White Album - The Beatles

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The White Album was meant to be the record that brought the Beatles 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 songwriting powers, with Lennon in particular growing into one of music'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. I--Chris Nickson/I

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2009-06-12 rating:
The White Album - The Best Beatles Album?
I had very little awareness of this album because it only contains a few songs I had heard before (Back In The USSR, Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da, Revolution, While My Guitar Gently Weeps...) but I was forced to listen to it when asked to MC a gig celebrating the album's 40th anniversary. I read a good book on it and bought the double CD. It blew me away - the diversity, the musicality, the genius... ...and the beginning of the end for The Beatles. It is so clear from listening to the music that the 4 individuals comprising the band were becoming more and more individual. Fantastic listening!

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review by: date: 2009-04-06 rating:
What's not to like about the White Album?
This is the Beatles album that generally gets overlooked or dismissed falling as it does between Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road. I owned the vinyl many years ago, and having lent it to someone around 1971 and never seeing it again, I was worried the magic might not still be there. I needn't have worried. Straight from the aircraft engines opening of Back in the USSR, the memories came flooding back. br /While its certainly true that not every track on this double album is a bona fide classic, there are more than enough highlights to forgive the occasional self indulgent experimentations (notably Revolution 9). br /Virtually every track has something to endear itself. Whether its the infectious optimism of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (which The Marmalade had a No1 with as a cover version) or off the wall lyrics (curse Sir Walter Raleigh, He was such a stupid get) on I'm so tired, this is a must have addition to any self respecting music lovers collection. br /While the old addage that most of the sing-along stuff is penned by Paul, and most of the more thoughtful stuff by John, seems to hold true here, that really doesn't matter. George chips in with his usual steady contribution, and Ringo is allowed lead vocals on the album closer Good Night. br /All in all, an hour and a half of quality music that still hits the spot over 40 years after it was recorded. 5 Stars.

