The nation loves Beres Hammond and have called the song, “Let Me Help You”, “a real classic,” although it hasn’t been performed much since it was published thirty-six years ago by a young soul who never lost his energy.
Now, in the greatest possible version of the narrative, it is being recounted. Due to the same tune that he “reimagined” and released with the Harmony House/VP Records labels, with distribution handled by VP, Hammond was unquestionably the hit of the music scene on May 2, 2024.
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Once Spotify, the massive streaming service, heard it, they thought a big promotion was only fitting and changed the title to “Let Me Help You”. Fans got the pleasure of viewing a grinning Beres up in the limelight as the song was chosen to be put strategically on billboards in Toronto’s famous Yonge-Dundas Square and Times Square in New York.
Remarkably, Spotify saves this kind of hype for album launches.
“But they respect Beres so much they gave it to him for this single because they know he’s excited for this release,” a manager from Hammond revealed.
This is how it works: Spotify offers a playlist labeled “New Music Friday,” which is simply an updated weekly playlist that features the newest releases for that week. There is a New Music Friday playlist for every major market where Spotify is available. In addition to curating this playlist, Spotify screens every new release in the key markets before hand-selecting the songs to include on billboards.
The lovers’ rock virtuoso, who received an honorary degree from The University of the West Indies in November, is really grateful for the attention that Let Me Help You is getting, particularly considering that it was widely believed that the song didn’t get the credit it deserved when it was first released in 1988.
“What nuh dead nuh dash it way … so it go fi true,” He said, quoting a proverb from Jamaica.
Since Hammond wrote, produced, and orchestrated the original song, it is regarded as “a rarity” for him to revisit one of his own compositions from his back catalog. He clarified, though, that the choice wasn’t entirely his own.
“My team thought that I should re-release the song because they found it interesting. I couldn’t find the master, so I decided that, if they really wanted it so badly, then I would redo it. We put on some horns … called in Mr. Fraser [Dean], and used all new musicians. And, from my perspective, it was wonderful. Everybody played their roles wonderfully and I enjoyed the sessions immensely,” Hammond told the local newspaper.
If fan feedback serves as a gauge, then this remix will undoubtedly be well received by them. The original version was uploaded on YouTube two years ago, and some of the comments are rather educational. One admirer even shared a whole narrative.
A fan wrote, “First heard on local radio 25 years ago. For years, I pulled up the DJ/presenter to find the song title, but he couldn’t remember due to it being played on CD with no title, and before the advent of YouTube and so forth … It was years after first hearing this song he eventually found out the title and I acquired the vinyl on 7’” and 12’”.
With the yearly Love and Harmony Cruise just concluded, Hammond is prepared to go on the road once more, this time as part of the July and August Forever Giving Thanks tour, where he will be playing hits from his vast discography.
“I am looking forward to going on the road. Yeah man! Remember seh is my farmwork this, enuh. I will be doing two shows in Canada and the rest will be in the US,” the reggae sensation shared.
The 27th Edition of the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival will take place in Boonville, California from June 21–23. Additionally, on July 20, Hammond will headline Reggae Sumfest. There will shortly be more dates released.
The hitmaker, who considers the studio to be either his first or second home, is also quite busy at work.
“I am seriously hoping to have a little project out for the summer. I am working to have it released in July or so … the fans are looking forward to it and so am I,” he stated.
