5 Best Beatles Songs for Kids
Some of The Beatles‘ songs are perfect for kids. After all, Paul McCartney said one of the Fab Four’s most famous hits was meant for children. In addition, one of The Beatles’ greatest social statements works for kids.
5. ‘Yellow Submarine’
“Yellow Submarine” is like a Dr. Seuss story in song. It has everything a kid’s song needs: a magical faraway land, silly sound effects, and a lot of whimsy.
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed his intentions in writing “Yellow Submarine.” “I remember thinking that a children’s song would be quite a good idea and I thought of images, and the color yellow came to me, and a submarine came to me, and I thought, ‘Well, that’s kind of nice, like a toy, very childish yellow submarine,” he recalled.
“I was thinking of it as a song for Ringo, which it eventually turned out to be, so I wrote it as not too rangey in the vocal,” Paul added. “I just made up a little tune in my head, then started making a story, sort of an ancient mariner, telling the young kids where he’d lived and how there’d been a place where he had a yellow submarine.”
4. ‘Hello, Goodbye’
Lots of music for children is supposed to teach them about simple concept like the alphabet or animals. “Hello, Goodbye” is a song about opposites. It was practically designed for Sesame Street. Of course, “Hello, Goodbye” manages to be very simple and childish while appealing to an adult audience. The track reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a reason.
3. ‘Octopus’s Garden’
“Octopus’s Garden” is a bit polarizing. To some, it’s a fun, cute moment that epitomizes The Beatles’ silly side. After all, how many classic rock bands would write a country song about an octopus? To others, it’s an unnecessary diversion on one the greatest albums of all time: Abbey Road.
Regardless, there’s a reason The Muppets covered “Octopus’s Garden” but not “Revolution 9.” Why the footage of The Muppets performing “Octopus’s Garden” on The Ed Sullivan Show hasn’t gone viral is anyone’s guess.
2. ‘Rocky Raccoon’
“Rocky Raccoon” could have been adapted into a Saturday morning cartoon. The White Album includes great songs from a multitude of genres, but “Rocky Raccoon” remains an enduring favorite for little ones. Notably, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, a band beloved by children, put his own spin on the track.
1. ‘All You Need Is Love’
On one level, “All You Need Is Love” is an important message song, like John Lennon’s later hits “Imagine” and “Give Peace a Chance.” On another level, it has an incredibly simple message that can be understood by pre-schoolers.
While some Beatles songs work because of their dazzling complexity, “All You Need Is Love” is a perennial favorite because it’s so easy to sing, perform, and understand. Hopefully, the song will speak to kids for many years to come and they will internalize its message.
The Beatles were as good as making kids songs as they were at making adult music. That’s why their appeal spans generations.
