The White Album, also known as The Beatles, is the ninth studio album and only double album by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 22 November 1968. The album design served as a palate cleanser, in stark contrast to their previous LP, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts. The stark white cover, designed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, was minimalist and conceptual, in line with the pair’s avant-garde leanings. The working title of the album was A Doll’s House, and it could be compared to a shambling mansion filled with ballrooms, bedrooms, nurseries, cellars, and rooms full of junk.
The album’s cover was designed to be almost completely blank, a minimal, conceptual response to the explosion of imagery and color in Blake and Haworth’s design. Contrary to popular belief, the actual official name of the album is The Beatles and not The White Album. However, many fans and even McCartney himself refer to the album as the latter name.
The White Album’s cover design began with art dealer Robert Fraser, who created an ironic situation of a numbered edition of something like five million copies. Bound together by the captivity of fame, The Beatles came to resent their essential closeness. By 1968, as they set about recording their album, their image was always unique. Unlike their contemporaries on the music scene, whose style reflected one idea, “The White Album” immediately set the standard for how monochrome self-titled albums would be referred to.
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The story of the white album cover art-fact or fiction? | The cover design for the white album was made in protest of the Two Virgins album cover being censored. | reddit.com |
How Richard Hamilton Brought Conceptual Art to the Beatles | The history behind the cover’s design, like its predecessor, begins with the art dealer Robert Fraser. The Beatles, and their rivals the Rolling … | sothebys.com |
Why did the Beatles’ ‘White Album’ have a blank cover? | The cover of the White Album is completely blank because The Beatles wanted to make it a minimalist album. Despite its popularity, The Beatles, … | quora.com |
📹 8 Curious Facts About The White Album
The 2018 Remix of the White Album has brought fresh attention to the Beatles’ most intriguing and controversial album. Here are …
Why Did The Beatles Use Cover Art?
The Beatles transformed album cover art into a significant visual experience, far exceeding mere commercial advertisement. Mike Evans, in "The Art of The Beatles," highlights their distinctive image, asserting that their album art can be as captivating as the music itself. Particularly notable is the revolutionary cover of "Revolver" (1966), symbolizing the band's creative depth. Prior to The Beatles, album art primarily aimed to market songs, but their innovative designs altered this perspective.
The iconic image of the band crossing Abbey Road has become an essential symbol in pop culture. Their album artwork not only reflects their musical journey but also serves as a testament to the artistic evolution of the time.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr emphasized the importance of album covers, which enhanced the overall listening experience. Paul McCartney, in particular, contributed to the creative process, suggesting cover ideas and collaborating with notable artists like Peter Blake, who viewed album art as an independent art form.
The Beatles' album covers reveal a rich narrative of their artistic growth while mirroring broader cultural shifts. Their creative relationships and experimental approaches to cover art solidified their place in both music and visual culture, affirming that album art can convey profound meaning and contribute significantly to an artist’s identity.
What Did The Beatles LP Cover Look Like?
The Beatles' final product was a double-gatefold LP in a plain white sleeve with a glossy finish. The original pressing featured only two marks on the cover: "The Beatles" embossed below the center right and a serial number at the bottom right. Their LP covers highlight a rich creative collaboration, distinctive moments, and bold experimentation. In 1968, driven by Paul McCartney's influence from the London art scene, minimalist artist Richard Hamilton was commissioned to create an album design that marked a significant departure from their past works.
The album art of The Beatles transformed the visual landscape of music, as covers evolved from mere promotional tools to integral artistic expressions. Their playful style emerged as a response to their darker prior sleeve, utilizing red, white, and a dominating blue. Often cited as the most iconic cover is "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," designed by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth. The stark white cover of their ninth LP reflects John Lennon and Yoko Ono's minimalist and conceptual art leanings.
The analysis of their album covers from 1963 to 1970 reveals the band's evolution and the cultural narratives of their time. Cover images, including a memorable one featuring the Fab Four in butcher’s coats, illustrate their journey and connection to the music they created.
What Do Beatles Fans Call The White Album?
The album commonly known as "The White Album" is officially titled "The Beatles" and was released on November 22, 1968. It quickly gained its nickname due to its stark white cover, which features only the band's name embossed, contrasting with the vibrant artwork of their previous album, "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band." The White Album is the Beatles' ninth studio and only double album, showcasing an eclectic mix of musical styles that exemplify classic rock.
Despite its official title, the album was referred to as The White Album almost immediately upon release, with John Lennon later reflecting on its significance alongside other Beatles records. The simplicity of the album's packaging prompted fans to adopt the casual name, which the band and their management, Apple Corps, eventually embraced.
Throughout the years, The White Album has remained iconic yet enigmatic, recognized for both its coherent classics and the internal discord that marked its creation. The album's popularity was affirmed by its top-selling status among the Beatles' discography.
In 2018, a Super Deluxe 50th anniversary edition provided an in-depth exploration of the making of this 30-song ensemble, further cementing its place in music history. While it is formally titled "The Beatles," the nickname "The White Album" endures as a testament to its unique aesthetic and cultural impact since its release.
What Makes The Beatles White Album Cover Unique?
The iconic cover of The Beatles' self-titled ninth album, famously known as the "White Album," was conceived by pop artist Richard Hamilton and released in November 1968. Hamilton's design featured a minimalistic plain white sleeve adorned solely with the embossed title "THE BEATLES." The cover's uniqueness lay in the incorporation of a distinct stamped serial number on each copy, prompting Hamilton to comment on the irony of a "numbered edition" consisting of five million copies.
This stark contrast to the vibrant, elaborate cover of their previous album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, marked a shift to a more conceptual art approach. The White Album represents a diverse mix of genres, showcasing tracks ranging from rock to blues, including classics like "Yer Blues." Its simplicity and reflective nature evoke a sense of both mystery and artistry, setting it apart in the realm of classic rock.
Hamilton, for his design work, received a mere $316, yet his vision transformed the album cover into a significant cultural artifact. The final design is the only Beatles album cover that does not feature the band members prominently, opting instead for a minimalistic aesthetic, further emphasizing the theme of anonymity and artistic expression. Over time, each album copy evolves into a unique artifact, influenced by the passage of time and alterations made by owners, enhancing its value.
Despite the myths surrounding its intention – some labeling it as protest art – the White Album remains an enduring symbol of artistic minimalism in music history, capturing the essence of an era and the band’s innovative approach to artistry.
Why Was The White Album Controversial?
The Beatles' 1968 double album, commonly known as The White Album, faced criticism for its perceived pretentiousness and lack of cohesion. Many felt it was made without consideration for their audience, as the band seemed to have become self-indulgent, perhaps influenced by contemporary artists' abstract works like all-white paintings. Released shortly after the controversial Two Virgins, which featured an unflattering nude cover, The White Album was marked by its stripped down, straightforward sound, contrasting with the lush production of Sgt. Pepper. When it came out in November 1968, it was not well-received, as fans expected a sequel to Sgt. Pepper, but instead were presented with varied styles, leading to widespread disappointment.
