I'm of the school that the White Album would be improved by culling a few songs. There are specifically four songs I never care to hear anymore: Two are sung by Paul, one is sung by Ringo, and one is spoken by John and Yoko. Of course, I'm probably picking some other's favorites.
On That Note - Gr8s from the 8s - 1968
- Thread starter MeanDean
- Start date
Though the hits and awards didn't come until 1969 and 1970, this album was released in December of 1968. One of my all-time favorite albums. For hits, it contained Spinning Wheel, And When I Die, and the one below. IMO, all of the other tracks are good too.
As far as this song, one of the best 1:30 in pop music at the beginning...organ alternating between Leslie speaker on and off, David Clayton Thomas takes the lead vocal back and forth from dreamy to intense, a jazzy little muted trumpet lick, a great bass line...
As far as this song, one of the best 1:30 in pop music at the beginning...organ alternating between Leslie speaker on and off, David Clayton Thomas takes the lead vocal back and forth from dreamy to intense, a jazzy little muted trumpet lick, a great bass line...
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That is killer!
Just for fun I'm posting the Brenda Holloway version from '67.
Check out the bass licks!
Now you have me curious. The John/Yoko selection is obvious; 50% chance I could guess Ringo's (I'm guessing it's "Good Night"). I could think of several possibilities for Paul's, but there's no guaranteed any of them would be the two you have in mind.
1968, did someone say 1968?
Live from Studio Boxster.
Live from Studio Boxster.
It's not Good Night--a decent Lennon composition. It's the other one that plods, and doesn't swing--unlike almost every other Beatles song. Paul songs: one of them they supposedly spent an inordinate amount of time working on it, and the others grew to dislike it. The bass is too loud and intrusive. I actually like the Anthology version better. In the other one, he makes up a story, but it seems to be a bit of a throwaway--not his usual lyrical quality. At best, the lyrics and the song are just cute. I'm sure it's a fave of many, cause McCartney could occasionally pull off that kind of stuff (When I'm 64 being an example). I'm just not a big fan of his cute songs.
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At the risk of overkill/redundancy, here's an album already cited by @MeanDean. We were unaware it was on each of our playlists. My summary was already prepared before the thread was introduced, so I'll post ita slightly abbreviated version. Strangely, we picked completely different songs to highlight.
The Doors
Waiting For The Sun (released July 3, 1968, Elektra)
The band’s only LP to reach No. 1. I don’t listen to this album much anymore; I’m not sure how well it truly aged. But it was a solid mid-career transition for the group. I’m not sure The Doors ever topped their debut, but WFTS is at least as strong as “Strange Days” and more timeless than the un-Doors-ish mess of a follow-up, “The Soft Parade.” Side 1 is as consistent as any 6-song stretch the doors did in-studio, in my view.
It’s possibly the band’s sweet spot album combining Morrison’s early Lizard-King persona, haunting arrangements, a glimpse into his later-period “blues-poet” explorations and fairly straightforward pop.
Songs that close side 1 and side 2, "The Unknown Soldier" and "Five to One," respectively, are Morrison at an "angst" peak, and both fit the chaotic zeitgeist of the period, in completely different ways ... Although it's hard to tell he came at it honestly or was mostly full of s***. Maybe it's both, and he balanced it perfectly.
Key tracks:
The Doors
Waiting For The Sun (released July 3, 1968, Elektra)
The band’s only LP to reach No. 1. I don’t listen to this album much anymore; I’m not sure how well it truly aged. But it was a solid mid-career transition for the group. I’m not sure The Doors ever topped their debut, but WFTS is at least as strong as “Strange Days” and more timeless than the un-Doors-ish mess of a follow-up, “The Soft Parade.” Side 1 is as consistent as any 6-song stretch the doors did in-studio, in my view.
It’s possibly the band’s sweet spot album combining Morrison’s early Lizard-King persona, haunting arrangements, a glimpse into his later-period “blues-poet” explorations and fairly straightforward pop.
