After looking at Part One of The Beatles (aka The White Album), it’s time for Part Two!
Important note: the “Revolution 1” that appears here is only representative of the slower paced version on the White Album; the B-side version on “Hey Jude” will appear separately, as they’re surprisingly different songs.
As I mentioned in the previous poll, since the volume of work on The White Album is enough for two seperate albums, I’ve decided to split it in half. That way, no song is overlooked.
Fun fact: “Helter Skelter” was written primarily by Paul McCartney in response to two things: one, he read a very positive review of The Who song “I Can See for Miles” that talked about how loud and edgy it was. Paul read this, regretted not writing it first, heard the song afterwards, and found that the actual song was pretty non-crazy. Taking the mental image of the song he imagined when reading the article, “Helter Skelter” was produced. It was also written in an “I’ll show them” spirit in response to all the critics who said all Paul could write were acoustic ballads.
So - let’s vote!
I suspect this will not be a popular choice, but I’m going with “Savoy Truffle”. I just love the oddness of it.
Runner-up: “Helter Skelter”, mainly for being, like, the heaviest Beatles song ever, the fade out-fade in ending, and Ringo’s immortal “I’VE GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS!”
It’s popular here in Casa Cretin. If not for Sadie, Truffle would have been my pick. I like everything about it. Mrs. Cretin is absolutely crazy about it, her favorite Beatles song of all for over 40 years.
Not the strongest collection of Beatles tunes. I’ll go with “Sexy Sadie.”
This is my favorite collection of Beatles songs, and you’ll hear that word repeatedly: Yer Blues is my favorite Beatles song. Long, Long, Long is my favorite George Harrison song. Helter Skelter is my favorite McCartney song. There’s something magical about the way the first 7 tracks work together, and then the next 4 are pure joy as you ride that high. I’m not a fan of the last 2 tracks though.
I went with “Yer Blues”.
According to Peter Brown’s book, most of the recording of that album was Paul and the Beatles, John and the Beatles, or George and the Beatles. Not much group togetherness except for whatever they let Ringo do.
“Helter Skelter”. Mostly because we used to play it when I was in a band and it was always a fun one to do.
Revolution 9 is my favorite on disc 2. Savoy Truffle after that and then Helter Skelter.
It’s really well made, really unusual and really captures the era in that anything can happen and asks the question of whether there is any meaning.
Savoy Truffle is just fun.
Helter Skelter is a fun rocker, made weird and morose by murders it inspired. Bono claimed to recapture it on Rattle & Hum, but I think failed. It too is the reminder of bleaker times.
Toughie. Not my favorite piece of moptop vinyl. Went with Rev 1, which is similar enough to the 45 RPM version to evoke it and make the listening experience superior to that of the other tracks (for me).
I do like Sexy Sadie. Note the juicy arpeggiated piano chord in the verse which is exactly like the one that ends each phrase in the refrain (“This is what you get…”) in Radiohead’s Karma Police.
I went with Revolution 1 on this one. I love the cool, laid-back take on the album (although I like the uptempo, rocking version as well.) “Helter Skelter” is my runner-up on this album, followed with “Mother Nature’s Son.” Never been a big fan of “Yer Blues,” though.
Sexy Sadie. Probably one of my favorite Beatles songs.
I don’t see one song that stands far above all the others. I’ll listen to the album and come back to vote. I do think Sexy Sadie is great, and I also like Helter Skelter, Cry Baby Cry, and Savoy Truffle.
Come on, I’ve got nothing to hide…I voted for Me and My Monkey.
This isn’t what I expected, but I voted for Helter Skelter. That’s the one that stood out the most when I listened to the album.
“Coffee, dessert, yes you know it’s good news!”
This was the easiest choice yet, for me. So many of these songs I find tedious if I’m not in the right mood for them, but I always enjoy listening to Savoy Truffle. It rocks, and I love the fact that it’s a sinister, menacing song about sweets.
I voted for “Mother Nature’s Son,” and I’m happy that other people apparently like it too! It always struck me a song that’s often overlooked. It’s basically melody in its purest form. I like listening to it and “Helter Skelter” (which is one of my other favorites from this collection) one after the other - that the same person wrote them within a time span of a few months is pretty impressive.
All in all, though, the first disc is much stronger than the second one. Still, I enjoy them all.
In which the Beatle fans let their inner blister fingered metalhead out for some air. But you go ahead, meanwhile just bring some cool cherry cream and nice apple tart for me and my monkey, please. We got nothing to hide.
Both parts of this album will repeatedly have you look at the track list and go :dubious: “really? THIS?” but there’s always something worthy just a couple of tracks over, even if only for musical or production technique.
And yes, you do hear “turn me on, dead man” when you play the “number nine, number nine” bit backwards. Big whoop. Sometimes the point is there’s no point.
I wonder how this thread would be skewed if Charles Manson had been inspired by “Honey Pie.”