Pepperland Laid Waste: Introduction
“Pepperland Laid Waste” is an instrumental track on The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine album from 1968. However, it is a George Martin composition from start to finish. In fact, George Martin created all the tunes for side two of the soundtrack album. They are all instrumentals, of course.
In Detail
Release Date: January 17, 1969 (UK), January 13, 1969 (US)
Recorded: October 22–23, 1968
Studio: EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Genre: Classical, orchestral
Track Duration: 2:19
Record Label: Apple
Composer: George Martin
Producer: George Martin
Co-producers: John Burgess and Ron Richards
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Performers And Instruments
George Martin conducted a 41-piece orchestra that was indeed recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Obviously, The Beatles did not participate with the orchestra.
Where To Find “Pepperland Laid Waste”
You can only buy this instrumental piece on the following album. It is the soundrtack album for the film Yellow Submarine. So don’t confuse it with the songtrack album that differs.
Pepperland Laid Waste: Background
The mood-producing sounds arranged by George Martin from The Beatles’ 1968 film “Yellow Submarine” make up side two of the resulting soundtrack album. Although separate tunes in their own right, they are basically long “incidental” music passages. These appear periodically throughout the animated film, intermingled with the Beatles’ songs.
Pepperland is an undersea world where happiness reigns and the inhabitants are all music lovers. But the people live in fear of attack by the music-hating Blue Meanies.
One day, the Blue Meanies successfully attacked Pepperland and the place lay in waste. Indeed, the tune in question is the emotional orchestral piece for the part in the film when the music-hating meanies suspended Pepperland.
“Pepperland Laid Waste” is George Martin’s attempt to musically describe the destruction of the beautiful paradise it once was. Obviously, without spoiling the film, The Beatles came to the rescue!
Recording Studio
George Martin began conducting and recording a 41-piece orchestra in the EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, on the 22nd and 23rd of October, 1968. The resulting orchestral pieces were for use in the Yellow Submarine cartoon film. However, all of Side 2 of the soundtrack album contains these works.
This is unlike the Yellow Submarine Songtrack album, in which all tracks are indeed songs from the film. In other words, it doesn’t contain George Martin’s compositions.
Take A Listen
Finally, press play and see how it sounds. Then, maybe leave a comment below with your thoughts.