On That Note - 50 Years of the Beatles White Album

[MeanDean]

On That Note - 50 Years of the Beatles White Album

This week we will be taking a break from our "Decades" series to examine the Beatles 1968 double LP officially titled, "The Beatles" but known universally as the White Album

If you read my earlier posting you know we will each be performing an editing exercise. That being, each of us will trim the double LP's 30 cuts down to a single LP.

Be assured that we consider this only a fun mental exercise. Trying to halve one of the landmark albums of all time is not something to be taken too seriously. What did the individual members have to say about it?

From Wikipedia:
Ringo Starr said that he now felt that it should have been released as two separate albums (that he nicknamed "The White Album" and "The Whiter Album")

Harrison felt on reflection that some tracks could have been released as B-sides, but "there was a lot of ego in that band." He also supported the idea of the double album, to clear out the backlog of songs that the group had at the time.

"It was great. It sold. It's the bloody Beatles' White Album. Shut Up" Paul McCartney


After some back and forth discussion amongst the OTN crew we can offer you two choices on how you may half the LP set.

1. Cut the original tracks from 30 to 15, OR

2. Keep as many tracks as you like but you must come in at less than half the total running time of the full set. To assist that method I've gleaned the running times and total below. So if you want to do it that way there is some math involved.


USSR 2:43

Prudence 3:56
Onion 2:18
Obladi 3:08
Wild H Pie 0:52
Bungalo Bill 3:14
Guitar Weeps 4:45
Warm Gun 2:43
Side One total 23:39

Martha 2:28
SoTired 2:03
Black bird 2:18
Piggies 2:04
Rocky Raccoon 3:33
Dont Pass MeBy 3:51
DoItInTheRoad 1:41
I Will 1:46
Julia 2:54
Side 2 total 22:38

Birthday 2:42
Yer Blues 4:01
Mother Natures Son 2:48
Everybody's...Monkey 2:44
Sexy Sadie 3:15
Helter Skelter 4:49
Long Long Long 3:04
Side 3 total 22:43

Revolution 1 4:15
Honey Pie 2:41
Savoy Truffle 2:54
Cry Baby Cry 3:02
Revolution 9 8:22
Good Night 3:13
Side 4 total 24:27

Total all 4 sides: 93:27
Half of total approx 46:44 Allowed

Lastly, you may optionally reorder the chosen tracks for a new running order if you feel it would improve the listening experience.

 

[MeanDean]

My Trimmed Down Version is here

Strictly based on the tracks I like best at this point in time. Favorite tracks have definitely waxed and waned over time. I think I can honestly say at one time or another at least half of them were a top 5 from the LP. 50 years... well, it's been LONG LONG LONG-time.

Back in the USSR 2:43
While My Guitar Gently Weeps 4:45
Happiness Is a Warm Gun 2:43

Martha My Dear 2:28
I'm So Tired 2:03
Piggies 2:04
Don't Pass Me By 3:51

Yer Blues 4:01
Sexy Sadie 3:15
Helter Skelter 4:49
Long Long Long 3:04

Revolution 1 4:15
Cry Baby Cry 3:02
Good Night 3:13
Total Running time: 46:16


It was pretty much done without regards to the singer/writer, but I was keenly aware I was breaking one of the Beatles album bylaws; that being 1 song per LP for Ringo. It ended up being:

3 McCartney
6 Lennon
3 Harrison
2 Starr


Kind of like the March Madness pick, these are my First Four Out:

Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey 2:44
Why Don't We Do It in the Road 1:41
Dear Prudence 3:56
Honey Pie 2;41

Probably my most "WTF did you leave that off?" choice is McCartney's Blackbird or possibly Lennon's Julia.

 

[cyclones500]

Here’s my White Album Re-Imagined. It has one minor “cheat”: It removes “Can You Take Me Back” coda from Cry Baby Cry as a standalone track. A few notes regarding my choices follow the track listing.

My Re-Imagined play list is posted on YouTube here, if you’d like to hear full thing in sequence. ("Cry" still contains the coda portion).

