I love the White Album as it stands, but I know many believe it should have been whittled down to a single disc.
I thought it would be a fun exercise to exorcise half the songs and create the album many feel it should have been.
There are 30 tunes; let’s whack half of them.
Choose up to 15 songs you would designate as keepers. Then we’ll put out a Pure White album and reap the rewards.
mmm
You sick, sick man.
That was brutal. The last three to go were rough on me.
Can we re-design the cover also?
This.
There isn’t a weak song on the album. You might need to be a bit more world weary before appreciating the genius of Revolution 9, but every song takes up its space and place very nicely. Like Ringo’s drumming. If you want more compact Beatles masterpieces, there’s Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper’s. This effort is expansive by nature.
I don’t disagree, except for Revolution 9.
And if I become any more world weary than I already am it’s time to start shopping for my bury-'em suit.
mmm
Yeah, well, I want that 10 bob note, but dry it off first.
Wow, it’s not my favorite Beatles record, but I couldn’t do it. I was able to eliminate six of them, but then I just couldn’t bear to cut anymore. I could have easily whittled most of their early albums down to an EP, but I think that one’s pretty good.
Twelve for me.
Nice to see that (so far, at least) George’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps is the most appreciated cut on the album by us Dopers.
I am honestly surprised, more than surprised, though, that Helter Skelter is valued as much as it is - in the top five! It’s a good track, sure, but ahead of 25 others on the White Album? Don’t think so.
It actually wasn’t as hard as I thought it’d be, especially as I kept telling myself that the hacked tracks will just end up an another album.
FYI, here are my 15:
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
Don’t Pass Me By
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Glass Onion
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Helter Skelter
I Will
I’m So Tired
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Piggies
Revolution 1
Savoy Truffle
Sexy Sadie
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
It’d make my top 5 on the album. Dear Prudence is #1, though.
I wasn’t able to get past 7 songs to keep.
There was a lot of dross on that album.
Here are my 15:
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Birthday
Blackbird
Dear Prudence
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Helter Skelter
I Will
Martha My Dear
Mother Nature’s Son
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Revolution 1
Rocky Racoon
Savoy Truffle
Sexy Sadie
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
There were quite a few more that were ‘on the bubble’…really, the only songs on the album that I’d just as soon not hear again are Revolution 9 and Wild Honey Pie.
Aside from scratching Revolution 9, this was hard.
In the end, I went with:
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Birthday
Blackbird
Cry Baby Cry
Dear Prudence
Don’t Pass Me By
Happiness is a Warm Gun
I’m So Tired
Mother Nature’s Son
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Revolution 1
Rocky Raccoon
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Yer Blues
Cutting Helter Skelter, Piggies, and Glass Onion was particularly hard, but I wanted to keep the overall feel of the album, and while I love them all (and most of the others I cut), I don’t love them as much as others that would fit the same slot for me. (If forced to swap them back in, HS would kill USSR, Piggies would replace Rocky, and GO would be slotted in Birthday’s place.)
George Martin wanted to make it a single album. I managed to come up with 14 worth, IMHO, keeping.
Back in the USSR
Birthday
Blackbird
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Happiness is a Warm Gun
I Will
I’m So Tired
Julia
Martha, My Dear
Piggies
Sexy Sadie
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Yer Blues
I’m sad that you couldn’t bring yourself to select a 15th, particularly since you put the kibosh on Revolution 1.
mmm
“Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except For Me and My Monkey” is not getting nearly enough love. It’s a John song with one of Paul’s all-time greatest basslines.
I am equally shocked that so many want to get a room with Helter Skelter. Right now it’s in 4th place.
mmm
I’m shocked that Revolution 9 is higher than either Honey Pie.
As cacophonous as Wild Honey Pie is, at least it qualifies as a SONG, and Honey Pie is a pleasant little ditty.
What can I say? I liked the version on the flip side of Hey Jude. After hearing that first, R1 on the LP just seemed really sluggish and draggy to me. If you really want a 15th pick, I’d go with Savoy Truffle, though I’d like to hear how it would sound without the horns.