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The Beatles (The White Album) | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Beatles
Label: Capitol
Category: Music
List Price: $34.98
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Rating:  1001 reviews
Sales Rank: 87
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.9
MPN: 46443
UPC: 077774644327
EAN: 0077774644327
ASIN: B000002UAX
Release Date: October 25, 1990
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Back in the U.S.S.R. | | • | Dear Prudence | | • | Glass Onion | | • | Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da | | • | Wild Honey Pie | | • | Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill | | • | While My Guitar Gently Weeps | | • | Happiness Is a Warm Gun | | • | Martha My Dear | | • | I'm So Tired | | • | Blackbird | | • | Piggies | | • | Rocky Raccoon | | • | Don't Pass Me By | | • | Why Don't We Do It in the Road? | | • | I Will | | • | Julia |
Disc 2
| • | Birthday | | • | Yer Blues | | • | Mother Nature's Son | | • | Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey | | • | Sexy Sadie | | • | Helter Skelter | | • | Long, Long, Long | | • | Revolution 1 | | • | Honey Pie | | • | Savoy Truffle | | • | Cry Baby Cry | | • | Revolution 9 | | • | Good Night |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential recording
Better known as the "White Album," this was meant to be the record that brought them back to earth after three years of studio experimentation. Instead, it took them all over the place, continuing to burst the envelope of pop music. Lennon and McCartney were still at the height of their powers, with Lennon in particular growing into one of rock's towering figures. But even McCartney could still rock, and the amazement on "Helter Skelter" was that he had vocal cords at the end. From Beach Boys knock-offs to reggae and to the unknown ("Revolution #9"), this has it all. Some records have legend written all over them; this is one. --Chris Nickson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 996 more reviews...
 If The White Album didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent it October 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
At the end of "Glass Onion" is when you know you are in for something unique and special from the Beatles on The White Album. The end of the song features a slow, piercing violin meshed with a "dink, dink, dink" sound that prepares the listener by saying "Okay, we are going to do something different and we are going to lay it all on the line for you, so be ready." Although I believe Revolver to be the quintessential Beatles album because of its mastery of the balance of art and pop, I believe The White Album to be the very best Beatles album of them all because it has aged the best. Paul himself said, "It stood up, but it wasn't a pleasant one to make." Admit it, Sgt. Pepper sounds like a 1967 album, (which doesn't necessarily hinder its greatness) but The White Album does not sound like a 1968 album. It rocks, but most importantly, it experiments. For a pop group of the Beatles' magnitude, making a double album was a brave move indeed. But with all of their massive success, what did they have to lose? They finally came to realize that making music isn't supposed to be fun, it is supposed to be an adventure and make you push yourself beyond your limits. There is no conceptual theme, just a bravura of eclectic styles and genres boldly bouncing off each other. Trust me, the Beatles tried EVERYTHING on here: rock, pop, blues, chamber hall, vaudeville, Rodgers/Hammerstein-style orchestration, avant-garde experimentation, folk rock, surf rock...and "Helter Skelter" might be the first heavy metal song ever recorded! Who knew the Beatles had it in them? Not the teenyboppers of 1964, that's for sure. This album perfectly illustrates the evolution of the Beatles. The only thing missing is band unity, but no worry - the magic that pays off in the risk-taking more than compensates. Here's the best part: despite all the ground that is being covered, there are no bad songs to be found! For my tastes however, "Obla-Di, Obla-Da" and "Why Don't We Do It In the Road?" are just okay to me. The former has a nice catchy piano melody, but the lyrics are somewhat trite and the latter is very repetitive, although it must be noted that Paul sings each verse in a different fashion and the short length of the song saves it from oblivion (you might not notice Paul singing each verse differently until about the third or fourth time of listening to it). The notoriety surrounding "Revolution 9" is unjust. I was ready for it due to my experience with the Velvet Underground and Frank Zappa. There have been better avant-garde recordings and there have been worse. Say what you will about "Revolution 9", but the chronology of "Cry Baby Cry", "Revolution 9", and "Good Night" is, to my ears, perfectly sequenced. "Julia" is John's most sentimental moment (it is an ode to his mother who died in a car crash) and ranks as one of the most profoundly moving exercises in catharsis ever recorded, with opening lyrics so emotional, you