The album contained notable tracks, including the polarizing "Revolution 9,"John Lennon's avant-garde piece influenced by Yoko Ono, which lacked contributions from Paul and Ringo, albeit with George Harrison's involvement. Critics have argued that while the album has standout songs, ranking it among the top Beatles albums seems unjustified. The White Album serves as an unintentional glimpse into post-Beatles music, showcasing more individual efforts than a cohesive band project.
The cover's design was a protest against censorship of the Two Virgins artwork. Amidst its controversies, the album also absorbed social unrest, reflected by historical events like Martin Luther King’s assassination. While some critics dismissed it as boring or indulgent, The White Album remains an eclectic, flawed classic emblematic of the band’s evolving dynamics.
Are Beatles Album Covers Art?
The Beatles' album covers are celebrated as remarkable works of art, demonstrating that cover art can transcend mere advertisement. Often, the visual designs are as captivating as the music itself. Stories behind 16 of their famous LP covers reveal long creative partnerships, unique moments of inspiration, and experimental approaches. For instance, the "Yesterday And Today" albums featured the rare "butcher cover," while the minimalist white cover of their ninth LP is attributed to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, reflecting conceptual art influences. Klaus Voormann's iconic "Revolver" cover has a detailed genesis story, highlighting the thoughtful integration of photography and design.
Fine artist Peter Blake played a significant role in coordinating projects, elevating the visual aspect beyond typical graphic design. The Beatles pioneered new methods in graphic design and visual art within the music industry, setting high standards that remain influential. Their album covers, including classics like "A Hard Day's Night," "Abbey Road," and "The White Album," are some of the most recognized in history.
Collectors, such as Rutherford Chang in Soho, exclusively seek out these iconic covers. The Beatles' visual artistry not only complemented their musical innovation but also left a lasting legacy in the realms of graphic design and album artwork.
What Did George Martin Think Of The White Album?
George Martin and John Lennon held differing opinions on The Beatles' 1968 release, The White Album. While Lennon considers it his favorite, Martin expressed disappointment in the album, contrasting it sharply with 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He noted that as the band members pursued individual creative directions, some compromises did not resonate well with him on the diverse project. Martin once remarked that The White Album felt like a collection of music that could have been condensed into a single album, suggesting that it contained enough strong material for that format.
During the album's production, tensions within the band were high, leading Martin to feel sidelined; he even took a break in Greece, leaving young engineer Chris Thomas in charge—making The White Album the only Beatles record to feature a second engineer. Martin was frustrated by what he perceived as weaker songs in the album; he believed they were padding out their EMI contract rather than producing a cohesive record.
As the group dynamics changed—with Lennon preoccupied with Yoko Ono, Harrison and Starr more passive, and Martin's influence dwindling—it fell to Paul McCartney to take charge of the album's direction. In hindsight, Martin expressed that the album could have benefited from being more focused and cohesive. This artistic divergence between Martin and the band ultimately contributed to the album's sprawling nature, which contrasts with Martin's vision of a stronger single album. Despite Martin's reservations, The White Album remains beloved by many, with fans often considering it a favorite, highlighting the lasting impact of the iconic band.
What Was The Beatles White Album?
The Beatles' White Album, formally titled "The Beatles," is the band's ninth studio album and their only double album, released on November 22, 1968. Its minimalist cover is a plain white sleeve featuring only the embossed band name. This double-length release followed the divisive "Magical Mystery Tour" soundtrack and showcased a cornucopia of styles through its 30 tracks, reflecting the band's creative peaks and tensions during the psychedelic era.
Often referred to as "The White Album," the album garnered immediate commercial success, selling over 3 million copies in the U. S. within four days of release. Despite its plain appearance, the album’s content is rich and varied, with each side presenting distinct sonic explorations that can be perceived as individual projects by each band member. The album captures a critical moment in the Beatles' evolution, marking a shift as they navigated their way out of psychedelic experimentation.
Interestingly, the original working title was "A Doll's House," inspired by Henrik Ibsen's play. The release coincided with the fifth anniversary of their previous album, "With The Beatles." While officially named "The Beatles," the album has long since been popularly known as "The White Album" and remains one of the band's most iconic works, celebrated for its depth and diversity of music, reflecting a tumultuous yet creative period.
What Is The Most Recognizable Album Cover Of All Time?
The 25 Most Iconic Album Covers Of All Time showcases some of the most visually captivating and memorable album artwork across music history. Notably, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967, boasts an extraordinary cover featuring over 70 distinguished figures and an array of props, solidifying its reputation as perhaps the most famous album cover ever. Another seminal cover is Abbey Road, also by The Beatles, which has become a cultural touchstone and is frequently replicated. Elvis Presley's self-titled debut from 1956 encapsulates rock 'n' roll energy with its simple yet impactful presentation.
From Fleetwood Mac's Rumours to AC/DC's Back in Black, the list spans various genres and decades, highlighting signature styles that define each era. For instance, David Bowie's Aladdin Sane is remarkable for its instantly identifiable cover art, while Funkadelic's Maggot Brain presents a striking and provocative image. As we journey through iconic covers from the 1930s to the modern day, we encounter artistry that not only represents the music but also captures cultural moments.
The selection ranges from Nirvana's Nevermind to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, affirming that certain album covers transcend their artists, becoming significant in pop culture. With contributions from legends like Bob Dylan and bands like Black Sabbath, it is clear that album covers are an essential element of musical identity and storytelling, leaving an indelible mark on music history.
📹 Ten Interesting Facts About The Beatles’ White Album
The Beatles self titled album, commonly know as the white album is one of their most controversial releases of their career.
9. Both Ringo and McCartney were left-handed but played right-handed drum kits 10. Lennon and Harrison would play Fender VI bass lines on some of the songs 11. The only solo-Lennon performance in the Bealtes catalog is Julia 12. Geoff Emerick walked out during the recording of this very emotionally intense time period 13. Lennon was keen to work quickly through their recording contract which is one reason there are 30 songs on the album 14. 1968 was a tumultuous year for Lennon with his divorce from Cynthia and his public relationship with Yoko
Regarding item number 4, between “Sgt. Pepper” in June 1967 and the White Album in late November 1968, the Beatles released the single “All You Need Is Love”/”Baby, You’re a Rich Man,” the “Magical Mystery Tour” double EP and hour-long TV special, the singles “Hello Goodbye” (a new track)/”I Am the Walrus” (from the MMT soundtrack), “Lady Madonna”/”The Inner Light” and “Hey Jude”/”Revolution” (their biggest selling single ever). They also promoted the “Yellow Submarine” movie, which came out in England in July of ’68 and in the States two weeks before the White Album in late November, and the accompanying soundtrack LP had four new songs. So, it’s not as if we hadn’t heard anything from the Beatles for a year and a half, as the narration implies. I was a huge Beatles fan at this time (still am), and I recall that 1967-68 period as being one of their most visible and prolific.
