Actually vib, that’s the way I feel about Pratchett novels, so I completely understand.
Besides there isn’t a Beatles album I don’t like.
I’d place Sgt. Pepper and Revolver above Abbey Road, but it’s still a great record.
A condensed version of the White Album would be #1. And the medley on side 2 of AR is damnear perfection.
But as they are…I gotta go with Revolver, then AR, then Pepper, then White.
Thread for another day: what would be your cuts on a condensed White Album (one LP; < 60 min of music)?
…and given that I bought all 4 the day they were released, I can’t fathom someone who hasn’t head them yet. Ahh…youth…
Pepper is #1 for me. Though side 2 of AR is indeed great, side 2 of Pepper from Lovely Rita to Day in the Life is even better. For the Benefit of Mr. Kite just brings me back to walking through the East Village of NY iun 1967 when it seemed to be playing in every store.
AR is #2, since the Fab Four, especially on side 2, finally let loose and just played the way they could so well. I agree with the anti-Sun King sentiment.
Revolver is #3. The White Album is #4, but its problem is that it is mostly four individual musicians (well, maybe 3 1/2) and not really the Beatles.
As for Let it Be - ugh! I have a bootleg of the sessions, and it is better. I put it beneath Magical Mystery Tour and side one of Yellow Submarine, which has some good, original stuff.
Revolver is the greatest Beatles album (if not the greatest album of all time). It’s not really a “concept” album, as far as I can make out, and it is just a collection of songs, but the key points are: 1) it’s a collection of great songs, without a bad one in the bunch, and b) it shows the complete range of the band both in terms of creativity and musicianship.
Abbey Road was the first Beatles record I’ve heard, and while it does have a good flow and some very high points, it’s got some dead points – “Oh Darling” isn’t bad, but it’s just there – and some low points – “Because,” and “Sun King” I’ve never understood the point of, and skip over every time I listen to the album.
Had John been singing it, it would have jumped down everyone’s throat. John was a better screamer.
I remember the first time I listened to Revolver, several years ago. Before then I only knew the Beatles from what I had heard on the radio (basically their hits), and I thought they were overrated. But that album opened my mind like few others. I have since bought every album, even Yellow Submarine.
Here is my personal ranking - which is of little significance to anyone else.
- Revolver
- Rubber Soul
- The White Album
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
- Abbey Road
- Magical Mystery Tour
- A Hard Day’s Night
- Help!
- Please Please Me
- Let It Be
- With The Beatles
- Beatles For Sale
I forgot “Yellow Submarine” I suppose…
(and what were the other two of the 14 Beatles albums I keep hearing about??)
Rubber Soul
There were 13 British Beatles albums and you’ve named all of them, syncrolecyne.
Part of your problem is that you have two Number Nines! 
How Freudian.
The 14th album may be one that was only officially released in the U.S. HEY JUDE (THE BEATLES AGAIN). It was a compilation of singles that were not on any official U.K. albums.
Abbey Road would be higher on my list but there are a few cuts I just don’t like anymore. Perhaps the only Beatles cuts I can say I don’t really like are on Abby Road.
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer - What the hell was this all about? I don’t think I ever liked this cut.
Oh! Darling - I thought it was novel for awhile, then it just turned into noisy screaming.
Octopus’s Garden - Ringo’s song, could have been used for a cartoon for 6 year olds.
I Want You - Again, I thought it was novel for awhile, just noise now.
I’ll still vote Hard Day’s Night as number one. But I’m an old fart, I saw these moptops on Ed Sullivan.
I agree that Revolver is a pretty fine pice of work throughout. Previous posters are probably referring to the American version of it. Additional info tibdit for those who didn’t know:
“In the United Kingdom, the album that followed Rubber Soul, was Revolver, released on August 5, 1966. It contained the following songs: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, I’m Only Sleeping, Love You To, Here, There and Everywhere, Yellow Submarine, She Said She Said, Good Day Sunshine, And Your Bird Can Sing, For No One, Doctor Robert, I Want To Tell You, Got To Get You Into My Life, and Tomorrow Never Knows. In the United States, Revolver was issued on August 6, 1966, and was identical in cover and design except did not contain three songs that appeared on the British version, being: I’m Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing, and Doctor Robert.”
http://www.iamthebeatles.com/article1008.html
LOVE the play on words with the title of the album. Totally British kind of humour.
As for Abbey Road vs The White Album, it’s a toss up for me, although I agree TWA should have been pared down some. It would probably have become the greatest pop album of all time.
(BTW, I’d give anything to listen to the 27-minute rendition of Helter Skelter:D)
Side 2 of Abbey Road is always a joy for me to listen to, even after the umpteenth audition. The medley is pure genius and the end is…Mmmmmmmmm. In Anthology 3, I’ve re-discovered Because: instead of giving us an outtake of the song, they simply put in the vocal harmonies. Talk about pure bliss!!!
Two number nines…number nine…number nine…
I doubt it; when the Beatles albums were all released on compact disc in the 1980s, the American desecrations of the albums were all replaced with the original Brit versions. So the under-35 posters here are probably familiar with the British.
Took me a minute to equate Eve’s mention of Meet the Beatles with the British equivalent, With the Beatles.
I was happy to have “I’m Only Sleeping” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” back on Revolver, where they belong. “Dr. Robert,” on the other hand, kinda bites.
– Uke, who paid extra for the British imports on vinyl back during the '70s