can't help but be touched by it. The White Album contains some of John's most personal and best songs, which is another reason it is a must-have for any great rock collection. The irony of The White Album is that the best song might be George's! "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", featuring Eric Clapton on lead guitar, is a stunning classic in every sense of the word and only gets better after repeated plays. It is sheer perfection from a guitar and melody standpoint. There is a certain mystique that surrounds The White Album while you're listening to it that the other Beatles albums don't really possess. It's really hard to describe. This is the kind of album that leaves you itchy with anticipation for what will come next and, quite frankly, you can't ask for more out of music than that. A+
Even More of a Gem After All These Years September 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was moved to add my voice to the other 999 reviews having just listened to disc one this morning. I am sure that I cannot add much to the proceedings so let me just say this: even the songs that I had wondered previously as to why they were included (Wild Honey Pie and Why Don't We Do It In the Road to name two)sound good in 2008. The Beatles were always several steps ahead of everyone in their music making. This album only goes to prove that in some cases, their vision extended years and years ahead of everyone. But eventually, a cat sitting down to write the one thousandth review of this cd on amazon.com catches up!
One of the greatest releases in rock history! September 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
There are those that love to bash the Beatles simply because they're so popular and rock icons. It's just those being defiant and against the grain. The Beatles White Album succeeds because of the surprising production values and the sheer magniture of the individual talents who are on display here. It would be senseless to analyze each cut when the entire album is superb. I was in a rock band in the mid-1960's and The Beatles were always the standard to be measured by. They sang better, recorded better and wrote the best songs. There are those that will find Revolution #9 tedious and pretentious, but it does give us a glimpse of Yoko Ono's influence on John Lennon. What makes this album unique is the eclectic vareity of music on the double CD. I never tire of hearing this CD and after 40 years since its release, it's the Beatles CD I keep going back to. Every cut is a surprise.
DARK YET INDISPENSIBLE September 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Many younger listeners prefer THE WHITE ALBUM above all other Beatles albums. Above even the gold standard of Sgt. Pepper and the highly beloved Abbey Road. I don't share this enthusiasm. I place the afore mentioned Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road in the top two followed by Revolver and Rubber Soul. Rounding out the top five would be the unjustly neglected Magical Mystery Tour. THE WHITE ALBUM would then come in sixth.
The Beatles never made a bad album. LET IT BE may be the lone exception--a failure so curious that it is difficult to merely tag it as "bad". (So "bad" it's good in a peculiar sort of way.).
Coming after the psychedelic period, THE WHITE ALBUM is a surprisingly dark album--the previous focus of peace and love is missing here. The record anticipated the stripped down production and "confessional" songwriting found in prevalence during the early 1970's. While this was a welcome development for some, THE WHITE ALBUM was something of a let down initially. Most buyers were disappointed in the absence of the *Hey Jude/Revolution*. The Beatles had a preference for not putting their singles on the albums; but in this case it this was a significant error.
Like most double albums, this one could easily been paired down to a single disc. Many of the cuts are frivolous while others bog things down. Harrison felt on reflection that some of the tracks could have been released as B sides. Still many critics acclaim THE WHITE ALBUM as a celebrated explosion of musicianship in which the Beatles demonstrated that they could play in number of styles--as if such a demonstration was necessary. Still, many listeners like the album precisely because it is so varied.
Whatever else could be said, the wide variety of styles signaled a foreboding and desperation. With the exception of the first side, each song is distant and isolated from all the others. There is a sense of fragmentation and disassociation on THE WHITE ALBUM not found on any of the Beatles previous records. Indeed, now that we know some of the history behind the scenes, it can be seen that The Beatles were fracturing. In retrospect, without the glue of Brian Epstein, their recently deceased manager, each band member was spinning of into separate directions. The Beatles, particularly Lennon and McCartney, had in the past bounced off each other to good effect-- jolting each from their own element.. Collaboration was deteriorating and along side many flashes of brilliance weaker musical instincts slithered in.
