Named after a Chinese friend whose name sounds like the Mandarin pronunciat… Read Full Bio ↴Named after a Chinese friend whose name sounds like the Mandarin pronunciation of "bandstand," the Ting Tings -- a scrappy, dance-oriented duo consisting of singer/guitarist Katie White and drummer Jules De Martino -- formed in the Salford district of Manchester, England in 2006. Prior to forming the group, the pair worked together in 2001 when White was in the all-female punk-pop group TKO and De Martino wrote some songs for them. Later the pair reunited, and with another friend formed the trio Eskimo Kiss, which signed to Mercury Records but disbanded, in part due to changing personnel at the label. De Martino and White regrouped, working on their own music and others' at Salford's music commune The Islington Mill. Quickly signed to the local indie label Switchflicker Records, the Ting Tings released their debut single, "That's Not My Name," in the spring of 2007. Following the limited-edition, tour-only single "Fruit Machine," the Ting Tings signed to major-label Columbia later that year. The flipside of the Switchflicker single, "Great DJ," was released as the duo's debut Columbia single in March 2008, followed by the reissue of "That's Not My Name" with a new exclusive B-side remix.

"That's Not My Name" rose to the top of the U.K. charts in May 2008, the same month that the duo's debut album, We Started Nothing, appeared. The Ting Tings spent the rest of 2008 and a large part of 2009 touring in support of the album, which eventually sold over two million copies worldwide, won the 2009 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, and earned the group a Best New Artist Grammy nomination that December. Early in 2010, De Martino and White moved to Berlin to work on songs for their second album. Inspired by the city's atmosphere and the cold weather, they went in a darker, more electronic direction with their new songs. In August 2010, the Ting Tings offered a taste of their new material, premiering the single "Hands" -- which was mixed by Calvin Harris -- on BBC Radio 1 and officially releasing it that October. After extensive touring and over eight months recording in Germany and Spain, in March 2012 the Ting Tings offered their sophomore album, Sounds from Nowheresville, a collection of songs inspired by the exuberant freedom of the Beastie Boys' classic Paul's Boutique. Two years later, third album Super Critical surfaced. Its October release date was preceded by the April release of first single "Wrong Club."

Help
The Ting Tings Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can ya, help?
Can ya, help?
Help, iyayayayayayayaya
Will ya, help?
Will ya, help?
Iyayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya

Hey, you are the one, you are the one

What can you lose
We see this falling out the air
Don't wanna think about it
We are dead and we can't live without it
Don't wanna think about it

Will ya, help?

Help!

Can ya, help?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Ting Tings' song Help may seem simple and repetitive, but they still hold meaning. The repeated questions of "Can ya, help?" and "Will ya, help?" suggest a sense of desperation and a need for assistance. This plea for help is directed at someone specific, as the line "Hey, you are the one, you are the one" implies that they are addressing someone who they believe can offer aid.

The following lines hint at a crisis or problem that has arisen, as they sing "We see this falling out the air" and "We are dead and we can't live without it." The singers seem to be wrestling with the severity of the situation, and the need for assistance and guidance. Ultimately, the song becomes a cry for help, as they repeatedly call out for assistance, hoping that someone will hear them and offer aid.

Line by Line Meaning

Can ya, help?
Asking for assistance from someone

Can ya, help?
Repeating the request for help

Help, iyayayayayayayaya
Expressing desperation for assistance

Will ya, help?
Asking again for someone to provide assistance

Will ya, help?
Repeating the request for help

Iyayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya
Continuing to express desperation for assistance

Hey, you are the one, you are the one
Addressing a specific person for help

What can you lose
Asking the person to consider the potential benefits of helping

We see this falling out the air
Describing a situation that requires immediate assistance

Don't wanna think about it
Expressing avoidance of the problem at hand

We are dead and we can't live without it
Highlighting the severity of the situation and the necessity of help

Don't wanna think about it
Continuing to express avoidance of the problem at hand

Will ya, help?
Reiterating the need for assistance

Help!
Urgently calling for aid

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Katie White, Jules De Martino

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Gerald McCardle

Excellent song. So uplifting. Love the beat De Martino puts down and White's voice grips me and doesn't let go.
We are dead if we can't live without it...
Indeed.