All Together Now facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "All Together Now" |
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1972 German picture sleeve
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| Song by the Beatles | |
| from the album Yellow Submarine | |
| Released |
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| Recorded | 12 May 1967 |
| Studio | EMI, London |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:10 |
| Label | Apple |
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | George Martin |
"All Together Now" is a fun and catchy song by the famous English rock band the Beatles. It was mostly written by Paul McCartney, but like many Beatles songs, it's credited to both Lennon–McCartney. The song was recorded during the time the band was working on their Magical Mystery Tour project. However, it wasn't released until later, when it appeared on the Yellow Submarine movie soundtrack. In 1972, it was also released as a single in some European countries.
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About the Song
Paul McCartney said that "All Together Now" was meant to be a song that everyone could sing along to. He got the idea for the title from old "music hall" shows. In these shows, performers would ask the audience to join in and sing along.
McCartney also mentioned a deeper meaning to the song. He felt it was about how "we are all together now," meaning everyone is connected. A music expert named Tom Maginnis said that McCartney created the song to have the same happy and light-hearted feeling as another Beatles song, "Yellow Submarine".
How it Was Recorded
The Beatles recorded "All Together Now" on May 12, 1967. They recorded it at EMI Studios in London. The song was mixed, or put together, on the same day. Even though it was recorded in 1967, it wasn't released until January 13, 1969. That's when it came out on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album.
George Martin, who usually produced the Beatles' songs, was not there for this recording session. So, the recording engineer Geoff Emerick was in charge. It took the band less than six hours to record the song. They recorded it in nine tries, or "takes." The last take was chosen to add more sounds and vocals.
Who Played What
The Beatles all helped make "All Together Now" special.
- Paul McCartney sang the main parts and some background vocals. He also played the bass guitar and acoustic guitar. Plus, he added handclaps and other fun sound effects.
- John Lennon sang some main parts, especially in the middle of the song. He also sang background vocals. John played the ukulele and banjo, and the harmonica. He also added handclaps and sound effects.
- George Harrison sang background vocals and played the acoustic guitar. He also added handclaps and sound effects.
- Ringo Starr sang background vocals and played the drums and other percussion instruments. He also added handclaps and sound effects.
A music historian named Mark Lewisohn said that other people who were around the studio also joined in. They helped with the "party-style" background vocals.
In Movies and Live Shows
"All Together Now" is featured in the animated movie Yellow Submarine. You can see it in a cartoon part of the film. The Beatles themselves also introduce the song in a live-action scene at the end of the movie. During that scene, the words "All Together Now" appear on screen in many different languages.
Years later, Paul McCartney performed the song live for the first time as a Beatle. This happened on May 4, 2013, in Brazil. He then played the song during his "Out There" concert tour from 2013 to 2015.
Other Artists' Versions
Many different artists have covered "All Together Now." Some versions were made especially for children. These include covers by groups like the Sugarbeats and the Bingo Kids.
André 3000, from the music group OutKast, covered the song for a Nike shoe commercial. This commercial was shown during the 2010 NBA Finals basketball games. His version was released online in 2010. Later, in 2017, a special limited edition of his song was released on a small record.
In May 2020, singer Lizzo also covered the song. She sang it for a commercial for Facebook's Messenger Rooms product.
