Only a Northern Song

The Beatles

About Only a Northern Song

"Only a Northern Song" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 soundtrack album Yellow Submarine. Written by George Harrison, it was the first of four songs the band provided for the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine, to meet their contractual obligations to United Artists. The song was recorded mainly in February 1967, during the sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but the Beatles chose not to include it on that album. The group completed the recording two months later, straight after finishing work on Sgt. Pepper. Harrison wrote "Only a Northern Song" out of dissatisfaction with his status as a junior songwriter with the Beatles' publishing company, Northern Songs. The lyrics and music convey his disenchantment at how the company retained the copyright for the songs it published, and at how, following its public listing in 1965, the major shareholders profited more from his compositions than he did. The recording features Hammond organ, played by Harrison, and an overdubbed montage of assorted sounds including trumpet blasts and spoken voices, anticipating John Lennon's 1968 sound collage "Revolution 9". Due to the difficulty in assembling the completed track from two tape sources, "Only a Northern Song" remained a rare song from the Beatles' post-1963 catalogue that was unavailable in true stereo until 1999. That year, it was remixed for inclusion on the album Yellow Submarine Songtrack. 


Year:
2014
110 
#2

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

If you're listening to this song
You may think the chords are going wrong
But they're not;
He just wrote it like that.
It doesn't really matter what chords I play
What words I say or time of day it is
As it's only a Northern song
It doesn't really matter what clothes I wear
Or how I fare or if my hair is brown
When it's only a Northern song.
When you're listening late at night
You may think the band are not quite right
But they are, they just play it like that
It doesn't really matter what chords I play
What words I say or time of day it is
As it's only a Northern song.
It doesn't really matter what clothes I wear
Or how I fare or if my hair is brown
When it's only a Northern song.
If you think the harmony
Is a little dark and out of key
You're correct, there's nobody there.
It doesn't really matter what chords I play
What words I say or time of day it is
And I told you there's no one there.

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the history of popular music. Their best-known lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, they later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication, they came to be perceived by many fans and cultural observers as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era's sociocultural revolutions. more »

57 fans

Written by: GEORGE HARRISON

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Band Creation
"Only a Northern Song" is a song by the groundbreaking English rock band, The Beatles. The Beatles is considered one of the most influential bands in the history of pop music.
Songwriter
George Harrison, the lead guitarist of The Beatles, wrote the song. Harrison was known as the “quiet Beatle”, but his contributions as a songwriter had a significant impact on the band's music.
Named for a Publishing Company
The title of the song is a direct reference to Northern Songs Ltd, the publishing company that managed The Beatles' music and songwriting copyrights.
Release Date
The song was first released on the "Yellow Submarine" album in 1969, although it was recorded two years earlier in 1967 during the sessions for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album.
Lyrics Content
The lyrics of the song reflect Harrison's dissatisfaction with the publishing deal that The Beatles had with Northern Songs Ltd, addressing feelings of being underappreciated and undervalued as a songwriter.
Complex Sound Design
Harrison used different musical techniques to add complexity to the song, including unconventional harmony and dissonance, tape loops, and overdubbed trumpet parts.
Overshadowed Creation
Despite its interesting construction and deeply personal lyrics, "Only a Northern Song" has often been overshadowed by more popular and commercially successful songs by The Beatles.
Limited Live Performances
The song was never performed live by The Beatles since it required complex studio techniques to execute, a common issue for many of The Beatles' later works.
Psychedelic Elements
"Only a Northern Song" is often noted for its psychedelic elements, illustrating The Beatles' interest in expanding the traditional boundaries of pop music.
Contribution to Animation
"Only a Northern Song" was prominently featured in The Beatles' psychedelic animated film, "Yellow Submarine". Its usage in the film helped heighten its psychedelic and surreal atmosphere.
Reissued Version
An outtake of "Only a Northern Song" was included on the band's "Anthology 2" release in 1996, giving fans a glimpse into The Beatles' recording process.
Varied Reception
While some fans and critics applaud "Only a Northern Song" for its bold and innovative sound, others criticize it as one of The Beatles' weaker tracks, often citing its relatively negative and downbeat subject matter.

Discuss the Only a Northern Song Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Only a Northern Song Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30957596/The+Beatles/Only+a+Northern+Song>.

    Missing lyrics by The Beatles?

    Know any other songs by The Beatles? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Only a Northern Song

    536.4K
    4,427     133

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Who is the best-selling rapper in history?
    A Tupac
    B Drake
    C Kanye West
    D Eminem

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Don't miss The Beatles's

    Upcoming Events

    »
    The Beatles tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Only a Northern Song

    »
    • Yellow Submarine