#158 – Only A Northern Song with Dr. Bob Hieronimus and Laura Cortner (authors, “It’s All In The Mind: Inside The Beatles Yellow Submarine Vol 2”)

There’s no shortage of songs in the Beatles’ catalog in which the listener can project their own lives and stories into the lyrics. A song complaining about being on the short end of bad publishing deal may not be one of those songs, but that’s just what “Only A Northern Song” is. George’s first attempt at a track for Sgt. Pepper is a droney, somewhat monotone diatribe about the needlessness of writing lyrics with meaning, or singing a song in tune, because at the end of the day, it’s a Beatles song and people are going to buy it and George is only going to get .8% of the royalties, even if he wrote the song. After being sent through a psychedelic-Summer-of-Love-acid-soaked-journey, it found a new life with the Yellow Submarine soundtrack where it gets suitably trippy treatment in the film. It’s a track that, as a SONG, may not have too much to offer to or connect to, but as a record, there’s lots to grab on to and something new to hear every time you listen. It may not be George’s finest moment in the mid 60s, but it’s not a dud by any stretch.

Joining us this week are Dr. Bob Hieronimus and Laura Cortner, authors of the new book “It’s All In The Mind: Inside The Beatles Yellow Submarine, Vol. 2.” A studier of esoterica, Dr. Bob has been on a long journey of deciphering deeper meanings behind the film, and behind the band’s works in general, and how they’ve impacted the world. He and Laura spent years interviewing and talking to creators of the film to get the most in-depth story of the creation of the film, and the meaning behind so much of it. We touch on all sorts of different subjects, from gaining higher consciousness, studying the deeper meaning on symbolism with Jimi Hendrix, behind-the-scenes stories from the creation of the film, and striking story about Ringo’s kleptomania. Pick up a copy of their book at YELLOWSUBMARINEBOOK.COM, mention that you heard about it on Ranking The Beatles, and they’ll send you some bonus Yellow Submarine goodies for free!

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