# First-time listener of the White Album **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967 "2008-04-26T15:20:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/1 "2008-04-26T15:20:25Z")
Last night, I Iistenend to the [The Beatles (White Album)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_%28album%29) for the first time. I was surprised that, out of 30 songs, I recognized only 10: _Back in the U.S.S.R. Glass Onion Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da While My Guitar Gently Weeps Happiness Is a Warm Gun Martha My Dear Blackbird Rocky Raccoon Julia Birthday_ And, I was familiar with (i.e. I could sing or hum most of the song) only: \*Back in the U.S.S.R. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da While My Guitar Gently Weeps Blackbird \* Also, _Revolution 1_ sounded familiar because I knew _Revolution_. I had never heard of (let alone actually heard) [Revolution 9](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_9). Anyone else practically oblivious to The White Album? For those who are familiar with it, what do you think about it? (BTW, I haven’t yet seen [Across the Universe](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/soundtrack). I’m guessing that the release of that movie triggered some SDMB threads.) ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_Halfabee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Eric\_Halfabee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric_Halfabee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/2 "2008-04-26T15:35:57Z")
It’s the least Beatle-y album of them all. Each Beatle pretty much did his own thing with little input from the others. As for Revolution 9: if everyone would accept the fact that it’s not a song, but more a “sound sculpture”, they could apprecitae it more. I like and it took me dozens of listens to pick up all the [bits and pieces](http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/ian.simpson/ian.simpson/rev%209%20minutes.htm). ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/3 "2008-04-26T19:23:40Z")
I used to hate the Beatles, as all I would think of was the cheesy boy-band sorta thing from the early phase of their career. But then i randomly picked up the White Album (because I’d heard this crazy awesome song on a Manson Documentary- Helter Skelter- and I wanted to hear more of the song). So I picked up the White Album with basically NO idea that the beatles did anything after “Yellow Submarine” and my mind was BLOWN. As i love this album. It made me appreciate them a whole lot more, and I really like the songs in here. Eventually I picked up Abbey Road as well, and they are my only 2 beatles albums, but both are def. in my all time Favorites. I had NO idea that the Beatles could rock even, I just thought it was all cheesy bits on holding hands and such. And then Across the Universe would be seen, and I’d realize I was a fool for even thinking that much, and I became a beatles fan through and through, but that’s another story. I personally like album though just because its a harder faster album at times. Happyiness, Revolution 1, and Helter Skelter are simply three really really GREAT songs in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/4 "2008-04-26T19:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=RoOsh] Eventually I picked up Abbey Road as well, and they are my only 2 beatles albums, but both are def. in my all time Favorites. I had NO idea that the Beatles could rock even, I just thought it was all cheesy bits on holding hands and such. [/QUOTE] You should pick up _Revolver_ if you like those two albums. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/5 "2008-04-26T19:48:03Z")
Since a whole lot of people buy an album for the 1 or 2 songs they really like on it; that fact that you know 10, and know at least the music to 4 of them, says a lot about the quality of that album. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/6 "2008-04-26T19:56:38Z")
I think it’s one of the best albums of all time, and if George Martin had prevailed and they had cut it down to a single album, trimming off some of the “dead weight” then it would be _the_ best album of all time, no exceptions. There are some great songs that I think are overlooked/forgotten, especially on the 2nd disc: **Yer Blues** , **Cry Baby Cry** , **Savoy Truffle** , **Long, Long, Long** and **Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey** among them. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/7 "2008-04-26T19:58:39Z")
If I were stuck on a deserted island with only one album to listen to, this would be it. They used such a variety of styles on it and really didn’t seem to care if it sold well or not. I don’t know all the meanings behind them, but “Blackbird” expresses sympathy for the civil rights movement. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/8 "2008-04-26T20:01:25Z")
that reminds me, **Savoy Truffle** is about Eric Clapton’s sweet tooth and the pain it caused him (cavities). ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_Halfabee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Eric\_Halfabee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric_Halfabee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/9 "2008-04-26T20:04:30Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] that reminds me, **Savoy Truffle** is about Eric Clapton’s sweet tooth and the pain it caused him (cavities). [/QUOTE] And let’s not forget he plays slide guitar on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/10 "2008-04-26T20:11:45Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I think it’s one of the best albums of all time, and if George Martin had prevailed and they had cut it down to a single album, trimming off some of the “dead weight” then it would be the best album of all time, no exceptions. My thoughts exactly. I can’t stand the second half. I haven’t given it a deep listening, because I just want to turn it off by the second or third track. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/11 "2008-04-26T20:23:56Z")
