The Beatles' Thread

[Jerjo]

The only thing missing is the Southern hospitality

That reminds me of JFK's quote about DC: Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm

[mogrooves]

"Retrograde thinking," McCartney said by way of describing the reaction to Lennon's "Jesus" comment.

[Jubal]

I for one could never understand how anyone could rate the White Album above Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper, or Magical Mystery Tour. There was barely enough decent tracks for a passable single LP. If it had been a single LP, it might have rated well with those three latter day albums. I simply can't listen to it all the way through, and it's not just Revolution # 9 that stops me.

[ronmac]

I for one could never understand how anyone could rate the White Album above Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper, or Magical Mystery Tour. There was barely enough decent tracks for a passable single LP. If it had been a single LP, it might have rated well with those three latter day albums. I simply can't listen to it all the way through, and it's not just Revolution # 9 that stops me.

George Martin felt the same way, except the part of there being "barely enough decent tracks for a passable single LP." I happen to love it, warts and all. Personally, I've tried numerous times to see if I could hone it down to a single disc and found too many great tracks would have to be left off to make it fit. Maybe a three-sided LP? Or one disc with related 45RPM releases, none of which ever came from that album.

[mogrooves]

If it had been a single LP....

..... it would look like this, for me:

USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Weeps
Warm Gun
Martha
I'm So Tired
Piggies

I Will
Julia
M N's Son
Monkey
Sadie
Rev. #1
Savoy Truffle

[ronmac]

^^ See, I couldn't possibly leave off Blackbird, Yer Blues, Helter Skelter, Cry Baby Cry and others

[JJ88]

'Savoy Truffle', 'Piggies' and 'Honey Pie' are the weak links for me- very lightweight songs, can't work out how the former two made it when 'Not Guilty' didn't ('Not Guilty' was slaved over as well)! 'Honey Pie' is McCartney in 'granny music' mode, and he's done better than this in that particular style- 'When I'm 64' and 'You Gave Me The Answer', for instance.

Don't think there's anything else on there I'd cut. The sprawl is part of the deal, it's meant to be all-encompassing and somewhat less polished than their previous albums. It takes a little longer to warm up to as a result, but now I think it equals everything else they made and possibly exceeds it.

[Jerjo]

I have played the White Album more than any other of their albums for some reason. It was kind of my go-to Beatles album in college.

[Jubal]

Here is what I would do for a single LP. Admittedly, EMI/Capitol would've probably SCREAMED at the idea of putting 6 tracks per side.

The White Album (Jubal’s Single LP Edition)
Side 1
1. Back In The U.S.S.R.
2. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
3. Glass Onion
4. Mother Nature’s Son
5. Helter Skelter
6. Blackbird
Side 2
1 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
2. Birthday
3. Dear Prudence
4. Rocky Raccoon
5. Revolution 1
6. Goodnight

I think this one would have had a nice flow.

[ronmac]

'Savoy Truffle', 'Piggies' and 'Honey Pie' are the weak links for me- very lightweight songs, can't work out how the former two made it when 'Not Guilty' didn't ('Not Guilty' was slaved over as well)!

Really? I think "Not Guilty" is a pretty weak song. And, yes, they did 100 takes of it.

[rcarlberg]

Here is what I would do for a single LP. Admittedly, EMI/Capitol would've probably SCREAMED at the idea of putting 6 tracks per side.

The White Album (Jubal’s Single LP Edition)
Side 1
1. Back In The U.S.S.R.
2. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
3. Glass Onion
4. Mother Nature’s Son
5. Helter Skelter
6. Blackbird
Side 2
1 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
2. Birthday
3. Dear Prudence
4. Rocky Raccoon
5. Revolution 1
6. Goodnight

I think this one would have had a nice flow.

Nice flow yes, but includes too many lightweight songs for my taste. "Rocky Raccoon" is an easy discard.

[Taped Rugs]

Shocker... Revolution 9 is my fave on "The Beatles." I was genuinely afraid of listening to it when it came out (I was 10 years old). I like the other songs on the album too, but it was Revolution 9 that led me to discover the vast avant garde world of musique concrète and sound artists like Pierre Schaeffer, William Burroughs, Steve Reich, Jon Hassell, Henri Pousseur, Conrad Schnitzler, etc. In the 1980's, an entire world-wide culture of sound collage artists evolved through the exchange of home recorded cassette tapes, many members of which can trace their early influences directly back to hearing Revolution 9.

[davis]

I have played the White Album more than any other of their albums for some reason. It was kind of my go-to Beatles album in college.

I discovered the White Album in December '72, with a used copy given to me by my sister's then-boyfriend/now-husband. so to me, it's a Christmas album. I learned to play Bungalow Bill on a little organ we had. it was magical at the time. I still love it.

[grego]

Happiness is a Warm Gun and Julia worth a mention, too...WA is good, I like its patchiness, and diversity. Unlike the Sgt cohesiveness, WA was made principally uneven, I think so.

[rcarlberg]

WA was made principally uneven, I think so.

As I understand the story, The Beatles were barely speaking to each other while hanging out in India with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The White Album was four solo albums they came back with, and they hoped it would develop some sort of cohesiveness in the studio.

It did not.

[Enid]

Shocker... Revolution 9 is my fave on "The Beatles." I was genuinely afraid of listening to it when it came out (I was 10 years old). I like the other songs on the album too, but it was Revolution 9 that led me to discover the vast avant garde world of musique concrète and sound artists like Pierre Schaeffer, William Burroughs, Steve Reich, Jon Hassell, Henri Pousseur, Conrad Schnitzler, etc. In the 1980's, an entire world-wide culture of sound collage artists evolved through the exchange of home recorded cassette tapes, many members of which can trace their early influences directly back to hearing Revolution 9.

Very true.

[Rarebird]

Revolution 9 still is the Beatles track I hate even more than the dabling with Indian music from George Harrisson.

[ronmac]

Well, that's the beauty of the White Album; there's something for everyone. I can't think of a more eclectic album.

[JJ88]

^Indeed, which is why it's hard to cut tracks from it really- you'll never get any agreement on what the weak links are.

[ronmac]

^Indeed, which is why it's hard to cut tracks from it really- you'll never get any agreement on what the weak links are.

Yeah, I do concede that there are throwaways, like "Wild Honey Pie." But, they do add a certain charm to the entire presentation.

[grego]

Well, that's the beauty of the White Album; there's something for everyone. I can't think of a more eclectic album.

Indeed, the most eclectic record of theirs.

[grandinq]

As Paul said about its detractors : "It's the bloody Beatles' White Album. Shut up!"

[Stevie B]

My older brother was a huge Beatles fan. The White Album came out when I was about seven, so I grew up with it. It is easily my favourite album by anyone. I remember vividly being mesmerised by it as a kid...sometimes even scared. Stylistically it's all over the place, and while some might see this as a weakness, for me that is its strength. I feel as if I've been on an exhilarating journey by the time Ringo starts crooning "Goodnight"...brilliant stuff.

[Taped Rugs]

Since this is a general, all purpose "Beatles Thread," I'm going off to the Solo Beatles Universe to list a few albums here, simply fishing for reactions, hoping for a wide variety of observations...

Harrison: Wonderwall Music
Harrison: Electronic Sound
Lennon/Ono: Unfinished Music #1, Two Virgins
McCartney: Liverpool Sound Collage
Starr: Beaucoups Of Blues

[mogrooves]

Harrison: Wonderwall Music
Harrison: Electronic Sound

Neither is totally satisfying or essential, but I quite like the former, not so much the latter.