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SongsYellow SubmarineHey Bulldog
Yellow Submarine album cover

Hey Bulldog

1969 · Yellow Submarine

“Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles”

A Lennon hard-rock track built on a B-minor piano riff doubled by guitar, recorded by all four Beatles at Abbey Road during the 'Lady Madonna' promo film session and released on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack.
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Year1969
AlbumYellow Submarine
Track4 · Side 1 · Side closer
Duration3:11
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedFebruary 11, 1968
ReleasedJanuary 17, 1969

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Text245 tags

Motif

QuestionHappinessAbsurdist humorDialogueCommunicationSelf reflectionChildhoodAnatomyWeatherSoundPleaAnimalsLonelinessRain

Title

Person in title

Vocabulary

Positive toneCasual languageNonsense words

Narrative

ImperativeConversationalSecond person

Lyrical device

OnomatopoeiaAnaphora

Rhyme type

Identical rhymeExtrametrical rhymeInternal rhymeHalf rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has bridgeHas outroStandard choruses (1-3)Standard verses (2-4)Has introHas interlude

Section links

Outro based on verseIntro based on bridgeInterlude based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive wordRecurring lineConsecutive lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

childrencluedarkdoinhandshappinesshomakesmilesokayrainsomethingspecialstandingunderstandswalkingyearsat medo youdon't knowfrightened ofgot ithad ithappiness isi onlyif you'rein youit youit's likekind ofknow whatlisten tolook atmakes youman ime butme manno oneout intalk tothat boythe darkthe rainthink youto youryou hadyou thinkyou've gotdo you saydon't know whatha ha hain the parkknow what it'slook at mestanding in thetalk to methink you knowto listen towhat do youyou don't knowyou know meyou think youyou don't know whatknow what it's like tome but you haven't gotha ha ha ha ha ha

Cover-shared words

ahanymorebigboygothaheyitkindknowlikelistenlonelylookmanmeonesaidsaysmilesometalktenthinkyeahyouyourbut youdon't lookgot ai saidin yourit againlike tothink you'reto mewhen youyou canyou don'tyou knowyou sayyou smile

Lyric shape

[ADJ] of[ADJ] when[ADJ] you[NOUN] is[VERB] at[VERB] outhaven't [VERB]one [VERB]what [NOUN]you've [VERB][ADJ] of the[NOUN] is [VERB][NOUN] of [NOUN][NOUN] of [WORD][VERB] at me[VERB] in the[VERB] out in[VERB] to your[VERB] what it's[WORD] [NOUN] ofdo you [VERB]don't [VERB] whathave [WORD] [VERB]me [NOUN] ino one [VERB]to [VERB] toto your [WORD]you [VERB] [WORD][ADJ] when you [VERB][VERB] in the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB] to[WORD] [NOUN] of [NOUN]haven't [VERB] a [NOUN]what do you [VERB]you don't [VERB] what[VERB] what it's [VERB] to[VERB] me but you haven't [VERB]

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] i[NOUN] of[VERB] a[VERB] in[VERB] it[VERB] me[VERB] to[VERB] what[VERB] you[VERB] you're[WORD] is[WORD] ita [NOUN]can [VERB]don't [VERB]have [WORD]i [VERB]in [NOUN]in [WORD]is [VERB]it [NOUN]it's [VERB]me [NOUN]of [NOUN]of [WORD]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]to [VERB]you [VERB]you're [ADJ]you're [NOUN]your [WORD][VERB] a [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] to me[VERB] you [VERB][VERB] you're [NOUN][WORD] is [VERB]i [VERB] [WORD]in the [NOUN]it's [VERB] toof the [NOUN]when you [VERB]you [VERB] meyou [VERB] youyou can [VERB]you don't [VERB]your [WORD] [VERB][VERB] you [VERB] meit's [VERB] to [VERB]you [VERB] you [VERB]you [VERB] you [VERB] me

Rhyme scheme

AABBBABCBDDAAAAUnique rhyme scheme

Line length

Consistent line lengthsUnique line length

Distinctive word

bulldogbullfrogchildlikefearsinnocencejackknifemeasuredowwwwwquietsheepdogsolitudesweatywigwamwooaahwoof
You might also like:Revolution in the HeadAll the Songs

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Music158 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarPianoOrganDrumsPercussionTambourineSpoken wordSound effects

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsPercussion

Guitar work

Heavy guitarsGuitar and piano doublingGuitar solo

Bass work

Bass ignores harmony

Keyboard work

Guitar and piano doublingPiano riff

Music genre

Blues rockHard rockRockBlues

Influence

Blues influence

Vocal work

Vocals on outroVocal ad-libTwo-part harmonyVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Defining riffGuitar soloPiano riffKeyboard riff

Melody

Call and responseOstinatoDefining riff

Tempo

Moderate

Key

B minor

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusUnique structure

Sections

Has bridgeHas outroStandard choruses (1-3)Standard verses (2-4)Has introHas soloHas riffHas interlude

Section links

Outro based on verseIntro based on bridgeInterlude based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

I to iv to I

Harmony

Borrowed chordSecondary dominantPicardy third

Composition

Tonic openingNon-tonic endingBridge in IVerse in IChorus in iTonic verseTonic chorusTonic bridge

Mode

MixolydianAeolian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7min6

Scale degree

I7ii6i7IVIV7iviv6iv7v♭VII

Chord degree

i–iIV–♭VIIiv–Ii–ivIV–IViv–iI–vi–i–iv–IIV–IV–♭VIIiv–I–v–Iv–♭VIIv–IV

Chord shape

C7 → FC → FC → C7C → CAm → GC → AmAm → CAm → EmAm → EAm → DmAm → AmC → Am → DAm → Dm → DmC → GmAm → DAm → D7C → F → DmC → C → FAm → E7C → C7 → FC7 → F → DmAm → Am → AmC → Am → GC → F → Dm → GAm → C → Am → GC7 → GmC → Am → D7C → C7 → F → DmAm → Em → AmAm → Am → EmAm → G → GAm7 → DmAm → E → Bm → EC → Gm → B♭Am7 → Em7

Chord literal

E7 → AE → AA → F♯mEm → BmEm → EmBm → EmEm → BF♯m → B7F♯m → BB → F♯mF♯m → AE → EE → A → F♯mA → F♯m → BF♯m → EE → E7E7 → A → F♯mE → A → F♯m → BA → F♯m → B7Em → Em → EmBm → BmEm → B7Bm → Em → EmA → F♯m → EF♯m → E → EE → E7 → AE → E → A
You might also like:The Beatles: Complete ScoresSheet Music Plus – Beatles Collection

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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

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