Thoughts on The Beatles White Album?

[john_rambo]

http://www.aepnet.de/user/Micheel/BEATLES/Pictures/10%20WHITE%20ALBUM.JPG

What are your thoughts on the album? The reason I chose this one for discussion is it is probably one of the most talked about albums of all time, and people seem to either absolutely love it, or they completely hate it. While I do not think it is as good as some of the other albums they put out, I think that the album is damn near great. Sure there are some weird ones on here, but I love the variety of the whole album. Whether it is a beach boys style surf rock song in Back in the USSR, or a harder, raw, almost metal song with Helter Skelter. It also has one of my favorite feel good songs of all time in Ob La Di Ob La Da. To me, this is one of those albums that really is something special when you pick it apart. Who doesn't love Eric Clapton's uncreditted work on While My Guitar Gently Weeps, or the mellower Dear Prudence. All the songs have their own sound, and while none of them are the biggest hits by the beatles (which doesn't mean anything), there are some great ones, or just some fun songs. I for one love the transition of Rocky Raccoon and Don't Pass Me By. Blackbird is one of the better lyrical compositions that McCartney made. The album also has one of the weirdest "songs" ever produced in the infamous Revolution 9. Listen to that shit with headphones on it will creep you out. All in all, a great album by my favorite band. What are your thoughts?

[Powerslave]

The first disc is incredible, all the way through. The second disc is mostly unremarkable, with a few good songs, a few bad songs, a bunch of middle-of-the-road songs, and Revolution 9. On the whole, it contains a ton of brilliance, but it's far from perfect, which gives it a certain charm, but still brings it down a bit.

[Superplasmatron]

I was my favorite album as a pre school kid, I know nearly every word, as I grew up I got more into Revolver and Rubber soul, If all the nonsense stuff was cut out, the more pop stuff alone would probably be better received than both these albums. That said It's the nonsense that makes this album truly remarkable and sets it aside from ever other album they did and highlights just how broad the Beatles cultural influences were, for the worlds biggest ever pop band to put out a two disk record featuring stuff such as revolution 9 still to this day knocks me sideways. Dear Prudence is one of the best songs they ever recoded, not to mention happiness is a warm gun. Not only that but it was the first album to have no name, not cover art, not to mention that Helter Skelter rocks. It's one major floor as far as I'm concerned is Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.
I'm surprised I managed to avoid any reference to the Manson family.

[chinton]

I love Ob La Di. Its silly song but sometimes I'm really in the mood for a silly fun song and it has a fantastic hook.

[Superplasmatron]

you must have heard a different song to the one the rest of the world knows.

[chinton]

yes I'm in the minority I already know that but I really dont see whats so bad about it. Its a catchy little tune.

[notchreturns]

Disc 1 has some of the best songs ever.

I can do without most of Disc 2.

[Powerslave]

I love Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. I was unaware it was widely disliked...

[Ayestrain]

This is seemingly the Beatles at the height of their ability, and it's like their "alternative" album before there was such a thing. For me, it's easily in the top 5 of my fave Beatles discs.

McCartney's songs became largely insufferable on this album (dumb rock pastiche like "Birthday", corny country in "Rocky Racoon", and the faux-ska of "Ob-Li-Da.." in particular, which John even reportedly loathed; Paul's "Helter Skelter" of course is hard-rock gold, as is "Blackbird").

Love Lennon's "Cry Baby Cry", "Dear Prudence", "Revolution", "Yer Blues", "Julia" and of course the brilliant "Happiness Is A Warm Gun". The real star of this set almost is George Harrison, who truly first came into his own as songwriter in his own right here, with the gorgeous "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Long, Long, Long".

Really, the White Album is a masterpiece, and is right up there with the greatest rock double albums of all time (there aren't many IMO), like Tommy & The Wall.

[Jerk Shapiro]

Some tunes are brilliant, "Happiness...", "Helter Skelter", even "Rocky Raccoon", but some are just mediocre. It's no Abbey Road.

[one_crow_sorrow]

This is my second favourite Beatles album, and I adore Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. The only songs on it I really don't care for are Honey Pie, Revolution 9, and Goodnight.

[john_rambo]

I love Ob La Di Ob La Da, It's just so upbeat and catchy. I know it doesnt have the poetic flow of Across the Universe or In My Life, but I love the shit out of that song.

[BadCoverVersion]

I'm not exactly a Beatles fan but I can comprehend the love for the likes of Helter Skelter, Dear Prudence, Happiness Is a Warm Gun and Revolution 9...but I honestly don't understand how y'all are orgasming over the reggae-lite horridness of that novelty tune Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

It's a complete joke song...

I found myself humming it once and was tempted to wash my mouth out with malibu and lilt...so as not to disrupt the reggae party happening in my upper body.