The Beatles were the first band I ever got really into when I was a kid (10 years old, I’m currently 21) and they definitely made me see music in a whole different way, as well as making me want to play guitar, While My Guitar Gently Weeps being one of the first guitar solos I learned to play (and one of my favourite songs). I can also remember getting the album a couple years ago for Christmas, and it’s still one of my favourite albums from them
I really love your articles. I like the little oddities and questions like who is playing bass on some song. But I would love to see more articles where you just analyze songs from all the interesting perspectives you have. They don’t all have to be mysterious or things we don’t know. I just love hearing you talk about how they made music. They were such an amazing creative band.
Despite the outer “stillness”, and the previous oh-so famous concept-album era more or less still going on at ’68 with other bands-this era wich was fun at itself-i like this album very much, not only in terms of outer contrast to the beforementioned era. What a broad range of styles, from acoustic still songs to reggea to rock to downright emotional tracks and even still some quite experimental material. What a broad range of emotions in this album, is even better in place here. The Beatles moved on and AGAIN took pop music to a whole a new level..There a many diamants of tracks on this album.
Magical Mystery Tour release date was Nov. 67 followed by Yellow Submarine in July of ’68. Both came out in between Sgt. Pepper and the White Album. They also released 4 GREAT singles in between those two albums. Whoever was wondering if they had lost their ‘edge’ didn’t have a clue what they were talking about.
Ringo gets a lot of stick but there are two things to keep in mind about him. The first is that he was very steady. That was very important in an era before drum machines and click tracks. In that section of Paul playing you can hear his tempo wobble and it only lasted a few seconds. You didn’t get that with Ringo. Secondly, Ringo was incredibly reliable. Mark Lewisohn, who has listened to everything The Beatles recorded in studio, estimated that over the years fewer than 10 takes broke down because of a drumming mistake. That’s simply incredible. The second fact also points to Ringo’s brilliance: he knew and knows his limitations as a drummer and how to work within them, but still serve the music. His parts seem simple but they have a way of being noticable and catchy while not overwhelming the song. “Any drummer can play those parts” is a knock used against Ringo but it’s also an argument in his favor. Any drummer COULD play those parts but not every drummer WOULD. He didn’t care about how many beats per minute he could play, showing off his double bass drum proficiency or breaking out a super complex fill. For Ringo the song and the record were what was important, not showing off his technique. I’m not saying incredible technique is a bad thing in and of itself and that it doesn’t have it’s place. It certainly does, and as a drummer I enjoy listening to it. SOMETIMES. However, if you were playing on records as good as what The Beatles created the most musical choice is probably the one Ringo made: don’t try to draw attention to what you’re doing.
There are some true gems on this album, but it was the first Beatles album where I didn’t like every single song. After listening to it the first time, there were several songs that I hardly ever played again. But this just points out how much better the Beatles were than anyone else – with nearly every other band/artist, you liked the single they put out and maybe 3 or 4 other songs on an album – in contrast, the Beatles albums (at least up until this point) were FILLED with great stuff to listen to – you’d never just play one song on a Beatles album and then pick up the needle and put on a different record or turn the stereo off – No, you’d at least play one whole side of an album. P.S. When stereo records first came out, it was the coolest thing ever. Listening to music on headphones, where you could obviously hear the right and left websites separately – rather than through speakers – suddenly got a lot more popular.
There was the backwards-masked sound sample claim that Paul is dead, within the Revolution 9 song. Played forward, the “suspicious” sampling sounds somewhat like “um da”. Played backwards (on a turntable), the same sound sample supposedly sounds like “Paul is dead”. At least, that is what I remember (and didn’t believe when I tried it). I can personally verify that Paul is very much alive, because I ate 2 tables away from him, at a café in the Tucson foothills, about 25 years ago.
The mono version also has a different ending to Helter Skelter to the stereo version. Stereo has “I got blisters on my fingers!” The mono version doesn’t. Overall though, the mono release of the ‘white album’ sounds punchier, guitars are more upfront and the vocals sit in a better place in the mix.
The Stereo vs Mono issue became really interesting to me once the Anniversary remixes started coming out, first with Sgt. Pepper, then The Beatles, and soon with Abbey Road. Giles Martin, who produced the re-mixes has said in interviews that the guys would labor over the mono mixes like they did everything they touched in those days. They were utterly meticulous. But, once that was done, they would leave it to the engineer to suss out the stereo mixes. Mono was their main focus, I suppose, as a hold-over from that having been their only medium for so long, and also, I imagine, because of the relative rarity of stereo systems at that time. The two extant anniversary remixes are revelatory, however, and I cannot wait to hear Abbey Road’s remix. I don’t know if you’ve done one of these articles that explains the recording-mixing process and how these new remixes un-pack all of that for modern equipment, but I find the subject fascinating.
1:09 I’m pretty sure that in between the release of Sgt Pepper and the White Album, the Beatles Released Magical Mystery Tour. I do know that between Revolver and Sgt Pepper, critics and fans thought that the Beatles had lost their way due to a long dry spell in between albums. The release of Pepper, of course, extinguished those sorts of sentiments.
Magical Mystery Tour album was released in between Sgt Peppers and the Beatles, only 5 days short of a year before the ‘White Album’, tho I still believe this was still the longest time between albums. At the time, tho, it was not an LP (long playing) album in the UK, but two EP (extended play) records and so not an official Beatles release.
When my parents gave me the White Album as a Christams gift, and I first heard it through some new stereo earphones… Wow! I was completely blown away. The deepest and profound sensation that I have ever experienced in my life. I’ve listend it over and over, hundreds of times. I was 14yo, I fell in love with music, started to play guitar and sing. the four Beatles (and George Martin) were genius, their alchemy was something out of this world
This album is beautiful. Their whole discography is beautiful…. Ringo is amazing….. Ringo is my favorite drummer ever…. No one can replace them in my heart….. It’s only recent that I’ve become enamored with them but, I’ve known about them for the better half of 15 years (I don’t remember how I learned about them but it wasn’t on the radio. I’m 24).
I remember when I was 12 tears cold & having to fly from Texas to England to help the boys out on this LP. They NEVER paid me or gave me any credits. I was fed up by the end of the Abbey Road recording sessions. I told the boys I’m leaving the band to become the 5th unknown Zep Dog of Led. If you look very close you can see me looking out of the back window of the VW Bug on the Abbey Road album cover. It was at that very moment that I realized Paul McCartney is alive.
