Yellow Submarine cover art

  Soundtrack · No. 3

Yellow Submarine Songwriting Credits by The Beatles

1969 Apple Records 12 tracks 39 min

Produced by George Martin

Apple Records Psychedelic RockOrchestralFilm Score
50%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 6 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 6 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Beatles carries a lyricist or composer credit.

50%
6 trackswritten by The Beatles 6 tracksoutside writers
The Beatles's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist50%
Composer50%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
4
Lyricists
1
Producers
1969
Released
Data Insight

A soundtrack LP divided between Beatles recordings and George Martin's orchestral film score. Side one contains four newly recorded Beatles songs, Harrison's "Only a Northern Song" and "It's All Too Much" plus Lennon-McCartney's "All Together Now" and "Hey Bulldog", alongside two previously released tracks ("Yellow Submarine" and "All You Need Is Love"). Side two consists entirely of George Martin's seven orchestral cues for the animated film; The Beatles played no instruments on it. The album was widely regarded by the band as a contractual obligation rather than a primary artistic statement.

Yellow Submarine is a unique entry in The Beatles' studio discography, released in January 1969 on Apple Records as the soundtrack to the animated film of the same name, a project the band fulfilled contractually with minimal creative investment, as they had limited involvement in the film's production. The Beatles' four new original contributions, Harrison's 'Only a Northern Song' and 'It's All Too Much,' McCartney's 'Hey Bulldog' (a sharp, rhythmically driven rock song often described as one of the most underrated tracks in the catalog), and Lennon's 'All Together Now', were drawn largely from sessions concurrent with Sgt. Pepper's and represent a modest creative offering by Beatles standards. The album's second half consists entirely of George Martin's orchestral film score, with no Beatles songwriting credits whatsoever, making Yellow Submarine the only Beatles studio album to include substantial non-Beatles-written content by the time of its release. 'Yellow Submarine' and 'All You Need Is Love', both previously released in 1966 and 1967 respectively, are included as album tracks, padding the runtime with material written years earlier. Yellow Submarine is historically notable primarily as a contractual document rather than a creative statement, and the Martin orchestral pieces offer a distinct window into his compositional sensibility independent of the Beatles' own voice.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Yellow Submarine
John LennonPaul McCartney John LennonPaul McCartney George Martin Ringo Starr (Lead Vocals, Drums)Paul McCartney (Bass, Vocals)John Lennon (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals)George Harrison (Lead Guitar)
2
Only a Northern Song
George Harrison George Harrison George Martin George Harrison (Lead Vocals)John Lennon (Keyboards)Paul McCartney (Bass)Ringo Starr (Drums)
3
All Together Now
John LennonPaul McCartney John LennonPaul McCartney George Martin Paul McCartney (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)John Lennon (Vocals, Banjo)Ringo Starr (Drums)
4
Hey Bulldog
John LennonPaul McCartney John LennonPaul McCartney George Martin John Lennon (Lead Vocals, Piano)Paul McCartney (Bass, Vocals)George Harrison (Lead Guitar)Ringo Starr (Drums)
5
It's All Too Much
George Harrison George Harrison George Martin George Harrison (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar)John Lennon (Rhythm Guitar)Paul McCartney (Bass)Ringo Starr (Drums)
6
All You Need Is Love
John LennonPaul McCartney John LennonPaul McCartney George Martin John Lennon (Lead Vocals)Paul McCartney (Bass, Vocals)George Harrison (Violin, Vocals)Ringo Starr (Drums)
7
Pepperland
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)
8
Sea of Time
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)
9
Sea of Holes
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)
10
Sea of Monsters
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)
11
March of the Meanies
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)
12
Pepperland Laid Waste
George Martin George Martin George Martin George Martin (Orchestra, Conductor)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

More from The Beatles

Frequently Asked Questions Yellow Submarine

Did The Beatles write all songs on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album?
The Beatles wrote the 6 songs on side one, but side two, comprising 7 orchestral pieces, was written and performed by George Martin and an orchestra, with no Beatle involvement. Of the 6 Beatles tracks, 4 were newly recorded ("Only a Northern Song," "All Together Now," "Hey Bulldog," and "It's All Too Much") and 2 were previously released singles ("Yellow Submarine" and "All You Need Is Love").
Who wrote Only a Northern Song on the Yellow Submarine album by The Beatles?
"Only a Northern Song" was written by George Harrison, in a self-referential manner, the title refers to Northern Songs, the publishing company that owned Lennon-McCartney compositions (and Harrison's, despite his objections). Harrison wrote the song as a sardonic comment on the financial arrangements around Beatles publishing, feeling the Lennon-McCartney partnership was unfairly favored.
Who wrote Hey Bulldog on the Yellow Submarine album by The Beatles?
"Hey Bulldog" was written by John Lennon. According to McCartney, the original session was booked to film a promotional clip for "Lady Madonna," but during a break Lennon began playing a piano riff, and McCartney suggested they record a new song, creating "Hey Bulldog" in the session. It is one of the more underrated tracks in The Beatles' catalog.
Is the Yellow Submarine album by The Beatles half orchestral?
Yes, the Yellow Submarine album is evenly divided. Side one features 6 Beatles recordings; side two contains 7 orchestral cues composed and conducted by George Martin for the 1968 animated film. The Beatles had no involvement in performing or recording the side-two orchestral material. This unusual structure means the album functions as both a Beatles EP and a George Martin orchestral work.
Did The Beatles consider the Yellow Submarine album a major creative work?
No, the band viewed the Yellow Submarine album primarily as a contractual obligation to provide music for the 1968 animated film. The four newly recorded Beatles songs were tracks that had been set aside as unsuitable for other albums, and the band's main creative energy was directed toward The Beatles (White Album), recorded in the same period. Ringo Starr has described it as an album they did not put much effort into.
What is the runtime of the Yellow Submarine album by The Beatles?
The Yellow Submarine soundtrack album runs 39 minutes and 16 seconds across 13 tracks: 6 Beatles recordings on side one and 7 George Martin orchestral pieces on side two. It was released January 17, 1969, in the UK and January 13 in the US, through Apple/Parlophone Records.
Data note: Tracks 7-12 are George Martin orchestral compositions written for the animated film. The Beatles did not write or perform these tracks and they are excluded from the authorship calculation. 'Yellow Submarine' and 'All You Need Is Love' were previously released but appear here as part of the official album track listing.

Sources