Only side one hangs together in the flow of tracks to form a "whole" which is both pleasing and memorable. Three great songs, even the lesser songs stick with you, fun, humorous and recklessly inventive -and it absolutely rocks. The three remaining sides of the original LP version suffer in comparison.
Side one opens with a great coupling in Back in the USSR and Dear Prudence. Parody is a much overused word--too often meaning a barb thrown at others. In fact the Beatles frequently paid homage to the music they loved from other musicians. *Back In The USSR* is no more a parody of the Beach Boys or Elvis (both of whom McCartney loved) than *Got To Get You Into My Life* was of Motown. This is seamlessly followed by Dear Prudence which sounds better with each listening and is far more complex as a song than it seems. The rest is pleasant enough and one song follows another in sharp focus. But the room stops still with *While My Guitar Gently Weeps*. Harrison's *Guitar* towers over the rest of the album and is the one song that immediately jumps to mind in any discussion of THE WHITE ALBUM. McCartney and Lennon are like the older brother turning out excellent work. But Harrison is like the little brother who pops out of nowhere with a piece of work that blows the daylights off the competition. The acoustic version found in the Anthology series reveals it is actually a simple song that lends itself to a relaxed and tender presentation. But here it is played with vehemence with the guest guitar solo by Eric Clapton. The Beatles loved silly songs for their own sake. Yet here, following the failure of the age of peace and love to appear, lyrics of unvarnished grief are put on full display.
Side Two does not hang together well and most tend to pick their favorites to listen to rather than the entire side. *I'm So Tired* is a Lennon downer that ruins this side for me. Much better is *Rocky Raccoon*--a McCartney nonsense song. *I Will* is a lovely McCartney romance that remains an unjustly neglected song by even McCartney's diehard fans. Lennon's *Julia* is one of the sweetest songs he ever wrote--infuriately used as a bit of psychoanalysis into his soul by his biographers (Julia was his mother's name).
Side three was a favorite of early FM rock radio. *Birthday* just rocks. *Me and My Monkey* is joyous, free flying a rocker and truly funny. *Helter Skelter* is one tough hard rocker which some claim is a precursor to heavy metal. *Long Long Long* anticipates much of ALL THING MUST PASS and the rest Harrison's output in the 1970's. However, here THE WHITE ALBUM really needs a kickass rocker--perhaps Lennon's *Bulldog* or a reworking of Harrison's own *It's All Too Much* (both found on the YELLOW Submarine soundtrack).
Side four is a disappointment. The version of *Revolution* appearing here has its own charm but in the context of the album is slow, plodding, and understated where the excitement and full blast rock and roll of the original is needed. John Lennon later claimed that he preferred the slower version--but like many things he said in the 1970's he was just plain wrong. Harrison's big band *Savoy Truffle* is quite good.
In view of what was to come after the Beatles broke up, it is interesting to note that the styles of music we now associate with each Beatle are pretty much here. If you separate and group each song according to its author, we find the spiritual and sometimes sarcastic George, the gentle and good hearted Ringo, the acidic yet sometimes sentimental John, and the entertainer Paul with one foot in rock and roll and the other foot in the old English music hall.
Taken as a whole, John's contributions are not his best. *Yer Blues* is a desolate and pointless barb aimed at the British blues revival. Revolution #1 had none of the exhilaration of the original. *Sexy Sadie* is just plain tedious. *I'm So Tired* makes one uncomfortable and not in a good way. On the other hand, contrary to his common image, THE WHITE ALBUM contains two of Lennon's sweetest and charming compositions: *Dear Prudence* and *Julie*. It is tempting to search *REV # 9* for a deep meaning in the chaos--there is none there. It is only a cut and paste job of various sounds and spoken word. George Martin hated it and opposed its inclusion. It sucks the air out of the room. It would have been much better if *Hey Jude* took its place.