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review by: date: 2009-03-05 rating:
The classic double that should have been a single
The best bits... br / br /Back In The U.S.S.R. - The thrilling start to The Beatles most confusing LP. This is just fantastic with its spot-on Beach Boys harmonies and still amazing jet plane sounds howling through the mix. br / br /Dear Prudence - A Lennon classic, sounds like it was recorded through a kaleidoscope; dreamy, sparkling and warm. br / br /Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - Love it or hate it, it shows that when it comes to writing laser guided tunes, McCartney is second to none. McCartney often suffered in the credibility stakes next to Lennon's grandstand proclamations. However, I'd take a thousand 'Ob-la-di's to one of Lennon's `Glass Onion's. br / br /While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Harrison quietly announces his arrival on the LP with a stone classic complemented by Eric Clapton's truly soulful guitar playing. br / br /Martha My Dear - Is it about his trusty sheepdog Martha or a coded song about the recently departed Jane Asher? Who knows? Whatever, the brilliantly syncopated piano / orchestra provided XTC with the blueprint for an entire career. One of McCartney's most criminally overlooked songs. br / br /I'm So Tired - Lennon at his best; scathing, funny, melodic and delivered via a fantastic vocal performance. br / br /Blackbird - McCartney, a guitar, a tapping foot and a blackbird (albeit on tape). So lovely and utterly timeless. br / br /Piggies - George does social commentary. An oddly divisive song, some say it's the worst thing Harrison ever wrote (a harsh claim in light of some of his solo work in the 1970s) others think it's what it is, a well written satire. Great tune and George Martin's best production on the whole LP, it virtually leaps out of the speakers at you. Just don't mention Charles Manson at this point... br / br /Don't Pass Me By - The obligatory Ringo number (although he also sings on `Good Night'). It's just that - the Ringo song on a Beatles LP and thus it would be cruel and sacrilegious to remove it. Apparently Robbie Robinson and The Band rated this as their favourite song on the whole LP. There you go. br / br /I Will - McCartney casually tosses off a classic that would have sat beautifully on `Help!' or `Rubber Soul'. Offset by a fabulous 12 string guitar riff. br / br /Julia - Lennon sings a truly heartbreaking and beautiful song to his late mother. It's far more about what Lennon is rather than the pseudo-political posturing of `Revolution'. Lennon should have known that only love can change people. This is a key song in the Lennon songbook. br / br /Birthday - The Beatles rock. How frustrating it all is; this is the only song that Lennon and McCartney fully collaborated on and it shows. Great fun, fiery, sexy and menacing "I should like you to dance!" Who could refuse? br / br /Sexy Sadie - Another Lennon postcard from India, this time having a pop at the Maharishi's less than noble intentions towards one of his female devotees. A spiraling, hypnotic tune driven by Lennon's pounding piano. Could have sat happily on `Revolver'. br / br /Helter Skelter - Paul goes mad and takes it out on several guitars. A thrashing, thrilling adrenaline splashed rock song that equally delights and menaces in equally proportion. More unsavoury Manson connections unfortunately. You genuinely fear for McCartney's larynx during most of this song - it's amazing he ever was able to sing again after recording this one. br / br /Long Long Long - A misty, mystical Harrison love song. Seems rather opaque on first listen but it gradually works it's way under your skin. Beautiful. br / br /Good Night - A great big gloopy, sugar spun orchestra and choir coda to the LP, sung by Ringo. You either love it or loathe it. I love it. br / br / br /The stuff I'd have left off... br / br /Glass Onion - Lennon trying to be cryptic by back-referencing various Beatle lyrics, sadly forgot to write a decent tune. br / br /Wild Honey Pie - A McCartney fragment, using studio techniques simply because they were there it seems. br / br /The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill - One of many songs Lennon wrote while in India. This one concerns a fellow devotee who chose to go out tiger hunting, which clashed with the Maharishi's message of love and compassion. However, Lennon uses a hammer to crack a moral walnut and the songs jarringly different verses and choruses simply haven't been worked out. Also, Lennon's faux West Indian cries of `All de children sing!' sound woefully misplaced. br / br /Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Is it indeed John? Vacillating between a coded paean to either weapons, his penis or a syringe full of heroine - perhaps all three? A far better song title than a song in the final analysis. The sort of thing that sets Bono off in all the wrong directions. br / br /Rocky Raccoon - Rambling, oddly ill-focused country song from McCartney. Sounds more like a song writing demo than a finished piece. br / br /Why Don't We Do It In The Road - McCartney mucking around, sounding a bit smug at the idea of doing `it' in a public place. May have been mildly controversial in the late 60's but not worth the vinyl these days to be honest. br / br /Yer Blues - It's 1969 and the world's most famous man tells everyone how lonely and depressed he is. Just like he did with `Help!' only that time he wrote a concise and brilliant song rather than this pretend British Blues mess. br / br /Mother Nature's Son - A mumbling McCartney almost-classic but it sounds thrown away and half hearted. Sounds like the kind of thing he went on to do with Wings. br / br /Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me My Monkey - Except Lennon couldn't hide that there was little or no melody and it's another pointless rant that shows off Lennon's deeply unattractive self righteousness. br / br /Revolution 1 - You'll know the single version which is rather good. This isn't. br / br /Honey Pie - McCartney showing that he can write pastiche 1930's Hollywood musical songs. So what? br / br /Savoy Truffle - George Harrison drops a clanger and writes a song based entirely on the contents of a box of chocolates, ending up by saying your teeth will suffer if you eat them all. Musically not bad, but not great enough to redeem the dumb lyrics. br / br /Cry Baby Cry - Actually not bad but it does outstay its welcome and ends up sounding like a bit of a whinge. br / br /Revolution 9 - Lennon's woefully dull eight minute sound collage. The other Beatles pleaded with him to leave it off the LP but he got his way. History proved that the other three (and George Martin) were right. br / br /Despite the exclsuions listed above, this is still a great addition to anyone's collection. Someone else would have chosen something entirely different and that's its appeal. br / br /Sadly, we will never see their like again. br / br /

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review by: date: 2009-02-12 rating:
The White Album
This is, to my opinion, not the best beatles. However, hearing again and again I will, I'm so tired, Julia, and others is a requirement to any one that lived those years. I am glad to be one of them. Good show.


review by: date: 2009-02-07 rating:
best in the world
this is the best album ever it as everything you ever need in music. br /in 100 years people will be listing to the beatles. br /everybody should have a copy of the white album. br /what a pleasure.

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