The Story Behind the Beatles' Yellow Submarine Album

The Beatles' iconic song 'Yellow Submarine' was not just a standalone hit, but also part of a larger project - an animated film and soundtrack album that would become one of the most beloved and enduring collaborations in music history. Released in 1968, the Yellow Submarine album is a testament to the band's willingness to experiment and push boundaries, even when they weren't entirely thrilled with the idea.

The story begins with the release of the film 'Yellow Submarine' in England in July 1968. Capitol Records assumed that a soundtrack album would follow shortly after, but it wouldn't be until November of that year that British audiences could get their hands on the music. Meanwhile, the Beatles had just released their groundbreaking double album 'The White Album,' which kept fans occupied in the interim.

As moviegoers watched the film, they were treated to a handful of new Beatles songs, including 'All Together Now' and 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.' However, it would take another two months for these tracks to become available on record. The soundtrack album finally arrived in America in January 1969, a full three months after the film's release.

George Martin, the Beatles' producer, has spoken about the band's reluctance to participate in the project. According to Martin, the group had a tendency to set aside songs they didn't think were their best work and save them for the Yellow Submarine soundtrack instead. This is how tracks like 'Only a Northern Song' and 'All You Need is Love' ended up on the album.

The contract with United Artists allowed the Beatles to use as many as twelve previously released songs, but also required four new compositions specifically for the film. The band's involvement was minimal, with producer Al Brodax handling most of the creative decisions. As John Lennon put it in 1968, 'Brian had set it up and we had nothing to do with it.'

Despite their lack of enthusiasm, the Yellow Submarine album went on to become a huge success, introducing fans to some of the Beatles' most beloved songs while also showcasing the band's willingness to experiment and push boundaries. As one of the first full-length animated films featuring the music of The Beatles, Yellow Submarine remains an iconic piece of music history, and its soundtrack album continues to delight listeners to this day.

Yellow submarine album