The White Album

page · #1 02-02-2006, 08:08 PM

Ok, I gotta admit. Until recently the only Beatles albums I owned were Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper. I like most of Abbey Road, but I never saw what was so godly about it. Sgt.Pepper disappointed me. I only like about 5 songs on it.
So I was hesitant to buy another Beatles album. So the other day I hear the song Back in the U.S.S.R. and I suddenly need to get the album, if only for that song.

So I bought it.......................

The White Album is already in my top 10 favorite albums within two weeks of owning. I LOVE THIS ALBUM!

So feel free to discuss this wonderful work of art.

Also , what's the big mystery thing that supposedly inspired Charles Manson? How does Helter Skelter make you wanna murder?

Also, Dear Prudence is probably the most beautiful album ever.

AxtoOx · #2 02-02-2006, 08:23 PM

That's my favorite Beatles album. The only song I don't get is Revolution #9.
Manson seemed to think the Beatles were speaking to him subliminally through this album. Piggies, the writing on the wall in blood at the scenes among other things. It was in his head and naturally he had to interpet it to his followers. After all he was "Jesus Christ" so he said.
Helter Skelter was what he viewed as the race war he was supposed to start where the Black people were supposed to win, but they wouldn't be able to run things so since he and his family were going to escape this, they would make him leader and he would run the world.( He was a racist too)
The murders were supposed to start the race war, he assumed people would think Black people did it and rise up against them.
That's the short version, get the book Helter Skelter if you really want to get into it.

Alvaro Martín Gómez A. · #3 02-02-2006, 08:31 PM

Coincidentially, I've just posted in another thread this cool bass groove from the White Album which is to me the perfect example of those things that look very easy on paper but giving them such character may be a tough task.

I like the White Album, specially "Back In The USSR", "Dear Prudence", "I Will", "Yer Blues", "Helter Skelter" (the heaviest Beatles song) and "Savoy Truffle" ("Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" makes me laugh)... but to me, "Abbey Road" is their masterpiece, just for one single reason: After a long time, they sounded again as a fresh, tight rock and roll band. The White Album sounds like a bunch of solo John, Paul and George songs in which the rest of the band plays the role of hired musicians working for the composer. The impression I've always had with "Abbey Road" is like if they enjoyed again playing together. While "Sgt. Pepper's..." and The White Album may be great experimentation works, they lack the freshness that "Abbey Road" has (besides, there's the awful "Revolution 9").

AxtoOx · #4 02-02-2006, 08:39 PM

I do love to play Come Together. Not very hard, but very cool.
I favor the White Album myself, such a variety of music, cool bass licks, and so many classics.
As far as Sgt. Pepper, you have to put that into context. Nobody had done anything like that before and it put people back on their heels. Now it doesn't seem like such a big deal.

nysbob · #5 02-02-2006, 09:26 PM

I love the personal nature of the white album...it's almost deliberately less slick sounding than they had been doing, and there are so many cool tunes with bizarre little elements in them. I think the "Everybody's Got Something to Hide" is the MOST smokin' groove...that puppy totally rocks. Listen to the end of "Long, Long Time" - a little nod to Syd Barrett there.

Those guys were pretty good.

JimK · #6 02-03-2006, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxtoOx

That's my favorite Beatles album. The only song I don't get is Revolution #9.

John & Yoko's experimental sound collage using various tape loops? Best listened to when under the influence?

I almost woulda preferred having Harrison's "Not Guilty" on The Beatles versus "Revolution #9"...which maybe woulda been 'better' on a John solo album.

The thing I don't like about 'The White Album'-
By that time, The Beatles were pretty much 4 individuals rather than a band...not everyone played together, live or otherwise, etc.

Still prefer Revolver!

AxtoOx · #7 02-03-2006, 04:34 AM

My favorite story, and I may not have it quite right, was about "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". George and Eric Clapton were good friends. George was having a hard time getting John and Paul to put it on the album and they were discussing it when Eric walks in and starts to take his Guitar out. George tells John and Paul, Well Eric likes it! The rest is history and that's Eric playing lead.

Philbiker · #8 02-03-2006, 07:25 AM

The White Album is awesome. One of my favorite Beatles albums with Rubber Soul. I love Abbey Road except "Octopus' Garden" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Take those songs out and the album rules.

Dear Prudence is an exceptinal song. Very well covered by Siouxie and the Banshees and Saigon Kick.

