MUS 116 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Yellow Submarine (Film), Yellow Submarine (Album), Plastic Ono Band
The End is Near (5/23/18)
● A very busy last year
○ July 17, 1968 - Yellow Submarine
(film) released
○ May - Oct. - White Album
recorded
○ Sept. - Paul and Linda Eastman get involved
○ Nov 1. - Wonderwall Music -
1st solo album by a Beatle, George Harrison
○ Nov 22 - White Album
issued
○ Jan 1969 - most of Let It Be
recorded
○ Jan 10 - Harrison quits (for 12 days)
○ Jan 13 - Yellow Submarine
(album) released
○ Jan 30 - Rooftop concert - their last “public” performance
○ March 12 - Paul and Linda get married
○ March 20 - John and Yoko get married
○ May - Allen Klein becomes financial manager
○ Feb 22 - Aug 20 - Abbey Road
recorded
○ July 4 - John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band issue “Give Peace a Chance”
○ August 20 - Beatles last day in studio together
○ August 28 - Linda McCartney gives birth to daughter Mary
○ Sept. 20 - John tells the others he wants out
○ Sept. 26 - Abbey Road
issued (UK)
● “Something”
○ Written by Harrison (Sept. 1968)
○ Issued on a single with “Come Together”
■ The first of his to be an A - side
○ Opening lines refer to James Taylor’s song (issued on Apple Records):
“Something in the Way She Moves” (recorded July 1968)
○ Written about his wife Patty Boyd? Or Hindu god, Krishna?
○ Eric Clapton wrote “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight” for her
● “Because”
○ Written by Lennon
○ Electric harpsichord played by George Martin
○ Also a Moog synthesizer played by Harrison
○ According to Lennon: Intro derived from playing the chords of Beethoven’s
“Moonlight Sonata” backwards
○ Harmonically “open” ending ( not resolved) leads into 1st song of the medley
● “Come Together”
○ Written by Lennon
○ Resulted from campaign slogan: Timothy Leary for Governor of California
○ A blues song, largely on a D - minor 7th chord
○ Based on Chuck Berry’s “Can’t Catch Me” ?
○ Double A - side single with “Something”
○ It became their 18th #1 hit in US, most ever at the time
○ Lyrics = a series of non - sequiturs
Document Summary
July 17, 1968 - yellow submarine (film) released. May - oct. - white album recorded. Sept. - paul and linda eastman get involved. Wonderwall music - 1st solo album by a beatle, george harrison. Jan 1969 - most of let it be recorded. Jan 10 - harrison quits (for 12 days) Jan 13 - yellow submarine (album) released. Jan 30 - rooftop concert - their last public performance. March 12 - paul and linda get married. March 20 - john and yoko get married. May - allen klein becomes financial manager. Feb 22 - aug 20 - abbey road recorded. July 4 - john lennon and plastic ono band issue give peace a chance . August 20 - beatles last day in studio together. August 28 - linda mccartney gives birth to daughter mary. Sept. 20 - john tells the others he wants out. Sept. 26 - abbey road issued (uk) Issued on a single with come together .