Full running time: 45:28
Side 1 (23:09)
1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Glass Onion
3. Dear Prudence
4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
5. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
6. Yer Blues
7. Blackbird

Side 2 (22:19)
1. Birthday
2. Happiness is a Warm Gun
3. Everybody’s Got Something To Hide
4. Cry Baby Cry (without Can You Take Me Back coda)
5. Helter Skelter
6. Long, Long, Long
7. Revolution 1
8. (unlisted track: Can You Take Me Back)

Notes about my list:

• I moved position of several songs from the official sequence, based on several factors. (I can elaborate further if anyone wants details).
• Ob-La-Di -- Yes it’s a throwaway, a bit annoying to many listeners, but I retained it so there’s at least one “Paul ditty,” and it’s a balancer on my side 1 between “Weeps” and “Yer Blues.” I moved it from it’s original spot to later on the side, so it doesn’t interrupt the early mood as abruptly. As McCartney songs go, “Birthday” fits a similar role, but I kept that by choice, I think it’s a good upbeat opener for Side 2.
• I made an attempt to keep a common percentage among Paul/John/George songs consistent with the band’s mid-to-late period studio albums … mine is slightly more John-heavy than reality, but still close to 50-50.
• Final song I dropped from my list: “I’m So Tired.”
• Sorry, Ringo! As fitting as it may be for White Album closer, I’ve never much liked “Good Night.” (2) Although “Don’t Pass Me By” is pleasant enough, it doesn’t hold up against the LP’s strongest songs. It’s in Tier 2.

 

[cyclones500]

To keep the conversation going, here's the overlap of MeanDean and mine.

Back in the USSR
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Yer Blues
Helter Skelter
Long Long Long
Revolution 1
Cry Baby Cry

I would've guessed we'd have a few more in common, and based on prior PMs a couple of Mean's choices surprised me a smidgen (although nothing out of left field).

As was mentioned in the reminder thread, there are various ways you could reshape the song collection. Maybe Ringo was on to something with the split-LP white and whiter album. I wonder how I'd organize a 2-part 1-disc arrangement.

 

[MeanDean]

To keep the conversation going, here's the overlap of MeanDean and mine.

Back in the USSR
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Yer Blues
Helter Skelter
Long Long Long
Revolution 1
Cry Baby Cry

I would've guessed we'd have a few more in common, and based on prior PMs a couple of Mean's choices surprised me a smidgen (although nothing out of left field).

As was mentioned in the reminder thread, there are various ways you could reshape the song collection. Maybe Ringo was on to something with the split-LP white and whiter album. I wonder how I'd organize a 2-part 1-disc arrangement.

I guess I went with more Lennon and Harrison stuff out of a desire to promote their work post death a bit. McCartney is still out there doing his work and I sure do appreciate that having seen him in concert 10 times already (#11 will be June 2019 in Moline). Subconsciously I guess I undervalue his work since I have seen it in concert, while the Lennon/Harrison unobtainable status gives their work a bit more 'power' in my psyche.

Either that or I'm just full of ****.

 

[matclone]

15 songs. Because it is a Beatles album, I sought to maintain the usual balance in number b/t Lennon and McCartney, and Harrison songs. This is Why Do it in the Road was added, and Julia was left off in the end. Unfortunately, Ringo was left out of this record, but Octopuses Garden would soon surface on another.

I'm not beholden to the order, but I made a few changes:

Back in the USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Blackbird
Why Don't We Do it in the Road?
Sexy Sadie

Martha My Dear
I'm So Tired
Mother Nature's Son
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Long, Long, Long
I Will
Revolution 1

 

[cyclones500]

15 songs. Because it is a Beatles album, I sought to maintain the usual balance in number b/t Lennon and McCartney, and Harrison songs. This is Why Do it in the Road was added, and Julia was left off in the end. Unfortunately, Ringo was left out of this record, but Octopuses Garden would soon surface on another.

I'm not beholden to the order, but I made a few changes:

Back in the USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Blackbird
Why Don't We Do it in the Road?
Sexy Sadie

Martha My Dear
I'm So Tired
Mother Nature's Son
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Long, Long, Long
I Will
Revolution 1

I like your choice of song sequence.