Included with that album as it was originally produced, were individual portraits of each Beatle that measured 7 3/4 by 10 3/4 inches. Also included was a poster, measuring 22 1/2 by 33 3/4 inches.On the back of the poster were printed the lyrics to the songs (with the exception of Rev. 9). In the lower right part and to the right of the lyrics to Rev. 1 was a two line thank you to people who helped in some way with the album.It reads – “Thanks to: George Martin/Chris Thomas/Ken Scott/Jeff Emerick/Barry Shefield/John Smith/Richard Hamilton/Gordon House/Jeremy Banks/John Kelly/Linda Eastman/Mal/Kevin and all at number 9” So, that bit at the end is the mystery. What does that “number 9” refer to? I’ve asked this before online and nobody apparently knows the answer. One person said it was the address of Apple. No it’s not. The Apple address was 3 Savile Row. My theories. Maybe it refers to all the people involved in the production of Rev. 9 which apparently required a lot of people controlling loops of sound. That’s possible but wouldn’t that be all “on” number 9 not “at” number 9, unless they mean it as all at the session for number 9. No, I’d say it refers to a place . John Lennon had a thing about the number nine, it was his conception for Rev. 9, and later he did #9 dream as a solo song. I believe he lived at an address that was #9 when he was a kid, and he was born on October 9. But that wouldn’t seem to fit this occasion. I’m sure Paul would know, if someone would ask him about it.
I’m not a Yoko fan at all, but people seem to question John’s statement that The Beatles were robbed of millions. The four men didnt make nearly what they should have and that was a big reason for the split. John only became a multimillionaire when he became a househusband and Yoko became the businesswoman. She made John MILLIONS from 1971 until his death. I despise her, but if I have to be honest, she was a shrewd businesswoman.
There’s another oddity about “The White Album.” According to legend, if you play one of the songs (I forget which one) backwards, you can hear the words, “Turn me on, dead man, turn me on, dead man,” repeated several times. This is one of the reasons that a lot of people believe that Paul McCartney was killed in a car accident in 1966, and was replaced by a lookalike imposter, because the other three Beatles didn’t want to break up the band when they were just at the peak of their popularity.
Interesting. I knew a lot of this, but a lot I didn’t. I was a big Beatles fan in the day, and bought the white album (stereo) in ’68 the day it appeared in our local record shop. My album (which I still have!) does NOT have the black serial number on it, so I suppose by the time it arrived at our local shop (small East Texas town) the low-number batches were already sold. Great article Upvoted/subscribed
I always believed the “White Album” was the Beatles’ way of saying “we’re so big we can have essentially a blank album cover and the music will still sell.” At around this time, the Beatles had their somewhat friendly feud with the Beach Boys over band supremacy. “Back In The U.S.S.R.” was their thinly-veiled jab at the Beach Boys’ “Back in the U.S.A.” and “California Girls”. There was the “Paul is dead” rumors and the “bigger than God” controversy. The Beatles had always shrugged off negative press with a cheeky comeback. A blank album cover was, to me, part of their tweaking the fans and the media. If only Charlie Manson had been in on the joke.
There are literally hundreds of articles like this on YouTube. The way to enjoy the band is to listen to their music. MMT came before this release sorry guys. What was point three? It was white. I never knew. Young people read books by expert authors. Listen to their music properly. Not isolated dislocated vocal tracks and split screen instrumental productions. Play the records, CDs and tapes. Thankyou, you are welcome.
I don’t know why anyone is surprised that other artists would or could appear on Beatles songs, without anyone knowing. They were friends of many artists and went into each others studios to chat see what they were doing. So famously Eric Clapton played on “My guitar gently weeps” any one with any common sense can see that it is Possible that other artists also played in some songs, esp when you consider Pink Floyd and Cream were both recording at similar times at EMI and Decca studios. So maybe this explains why arguments among Beatles fans happen about who played what instrument on some songs. It may have been other artists without any credits. It may also explain why Ringo sometimes sounds good and bad. Was it Ringo, Paul, Nick Mason or even Ginger Baker. Paul and Ringo probably know but they will never say.
My favorites Beatles album varies from year to year and depending on my mood. But I’ve been listening to the white album a lot lately and absolutely love it. It currently is my favorite. Btw one thing I appreciate in the 50th release was dispelling the Long standing myth that this was a particularly contentious album for them. Many of the outtakes shows a very tight band having fun with the songs. I think Geoff Emrick who was sensitive to a fault started this whole thing since he quit on the spot (which also tells you about his emotional sensitivity) but that didn’t mean it was overly contentious. Even 50 years later in one of his last interviews he was still emotionally scared from a comment Lennon made to him during the pepper sessions. So he couldn’t handle any sort of argument or criticism. Ringo walked out but so what. Paul walked out during Revolver and George quit during a Let it Be so I don’t think it was any more contentious or less contentious than any other album. Ken Scott doesn’t remember the level of arguments that justify this myth that this was a difficult album. When you have the caliber of these individuals there are bound to be arguments particularly since they were in the recording studio almost every day for 7 years unlike today when artists release albums every 2 -5 years. They were expected to come up an album a year plus singles not pulled off the albums. That’s a lot of pressure and a lot of time with each other. It’s Amazing they didn’t have more fights.
I have an original release of the white album – serial number and all. Unfortunately the poster was destroyed, but I did also get the cd with the white album and Escher tapes. And you’re right . Giles Martin followed well in his dad’s footsteps. You can hear John’s clear enunciation of lyrics, especially the last syllable. Then you get to the deluxe version with studio takes and demos, and then you really appreciate the anthology 3 album. It’s like you are hearing The Beatles shire album and other tunes for the first time. I especially like the 50th anniversary of sgt pepper. Lucy in the sky sounds amazing in its raw form. As much as I love rubber soul and revolver, and especially tomorrow never knows, it paved the way for Sgt. Pepper. Still nothing surpasses it. It changed rock and roll forever. Still the best album of all time .
I discovered back in early 70s that on stereo version if you ran the websites together on ” Birthday ” you got a very low instrument volume with a very high vocal volume. That was pretty much the only tune where that would occur. I still like to know where Russ Gibb the disk jockey from Detroit got his version of Revolution 9 with the separate track of John and George reciting the poetry-story of someone getting in a car accident getting their hair burned and going to a hospital.
I have owned and listened to my copy of the White Album since the 70’s. Had it since I was a child, it used to belong to my brother who’s no longer with us. It is part of my life and I absolutely have to listen to it every now and then. I have long since digitised it to CD, FLAC and MP3. I don’t think I could bring myself to buy some “new and improved” version, what if they decided to get all “edgy” in the mix and now everything is in the wrong place? What if they decided “oh, let’s broaden out the vocals, fix some errors, apply some really cool, modern filters to the music and bounce everything around in the mix”. I couldn’t stomach that. If they remix it at all, they have two choices. They can do it the right way, stay as close to the original mix as possible, leave vocals and instruments where they belong and focus on improving the sound quality, or they can fuck it up. That’s a lot of money to spend on something that I could absolutely hate.
