UK albums
Previous / Next
UK album 
Reviews & comments Covers & additional information Beatles history |
 |
 The Beatles
First released: 1968, November 22 Buy
 Sheet music, guitar tabs, song books at Sheetmusicplus.com |
| Tracks |
|---|
|
| Credits |
|---|
|
Producers: George Martin, Chris Thomas Engineer: Geoff Emerick Design: Richard Hamilton Orchestrations by: George Martin George Harrison: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Organ, Rhythm Guitar, Tambourine, Violin John Lennon: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Harmonica, Horn, Organ, Rhythm Guitar, Saxophone, Tambourine Paul McCartney: Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Bass, Bass Guitar, Flute, Guitar, Hammond Organ, Piano Ringo Starr: Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Bongos, Marimbas, Piano, Tambourine Frederick J. Alexander: Cello Ted Barker: Tuba Leo Birnbaum: Viola Leon Calvert: Horn, Trumpet Ronald Chamberlain: Saxophone Jim Chester: Saxophone Eric Clapton: Guitar Freddy Clayton: Trumpet Mal Evans: Tambourine, Trumpet Jack Fallon: Violin Patti Harrison: Background Vocals Nicky Hopkins: Track Performer, Piano Ron Hughes: Trumpet Reginald Kilbey: Cello Harry Klein: Saxophone Don Lang: Trombone Les Maddox: Violin George Martin: Horn, Piano, Orchestration Dennis McConnell: Violin Bernard Miller: Violin Andy Morris: Saxophone, Trombone Henry Myerscough: Viola Raymond Newman: Clarinet Yoko Ono: Background Vocals Bill Povey: Trombone John Power: Trombone Billy Preston: Organ Alf Reece: Tuba Stanley Reynolds: Trumpet Pete Shotton: Tambourine David Smith: Clarinet Lou Sofier: Violin Maureen Starkey: Background Vocals Chris Thomas: Harpsichord, Mellotron Tony Tunstall: Horn Dennis Walton: Saxophone Derek Watkins: Trumpet |
| Releases | |
|---|---|
| 1968, November 22 | Parlophone PMC / PCS 7067, 7068 (UK) |
| Reviews & comments |
|---|
Kool Aid (2012, December 15)  Their best album. Their total masterpiece, where they finally got rid of all that baroque and pompous arreangements of albums like "Sgt. Pepper". Even the fillers have a sense here. The most beautiful songs they've ever written are contained here on this eclectic double album gem. Raw straight-ahead Rock n' Roll ("Back in the U.S.S.R.", "Birthday", "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me & My Monkey" ), sick noise avant-garde experiments ("Revolution 9"), proto-metal mayhem ("Helter-Skelter"), demented nursery rhymes ("Wild Honey Pie", "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"), and truely amazing pop songs that are pure ART (the slightly psychedelic "Dear Prudence", "Glass Onion", "Sexy Sadie", etc.) What else to say? The Beatles' absolute best work, in my opinion. |
Joe (2011, June 2)  When I bought this, I was expecting Revolution 1 to be the famous single version so this made the album a tiny let down for me. Apart from that I think it is quite good. |
MГЎrcio Ivam. (2010, November 11) Helter Skelter,Dear Prudence,Sexy Sadie,Long Long Long...what more to say? Songs Forever, and one beautiful line:"Give you everything I got for little peace of mind...".Classic white album, and got it Mr. Guitar Man(Eric Clapton)! |
john cocks (2006, July 22) been there done that, is what the beatles must have thought to pop music after they recorded the white album.why? its got it all rock,blues,folk,counrty,advent garde .for me its a trip into the light fantastic . |
Carlos Perez (2004, May 31) Widely referred to as the White album but officially called the Beatles, this album could have no more ironic a title. This is the farthest the Beatles were from being a band-sessions were plagued with members storming out and turning in parts individually, and Ringo even quit for a while. That is not to say that this album is a mess though; it is one of the greatest, most important albums ever created. Featuring 30 tracks, there is more variety on this album than any in history, and puts to rest any claims against the Beatles ability to tackle any genre of music, any time they wanted to. It is safe to say that there are bands that have based their careers on this album-it has THAT much breadth. The biggest flaw of this album-and that is subjective, if you take it to be a flaw-is that the Beatles sound more like four individuals than a band; not detrimentaly yes, but nowhere is this seen more explicitly than in "Revolution 9", widely considered to be the worst thing the Beatles put to track. |
Joe Kopsick (2003, May 23)  The album The Beatles (commonly known as the White Album), released as a two-record set in 1968 with thirty tracks, is one of the most creative and interesting Beatles albums in existence. Songs on it range from lullabies to punk rock, from slow songs to sound effects and screaming, and from folk music to Reggae-style. Any album could be considered great with so many songs, but both halves of this Beatles album are better than any other of normal length. All four members - guitarists John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and drummer Ringo Starr - have contributed to this album, which has given it a wide range of song styles sure to be liked by any fan of music from the sixties and seventies. John Lennon, rhythm guitar player and front man of the group, wrote a number of songs for the White Album. His first is ‘Dear