Absent the earlier psychedelic wash, much of McCartney's work remains charming but devoid of "cosmic significance". This is not to say that much of his contributions to THE WHITE ALBUM aren't truly great. It is just that he has a penchant to write very minor work. As much as many complain of the deteriorating quality of McCartney's work in the 1970's, the truth is it is all found here.
Harrison hits two out of four with *My Guitar* and *Savoy Truffle* --making one wish that he caught the fire again in his later work. Ringo Starr remains the "gentle giant" who is more fun than musically significant.
Perhaps one's opinion of THE WHITE ALBUM depends on how one views psychedelic music. If you have an innate understand of the multi-layered, slightly touched noise, THE WHITE ALBUM is a step down. If you feel that it is rubbish, THE WHITE ALBUM is a revelation. What is clear is that the Beatles largely began the psychedelic era and then ended it after a few years. Just compare the chronology of the Beatles and the Stones and you'll get a hint of others following in the Beatles wake. THE WHITE ALBUM is dark, yes. But it is also indispensible.
DARK YET INDISPENSIBLE September 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Many younger listeners prefer THE WHITE ALBUM above all other Beatles albums. Above even the gold standard of Sgt. Pepper and the highly beloved Abbey Road. I don't share this enthusiasm. I place the afore mentioned Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road in the top two followed by Revolver and Rubber Soul. Rounding out the top five would be the unjustly neglected Magical Mystery Tour. THE WHITE ALBUM would then come in sixth.
The Beatles never made a bad album. LET IT BE may be the lone exception--a failure so curious that it is difficult to merely tag it as "bad". (So "bad" it's good in a peculiar sort of way.).
Coming after the psychedelic period, THE WHITE ALBUM is a surprisingly dark album--the previous focus of peace and love is missing here. The record anticipated the stripped down production and "confessional" songwriting found in prevalence during the early 1970's. While this was a welcome development for some, THE WHITE ALBUM was something of a let down initially. Most buyers were disappointed in the absence of the *Hey Jude/Revolution*. The Beatles had a preference for not putting their singles on the albums; but in this case it this was a significant error.
Like most double albums, this one could easily been paired down to a single disc. Many of the cuts are frivolous while others bog things down. Harrison felt on reflection that some of the tracks could have been released as B sides. Still many critics acclaim THE WHITE ALBUM as a celebrated explosion of musicianship in which the Beatles demonstrated that they could play in number of styles--as if such a demonstration was necessary. Still, many listeners like the album precisely because it is so varied.
Whatever else could be said, the wide variety of styles signaled a foreboding and desperation. With the exception of the first side, each song is distant and isolated from all the others. There is a sense of fragmentation and disassociation on THE WHITE ALBUM not found on any of the Beatles previous records. Indeed, now that we know some of the history behind the scenes, it can be seen that The Beatles were fracturing. In retrospect, without the glue of Brian Epstein, their recently deceased manager, each band member was spinning of into separate directions. The Beatles, particularly Lennon and McCartney, had in the past bounced off each other to good effect-- jolting each from their own element.. Collaboration was deteriorating and along side many flashes of brilliance weaker musical instincts slithered in.
Only side one hangs together in the flow of tracks to form a "whole" which is both pleasing and memorable. Three great songs, even the lesser songs stick with you, fun, humorous and recklessly inventive -and it absolutely rocks. The three remaining sides of the original LP version suffer in comparison.
Side one opens with a great coupling in Back in the USSR and Dear Prudence. Parody is a much overused word--too often meaning a barb thrown at others. In fact the Beatles frequently paid homage to the music they loved from other musicians. *Back In The USSR* is no more a parody of the Beach Boys or Elvis (both of whom McCartney loved) than *Got To Get You Into My Life* was of Motown. This is seamlessly followed by Dear Prudence which sounds better with each listening and is far more complex as a song than it seems. The rest is pleasant enough and one song follows another in sharp focus. But the room stops still with *While My Guitar Gently Weeps*. Harrison's *Guitar* towers over the rest of the album and is the one song that immediately jumps to mind in any discussion of THE WHITE ALBUM. McCartney and Lennon are like the older brother turning out excellent work. But Harrison is like the little brother who pops out of nowhere with a piece of work that blows the daylights off the competition. The acoustic version found in the Anthology series reveals it is actually a simple song that lends itself to a relaxed and tender presentation. But here it is played with vehemence with the guest guitar solo by Eric Clapton. The Beatles loved silly songs for their own sake. Yet here, following the failure of the age of peace and love to appear, lyrics of unvarnished grief are put on full display.
