What Ringo Starr Thinks About The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ in 2023
The Beatles‘ “Yellow Submarine” is, by far, the most famous song with Ringo Starr performing a lead vocal. In terms of popularity, it outshines all of his other Beatles songs, as well as the songs from his solo career. In a recent interview, Ringo revealed what he thinks of the song now. Surprisingly, “Yellow Submarine” was conceived as a more somber tune than it is today.
How Ringo Starr’s new song is connected to The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’
During a 2023 interview with Billboard, Ringo revealed he has frequent conversations with Paul. During one of those conversations, Ringo discussed his new EP, Rewind Forward. “We were Facetiming each other — we do that quite a bit — and I say, ‘I’m doing an EP. Write me a song,'” Ringo recalled. “And he said, ‘OK.’ And he not only wrote it, he’s on bass, he’s singing on it. He’s all over it. He actually put his drums on it.” The tune in question is called “Feeling the Sunlight.”
Ringo explained why he had continued faith in Paul’s songwriting ability. “Well, he’d written me a couple of good songs, you know, like ‘Yellow Submarine,'” Ringo said. “I thought, ‘He can do this.'”
While Ringo appreciates Paul’s songwriting, he didn’t like Paul’s drumming on “Feeling the Sunlight.” “I wiped him off completely and did it myself,” he said. “It would be like me sending him a track and I’m on bass.”
Ringo Starr revealed The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ was originally sad
Like “Feeling the Sunlight,” “Yellow Submarine” had to go through some changes before it was finished. During a 2022 interview with USA Today, Ringo discussed the evolution of “Yellow Submarine.” “The boys used to write a song for me and they’d present whatever they thought would be good for me,” he recalled. “They had this song and they decided to liven it up.” The original demo, with a lead vocal from John Lennon, was a lot darker.
“I think Paul thought of (a yellow submarine),” Ringo said. “It could have been in a green submarine, but a yellow submarine is much better.” In Ringo’s opinion, if the submarine was deep purple, fans would have been confused. The “You’re Sixteen” star felt the final version of “Yellow Submarine” was meant for him the same way “With a Little Help From My Friends” was meant for him.
How the tune holds up as a children’s song in 2023
Even in its current form, any of the other Beatles could have performed “Yellow Submarine.” However, it would not have worked as well. Paul’s voice and John’s voice were both at their best when they were singing ballads or dreamy mid-tempo songs. George Harrison’s voice was meant for psychedelic sitar arrangements. Meanwhile, Ringo brings the right amount of roughness and warmth to The Beatles’ kid-friendly sea shanty. He sounds like a sailor out of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island or one of the Disney film adaptations.
“Yellow Submarine” holds up very well for a children’s song from the 1960s and Ringo still enjoys it to this day.