The White Album is the most intimate of Beatles albums. Each Beatle expresses their souls throw songs. An album of individuality while working as a group. It’s totally unique in the history of music at the time. And the album pioneers the sensitive period of the 70’s pop music in the music of Fleetwood Mac, Carol King and James Taylor.
Well done! My only quibble is about Ringo quitting. I’m persuaded by Giles Martin that the sessions were more fun than mythology gives credit. Ringo told the others that he felt left out – that the other 3 had grown close and he wasn’t part of it. It’s telling that he thought the others were having fun. I think its closer to the truth that Ringo quit because his feelings were hurt by the others having fun without him more than because the atmosphere was toxic all around.
I love this album. People tend to write it off because at this point the group was fracturing and so much of it came off as more solo work from each, but I think that could be exactly what they needed. Long before that point, they’d been stretching their wings, experiencing their own interests, that it’s only logical that they might grow away from eachother. Perhaps if The White Album had been better honored, and they honored the fact that they had their own interests, they might have been more inclined to continue the Beatle collaboration.
Not only do I consider this to be The Beatles’ best album, but the greatest album of all time. Yes, the hoi polloi will posit that it would’ve been a better album if it were truncated to a single album, but the panoply of creativity and exorbitant talent of all four members is thrilling and captivating from track to track. It’s a gestalt effort from the greatest band to ever exist. The Beatles accomplished more in this album than what the preponderance of bands could ever dream of accomplishing in their entire careers.
You Can’t Unhear This – dude, ah, MMT was released in late November 1967. Hello Goodbye was released in November 67′ reached no. 1 and few if any feared that the Beatles had lost their way. (When that DID occur, your alleged “losing of their way,” was between the interval of end of touring, 1966 and the release of Sgt. Pepper). Cheers.
1:44 not just by the mid-1960s, even the first Beatles album Please Please Me from ’63 was available in stereo already. Also stereo isn’t about hearing different sounds from two speakers (binaural) it means each sound can be placed on both speakers at different levels, giving the illusion it is placed on some position between them (like slightly left).
I had a low numbered one first then my sister borrowed it and I never saw it again so I bought a new (stereo) one and then noticed the mix differences. When Ringo screams ‘I’ve got blisters on my fingers!’ that isn’t heard on the mono mix. (edit: I was wrong in that I initially credited the shout to Paul.)
In addition to my previous comment: I am not slagging Ringo off. The Beatles were undoubtedly the greatest band of all time. they blended together perfectly. On the other hand I have never heard anyone say George Harrison was the worlds greatest lead guitarist or John Lennon was the worlds greatest rhythm guitarist or Paul McCartney was the worlds greatest bass player or Ringo was the words greatest drummer. If you understand what I mean.
Seems this is article contains what I would consider very basic info unless you’ve never heard of the Beatles. I guess the person who wrote this narration never heard of the Magical Mystery Tour LP (released Nov. 1967) as he says the Beatles didn’t release an LP b/w “Sgt. Pepper’s…” and “The Beatles”. Also, I guess he never heard of “Her Majesty” since that is shorter than Wild Honey Pie. Someone didn’t do their research apparently.
The deluxe and super deluxe versions have made them future proof for the next 60 years. Giles did a fantastic job. Sounds like it was all recorded yesterday with the peak Beatles from yester year. The deluxe version is without Doubt my Favorite Beatles album/s. All the out takes and different takes. I think all old ALbums should be released like that if there is any extra’s left in the vaults from practise sesions etc all adds life to these historical tracks. In some of those out takes you can literally hear a track played through and one of them will do something spontaneous that makes the track complete, or makes a change that swayed the track in a totally different diretion from where it was originally going. Its those moments that are so damn special.
Two things that keep coming up: The title of this article does NOT promise to present us with rare facts that we’ve never heard before. Also, MMT was NOT an official Beatles album of new material. It was part soundtrack, part singles collection, and it was put together by the record company. On a personal note, the White Album is perfect just the way it is; with two records, and with Revolution 9 in it’s customary and welcome spot near the end. In a world where the Beatles are no longer making music together, why would we give up any of those songs? If you try to turn my copy of this brilliant double album into a single record, we’re going to fight.
MONO was the original form of ALL recorded music. Initially not even referred to as “Mono” because that was all there was! Home radios transistor radios, and automobiles had ONE speaker, thus STEREO was not even thought of for mass production. Stereo came about initially for home use in 1960. Was not a “Brief Period” but throughout the 1960’s that Pop music began offering Stereo alongside what was normal recording. To differentiate the term “MONO” was coined. The genius of Phil Spector was to come up with the “Wall of sound” to make the most of single speaker radio.
All your points are right. But you forgot that after sgt pepper was magical mystery tour then the white album strawberry fields and penny lane were going to be on sgt pepper but they put them both on magical mystery tour. As they were both written in late 1966 and magical mystery tour came out in late 1967 as sgt pepper came out in the summer earlier in 1967. All beatles albums are great especially the stereo version.
White Album was their last LP to feature whole, original songs. Let It Be had some old stuff on it- as was intended. Abbey Road’s side 2 had snippets of songs that would have been fleshed out had they had the time, which they didn’t. They wanted to release one more good album, then pack it in. So they took their time, but just long enough to put the tracks on tape.
This is a good website. I think most Beatles fans would be aware of these, but the one about the stereo and mono mixes I wasn’t aware of. (Here’s one, if you’re covering all 60s bands and not just the Beatles… in the live version of “Listen To The Band” in Monkees 33 1/3, before the middle eight, does Mike Nesmith yell the N word?)
I can clearly hear George Martin on Revolution 1 counting the orchestra (he was conducting) in. Only on the stereo version when played in mono but out of phase. And Paul says a few words before that handclapping comes in on ObLaDi…. Again, only when in mono and out of phase. (can’t hear what he says, though!)
I found an original copy of “The Beatles” (with the stamped serial number) in a garbage can back in 1972. Only problem was it only had the first disc in it. At the time most of my friends said “That’s the best part anyway.” I didn’t hear the 2nd disc for another 3 years and BOY were my friends wrong.
I had a copy of the white album from the 70s. I am pretty sure the Helter Skelter track was missing. The reason I remember is that at some point after the Charles Manson documentary I tried to find the song on the album and it was not there. I no longer have the album so I can’t recheck. Did I make a mistake?
Thx. I prefer the Mono version. I’ve listened to both Mono & Stereo with headphones, and I found the stereo version to be crappy. In fact, throughout their recording career, the Beatles members were closely involved in the Mono mix, but never the stereo mixes. BTW, your voice is pleasant, but soft. I had a hard time distinguishing it from the background/ambient music/noise until the last segment when you talked about the 50th anniversary edition. I haven’t watched your other shares, but if they’re like this, you might want to revisit the mixing of your voiceover(s) relative to the background music.
