01/13/2026
No doubt I'm playing this album over and over on my "Yellow Submarine" today because, in 1969, the Yellow Submarine soundtrack was released six months after the film's initial release in July 1968.
This is how I remember The Beatles, and how I was introduced to the Fab Four. It wasn't just the music made for the film but the other songs included that got me into "Beatlemania!" Although, if you wanted to be more technical about it, I would have grown up with the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" album released in 1999.
Upon looking more into the project as a whole, I was a little shocked to find out that The Beatles didn't care much for the songs featured here let alone the film. In fact, apart from "Yellow Submarine" and "All You Need Is Love," the song made for the film were considered "throwaway songs." Meaning, if they didn't think it was good for their other albums then they would just put it on the soundtrack. In fact, to let you know how much The Beatles cared little for the project, the original UK album back cover says nothing about Yellow Submarine. Instead, they printed some reviews of the White Album. On the US back cover, however, it features a fictional biography and history of all the character in Pepperland.
I always found that funny because "Only A Northern Song" and "It's All Too Much" are in the list of my top Beatles songs. "All Together Now" is a great catchy song to sing when you're feeling down, and "Hey Bulldog" is just a perfect rock song that lets you know The Beatles could still lay it down if they wanted to. It's still my top Beatles album, and one I often carry around with me along with my portable record player whenever I visit my family.