# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/41 "2008-04-27T06:04:03Z")
[QUOTE=RoOsh] I had no idea. I just remember seeing the movie when I was in college a few years ago… [/QUOTE] Oh no, I suddenly see the counter-nitpick right there! The _movie_ Yellow Submarine came out before the White Album; it’s just the album Yellow Submarine that came out after. Oh, and another counter-nitpick rears its head, with Wikipedia’s help: although it was released later, all the material on the Yellow Submarine album was recorded well before the sessions for the White Album began. Damn. I shall slink away, red-faced. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/42 "2008-04-27T06:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Oh no, I suddenly see the counter-nitpick right there! The _movie_ Yellow Submarine came out before the White Album; it’s just the album Yellow Submarine that came out after. Oh, and another counter-nitpick rears its head, with Wikipedia’s help: although it was released later, all the material on the Yellow Submarine album was recorded well before the sessions for the White Album began. [/QUOTE] :falls to knees: WHY GOD WHY!?!?! Stop picking my\* Nits! ;\_; I just saw the movie! I’ve got a hole in my pocket! I was born in the 80s and have no sense of timing of the Beatles! Just make it go away! :sobs: \*nitpick: I guess it’s technically you picking your own nits actually. ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/43 "2008-04-27T07:19:46Z")
[QUOTE=Eric Halfabee] Unfortunately, no. The first booklet has the lyrics and the bits of the poster are on the other pages. The four 8x10 photos are reproduced on the back of the first booklet and on the back of the second one. [/QUOTE] I have the limited edition CD that came out in '98. It has the 8X10’s and the poster, but they’ve been reduced to fit inside a CD sleeve (so, - 3X5’s instead of 8X10’s? and a smaller poster). It as also numbered, like the original albums were. The packaging left something to be desired, in my opinion. I didn’t like the plastic sheath that the discs (which were also in a paper LP style CD sleeve that reprodudes the original in miniature) Beatles trivia that surprised me: There were NO number one songs on _Rubber Soul, Sgt Pepper’s, Abbey Road,_ or _The Beatles (The White Album)_ ---
**Author:** ![Lilacs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lilacs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilacs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/44 "2008-04-27T17:01:21Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Just a nitpick, and perhaps, unbeknownst to me, it can be counternitpicked, but Yellow Submarine actually came after the White Album. [/QUOTE] Actually, Yellow Submarine was on Revolver. The cartoon movie came after but the song already existed. As for the White album, although I don’t like all the songs on the White Album, I can’t imagine cutting any of them. Oh, I love Piggies, Yer Blues and Savoy Truffle. And Dear Prudence. And I Will…and Blackbird… Oh yeah…I really do like Everybody Has Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey…damn…also, The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill. Good Night I can do without. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/45 "2008-04-27T17:13:03Z")
[QUOTE=Lilacs] Actually, Yellow Submarine was on Revolver. The cartoon movie came after but the song already existed. [/QUOTE] Oh, the song? I was referring to the album. **RoOsh** was referring to the movie. Well, let’s put an end to this. Anyone know when the first actually yellow submarine was constructed? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/46 "2008-04-27T17:18:58Z")
Haha. I’ve played the “cut down the White Album” game too, but you always get stuck with more than one album’s worth of songs. I think that’s a worth tradeoff for whichever songs you consider filler. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/47 "2008-04-27T17:20:26Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Well, let’s put an end to this. Anyone know when the first actually yellow submarine was constructed? [/QUOTE] It depends on who you believe: either Hagbard Celine had it built secretly in the fjords of Norway, or he stole it from the government of the US or the USSR. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/48 "2008-04-27T17:40:47Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] 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) [/QUOTE] I disagree with Birthday. Listen to it at 0:57, it’s nice hard rock. I would probably add Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, which is diverse but ultimately not a good song, and mother natures son, which bores me. (Why is it that their worst songs are some of their most well known from their post-rubber soul output? This song, Yellow Submarine, Octopus’ Garden.) ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/49 "2008-04-27T18:07:08Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] Just want to pop in and say that _“I Will”_ is one of my all-time favorites. [/QUOTE] I wanted us to dance to it at our wedding, but the DJ, who at one point owned the local oldies station, had _never heard of it_. He didn’t inform me of this until we were at the reception, waiting for him to start it up. I don’t even remember what we ended up with. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/50 "2008-04-27T18:33:56Z")