As a 15yo when this record came out, my mom drove me to Pay N Save drug store at Southcenter (mall in WA) so I could buy the latest Beatles album everyone was raving about. I had my money from picking up and returning loose pop bottles. I looked everywhere in the store and could not find the album. I did find it strange that the whole record section had all these “white blank” albums everywhere. I thought it was just cardboard. Went home without a record and the next day went to my friends house and he showed me the latest Beatles album. It was the “white blank” I saw at the store. Felt like a fool but didn’t let anyone know…..at 15 you save face whenever possible.
While I don’t consider Hey Majesty (at 0:23 seconds) a full song which is just an excerpt of a recording and was originally part of the Side 2, Abbey Road Medley, coming in just after Mean Mr Mustard (1:06). Maggie Mae, Is Not a Beatles’ song, but clocks in at only 00:40. ‘Dig It’ is also just an excerpt which should be treated as Can You Take Me Back (which follows Cry Baby Cry) This leaves me to find The shortest Beatles’ song is actually Wild Honey Pie at 0:49. That being said, who really considers Revolution #9 a song instead of just a recording. If it’s not a song, then that would leave the longest song to be ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ (7:47) If you consider it a song, then each side of the John & Yoko Wedding album would also be songs.
I was hoping this article would tell me something about this landmark album that I didn’t know already. It didn’t. Still it was fun remembering all the fascinating bits that went towards its development. I still listen to this glorious album just about every summer. Was it the Beatles best album? I really don’t care to answer that question. Every album and single this legendary band made after ‘Rubber Soul’ was an absolute masterpiece.
As you can hear on Helter Skelter, the Beatles even had a hand at the invention of Heavy Metal! Plus, overall, they played their guitars very loud and distorted here, only that it doesn’t immediately show because they were first played very loud and dirty only to be mixed down considerably. However, you just listen closely so you’ll hear…
It is my understanding that John and George also did stints on the drums for parts of ‘Back In The USSR’. IMO, the drumming on this track is uneven and even hesitant in places. Allegedly Paul was the sole drummer on ‘Dear Prudence’. His playing was very much improved over the previous track though some have claimed that Ringo did some overdubs in places. I’ve never found anything more than anecdotal evidence on this. But, it is also my understanding that while Ringo was feeling inferior about his playing, that some of this was because of Paul coming in after hours and overdubbing some of the drum parts over Ringo’s prior contributions. He was embarrassed by listening to playbacks on drum parts that were obviously not him, so he left to get his head on straight.
Mother Nature’s Son is the most interesting and groundbreaking Beatles song. Never before had this band from a crowded English industrial city who were creatures of London or New York City sung a laid back tribute to nature. It sounded John Denver like. That the Beatles works sing this song bespeaks their versatility!
Item 2, the white album cover. The narrator says it symbolizes purity and invites you to come in without expectations. Yes … but there’s more to it. After the highly stylized album covers of Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, they were going for a minimalist feel. It is a much more stripped down album than the prior two and the cover is meant to contrast with them.
Even up to, and including, Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles had no interest in Stereo. They said it split up their sound. The only final mixes they bothered to attend and influence were the Mono ones, heard through one massive speaker in the mixing suite. Although George Martin worked on and produced the Stereo mix of Pepper, he had no say over the Stereo remixes of the earlier albums. As he says in his autobiography, All You Need Is Ears, these Stereo mixes were done quickly by jobbing engineers who had no idea of Stereo imaging. These mixes are basically tracks 1 and 2 of a two track sub mix, intended to be mixed down via eq and further compression to one Mono track. That’s why they always sound so weird. The only way to hear The Beatles (up to Pepper) the way they wanted to be heard is via the the original Mono mixes, although subsequent Mono mixes have been remixed as they would have been done originally and they’re excellent substitutes.
The “purity” of the white cover is meant to reproduce the illicit anonymity of a white-cover bootleg of the day. Bootlegs also had numbered pressings, and the low numbers were considered superior as they were off the original single master. The cover – and the production – abandons the artiness of past covers (Sgt. Pepper, e.g.) for the rough bootleg aesthetic. For a change, the lowest common denominator was sought.
I don’t care what you think about it, but HELP (the English version) is my favorite Beatles album, period. I’ve never read anything “great” about it anywhere? But I don’t give a crap, it’s the first one really creative . Oh, the first side of the album ( not cd or tape) is a perfect album side. I never
It’s album without Brian Epstein (expired), George Martin (on leave), Geoff Emerick (signed off) and the fourth point, almost all songs ( revolution 9 wasn’t a song) were composed without any external influence for instance Rubber soul was a pot album, revolver was acid album, Sgt pepper’s and magical mystery tour perhaps both. But white album was mostly composed in India (Rishikesh) without these external influences. So name of the album was self titled “the Beatles “
“By the mid 1960s however you could also spend a bit more and buy the album in a fancy new format called stereo”… The major labels had been regularly putting out stereo LPs since 1958 although mostly orchestral. They were also reissuing older mono LPs in fake stereo (duophonic) to take advantage of the new market.
I love this album so much, but it just lacks continuity for me. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than listening to a great album where the songs meld into each other, and share small bits of guitar riff. This album is amazing no doubt, and I love it, but I just wish the songs felt more like they belonged in the same album together. It does give us some of the best songs they’ve ever made tho, like Yer blues, savory truffle, and happiness is a warm gun tho. Anyways that’s my take on it ig. Also, I’m so glad it have found a website that’s so passionate about the beatles😊
This clip says that Eric Clapton was the only guest guitarist ~ technically correct, but he was not the only guest to work with the Beatles. Billy Preston did on Let It Be Album as a guest (slight distinction between guest and guitar guest), but you can also say some of the orchestras were also guests that played on some of the Beatles songs.
I love the beatles and they made so many great songs, but I don’t think albums were their strong point, especially the white album. I’d put at least a dozen beatles songs in my 50 favourates, but I wouldn’t put any beatles albums in my top ten albums. It feels wrong to say that because of the many albums I listened to over and over, but some songs just let them down compared to what I’d class as the greatest.
A minor quibble…Revolution #9 is more appropriately called a sound collage, not a song. The fact that the three realized how integral Ringo was to the group is charming. Despite Paul’s pedestrian drumming on USSR, a large part of their undefinable magic lay in Ringo’s input. Simply focus attention on Ringo’s drumming in most Beatles’ songs to find out how unique his style was. Even in “Something,” his choices propel the song along.
People been saying for years how the white album is the sound of the Beatles breaking up and working separately, and hating each other, etc. The new box set is a revelation on proving all of that wrong. You can hear in the studio chatter the comraderie that is still there. Even if one of the Beatles were recording alone, another member was in the control room giving feedback and encouragement. Other times, it was thought that one or more members didn’t participate in recording a song, when in reality they did, on dozens of takes, and just didn’t perform on the take that got chosen as the best one. The Beatles spent far more time on this album than any other, and if you spend that much time together with anyone, tensions will rise. But the tensions in the recording sessions for the white album have been exaggerated and blown way out of proportion.
