Yellow Submarine Songtrack

Yellow Submarine Songtrack is a soundtrack album by The Beatles for the 1999 re-release of the 1968 film Yellow Submarine released on 13 September 1999 in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. It contains only The Beatles songs used in the film, including tracks absent from the original Yellow Submarine album. The extra tracks replaced the George Martin film score from the original release, while the complete score was included as a DVD audio track in the CD/DVD package featuring the album and film. The songs were fully remixed from the original multitrack tapes for this album, something not done for the original Compact Disc release of The Beatles catalogue in the late 1980s except for Help! and Rubber Soul.
The album debuted in the UK charts at #8 selling 19,000 copies in its first week. It also peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, with 68,000 copies sold in its opening week. In France the album debuted at #13.
==Structure==
The remixed tracks of the album feature many alterations and adjustments from the original stereo recordings. Almost all of The Beatles songs included in the film are on Yellow Submarine Songtrack. An exception is "A Day in the Life", which was not put in because EMI did not want too many songs from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to be included. Although all of the tracks were remixed, the songs included on Songtrack are the standard catalogue recordings that were previously available on other releases. Consequently, the extra verse of "It's All Too Much" or the off-the-cuff rendition of "Think for Yourself" heard in the film are not included on the album.
The title track, "Yellow Submarine" contains the line "a life of ease" from John Lennon that had been missing in prior stereo mixes of the song. The replies from Lennon to the main lyric are gradually panned and faded from the right side of the stereo field to the left. The sound effects in this version are also more pronounced.
The multitrack tapes of "Hey Bulldog" were newly synchronized to create the Songtrack version. Due to the way the song had been originally recorded, the piano and drum performances were inseparable for a new mix. They remain on the left audio channel while snare overdubs performed by Ringo Starr are centred.
The automatic double tracking that possibly erroneously continued into the first verse on the 1966 stereo version of "Eleanor Rigby" was corrected in the 1999 remix. Additionally, the string octet is separated in a similar fashion to the Anthology 2 instrumental. The vocals by Paul McCartney are centred and slightly out of synch to the orchestration on this mix.
The prior stereo version of "Love You To" contains a shorter fade than the initial mono recording. This shortening is retained in the Songtrack version.
Acoustic guitars and percussion are situated at the left channel for the new mix of "All Together Now". McCartney and Lennon's vocals are centred while the chorus is split across the left and right. The background vocals heard on the second verse are more audible and the guitar is clearer.
The Songtrack version of "Only a Northern Song" marked the appearance of the song for the first time in true stereo. The original 1969 stereo album featured a (fake stereo) variant of the original mono version. A stereo mix of this song also appeared on the Anthology 2 compilation album, but was made up of alternate takes featuring different overdubs and lyrics.
==Additional promotion==
A number of unique promotions were launched to accompany the rerelease of Yellow Submarine in 1999. These include a commemorative postage stamp series, action figures of the main characters and wide variety of assorted Yellow Submarine merchandise, such as mousepads.
Eurostar trains were painted in Yellow Submarine motif. In addition, a life-size yellow submarine was taken out on a publicity tour across the globe, introducing the Beatles and Yellow Submarine to a new generation of fans.
==Track listing==
All songs written by Lennon/McCartney, except where noted.
#"Yellow Submarine"
#"Hey Bulldog"
#"Eleanor Rigby"
#"Love You To" (Harrison)
#"All Together Now"
#"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
#"Think for Yourself" (Harrison)
#"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
#"With a Little Help from My Friends"
#"Baby You're a Rich Man"
#"Only a Northern Song" (Harrison)
#"All You Need Is Love"
#"When I'm Sixty-Four"
#"Nowhere Man"
#"It's All Too Much" (Harrison)
The CD/DVD package contains the album, as well as a DVD of the film with a remixed and remastered soundtrack, the original 1968 mono film soundtrack, and an isolated track of George Martin's complete score.
==External links==
*Another analysis of the Songtrack remixes
Category:Yellow Submarine
Category:Albums
Category:Soundtracks
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