Yuck!

[Jon Lyrik]

Revolution 9 is still creepy as fuck.

As for the album as a whole? It's okay. Wholly forgettable, though. Well, those Julia and Helter Skelter tracks were cool, I guess. What was the band's name again, the Beetles?

[Cop No. 633]

I was my favorite album as a pre school kid, I know nearly every word, as I grew up I got more into Revolver and Rubber soul, If all the nonsense stuff was cut out, the more pop stuff alone would probably be better received than both these albums. That said It's the nonsense that makes this album truly remarkable and sets it aside from ever other album they did and highlights just how broad the Beatles cultural influences were, for the worlds biggest ever pop band to put out a two disk record featuring stuff such as revolution 9 still to this day knocks me sideways. Dear Prudence is one of the best songs they ever recoded, not to mention happiness is a warm gun. Not only that but it was the first album to have no name, not cover art, not to mention that Helter Skelter rocks. It's one major floor as far as I'm concerned is Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.
I'm surprised I managed to avoid any reference to the Manson family.

Pretty solid assessment, Roy. This was the Beatles album that made me fall in love with the band's music when I was in high school. I had always been familiar with their earlier music in my childhood, but as soon as I heard this album I immediately recognized how amazing they were... this and Abbey Road are still my favorite Beatles albums. I know Sgt. Pepper gets a lot of love, but I would listen to those two albums before I'd get to Sgt. Pepper... probably even include Revolver into that list.

[chinton]

I'm not exactly a Beatles fan but I can comprehend the love for the likes of Helter Skelter, Dear Prudence, Happiness Is a Warm Gun and Revolution 9...but I honestly don't understand how y'all are orgasming over the reggae-lite horridness of that novelty tune Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

It's a complete joke song...

I found myself humming it once and was tempted to wash my mouth out with malibu and lilt...so as not to disrupt the reggae party happening in my upper body.

Yuck!

Of course its a joke song. Its not supposed to be taken seriously.

[huBelial]

I have all of their albums on my iPod and this album is the only one that I can't stand listening to.... I just can't seem to fine any interest in any of the songs.

[stringerbell]

Never really got into The White Album...but I love While My Guitar Gently Sleeps.

I could listen to Sgt. Pepper all day long, and prefer Abby Road to The White Album as well.

I still love all the "Paul is dead" stuff too...love the conspiracy theories.

[Jim Colyer]

Some good stuff on the White Album although the 4 were obviously drifting apart.

I like Glass Onion.

[hoojib127]

By far their most eclectic album -- I don't think it would've had as much character had it been a single album.

Even after 40 years, "Helter Skelter" still sounds heavier (and more cohesive) than some of the metal from the past couple decades. Now if they'd just release the legendary 27-minute first take from the vaults...

[poopontheshoes7]

Easily one of their best. I'm in agreement that the first disc is a masterpiece while the second is much more hit or miss. Even still, it still ranks in my top 5 Beatles albums.

Abbey Road/MMT
White Album
Rubber Soul
Sgt. Pepper
Let It Be

[Ayestrain]

Easily one of their best. I'm in agreement that the first disc is a masterpiece while the second is much more hit or miss. Even still, it still ranks in my top 5 Beatles albums.

People keep putting this album on at work, and I'm more than a little sick of hearing it now, after hearing it for so many years before that. I'm more interested in the White Album demos from "Anthology 3" then I am the actual album at this point.


The White Album
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper
Magical Mystery Tour (Needs more love. Great fucking album)

I think because it was a soundtrack album patched together with a bunch of singles (Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, All You Need Is Love), it doesn't get as much attention. Granted, those singles were masterpieces. Aside from "Blue Jay Way" and "I Am The Walrus", the MMT songs are rather lousy IMO.

[Jerk Shapiro]

Julia.

Enough said.

[Spice]

My favourite Beatles album and arguably their most experimental and mature work. Of course there are a couple of songs among the 30 which do not stand up so well, these are outweighed massively by the some of the other tunes, which are just incredible: Yer Blues, Back in the USSR, Sexy Sadie, Mother Natures Son etc etc... The only thing that taints the album a little for me, was the fact that, as a Schmoe has already said, the band were pretty much in meltdown at this point, but then again this adds to the energy and eclecticism that the album possesses. I also disagree about the second album of the two, if you look at side 3 it is mindblowing!!
It also manages to be completely of its time, whilst at the same time being totally ahead of its time!

By the way, has anyone seen the version of Yer Blues from The Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus? If not, stop by Youtube and have a watch, it is pretty special!

[Frosty_86]

It's one of my favorites of theirs probably only behind Abbey Road. I love the entire album. It has my favorite Beatles song, While My Guitar Gently Weeps.