I never understood why separate mono mixes were made, rather than just “folding down” (summing together) the two stereo websites into a single website. That’s what you got if you played a stereo tape cassette on a mono player, and it’s what you get if you play a stereo LP on a mono record player. As for the “gap” between Sgt. Pepper and the White Album, it only exists if you only look at albums, and if you ignore the then-U.S.-only Magical Mystery Tour LP.
It’s an urbane Urban Myth that Eric Clapton played on Gently Weeps, he visited with George when the band was rowing a lot in studio & they went on their best behaviour cos he was an outsider, so one benefit. During ‘The Sessions’ show at the Royal Albert Hall based on Geoff Emerick’s Beatles memoirs, it flashes up that they recorded over EC’s efforts. Don’t know if it’s mentioned in GE’s book, nor if this show reached the US when it might’ve been more widely circulated. The solo is not even in EC’s style of the late 60s, see Concert for George where he plays it, albeit 35yrs later. Pls pass this FACT around that it’s not EC on Gently Weeps
The album was actually originally going to be released with solid music, 4 sides, they wanted everyone to hear all the songs, not”pick a single”. The DJs balked, “Wheres the single?” the band caved, remastered, with space between numbered tracks. There were a few released, as the abm shipped gold before heard. Not publicized, for some odd reason. Mastered by John Stachowiak, at Capitol, as a result of his multi start, no space disk idea for “Chatty Cathy” dolls. a “dolls house”, indeed ( original title of album!)
My contention is that “The BEATLES” on the cover of the White Album indicates the name of the performers, and not the name of the album, and that the otherwise blank cover indicates that the Beatles did not want the album to have a name. In an interview for The Rolling Stone two years later, Lennon referred to the album as “The Double Album”, and perhaps there was the expectation that the album would be nicknamed thus. Fortunately, the fans nicknamed it “The White Album”.
unique refers to one of a kind. ain’t no damn thing that’s SO unique. if it’s comparable to something else in a class: it’s NOT unique. & most of the info on this is rehashed. Like, there aren’t 10 easily searchable articles on the 50th anno of The Beatles mentioning that Ringo briefly quit, or that we haven’t known for decades that there was huge tension surrounding the recording of this project.
people can say what they want-but on the financial end-if it hadn’t been for McCartney hiring lawyers in the past to help get back money that was due the entire bandmates-the remaining beatles would’ve lost everything..paul was a genius..god rest lennon and Harrison..ringo had his own style of drumming and when it came to the white album-paul was only experimenting on the drums.there’s nothing wrong with that.if ringo wanted to play bass guitar on a track-i’m sure the other bandmates(at the time) could’ve for fun did this.with George martin at the board?? it would’ve been magic..
The White Album is great, but I remember George Martin saying it would be better if it was cut down: Here’s my White Album fan fiction cut: 1. Dear Prudence (Like you’re starting off a letter, “Dear, so and so”) 2. Glass Onion 3. Happiness is a Warm Gun (The recently fired, warm gun ….) 4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (…causes the guitar to weep) 5. Black Bird 6. Yer Blues 7. Hey Jude (single, that should be on album/ Sing-a-long to end side 1/”Hey Jude…) 1. Birthday (…it’s your birthday.”/ Birthday, beginnings, beginning of side 2) 2. Julia 3. Helter Skelter 4. Not Guilty (Unfinished during White Album sessions; such a good song, deserved attention) 5. Sexy Sadie 6. Junk (unfinished during White Album sessions; great song, deserved attention) 7. Cry Baby Cry 8. Revolution (single, that should be on album/ Rock Version) ***Revolution 9 (as an unlisted song that ends the album. In the spirit of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper having mind-bending, psychedelic closers, White Album would have a mind-bending Avante-Garde Closer. Beatles shifted a bit from psychedelic towards musique concrete during this period, Revolution 9 would typify that change.)
The mono version is the best. The studio versions of there albums weren’t recorded in the studio – they were engineered after the fact – it’s fake stereo. And, no, Clapton isn’t the only guest player on Beatles’ recordings – Billy Preston plays on “Get Back” and “Abbey Road”. And . . . Paul is a shitty drummer.
I grew up with The Beatle’s music, when they broke up, that’s when I became an Elvis fan, he had just come out wearing his signature jumpsuits . I wish there were a photo of Elvis & The Beatles, incredibly, there’s none. However, I did have one question, what’s your opinion regarding the rumor that the real Paul McCartney died in a car accident and was replaced by a dude named Campbell ? If this is true, he did an incredible job at replacing the real Paul McCartney., thanks for your great article.
Even though I feel ‘Revolver’ is their best album as well as the best of all time, if I put on a Beatles’ album, it will be ‘The White Album’. It feels like a journey as it goes from a relatively benign feel and becomes more ominous along the way and ends up in ‘Revolution 9′. Having lived through the Manson killings and experienced the Beatles’ influence back them, I can almost see how a kook like Manson could interpret the album as he did. When you still have people running around convinced that Paul is dead based on album clues, you get an idea of how rooted the band was and still is in modern mythology.
I played this over and over for a year, maybe more, before I went on to over play Rubber Soul! Sexy Sadie, was incredible and happiness is a warm gun is still my #1 Beatles song of all time. I think that may actually be more about me being in long term recovery of over 12 years. I def can connect. Thanks for the article, it’s cool to see someone else with tons of Beatles knowledge!
Great article as usual BUT I need to clear something up. When you say that this is their best selling album, it’s a misleading statement because you’re leaving out a BIG detail. The RIAA counts two disc albums as double the sale of a single album. So if The White Album sells 10 million copies, it’s officially counted as 20 million. So really, it’s not their biggest seller in terms of individual packages.
I was young of 11yrs old when my uncle, a seafarer, asked me what I want for my birthday. And I said, a Beatles album, and so we went to a record store and he gifted me, of my choosing, the white album and magical mystery tour. I remember of all the great songs in the white album, I was fascinated with the song “Savoy Truffle” for some reason. It sounds delicious. Lol. But of course I love all of it including Wild Honey Pie and revolution #9 which is a bit of a heavy for an 11 year old. That’s how my life was turned on to the Beatles… Forever!
