But remember, when Revolver came out, Yellow Submarine was just another song on the album, and a great example of the diversity of styles on the album - something Pepper is always lauded for, but really started on Revolver. When you think of it in the context of Revolver only, and try to put the movie out of your mind, it really is a very weird but fun song that style-wise is very unique, especially for 1966.
The only single from
Revolver was actually "Submarine" backed with "Eleanor Rigby", and it was, like most Beatles singles, a monster, sales/airplay wise.
It was a novelty song pure and simple, with the sound effects and the call-and-response bits.
I see George Martin at work recalling his novelty record work from the early 50's, with people like Peter Sellers.
Also a little bit of a continuation of the band image created by "HELP" the movie.
It was actually a pretty big hit, out here, at least, when I was ten.
I think it actually fit right in with the times and programming format of top 40 AM radio as novelty songs always had a presence going back at least as far as "the Witch Doctor", "Purple People Eater" and "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and songs like "Snoopy vs the Red Baron" , and "They're Coming To Take Me Away" were contemporary with "Submarine"
By the time the Yellow Submarine
soundtrack came out though, that stuff was
decidedly uncool anymore, like the Monkees and Herman's Hermits and bands wearing matching suits like Gary Lewis and the Playboys and Jay and the Americans.(anybody remember "This Magic Moment"?)
I always skipped right to tracks 3-6 on
Yellow Submarine. I never had a clue that ""Only A Northern Song" hadn't made the cut for
Pepper's and "Hey Bulldog" was one of my all-time favorite Lennon tracks from the first bar.
I don't remember "Submarine" getting an airplay revival from the movie, but again, maybe that was local thing.
I remember it as being completely overshadowed by
White Album and
Abbey Road on the radio, although I do recall a hellacious amount of merchandising tie-in with the movie.
I had the model
and still have a small hardback book with art straight from the movie.
OK that was a nakedly aggressive nostalgia jab, no apologies.
:glee: