This album like Pink Floyd The Wall took me awhile to get into, on first listen[and i thought the same for The Wall]I thought it was a cluttered mess of songs with some great ones mixed in...

But after listening the past few years i see why it is so loved, it's an amazing mixture of sounds, styles that make this bizarre, fascinating bunch of songs. These short songs all merge together perfectly to make an unforgettable album.

It is a wonderful album.
But my favorite album will always be Revolver.

I'm not much of a fan of the Beatles' "psychedelic" era (basically 1967) so I quite apptraciate The Beatles. I think one of the things that makes the album work is that John was finally fully engaged in making music again. Seemed like he was coasting a bit on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour and he kind of let Paul take over.

Some people complain that the album is too diffuse but for me that is what makes it work. It's true that there is not a ton of unity to the album but most of the individual songs are good-great. George also delivered his best set of songs to date.

I do have to agree with the most common complaint about the album: "Revolution 9." It might be interesting to hear it a few times but it does kind of stop side four dead and I suspect that a lot of people stop listening after "Cry Baby Cry" and miss the lovely "Good Night."

Personally I rate Rubber Soul and Revolver, and maybe Help! and Abbey Road, above The Beatles but it is still a fantastic album.

This may be my favorite Beatles album. It's the one I listen to most.

My favorite songs are George Harrison's.

And

In some ways it's like Revolver in that it is made up of songs that have no business being on an album together.

But that is what the beatles did. They were as diverse as any group/musician, and yet they maintained such a clear identity. I love listening to the end of Why Don't We Do It In the Road and thinking "this is the same guy singing I Will right after" No other band goes to such extremes in 5 seconds.

They did it all. Personally I love Revolution 9. I have listened to it for 30 years, and I still find it fascinating and I can listen to it all the way through no problem. It also makes me laugh, because of course it's ridiculous.

Definitely not my favorite Beatles album, but then, it may be my favorite Beatles album

Gunsnhalen said:

This might be my favorite Beatles song. Certainly my favorite non-hit.

Probably my favourite of theirs after Revolver.

There's a few duds on it but that's typical of most double albums. Hell, most single albums for that matter.

The Revolution posted above is not from The Beatles, it's the single version. The album version is slower and has sort of a doo wop like backgound vocals.

Now somewhere in the black mining hills of Dakota
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy
Hit young Rocky in the eye Rocky didn't like that
He said I'm gonna get that boy
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon.

Rocky Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon's bible
Rocky had come equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rival
His rival it seems had broken his dreams
By stealing the girl of his fancy.
Her name was Magil and she called herself Lil
But everyone knew her as Nancy.
Now she and her man who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoedown
Rocky burst in and grinning a grin
He said Danny boy this is a showdown
But Daniel was hot-he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner.

The doctor came in stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said Rocky you met your match
And Rocky said, Doc it's only a scratch
And I'll be better I'll be better doc as soon as I am able.

Now Rocky Raccoon he fell back in his room
Only to find Gideon's bible
Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt
To help with good Rocky's revival.

I think the only problem is the track-list configuration, change the order of the songs and you'll get a better listening experience.

Also, "Hey Jude" and the fast version of "Revolution" should've been in the official track-list instead of the other two versions of "Revolution".

But you know what, all of that chaos was a testimony on how consistent they were when it came to their music recordings. It reminds me of Prince and the Parade era where he worked on so many projects simultaneously .

Harlepolis said:

I think the only problem is the track-list configuration, change the order of the songs and you'll get a better listening experience.

Also, "Hey Jude" and the fast version of "Revolution" should've been in the official track-list instead of the other two versions of "Revolution".

But you know what, all of that chaos was a testimony on how consistent they were when it came to their music recordings. It reminds me of Prince and the Parade era where he worked on so many projects simultaneously .

Yeah it was a different time, when you left your singles off the albums. But I agree, a Hey Jude and Revolution, or even Lady Madonna would have improved the album.

I have never messed with re-arranging the tracks in a better order, but that sounds like an excellent itunes project at work tomorrow

Harlepolis said:

Also, "Hey Jude" and the fast version of "Revolution" should've been in the official track-list instead of the other two versions of "Revolution".

The Beatles always recorded songs separate from their albums and released them as singles. Capitol (and Vee Jay in the early days) in the USA usually had different albums than elsewhere, so the singles only songs were on albums here.