This is one of my very favorite Beatles albums and contains among my very favorite John songs ever – really, other than Revolution 9, ALL of his contributions are absolutely top notch – hands down some of his best work. I particularly love Happiness is a Warm Gun (that haunting “she’s not a girl who misses much” makes my hair stand on end to this day); Cry Baby Cry (that accordion sound, which was apparently a harmonium, the tea sound effects); Glass Onion (that sarcastic mocking message for the “Paul is dead” crowd is just amazing and so John); Bungalow Bill (the wonderful humor (“in case of accident he always took his mum” and “if looks could kill it woulda been us instead of him”, and the little Spanish accent on “all the children sing!”) Julia is positively haunting – you needn’t know the back story to sense that this is about a dead girl. Even as a kid I found the line “when I cannot sing my heart, I can only speak my mind” just heartbreaking – he was always speaking his mind and increasingly getting into trouble for it. Of course, the dig at the Maharishi, Sexy Sadie (“we gave her everything we owned just to sit at her table”). And who doesn’t love that joyous screamer, Everybody’s Got Something to Hide, cowbell and all. I have been known to speed down the highway playing it at top volume (singing/screaming along) with the windows down. Dear Prudence is just gorgeous – every note of it. The slow, bluesy Revolution is fantastic. Is there another Beatles song that had two completely different official releases, other than maybe the German language versions of I Wanna Hold Your Hand/She Loves You?
There is also one fact that he doesn’t mentioned, and I might put it as a honorable mention, “Revolution 9”, one of the most experimental track that you hear on the “White Album” with just potpourri of sounds and music looped altogether in a nutshell with “Number 9” being looped over and over. There was an Easter Egg that when you play backwards, you hear the words “Turn me on, dead man”, along with clues from the “Paul Is Dead” theory. In addition, sound effects were added in there during “Revolution 9” like for example, a “Football Game” sounds or sounds of College cheers where they said “Hold that line” and “Block that kick” where used for the “Authentic Sound Effects” album series courtesy of Jac Holzman, the founder of Elektra Records, the label that brought you the Doors, Carly Simon, Bread and more. And to top of all that, “Revolution 9” was the first attempt at testing out 4 websites on each of the 4 speakers for both front and rear, and that was quadraphonic which has been used since the 1970’s as an early attempt at 4-channel surround sound which was made for all 3 compatible systems, SQ, QS and CD-4. I like SQ better, because I have an SQ decoder to go with my stereo receiver and amplifier.
My favourite album of theirs, I tend to like the real raw brutal truth in music and I think the White Album is who The Beatles really were, whether we like it or not, particularly at the time. The good, the bad and the ugly, its all laid bare for us to witness with little filter or airbrushing. It might have had tension and division but it also had them playing together as a rock n roll band again after so much studio overdubs on previous albums. It’s still surprising that such a huge band had the balls to release an album that had about 100 different genres slapped together. What a rollercoaster it is.
I agree with Ringo on how great this album is. My favorite album, period. There are so many songs on here that I love, including Mother Nature’s Son, Rocky Raccoon, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Long, Long, Long, Martha My Dear, The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill, and Dear Prudence Yes, there’s a lot.
Tensions between band members tends to bring out the best in them.Its like they have something to prove.For example Fleetwood Macs masterpiece Rumours was recorded during a period when members were hurting and hating each other.Music is about capturing the moment,the drama,excitement,which is captured on the brilliant White Album.
I really appreciate your work and website here. I was 2 years old when they arrived in the US, so you could say that I’ve enjoyed their music from the get go. Interesting stuff to learn after so many years of listening to their music. Glad that you’ve decided to put this info into a comprehensive format. Thanks and keep up the good work. -VG
I think that people initially had a more difficult time with the White Album because it was yet another unexpected change in the Beatles’ musical style. They had been producing very slick, polished albums using increasingly sophisticated instrumentation and the White Album was a complete 180 from all that. The songs have stripped-down arrangements, and the performances are good, but not perfect. The sound was thin and stark compared to previous albums. In retrospect, we know that the Beatles weren’t working together as well as before, but at the time, we just knew that something was different. Once people got past the sonic differences from previous albums, they saw that these songs were more personal, intimate, raw and real than anything they’d done before, and those are the reasons why the White Album is one the Beatle’s greatest.
I recently listened to The Beatles catalogue, and I have to say, although I really enjoy the White Album, and it has some of my favorite songs on it, many of them I play myself on the guitar, it sounds very disjointed to me when you listen to it from beginning to end. You can really hear that they are not playing together. Not to say that’s anything new in their catalogue. You know that “Yesterday” is a McCartney song, and “In My Life” is a Lennon song. It’s just when you spread it across two albums, it comes to the forefront. I agree with Martin’s assessment, a single album may have been a better . But it’s still a fantastic in many ways.
The White Album came out 8 days after l was born and for my 19th birthday my folks gave me a re-issue of it It was a very cold winter here in San Antonio and l was living in a garage using a dryer for heat and nursing a broken heart I listened to it over and over for days when l came up with the words for a prose I LOVE THEE THREE I was off like a rocket writing everyday and have not stop The Beatles reached out across time once more
The White Album (or, “The Beatles”) is my second favorite Beatles album, second only by a smidge behind Abbey Road… and like most Beatles fans, my favorite Beatles album and my favorite Beatles song does change from time to time, depending upon other circumstances. I love everything on Abbey Road… and there are only a tiny few cuts in the “The Beatles” (aka, The White Album) that I can either take… or leave .
I love the diversity of sounds on “The Beatles.” That’s why it tops Beatles sales. Only a couple songs sound like each other, e.g. “Blackbird” and “Mother Nature’s Son.” Side 4 is an awesome example, starting with Doo Wop pastiche, winding through Cry Baby Cry and ending with Revolution 9 and Goodnight. Side 1 is also amazing, starting with Back in the USSR and ending with Happiness is a Warm Gun. “So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise”, but the White Album is out of sight.
There were other facts that are not mention in this article: 1. “Revolution 9”, Yep! The first and only time on the “White Album” which was the second to last song, but it’s not a song, it was a potpourri of music, and sounds mixed together in an 8-minute collage. And it was also the first time to test them out if you have a audio gear, or you can try it with a 4-Channel quadraphonic sound. All you need is a stereo receiver, another stereo amplifier, a decoder like my Sony SQD-1000 SQ decoder for quadraphonic sound, and four speakers for front, and rear websites, and you can experience “Revolution 9” on all four websites and it will blow you away. I tested it out with my SQ decoder to try it out and it sounds amazing for just a demonstration. 2. “Revolution 9” also had sounds that were taken directly from the “Authentic Sound Effects” albums which was released on the Elektra label during the 1960’s, but they got permission to use it just for the track, and Jac Holzman, the founder of Elektra and also a producer for the series got credit to use it. Elektra was the label that brought you the Doors. 3. “Helter Skelter”, a track from the “White Album” which was considered a prototype heavy metal song like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper. The closing line “I got blisters on my fingers” was a joke. Billy Joel says that at the end of “Sometimes a Fantasy”, the 45 single version where he says “I got blisters on my blisters”, an answer to the closing line from “Helter Skelter”.
The Beatles did things in the 60s that are common place today. They were the first group to produce an album with all original songs. They were the first to make a double album with all original songs. The first to make a double album with all pre release songs. Write all thier songs and produce . Common now but revolutionary back then.