_ **Absolute Hijack** _ **RoOsh** , your sins are forgiven. Now go have another try at the early stuff too. 🙂 **Abirode** , welcome! ETA: And I was not present when The Beatles were, either. So it ain’t just nostalgia. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/12 "2008-04-26T20:36:07Z")
[QUOTE=Eric Halfabee] And let’s not forget he plays slide guitar on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. [/QUOTE] There’s no slide on that song, but Clapton does play the solo. I usually rate The White Album behind Abbey Road, but it’s such a unique and individual and sprawling piece of work. What it lacks in cohesion it makes up for with a lot of high quality songs and variety. I can’t think of another album that has this many different kinds of good songs. My personal favorite is Dear Prudence. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/13 "2008-04-26T21:10:37Z")
I also think it’s a great album. There are just so many great songs on it. Many people don’t realize that a lot of the Beatles’ best songs were never released as singles. It worth the effort to listen to their albums from _Revolver_ on. One great thing about the group was that they were never satisfied doing the same thing over and over. They experimented with styles, instruments, and production and were constantly looking for something new. It helped that they had some great songwriters so it became more than just experimentation – there was usually a solid tune behind it all. I miss that these days; most musicians find what works and sticks with it. This is partly because they don’t want to experiment and partly because their audience often finds it hard to accept a different sound from them. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/14 "2008-04-26T21:41:54Z")
I listened to a bunch of the white album recently (first time in years) and was reminded of why I never liked it much. There are scattered good songs, but mostly it’s third-rate self-indulgence. Half of it could have (and should have) been amputated before its release. When I listen to the Beatles these days (which is seldom) slbums like _Revolver_ and _Rubber Soul_ are more likely to be what I play. ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/15 "2008-04-26T21:43:17Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] Since a whole lot of people buy an album for the 1 or 2 songs they really like on it; that fact that you know 10, and know at least the music to 4 of them, says a lot about the quality of that album. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s a good point, but I own Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s, and Abbey Road, and I know half the songs on the other albums. Strange that I knew so little about one of their classic albums. > [@The Them](#): > > Abirode, welcome! Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/16 "2008-04-26T21:50:28Z")
[QUOTE=Abirode] Yeah, that’s a good point, but I own Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s, and Abbey Road, and I know half the songs on the other albums. Strange that I knew so little about one of their classic albums… [/QUOTE] Just curious… How does that compare to other, non-Beatles albums, you own? ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/17 "2008-04-26T22:38:18Z")
[QUOTE=Abirode] Last night, I Iistenend to the [The Beatles (White Album)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_%28album%29) for the first time. I was surprised that, out of 30 songs, I recognized only 10: _Back in the U.S.S.R. Glass Onion Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da While My Guitar Gently Weeps Happiness Is a Warm Gun Martha My Dear Blackbird Rocky Raccoon Julia Birthday_ And, I was familiar with (i.e. I could sing or hum most of the song) only: \*Back in the U.S.S.R. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da While My Guitar Gently Weeps Blackbird \* Also, _Revolution 1_ sounded familiar because I knew _Revolution_. I had never heard of (let alone actually heard) [Revolution 9](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_9). Anyone else practically oblivious to The White Album? For those who are familiar with it, what do you think about it? (BTW, I haven’t yet seen [Across the Universe](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/soundtrack). I’m guessing that the release of that movie triggered some SDMB threads.) [/QUOTE] I love ‘Dear Prudence’ by Siouxsie & the Banshees listen [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Qe8d95vCc) ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/18 "2008-04-26T22:53:16Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] Just curious… How does that compare to other, non-Beatles albums, you own? [/QUOTE] Okay, okay. You’re right again. :smack: But this is a classic \*Beatles \* album! The Beatles!!! Okay, I’m relaxed. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/19 "2008-04-26T23:20:34Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] and if George Martin had prevailed and they had cut it down to a single album, trimming off some of the “dead weight” then it would be _the_ best album of all time, no exceptions. [/QUOTE] But I suspect that you’d get violent disagreement over _which_ of the songs were the “dead weight” (with the possible exception of “Revolution #9”). ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/20 "2008-04-26T23:23:51Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] But I suspect that you’d get violent disagreement over _which_ of the songs were the “dead weight” (with the possible exception of “Revolution #9”). [/QUOTE] I think they’d be pretty much the same for most people. My own choices would be: Wild Honey Pie Piggies Don’t Pass Me By Birthday Revolution 9 Good Night (But then, I’d also add “Savoy Truffle”, which I find annoying) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967.md?page=2)