If You’ve Got Troubles
Both BeatlesSongs and Tell Me Why have nothing on this song. It is an outtake from the “Help!” sessions that didn’t make the cut. Instead of relegating it to a B-side, the band simply shelved it. It would surface on the “Anthology” compilation, but I became familiar with it many years earlier through a bootleg compilation ”Artifacts” which is essentially two box sets of five discs each. These are great career spanning sets that included a lot of the BBC performances and other early recordings, some of which would legitimately see release, but some of which are still locked away in the vault.
The song is about how woeful the life of the narrator is. Sort of a “if you think you have it bad, let me tell you something” situation. It’s not a bad song, but certainly isn’t their best work. A couple of years later they would be putting out some worse material an record.
Do I have troubles? Yeah, we all have our things we need to deal with. Money is a concern, but we’re far from being sent to the poor house. Is the relationship between myself and my wife perfect? No, but we do have a happy marriage. Do I get frustrated with my kids? You bet!
What I have found, however, is that even when things are bleak, there will always be somebody better off, as well as worse off, than you are. It is a matter of perspective. Yes, you may have no income, debt collectors after you, and be in the middle of a nasty divorce, but yes, things could actually be worse. No matter how good your life is, there is always going to be somebody who “has it better” in one form or another.
Somehow we all need to appreciate what we have. That doesn’t mean we need to be complacent and not strive for better… whatever. Just, perhaps, accept what there is, change what you can for the better, and at times, leave well enough alone.