Prudence,’ which is a quiet and slow love song that doesn’t have as much appeal as most of his other songs, because of Lennon’s small range of notes and lack of beat in the beginning. Following is ‘Glass Onion,’ a well-known rocker that references earlier Beatles hits (including ‘Strawberry Fields Forever,’ ‘Lady Madonna,’ and ‘The Fool on the Hill’), as well as Paul McCartney’s death rumors. Although it has oddly-phrased lyrics, it is fun to try and spot which songs Lennon mentions. Next is ‘The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,’ which includes vocals by all four members, and also those of John and Ringo’s wives. It tells about a tiger hunt, and the vocals by those six people sound good together. Another classic, ‘Happiness is a Warm Gun,’ shows Lennon’s deep songwriting style and also his outstanding voice, despite its relatively slow tempo. It consists of three separate parts, each with their own style and lyrics. ‘I’m so tired,’ a blues-type song, is next. The fact that it was recorded late at night apparently didn’t cause any damage to Lennon’s voice. Ending the first CD is ‘Julia,’ a song with soft-spoken words written about Lennon’s late mother. It is a quiet song, but has well-written lyrics. Beginning the second CD is a Lennon-McCartney composition ‘Birthday,’ which once again features Yoko Ono and also George Harrison’s wife Patti in the chorus, and shared lead vocals by John and Paul. The change in style throughout the song may be overshadowed by the guitar riff in the beginning. Another blues-type song, ‘Yer Blues,’ comes next, which was written at a time when Lennon was battling a heroin addiction. It has lyrics that reference suicide and show depression, but Lennon shows us that suffering can spawn creativity. A faster song with strange lyrics and various instruments is next, entitled ‘Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.’ With that composition of lyrics (‘Your inside is out and your outside is in’) and instruments, it is a fun song to listen to. After that comes the slow song ‘Sexy Sadie,’ another example of Lennon’s great singing and songwriting skills. Paul and George do background vocals. Another favorite is ‘Revolution 1,’ which was also released as a single. It starts off with a rock-‘n’-roll guitar riff, and ends with a message of peace, like many of Lennon’s compositions. Next is ‘Cry Baby Cry,’ which is a slow guitar piece that goes together well with its piano and lyrics. The group’s producer, George Martin, plays the harmonium. It comes before the eight-minute period of talking, screaming, and one-second parts of other songs in a loop known as ‘Revolution 9.’ Paul McCartney plays piano towards the beginning. It is a strange composition, but interesting to hear how it was put together. Paul McCartney, on bass guitar, adds to the album with his catchy songwriting and range of styles. The first CD starts off one of the best songs on the album, ‘Back in the U.S.S.R..’ It has a California sound, aided by a great job by Paul and George Harrison doing background vocals. They do this in the style of the Beach Boys, who are known for using that style and having all five members harmonizing a lot in the background of their songs. ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,’ one of the more popular songs of the White Album with an apparently Carribean-influenced sound comes next. It is a relaxed, moderate-tempo song with good vocals. Following immediately is the one-minute ‘Wild Honey Pie.’ It has nothing to do with ‘Honey Pie,’ which comes later in the album, but rather, it is basically McCartney saying ‘honey pie’ nine times. He adds a creative touch to it by saying it in different voices on several tracks. ‘Martha My Dear,’ a slow and then moderate-tempo love song, comes next. Picking up the pace in the middle and the piano being played throughout were able to save this song. Next is the popular song ‘Blackbird,’ which McCartney recorded alone, with the exception of the blackbird sound effects. It has a soft guitar part and deeper lyrics than those of other McCartney songs. After that is a slow folk tune about a shoot-out, ‘Rocky Raccoon,’ which is half-spoken and half-sung. It is one of the better story-songs the Beatles have done. George Martin plays the honky-tonk piano. Following is a short song with a bluesy sound, ‘Why don’t we do it in the road?’ McCartney makes this two-minute song more exciting through falsetto and shouting. Right after that is another short one, the love song ‘I Will.’ It has a good and abrupt ending that features McCartney humming, but the rest of the song resembles too closely other Beatles love songs to be considered original. After ‘Birthday,’ the next McCartney piece on the second CD is the slow folk song ‘Mother Nature’s Son.’ It is a calm song, but it could have been made better by being sung clearer and with more expression. Next is ‘Helter Skelter,’ which is a much faster hard-rock song. It has creative lyrics and screaming so loud that you can’t even tell it is McCartney’s voice. After that is an old-time love song with well-written rhyming lyrics, ‘Honey Pie,’ which is about an English girl becoming a movie star in Hollywood. George Harrison, on lead guitar, adds four songs to the album. They include the well-known ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ It contains a message of love and also change, as do most of his songs. Doing a great job on a Gibson Les Paul lead guitar is Eric Clapton, who was the front man of Derek and the Dominoes, was George Harrison’s best friend, and also married Patti Harrison, who was the subject of the song ‘Layla.’ Next is the comical ‘Piggies,’ which has lyrics about pigs doing human-like things. It has several vocals by Harrison, including an exaggerated British accent that seems slightly out-of-place. It also features pig sound effects. On the second CD is ‘Long, Long, Long,’ a slow and very quiet love song. The lyrics and the pace seem to fit well. His last contribution is ‘Savoy Truffle.’ It is a peculiar but entertaining song written mainly about desserts. The guitar riff towards the middle was a nice touch. Ringo Starr, on drums, has two songs, including the first composition he wrote alone. It is ‘Don’t Pass Me By,’ which contains electric piano and violin. It has well-composed instrumental parts and an interesting style, but these instruments and Ringo’s low voice tend to drown out the drums, giving it a slight loss of beat. With some of the best singing Ringo has done throughout his career, the final song on the album is ‘Good Night.’ A choir sings in the background, and George Martin directs his orchestra. This song was written by John Lennon as a lullaby for his son Julian. On a scale of 0-100, The Beatles would receive a 96 for its originality, creativity, range of song styles, and innovative way of making music. ‘Helter Skelter,’ ‘Sexy Sadie,’ and ‘Happiness is a Warm Gun’ are the best examples of this, specifically for their electric guitar, vocals, and complicated lyrics. They are also very catchy and memorable songs. The worst song lyrically besides the wordless song ‘Revolution 9’ is the somewhat repetitive ‘Birthday,’ and the best lyrics were in ‘Sexy Sadie,’ and were strengthened by how they were sung. For the first time the Beatles have tried a number of these styles, they have done an amazing job, like they did in ‘Rocky Raccoon’ and ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.’ Although the album could have done without some songs (specifically ‘Mother Nature’s Son’ and ‘Dear Prudence,’ mostly because they were too quiet and lacked rhythm), its vocals, instrumental arrangements and songwriting are unequaled by any other Beatles album. |
Jimmy (2003, April 3) To me, it has two of the most beautiful beatle-tracks ever: Blackbird and Mother Nature's Son. If anyone else is capable of such songwriting, let me know and I'll be his or hers biggest fan! |
Dave (2002, November 10) Absolutely incredible. Not over amibitious. The album needs all 30 tracks. Well, maybe not 'Revolution #9.' But remember, that's not The Beatles, that's John and Yoko. But it's still an interesting track for the fact that all the studios at Abbey Road had to be running simultaneously for all the overdubs. So, I guess I can give probably the worst thing ever on a Beatles album some credit. Other than that, the whole album is a masterpiece. Every genre is covered: Rock, pre-heavy metal, country, ragtime, pop, and even a little bit of surf rock (Back in the USSR). It's good to see that the time they spent with the Maharishi wasn't a complete waste despite John comment, "We made a mistake in going." I would recommend this album to anybody. It's essential for any CD collection. 10 out of 10 for me. |
All Music Guide (2002, April 28) Each song on the sprawling double album The Beatles is an entity to itself, as the band touches on anything and everything they can. This makes for a frustratingly scattershot record or a singularly gripping musical experience, depending on your view, but what makes the White Album interesting is its mess. Never before had a rock record been so self-reflective, or so ironic; the Beach Boys send-up "Back in the USSR" and the British blooze parody "Yer Blues" are delivered straight-faced, so it's never clear if these are affectionate tributes or wicked satires. Lennon turns in two of his best ballads with "Dear Prudence" and "Julia"; scours the Abbey Road vaults for the musique concrete collage "Revolution 9"; pours on the schmaltz for Ringo's closing number, "Good Night"; celebrates the Beatles cult with "Glass Onion"; and, with "Cry Baby Cry," rivals Syd Barrett. McCartney doesn't reach quite as far, yet his songs are stunning — the music-hall romp "Honey Pie", the mock country of "Rocky Raccoon", the ska-inflected "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and the proto-metal roar of "Helter Skelter." Clearly, the Beatles' two main songwriting forces were no longer on the same page, but neither were George and Ringo. Harrison still had just two songs per LP, but it's clear from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the canned soul of "Savoy Truffle," the haunting "Long Long Long," and even the silly "Piggies" that he had developed into a songwriter who deserved wider exposure. And Ringo turns in a delight with his first original, the lumbering country-carnival stomp "Don't Pass Me By." None of it sounds like it was meant to share album space together, but somehow The Beatles creates its own style and sound through its mess. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine |