The soundtrack for Yellow Submarine, The Beatles’ fourth film, was the band’s tenth UK album. It was released in early 1969, just weeks after the White Album.
The film project had begun in 1967, at a time when The Beatles had little enthusiasm for making a full length film. They had recently completed Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and were more focused on the television special Magical Mystery Tour and its soundtrack.
However, they were under contract by United Artists to make another film, and by way of compromise an animation featuring the voices of actors and the music of The Beatles was decided upon. The Beatles additionally agreed to film a short sequence for the film’s end, and oversaw its creation.
The Beatles supplied four new songs for the film. Two of these – ‘Only A Northern Song’ and ‘It’s All Too Much’ – were by George Harrison. At a time when the guitarist struggled to have his compositions included on The Beatles’ albums, this shows how little regard the band, and John Lennon and Paul McCartney in particular, held the project.
Bespoke, indeed, not exactly a good fit. The dregs of their inventory. Pieces they would in any case jettison: junk, file-and-forget pieces… I don’t fancy you will use the new songs as highlights embracing story points, but rather as filler at best.
Up Periscope Yellow: The Making of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine, Al Brodax
Of the other two new songs, ‘Hey Bulldog’ was recorded in a 10-hour session, during the filming of the ‘Lady Madonna’ promotional film. ‘All Together Now’, meanwhile, took even less time, just six hours on 12 May 1967. In the absence of George Martin, the song was essentially produced by Paul McCartney with assistance from engineer Geoff Emerick.
The soundtrack album also contained two older and previously-released Beatles songs – the title track from 1966, and the following year’s ‘All You Need Is Love’.
The albums’s second side comprised seven tracks, re-recordings of the George Martin’s orchestral soundtrack for the film. These album recordings were taped with a 41-piece orchestra over two three-hour sessions on 22 and 23 October 1968, and were mixed and edited on 24 and 25 October.
“The dregs of their inventory” says George Martin!
It was his instrumental drivel that devalues the “Album”!
Martin never took George Harrison seriously! “It’s All Too Much” is, along side “Tomorrow Never Knows”, “Rain”, and “She Said She Said” the greatest piece of Psychedelia The Beatles ever recorded!
Like “Magical Mystery Tour”, this Beatles “Album” should have been released as an EP! like they originally planned!
What I never understood is why was the movie released in August, 1968 and the “Album” released so much later?
Yes those 2 songs are the best of the entire opus. Harrison was often sidelined by the 2 giants of song writing. In a way it can be understood. Musicians have big egos ? and yet he wrote My Sweet Lord admittedly after they called it quits but Only A Northern Song and It’s All Too Much are to my ears clearly the best cuts here and not the 2 new L/Mc items
As for the frustrated classical composer his input here can be at best described as adequate/just fit for the job he is no Debussy ? but hey at least he managed to smuggle some of his efforts onto a recording of the most lauded greatest band of the 20th Century so he scored; yes he scored ….
I really love Harrison’s songs on this album, far better than I liked all of his Indian songs elsewhere or Blue Jay Way. IMHO, George carried this album and It’s all too much is my favorite psychedelic style Beatles song and love the dissonance of It’s only a northern song.
It’s All Too Much is a great little song. It was years before I found out that John Lennon played all the guitar and Harrison played organ throughout. I never cared much for Only A Northern Song. Initially recorded for Sgt. Pepper. George Martin told Harrison the song was weak and not up to snuff for Sgt. Pepper, so Harrison came back with a new song, Within You Without You. A far superior tune with wonderful lyrics. Not everybody cares for Indian music, but I always found it comforting.