MickyDolenz said:

Harlepolis said:

Also, "Hey Jude" and the fast version of "Revolution" should've been in the official track-list instead of the other two versions of "Revolution".

The Beatles always recorded songs separate from their albums and released them as singles. Capitol (and Vee Jay in the early days) in the USA usually had different albums than elsewhere, so the singles only songs were on albums here.

I have always preferred Revolution 1 to the fast one, but that's just me.

I am glad there are no "hits" on it, as they are the ones on other artists albums I get sick of quickly (including our purple friend).

I flip-flop with this being my fave Beatles record...it tends to trade the top spot with Revolver, Abby Road, & Rubber Soul.

Poplife88 said:

MickyDolenz said:

The Beatles always recorded songs separate from their albums and released them as singles. Capitol (and Vee Jay in the early days) in the USA usually had different albums than elsewhere, so the singles only songs were on albums here.

I have always preferred Revolution 1 to the fast one, but that's just me.

I am glad there are no "hits" on it, as they are the ones on other artists albums I get sick of quickly (including our purple friend).

I flip-flop with this being my fave Beatles record...it tends to trade the top spot with Revolver, Abby Road, & Rubber Soul.

The single version of Revolution is on the Hey Jude album.

I wouldn't really consider Hey Jude a proper album.

Of course, if I was 15 years older I might!

Poplife88 said:

I am glad there are no "hits" on it, as they are the ones on other artists albums I get sick of quickly (including our purple friend).

It's a pretty interesting notion, to have singles and albums, and the singles are not on the albums.

But it's just amazing to think their albums were "missing" key songs--like Sgt Pepper could have had Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.

Imagine 1999 without 1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious. Still good, but not nearly the same.

NDRU said:

Poplife88 said:

I am glad there are no "hits" on it, as they are the ones on other artists albums I get sick of quickly (including our purple friend).

It's a pretty interesting notion, to have singles and albums, and the singles are not on the albums.

But it's just amazing to think their albums were "missing" key songs--like Sgt Pepper could have had Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.

Imagine 1999 without 1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious. Still good, but not nearly the same.

Thats my only issue with The Beatles. From an artistic point of view, I might understand that some of the songles won't mesh well with the albums tracklist.

But in the case of the White album where damn every ingredient is thrown in the pot, it wouldn't hurt them to include the singles. Sure they're hits, but musically, they're def up to bar with 1/2 if not most of the album IMO.

I kind of miss "the good old days" when albums and singles were separate. It's cool that "Yesterday" was not even released as a single in the UK.

NDRU said:

It's a pretty interesting notion, to have singles and albums, and the singles are not on the albums.

Johnnie Taylor had a lot of non-album singles when he was on Stax.

rialb said:

I'm not much of a fan of the Beatles' "psychedelic" era (basically 1967) so I quite apptraciate The Beatles. I think one of the things that makes the album work is that John was finally fully engaged in making music again. Seemed like he was coasting a bit on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour and he kind of let Paul take over.

I agree with all of this. I'm not a big fan of the psychadelic albums either. This does seem like the only album since Rubber Soul where John really cared. He didn't do very many songs on Revolver, Abbey Road or Let It Be, either.

I also think there's a ton of 'just decent' songs on here, but it doesn't bother me, I'm content skipping over the songs I don't feel like listening to at that moment. My favorites from the album are: Back In The USSR, Dear Prudence, Ob La Di Ob La Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Julia, Yer Blues, Honey Pie.

Revolution 9 isn't really a song, but I like it a lot. I've played it more than probably half the songs on the 2nd disc.

I don't like, or rarely listen to: Glass Onion, Martha My Dear, Rocky Raccoon,Don't Pass Me By, Why Don't We Do It In The Road, Birthday, Everybody's Got Something To Hide..., Revolution 1 (like the single version better), Savoy Truffle, Cry Baby Cry, Good Night.

So, it's a very hit and miss album for me, but I wouldn't want any of the songs removed. As I said, I'm fine just skipping over a song if I don't want to hear it, and even the songs I don't like much get occasional plays.

It's certainly not my favorite, or even one of my favorite Beatles albums, though.

I'd rank 'Let It Be... Naked', 'Abbey Road', 'Rubber Soul', and even 'Beatles For Sale' all above 'The Beatles', of course that's just my personal preference.

By the way, I'm one of those people who calls the album "The Beatles", and I think "The White Album" is one of the worst album names in history, and has inspired many copycat horrible titles - "Black Album", "Yellow Album", "Red Album", "Blue Album" etc.. All horrible, horrible titles.. Be a little more creative!

