeppelin formed a garage rock band.

[@MrKeychange]

@Josh I like them harder as well. Revolution & Yer Blues are also bangers.

[@keithwilson1554]

Heavy Metal was first written by a British Music Journalist when he was describing Jimi Hendrix's Music. Paraphrasing here "It made the sound of Heavy Metal being dropped from a Great Height and hitting the pavement'

[@sathira_anuk5179]

Until Black Sabbath

[@reinacarbetta388]

According to McCartney in “The Lyrics,” he used the slide as a symbol for the ups and downs of life, with strong sexual and drug components. So really, it’s a sex, drugs and rock n roll song lol. He wrote this in response to hearing that The Who had made the “lousiest, dirtiest” song ever (but he still doesn’t know what song they were talking about.) Paul’s song with Wings (in 76) called “Silly Love Songs” was in response to people (including Lennon) saying he could only write love songs, ie he was soft.

[@Texas_Love]

Thank you for the clarification, I'm learning!

[@reinacarbetta388]

@@Texas_Love :) All love. My parents were fans so I grew up listening to them but I really started studying them just about a year and a half ago, so I can finally join in on Beatles discussions lol

[@Texas_Love]

@@reinacarbetta388 Maybe in another year or two I can also drop some knowledge! Thanks again for taking the time!

[@BabbleBebble]

To understand more about 'metal' sound about the Beatles you can hear the song Yer Blues in the same White Album

[@spitfirenutspitfirenut4835]

Nothing is more heavy. This is the original.

[@LaptopLarry330]

Check out “Hand In Hand”, by Elmore James, either the 1952 version, or the 1963 version. It will blow your mind.

[@johnepskamp7341]

Beatles - Eclectic.

[@MartinHMyers]

In 1968 my brothers and I could not play the Beatles White Album if my Dad was in the house......it was not allowed. LOL

[@oneisnone7350]

Check out Tomorrow Never Knows. Another departure from most of their music. Although all of their music evolved more than any other band,

[@paulhadfield7909]

helter skelter is a ride at the fair'carnival. a cork screw slide,

[@carolmeindl9508]

I had heard that the Stones were bragging about having written a really ‘dirty’ song and the Beatles, not to be outside, decided to make a super heavy, dirty song with crashing sounds and rough singing. They delivered.

[@davidbroughall3782]

If you want to hear Paul do another screamer, try "I'm Down".

[@signe2023]

Long Tall Sally

[@robertvaughn6646]

Definitely a carnival ride with a sexual innuendo.

[@NilezII]

I think it is a Freakout Song. There is a video of Paul singing it solo, and he starts singing that spooky little tune that goes "Can you take me back where I came from, can you take me back?", then he goes into Helter Skelter. According to legend, he had a bad LSD trip and was going around asking everybody "Can you take me back?" "When I get to the bottom of the slide (come down) I stop & I turn & I go for a ride (trip) till I get to the bottom & I see you (himself) again. The demo sounds folky. In the meantime, Mick Jagger gave an interview where he opined that The Beatles couldn't really play straight-ahead Rock any more. Paul reinvented the song as all all-out Hard Rock Blast. I also read that the ending freakout was originally something like 15 minutes long, and only ended when Ringo threw his sticks away and made his famous exclamation.

[@NancyMoran-r3b]

Helter Skelter is an amusement ride. Paul said that in an interview.

[@user-yp7xu2bd9c]

So much in that song... grunge, metal, indie... can feel the influence on bands like the strokes (and legions of others) right from the start

[@MrKeychange]

Great reaction man! The guitar tone and style of riff you liked was presented in a few different ways around 1968. The one on this record was feeding off the Hendrix and Clapton sound, but delivered in a more blunt, less virtuosic way. It sounds like George Harrison was trying to impress his buddy Eric Clapton. For something really similar, I'd recommend The Guess Who (American Woman, No Time). For something like it that's more of a virtuoso style of performance, go with the two monsters from this time period: Jimi Hendrix (All Along The Watchtower) and Eric Clapton's work on Cream's "White Room" and on the Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (that's also on the White Album w/ Helter Skelter)

[@Texas_Love]

Thank you! My parents had the Hendrix record with all along the watchtower, so I've heard that, and it's awesome. I'll check out the other two. Thanks again!

[@thumbsaloft]

Listen to their song REVOLUTION!