I'm interested to see anyone's combinations. Since White Album is probably my favorite Beatles album (or at least most consistently what I've called my favorite over the years), almost any collection would work for me on some level.

Between yours and MeanDean's I think I like his side 2 slightly better, but a nod toward your side 1 over his. But it's not an easy call either way -- obviously your Side 2 concludes similar to mine so obviously I agree to some extent.

 

[MeanDean]

I thought I'd add George Martin's take on the double album .vs. single. Also from the wikipedia page:

"Martin has said that he was against the idea of a double album at the time and suggested to the group that they reduce the number of songs to form a single album featuring their stronger work, but that the band decided against this."

 

[cyclones500]

I posted this in the reminder thread, reposting the basics here - original version of Helter Skelter apparently clocked in around 27 minutes. The tempo of the early version is somewhat slower, so at "normal" speed I'm guessing the full-length version would be in the low 20s. Regardless, they realized it'd take up most of a full album side, so it was edited significantly.

That's how the fade-out/fade-in aspect occurred.

So think about that: White Album could've had a full side of Helter Skelter PLUS Revolution 9. Sides 3 and 4 could've contained only about 4 or 5 songs total.

It's be like a Rush album or something.

 

[MeanDean]

Sorry folks. I forgot to link to last week's OTN, "Decades - the 80's"

Find it here: https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/on-that-note-decades-1980s.243677/page-6#post-6416786

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

USSR
Guitar
BIrthday
Helter Skelter

Total Time: 14:39

 

[cyclones500]

USSR
Guitar
BIrthday
Helter Skelter

Total Time: 14:39

It's a White Album EP!

MeanDean and Ii alluded to an extended-play version of the LP in the reminder thread, how you could narrow to 4 or 5 songs.

My 4-song EP is probably this:
USSR
Blackbird
Helter Skelter
Revolution 1

It becomes difficult for me to choose a 5th choice to make a 5-song EP.. So it's kind of the music version of the College Football Playoff.

 

[cyclones500]

So far, all of us have kept USSR as opening track. I'm not sure I could come up with an alternate opener.

@matclone is the first among us to omit Helter Skelter. For the record.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Those of you breaking up the "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence" beginning to the album are disqualified. Those two/that start is an absolute given.

 

[HFCS]

So far, all of us have kept USSR as opening track. I'm not sure I could come up with an alternate opener.

@matclone is the first among us to omit Helter Skelter. For the record.

"Everybody's got..." would be an incredible opener.

 

[cyclones500]

Those of you breaking up the "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence" beginning to the album are disqualified. Those two/that start is an absolute given.

It wasn't easy for me to split them -- they seem so natural and the audio segue from USSR to prudence is good. I swapped Prudence and Onion because I think it maintains a bit more rock momentum before settling into a more ballad-like song. I could've gone either way.

Once I started experiment with shifts in track order, sonic patterns emerged. If I had kept the sequence the same and simply eliminated songs along the way, I might make different choices. (I think MeanDean took that approach, retaining the order.).

 

[cyclones500]

A side topic: When did everyone first hear the full White Album? Can you recall your first impression of it?

 

[matclone]

A side topic: When did everyone first hear the full White Album? Can you recall your first impression of it?

Very clearly. I was 16. I was staying in someone's house in Ames for a few days, and that record was there. Needless to say, I was knocked out--which was my usual reaction to most Beatles albums I'd not heard before.

 

[MeanDean]

I had no problem eliminating Glass Onion. As discussed offline, it seems like just Lennon name-checking Beatles song titles. Basically "Life is a Rock, But the Radio Rolled Me." Okay, maybe not THAT rote, but it just seems throwaway-ish to me.

 

[matclone]

So far, all of us have kept USSR as opening track. I'm not sure I could come up with an alternate opener.

@matclone is the first among us to omit Helter Skelter. For the record.

Of the handful of entries so far, there are only a handful of songs that made everyone's list:
USSR
Sexy Sadie
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Revolution 1
Happiness is/Mother Superior Jumped the Gun

I was a bit surprised that Long, Long, Long was so popular (on my list as well) and that I wasn't the only one to leave off Birthday.