[QUOTE=lawoot] Beatles trivia that surprised me: There were NO number one songs on _Rubber Soul, Sgt Pepper’s, Abbey Road,_ or _The Beatles (The White Album)_ [/QUOTE] That’s because the Beatles did not release singles from their albums–they thought that was “cheating” because you buy an album for _new_ songs. Occasionally, this wouldn’t hold true (Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby was during a transitional time for the band, musically and professionally since they knew they were going to stop touring soon). Help and A Hard Day’s Night were both released because of the films, but wouldn’t have been released as singles otherwise. So instead of a number 1 coming off of _Rubber Soul_, the world saw the release of We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper and then later in '66, Paperback Writer/Rain. They deviated from this pattern for Revolver, as I mentioned, but then released Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane instead of songs from Sgt. Peppers. Then around the time of th White Album, they had Lady Madonna/The Inner Light and Hey Jude/Revolution. Even the version of Let It Be they released as a single (Let it Be/You Know My Name Look Up the Number) is _not_ the same version you’ll find on the album. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/51 "2008-04-27T18:51:11Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] That’s because the Beatles did not release singles from their albums–they thought that was “cheating” because you buy an album for _new_ songs. [/QUOTE] That would explain why that greatest hits CD I bought a while back doesn’t have my favorite Beatles songs on it. :smack: I guess I’ll have to break down and buy some proper albums some day. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/52 "2008-04-27T19:14:27Z")
Yep. And that’s why if you want the entire discography, you need to buy every album they released plus **Past Masters Vol 1** and **Past Masters Vol 2** (and **Live From the BBC** just because it’s awesome). ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/53 "2008-04-27T19:35:28Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] Yep. And that’s why if you want the entire discography, you need to buy every album they released plus **Past Masters Vol 1** and **Past Masters Vol 2** (and **Live From the BBC** just because it’s awesome). [/QUOTE] What, no Free As Bird, Real Love and Come and Get It. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/54 "2008-04-27T19:51:15Z")
Well, doesn’t it go without saying that everybody should own all three volumes of the Anthology (though it was possible to buy Free As a Bird/Real Love as singles. I regret very much that I didn’t at the time. I didn’t know any better, I was only 14). ---
**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 27, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/55 "2008-04-27T19:57:59Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] That’s because the Beatles did not release singles from their albums–they thought that was “cheating” because you buy an album for _new_ songs. [/QUOTE] That was SOP in the UK at the time. Songs were released in three formats: singles, albums, and EPs. You did not include singles on the albums, or anything else. British record buyers had less money than those in the US, and resented having to buy the same song twice. This is one reason why the early Beatles albums were different in the US and the UK. There was originally no US release of “Beatles for Sale,” for instance, and “Yesterday . . . and Today” was originally only released in the US (in addition, British albums were expected to have 14 songs, while US albums had only 12). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/56 "2008-04-28T04:23:18Z")
[QUOTE=lawoot] Beatles trivia that surprised me: There were NO number one songs on _Rubber Soul, Sgt Pepper’s, Abbey Road,_ or _The Beatles (The White Album)_ [/QUOTE] The **1** album has Something and Come Together, with a picture of the single. I don’t know about #1 in the US, but it must have been #1 somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/57 "2008-04-28T04:56:36Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] The **1** album has Something and Come Together, with a picture of the single. I don’t know about #1 in the US, but it must have been #1 somewhere. [/QUOTE] “Come Together” was indeed a U.S. #1. (“Something” made #3.) It was in the U.K. that neither song reached the top spot. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967/58 "2008-04-28T05:46:16Z")
[QUOTE=blinkingblinking] I love ‘Dear Prudence’ by Siouxsie & the Banshees listen [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Qe8d95vCc) [/QUOTE] Thanks! I just bought it on iTunes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-listener-of-the-white-album/446967.md?page=2)