[Edited 1/3/12 19:46pm]

CrabalockerFishwife said:

rialb said:

I'm not much of a fan of the Beatles' "psychedelic" era (basically 1967) so I quite apptraciate The Beatles. I think one of the things that makes the album work is that John was finally fully engaged in making music again. Seemed like he was coasting a bit on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour and he kind of let Paul take over.

I agree with all of this. I'm not a big fan of the psychadelic albums either. This does seem like the only album since Rubber Soul where John really cared. He didn't do very many songs on Revolver, Abbey Road or Let It Be, either.

I also think there's a ton of 'just decent' songs on here, but it doesn't bother me, I'm content skipping over the songs I don't feel like listening to at that moment. My favorites from the album are: Back In The USSR, Dear Prudence, Ob La Di Ob La Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Julia, Yer Blues, Honey Pie.

Revolution 9 isn't really a song, but I like it a lot. I've played it more than probably half the songs on the 2nd disc.

I don't like, or rarely listen to: Glass Onion, Martha My Dear, Rocky Raccoon,Don't Pass Me By, Why Don't We Do It In The Road, Birthday, Everybody's Got Something To Hide..., Revolution 1 (like the single version better), Savoy Truffle, Cry Baby Cry, Good Night.

So, it's a very hit and miss album for me, but I wouldn't want any of the songs removed. As I said, I'm fine just skipping over a song if I don't want to hear it, and even the songs I don't like much get occasional plays.

It's certainly not my favorite, or even one of my favorite Beatles albums, though.

I'd rank 'Let It Be... Naked', 'Abbey Road', 'Rubber Soul', and even 'Beatles For Sale' all above 'The Beatles', of course that's just my personal preference.

By the way, I'm one of those people who calls the album "The Beatles", and I think "The White Album" is one of the worst album names in history, and has inspired many copycat horrible titles - "Black Album", "Yellow Album", "Red Album", "Blue Album" etc.. All horrible, horrible titles.. Be a little more creative!

[Edited 1/3/12 19:46pm]

the thing i never hear the Beatles get credit for is growth, from a group that was doing "She Loves You" about 4 years earlier to having albums like this and Abbey Road etc...regardless if people like them or not, that is growth beyond any artist in a short time span, while in the middle of the spotlight. Also i dont like playing monday morning quarterback with records, we can all second guess any album and track order and track inclusion, should have been on, etc...like Paul McCartney said, it was us and it was a great little album, it sold, be quiet already. And thats it honestly, its a huge record but they didnt want to cut stuff off, they were not on the best terms at that point and they were tossing in their work and not caring who liked it or not.

1968 and 1969 were the end of the band, but the amount of output from them is staggering, because a lot of it wound up in the solo albums. The stuff on the"Yellow Submarine" movie was actually recorded prior to leaving for India, and they came back with 20 or 30 new songs 3 months later.

And to think "Hey Jude" and "Revolution" weren't even on it, or "Across the Universe".

Some White Album era footage:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/wa...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/wa...uqGCqMYaHQ

CrabalockerFishwife said:

By the way, I'm one of those people who calls the album "The Beatles", and I think "The White Album" is one of the worst album names in history, and has inspired many copycat horrible titles - "Black Album", "Yellow Album", "Red Album", "Blue Album" etc.. All horrible, horrible titles.. Be a little more creative!

[Edited 1/3/12 19:46pm]

Completely agree. I always refer to it by its proper name, The Beatles.

I think that it is the most profound and mature of their albums. Some pretty sad songs on there!

The Beatles White Album

McCartney says that "Blackbird" is his best song ever. Judging by the reaction he got when he played it live in Cologne one month ago, many people think so. I've never seen such an enthusiastic reaction to a song in a concert.

Although I've become a bigger fan of Macca in recent times, I still think that the best song in this album is "Happiness Is A Warm Gun".

My top albums ever made:

3. The Beatles - The White Album

2. Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On

1. Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners

Big ups, Gunsnhalen!

An absolutely astonishing album. Just brilliantly made.

Beatles music always puts me in a odd sensation feeling.

LIke gods tryn to tell me something but i cant make it out ..

A real trip

[img:$uid]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/jonwolslau/M_RingoStarr.jpg[/img:$uid]

http://prince.org/msg/8/315551?pr

[Edited 1/4/12 14:46pm]