Turning the Beatles White album into a single LP

Cafe Society
41

A great guitar solo could have mitigated it a bit. :slight_smile:

42

As OP’er, I haven’t done my own list. Today I will.

Some rationale about my choices:

[ol]
[li]14 songs[/li][li]Everything on this album is great… including Revolution #9 (I really like it. Scary). But when you condense into conventional two sides some just don’t belong. They can hide in the corners of four sides, but not in two. A lot of my rejects belong on solo projects.[/li][li]Two George songs. His four songs are all very good and this was tough but I ended up rejecting Piggies and Long, Long, Long (one of my favourite George songs. See point #2)[/li][li]One Ringo song. No love for Don’t Pass Me By, and for Good Night see point #2, so sadly, like Let It Be no Ringo song[/li][li]There are several silly or experimental songs that can be easily rejected: Wild Honey Pie, Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?, Revolution #9[/li][li]So, we are left to pick six John songs, and six Paul Songs[/li][li]For John Revolution (the single) is great but Revolution #1 is dreary. Not going to pick it. I also rejected Glass Onion which is a pretty good song and recording, but I’ve tired of obscure lyrics even though they are self-referential. And also Julia, see point #2[/li][li]For Paul this was not a strong album. I rejected Rocky Raccoon, and Honey Pie (although a wonderful piece of kitsch) I counted Birthday as a Paul composition, even though John did the bridge. Also thought that Helter Skelter as somewhat contrived… so I nixed it.[/li][li]At this point I’ve got 7 Paul songs (counting Birthday as Paul) and 8 John songs. It breaks my heart, but the final cuts are Mother Nature’s Son, Yer Blues, and Cry Baby Cry.[/li][/ol]

Side one

  1. “Back in the U.S.S.R.” McCartney 2:43
  2. “Dear Prudence” Lennon 3:56
  3. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” McCartney 3:08
  4. “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” Lennon 3:14
  5. “Blackbird” McCartney 2:18
  6. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” Harrison 4:45
  7. “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” Lennon 2:43

Side two

  1. “Birthday” McCartney/Lennon 2:42
  2. “Sexy Sadie” Lennon 3:15
  3. “Martha My Dear” McCartney 2:28
  4. “I’m So Tired” Lennon 2:03
  5. “Savoy Truffle” Harrison 2:54
  6. “I Will” McCartney 1:46
  7. “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” Lennon 2:24