Songs that close side 1 and side 2, "The Unknown Soldier" and "Five to One," respectively, are Morrison at an "angst" peak, and both fit the chaotic zeitgeist of the period, in completely different ways ... Although it's hard to tell he came at it honestly or was mostly full of s***. Maybe it's both, and he balanced it perfectly.
Key tracks:
Yes, and I'm guessing that's the one of the four I would get the biggest argument about.
I wondered how long before someone would cite those Iron Butterfly or Moody Blues albums.
Other than the obvious title track marathon, the opening cut is probably my favorite from Butterfly's album. ... I do think the LP's production is "sludgy."
I could be wrong, but I think In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was the first (if not the most famous) long drum solo, and for many years after, it was kind of obligatory for drummers in a rock band to do that kind of solo.
In Search of the Lost Chord was a great record. I kind of forgot about that one. Timothy Leary's dead. No, no, no, no, he's out-side--lookin' in.
In Search of the Lost Chord was a great record. I kind of forgot about that one. Timothy Leary's dead. No, no, no, no, he's out-side--lookin' in.
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I'm in your boat on Rocky Raccoon, it's probably in my least-favorite half-dozen on the album. The story goes nowhere and the music doesn't hold my interest. You're right, it's throwaway material. Granted, the White Album had plenty of throwaway material, but to me, the majority were at least "hatable" -- Raccoon doesn't inspire any emotion for me either way.
That's what mars the White Album: all the throwaway material--uncharacteristic of a Beatles record. It sounds like you have some other candidate songs. Those were the sure four for me.
Never listened to anything but the title track of that Iron Butterfly album to tell the truth and probably not even that after high school. Did still spin that Moody Blues one in college cause the Richardson Court dorm gals liked them Moody Blues.
After my life moved past getting stoned with gals in dorm rooms I kinda stopped spinning the Moody Blues also. 
After @MeanDean's observation about trimming the White Album, I couldn't immediately determine which songs I'd drop, it depends on if it'd be enough to cut it in half to roughly 15 songs for a single disc (in the old LP-time-limit era) or whether it's, say, a 6 or 8 songs. And I said to him, how many songs can be eliminated before it becomes an entirely different animal?
I can't say off the top of my head which songs I'd be most likely to omit, but I'm an outlier about the elephant in the room, Revolution 9. I understand listener's distaste for it (especially within context of Beatles full catalog) but I can't imagine that album without its existence.
I've never heard the full album, only the 3 big hits. I have a nostalgic connection to those songs because they're among the earliest songs I clearly remember hearing on the radio when I was a youngster.
Of note --- I think BS&T's style was an indirect precursor to what Chicago did in its early years. I'm a little hazy about the details.
That album is a little bit before my time. I knew of the hits. The first used copy of the album that I bought had was nearly worn out in a couple of places, one being the instrumental interlude of God Bless the Child.
Going a little different direction...back in the day, TV theme music seemed to be a little bigger deal than it is today, and the theme composers often released soundtracks. Lalo Schifrin released an album of the Mannix soundtrack in 1968.
Mannix was cool, and he drove cool cars, including Plymouth Barracuda convertibles..
Mannix was cool, and he drove cool cars, including Plymouth Barracuda convertibles..
I was going to guess "Honey Pie" and/or "Wild Honey Pie".
There was a time 35 years ago I did really LIKE Rocky Raccoon, but after a while I agree it does sort of lose it's luster. For a Ringo song I can't get behind dropping Don't Pass Me By. He always got one song per album, so two on a double (DPMB and Good Night) fit. But if you're going to trim one to make it a single I would have a tough time choosing.
For a Lennon trim I offer you Glass Onion. Basically calling out Beatles lyrics/titles over a pretty ill fitting and uninspiring musical backdrop. The most interesting bit to me is the fade out.
