In the world of songwriting, inspiration can come from any object or experience, at any time of day or night. So it was with Sir Paul McCartney back in 1966 when struck with the idea for a children's song about submarines.
In the beginning, the happy tune, written for Ringo Starr, encompassed many different colored submarines. However, as it evolved, the list narrowed to the color yellow. No particular reason was ever revealed for the change, but it doesn't really matter now does it? Yellow is happy, it's sunny, and it brought more fame and popularity to this old wartime vessel.
After the vocals for the chart topping hit were recorded, the studios cupboards and drawers were pilfered to find items that would make great sound effects. Some items that were used - chains, a ship's bell, tap dancing mats, whistles, hooters, a tin bath filled with water, wind and thunderstorm machines, and a cash register. To help with the special effects, John Lennon blew through a straw into a pan of water to create a bubbling effect, both men talked through tin cans to create the sound of the captain's orders, and chains were twirled in a tin bath tub to create water sounds.
The quirky tune was a hit. The single went to #1 on every major British chart, remained at #1 for four weeks and charted for 13 weeks. It won an Ivor Novello Award for the highest certified sales of any single issued in the UK that year. After much success was found in the song, producers were in hot pursuit to make a movie based on its' lyrics. The Yellow Submarine animated film came out in 1968, to much acclaim. This, even with the Beatles only appearance to be a cameo in the closing scenes. Most assuredly it was aimed at an audience of children. However, viewers of all ages flocked to see it; more likely for the sounds than anything else. Since the sixties, the song and the movie have both become classics.
Classics to the point of a yellow submarine being erected outside of John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, and to the point of model yellow submarines being made by children of all ages the world over.
With a model you can make yourself, you can have your own piece of the phenomenon that is the Yellow Submarine. Building a model submarine of the cheery sort can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, as kits are available to make it an easy task. Hop on board and join the fun! You just might embark on a new hobby!