Side Two does not hang together well and most tend to pick their favorites to listen to rather than the entire side. *I'm So Tired* is a Lennon downer that ruins this side for me. Much better is *Rocky Raccoon*--a McCartney nonsense song. *I Will* is a lovely McCartney romance that remains an unjustly neglected song by even McCartney's diehard fans. Lennon's *Julia* is one of the sweetest songs he ever wrote--infuriately used as a bit of psychoanalysis into his soul by his biographers (Julia was his mother's name).
Side three was a favorite of early FM rock radio. *Birthday* just rocks. *Me and My Monkey* is joyous, free flying a rocker and truly funny. *Helter Skelter* is one tough hard rocker which some claim is a precursor to heavy metal. *Long Long Long* anticipates much of ALL THING MUST PASS and the rest Harrison's output in the 1970's. However, here THE WHITE ALBUM really needs a kickass rocker--perhaps Lennon's *Bulldog* or a reworking of Harrison's own *It's All Too Much* (both found on the YELLOW Submarine soundtrack).
Side four is a disappointment. The version of *Revolution* appearing here has its own charm but in the context of the album is slow, plodding, and understated where the excitement and full blast rock and roll of the original is needed. John Lennon later claimed that he preferred the slower version--but like many things he said in the 1970's he was just plain wrong. Harrison's big band *Savoy Truffle* is quite good.
In view of what was to come after the Beatles broke up, it is interesting to note that the styles of music we now associate with each Beatle are pretty much here. If you separate and group each song according to its author, we find the spiritual and sometimes sarcastic George, the gentle and good hearted Ringo, the acidic yet sometimes sentimental John, and the entertainer Paul with one foot in rock and roll and the other foot in the old English music hall.
Taken as a whole, John's contributions are not his best. *Yer Blues* is a desolate and pointless barb aimed at the British blues revival. Revolution #1 had none of the exhilaration of the original. *Sexy Sadie* is just plain tedious. *I'm So Tired* makes one uncomfortable and not in a good way. On the other hand, contrary to his common image, THE WHITE ALBUM contains two of Lennon's sweetest and charming compositions: *Dear Prudence* and *Julie*. It is tempting to search *REV # 9* for a deep meaning in the chaos--there is none there. It is only a cut and paste job of various sounds and spoken word. George Martin hated it and opposed its inclusion. It sucks the air out of the room. It would have been much better if *Hey Jude* took its place.
Absent the earlier psychedelic wash, much of McCartney's work remains charming but devoid of "cosmic significance". This is not to say that much of his contributions to THE WHITE ALBUM aren't truly great. It is just that he has a penchant to write very minor work. As much as many complain of the deteriorating quality of McCartney's work in the 1970's, the truth is it is all found here.
Harrison hits two out of four with *My Guitar* and *Savoy Truffle* --making one wish that he caught the fire again in his later work. Ringo Starr remains the "gentle giant" who is more fun than musically significant.
Perhaps one's opinion of THE WHITE ALBUM depends on how one views psychedelic music. If you have an innate understand of the multi-layered, slightly touched noise, THE WHITE ALBUM is a step down. If you feel that it is rubbish, THE WHITE ALBUM is a revelation. What is clear is that the Beatles largely began the psychedelic era and then ended it after a few years. Just compare the chronology of the Beatles and the Stones and you'll get a hint of others following in the Beatles wake. THE WHITE ALBUM is dark, yes. But it is also indispensible.
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