**cheezewiz** · #9 02-03-2006, 07:31 AM

I like the White Album quite a bit. I like Sgt. Pepper quite a bit too. It was absolutely groundbreaking at the time. However, Abbey Road isn't just my favorite Beatles album, it's my favorite album of all time.
The medley on side two is nothing short of genius.

Red Wonder · #10 02-03-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

The thing I don't like about 'The White Album'-
By that time, The Beatles were pretty much 4 individuals rather than a band...not everyone played together, live or otherwise, etc.

Still prefer Revolver!

That is a good point. Revolver still had that vibe of all 4 guys getting along and playing as a unit where the White Album, sonically, has a heavy dose of individualism and tension. However, there's something extremely special about the White Album. It never gets tiresome even after the thousands of times that I've heard it. I think it has to do with the clash of Paul's unending optimism with John's pessimistic realism. Throw in a couple of pretty cool George and Ringo tunes and there ya go.

Kink Rimson · #11 02-03-2006, 11:06 AM

Listen to Revolution 9 LOUD with the lights off.
...THAT'S when it works!

"... We get a little bit older, and a little bit slower."

AxtoOx · #12 02-03-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Wonder

That is a good point. Revolver still had that vibe of all 4 guys getting along and playing as a unit where the White Album, sonically, has a heavy dose of individualism and tension. However, there's something extremely special about the White Album. It never gets tiresome even after the thousands of times that I've heard it. I think it has to do with the clash of Paul's unending optimism with John's pessimistic realism. Throw in a couple of pretty cool George and Ringo tunes and there ya go.

If my history serves me right. Linda and Yoko were not innocent bystanders, they were each encouraging their husbands they didn't need the rest of them.
They both put their wives whith questionable talent on albums.

**cheezewiz** · #13 02-03-2006, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Wonder

T I think it has to do with the clash of Paul's unending optimism with John's pessimistic realism.

"I have to admit it's getting better" "Couldn't get no worse"

Classic example of that......

chris4001asat · #14 02-03-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

I like the White Album quite a bit. I like Sgt. Pepper quite a bit too. It was absolutely groundbreaking at the time. However, Abbey Road isn't just my favorite Beatles album, it's my favorite album of all time.
The medley on side two is nothing short of genius.

The main reason for teaching myself guitar was to be able to play that medley...mission acconplished!

chris4001asat · #15 02-03-2006, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

Listen to Revolution 9 LOUD with the lights off.
...THAT'S when it works!

"... We get a little bit older, and a little bit slower."

The day the war in.......Kuwait was it???? Early 90s..sheesh, can't believe I've forgotten already... Goign to a gig, everbody was watching the war on tv...roads were deserted.. and the radio station Rev #9... You wanna talk about freakin out!

Mojo-Man · #16 02-04-2006, 04:23 PM

Also one of my fav's.
Along with Sgt. Pepper. and Revolver.

Jimbo · #17 02-04-2006, 04:35 PM

can't be said enough how awesome the beatles are and how much they've meant to me.

i've always felt that the white album had more songs than needed. like there are killer songs like 'Dear Prudence' but then there are other tunes i think the album could have done with out. i mean all the songs are great but this album has always felt less unified to me than their others.

didn't they write a lot of the songs for the white album while on a retreat in india?

-jimbo

flatwounds · #18 02-04-2006, 07:37 PM

I got this album for my 11th birthday, back in '93.
It has to one of my favourite albums of all time. It has everything. Slow, soft songs. Fast, heavy songs.
When I have kids, Prudence and Julia will be on the shortlist of possible girl names.

And perhaps my favourite(like there can ever be a favourite Beatle song

) Beatle tune ever...Happiness is a Warm Gun.

Stingus · #19 02-05-2006, 02:29 AM

Exhibit A in my biggest arguement about the Beatles: There is no style of music that exists today that the Beatles didn't do first...

I have a CD called "The Esher Demos" that's all of them sitting around at George's house the night they got home from India, playing their songs for each other.

I, for the record, LOVE Revolution #9. Try listening to it on headphones in the dark and maybe you can understand where Manson was coming from...

My Favorite Album of all time.

Jimbo · #20 02-05-2006, 02:38 AM

whoa! i never heard of this "Esher Demos" disc. i need to look into getting a copy. very cool.

-jimbo