Yellow Submarine

When you encounter The Beatles' Yellow Submarine, you are faced with a work that emerged as part of a commitment. The band was commissioned to contribute material to the animated film of the same name, and the result was this album, released in early 1969. The majority of the record is composed of six tracks by the band, but there's an interesting detail: several of these songs had already seen the light of day before. "Yellow Submarine" was part of Revolver since 1966, and "All You Need Is Love" had been a hit single in 1967, also appearing on the American album Magical Mystery Tour. The rest of the content, which occupies the second half of the record, consists of orchestral arrangements created by George Martin, the band's usual producer, specifically designed to accompany the film.

Year: 1969
Songs: 13
Duration: 40 min 13 seg

Listen to the album ★

13 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱

Yellow Submarine

2:43 02

Only a Northern Song

Intermediate

All Together Now

Hey Bulldog

It’s All Too Much

All You Need Is Love

Pepperland

Easy

2:24 08

Sea of Time

Intermediate

Sea of Holes

Sea of Monsters

March of the Meanies

Pepperland Laid Waste

2:15 13

Yellow Submarine in Pepperland

Intermediate

2:11

Genres

Classic rock Rock Pop Britpop mainstream rock

Details

Year: 1969
Songs: 13
Duration: 40 min 13 seg

About the album

Yellow Submarine, according to DoReSol

The recording of this album had its peculiarities. While some songs were created with the film in mind, others were material the band already had and had not been released. For example, George Harrison's "Only a Northern Song" was originally intended for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and much of it was recorded since 1967. "It's All Too Much," also by Harrison, was recorded shortly before Sgt. Pepper's and had to be shortened for this release. On the other hand, "Hey Bulldog" and "All Together Now" seem to have been conceived for the film, although there are records that "Hey Bulldog" was recorded during the filming of the "Lady Madonna" clip. The B-side of the record is entirely dedicated to George Martin's compositions, which bring the film's soundscapes to life.

Despite some pieces already being known, the album had its moment. It reached the top positions on the charts, both in the United Kingdom and the United States. The critical reception was varied; some felt that the band's material sounded a bit dated compared to their previous works, but George Martin's orchestral work received praise. Originally, the possibility of Yellow Submarine being a shorter EP, without the orchestral music and including "Across the Universe," was considered, but ultimately the version we know was chosen, which has been reissued on compact disc several times over the years.

Discography