[@richardjacobs7632]

Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey , the Album cut! You’ll love it Lennon sings

[@patticrichton1135]

I have a GREAT story to tell you about this, I lived in Canada for 21 years and I came to be friends with a drummer in one of the local bands. He also had a small record store (this was back in the late '70s early '80s and he carried a lot of British imports on lots of Beatles singles, records, etc. He too was a Beatles fan like me. I went to see him in his shop and he was telling me about this group of "Metal Heads" that came in a few days before. He told me they looked around and said to him, "Hey WHAT'S with all this BEATLES SHIT you got in here.....hey man, they SUCK!" My friend asked WHY would they SAY that? "they never did ANYTHING that was any GOOD." (my friend gave me this look, like "as if they have ever listened to EVERY Album and single of the Beatles to come up with THAT opinion" lol) So they walked around a bit, and then my friend said to these guys. "Hey, have you ever heard the song "HELTER SKELTER"?" They immediately said, "HELL YEAH! NOW THAT'S a GREAT ONE" (or something to that effect, but they clearly had a good opinion about it). My friend said, "do you know who did that?" "Naww, really don't but we have heard it several times at some parties we have been to." Oh, well, I will tell you who it is then, it's THE BEATLES." My friend said they were STUNNED....."WHAT??!!! Naww that's not THEM, they aren't CAPABLE of doing that." My friend got a copy of the Beatles WHITE ALBUM, pulled out the record, showed them label, and then put it on the record player in his store, and played it. He asked them, Is THIS the song you heard at your parties?" They could NOT believe that IT WAS the BEATLES, and especially that it was PAUL McCARTNEY singing it!! He said, I WISH you had been here to SEE their FACES, it was PRICELESS. My friend said to them, YOU should THANK the BEATLES for this song, because I have magazines here where many of your Heavy Metal Band heroes LIST "THE BEATLES" as one of the groups that THEY ADMIRE and that INSPIRED them to the music they do. You MIGHT not have all the Metal YOU now LOVE, if the Beatles and HELTER SKELTER hadn't INFLUENCED these guys back in 1968. OZZY OZBORNE is a HUGE Beatles fan.... They looked a bit embarrased as they turned to leave. I just thought it was funny. A lot of people have NO idea the variety of music the Beatles wrote and recorded....they have maybe only heard a few songs, and then base their opinons on over 250 songs that they wrote (a lot were given away to other groups to record) on just a HAND FUL of songs that they heard. I LOVED it. Just like don't judge a book by it's cover, or only by a few chapters. Don't criticize unless you have heard everything and THEN make a judgement.

[@mitchmitchell80]

My 14 year old thinks they are the greatest band ever!

[@sharrongrant6240]

You have to remember no bands did videos...they performed on TV shows and that was where most videos come from....

[@timothyking7117]

Before Helter Skelter there are earlier examples of the Beatles harder edge like ‘Money’ (With the Beatles) 63’ and ‘Bad Boy’ in 65’.

[@williamsohor4067]

The “solo” sound you’re talking about comes from the Beatles and George Martin’s curiosity and pushing recording technology. During the White Album and songs that were harder edged like Helter Skelter, Hey Bulldog and Revolution, they decided to forgo an amplifier and directly plug their instruments into the mixing boards. They discovered this was oildnpush tue sound they produced far beyond what the boards limiters would allow. They defeated the machines

[@hugginduff]

I bought this album in 8th grade, 1968, and when this song came on, I said to my best friend...WTF???? We were both heavy Beatles' fans. had all of the singles and albums

[@josephclark5054]

They use a fender strat with 4 bass strings and and 2 low cord guitar strings. 6 string bass. Beatles ingenuity

[@robertmills8640]

The Beatles do that fade and come back in several songs. Try "I Want You(She's So Heavy)" or "It's All Too Much" for some interesting non-standard Beatles songs😁😋

[@darinblaine1906]

The first time I heard this song was in 1983 covered by Motley Crue on their Shout at the Devil album. As an 11 year old I had a hard time understanding it was a Beatles song.

[@davidvornsand9551]

i was a teenager when this was released however we always expected something incredible from the Beatles, and were never disappointed!

[@carolwolf9614]

The backing vocals on this are awesome

[@ShawnKavanagh]

@0:55 Leave it to The Beatles to compose, contain and correlate so many ideas into this incredible song 50's guitar was so good

[@mersmyth5280]

You did right by listening to the original release (as the world heard it) first. Thank you! Nice reaction. 👍

[@philshorten3221]

Check out Pink Floyd "Echoes" (Part 1) live at Pompeii 1972 😉

[@donniemoder1466]

Dude, you got this right, it was a huge step up. Beatles were revolutionary and this one song was a crazy leap of invention preceeding punk and heavy metal by 10 to 15 years. For the beatles it was just a one off throw away experiment song on a double album. When Paul McCartney recorded a couple songs with Nirvana, he tried to do something similar to Helter Skelter.

[@SifuJoeBender]

Everybody's got something to hide except me and my monkey!!! And Hey Bulldog!!!

[@guilllermolopez822]

Para todos los ilusos que dicen que los beatles son fresas, esta rolita es considerada la primera rola metalera

[@harrydoupe9315]

Great job. There are a lot of timeless classics in the band's career, but just in the vein of what you liked here two songs that I think you'd really like are "Revolution" (and keep in mind, you want the single version just called Revolution, not Revolution 1 or Revolution 9 from the White Album), and "I Want You (She's So Heavy). Looking forward to all that you hit, though.

[@jelliemish]

I believe the roman empire thing was read into it later, I seem to remember they just wanted to write "the dirtiest song they could" and the result was helter skelter. I think it was John Lennon who said that in an interview.