Meaning of Yellow Submarine by The Beatles & The Story Behind

As a rock musician, try writing a nursery rhyme with funny lyrics and funny images. Guess what will happen next? There will definitely be critics who will see a secret meaning in the text, associate some phrases with drugs, interpret the words of the composition in the light of political events – in general, they will tell the authors about their creation much more than they could imagine.

The Beatles often encountered something similar, and their famous song Yellow Submarine can be taken as an example.

The story of the creation of the song Yellow Submarine

The author of the idea and the text of the composition is Paul McCartney. He wanted to write a song for children, and he immediately decided that it would have to be performed by Ringo Starr, whose appearance attracted the kids to him. One evening, while Paul was falling asleep at his girlfriend Jane Asher’s parents’ house, the line “We all live in a yellow submarine” came to mind.

Gradually, on its basis, a story was built about a sailor who talks about his adventures. Initially, the song was about several multi-colored submarines, but in the end there was only one – yellow.

Lennon and Donovan helped Paul write Yellow Submarine, although both of them consider it the brainchild of McCartney. As planned, the song was sung by Ringo Starr.

Yellow Submarine was recorded in late May/early June 1966 at Abbey Road Studios. To create special sound effects, the musicians used various improvised means. So, they blew into a pot of water through a straw, spoke into a tin can, rotated metal chains in the bathroom, and so on.

The meaning of the song Yellow Submarine

And now a little about the subtext of Yellow Submarine. Although Paul McCartney and other members of The Beatles insisted that this was just a children’s song with no deep meaning, music lovers endowed with a rich imagination are still searching for it.

Interesting versions were expressed. Some believe that the “yellow submarine” symbolizes psychotropic pills of yellow color and oblong shape. Others claim that the song is about how the Beatles were forced to hide from crazy fans by spending days after days in hotel rooms (like on a submarine). It is also sometimes suggested that Yellow Submarine contains allusions to the Vietnam War.

Yellow Submarine divided the Beatles’ multi-million fan base into two camps. Some consider the song a stupid dummy, while others not only listen to it with pleasure, but also willingly sing it at every opportunity. How do you feel about her?

Release and achievements

In early August, Yellow Submarine was released as a single in the UK and US. In the homeland of the group, the composition topped the charts, and in the States it reached the second line of the Billboard Hot 100. Apparently, she failed to take the first place due to a scandalous interview with John Lennon, in which he stated that The Beatles are more popular than Christ.

Video of Yellow Submarine by The Beatles

Let’s watch online funny music video for the song “Yellow Submarine” by The Beatles.

Cover versions

Yellow Submarine has been performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Maurice Chevalier and even The King and the Fool.

Interesting Facts

  • Paul McCartney specifically used short words in Yellow Submarine’s text so that children could sing it without any problems.
  • Donovan composed the line “Sky of blue and of green/In our yellow submarine”.

Yellow Submarine Lyrics by The Beatles

In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines
So we sailed up to the sun
Till we found a sea of ​​green
And we lived beneath the waves
in our yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

And our friends are all aboard
Many more of them live next door
And the band begins to play

As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need
Sky of blue and sea of ​​green
In our yellow submarine

Lyrics of Yellow Submarine Alternate

In the town where I was born
There was a man who went to sea
And he told us about his life
In the land of submarines
So we sailed up to the sun
Until they found the green sea
And we lived under the waves
In our yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine
yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
yellow submarine, yellow submarine

And only our friends are on board
And more of them of them live in the neighborhood
And the orchestra starts to play

This is how easy we live
And everyone has everything they need
Blue sky and green sea
In our yellow submarine

Song quote

Actually, I don’t know where they got the idea for the song from. I just thought it was a very interesting track for me.

Ringo Starr

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