Album A Day #1: "White Album"

[FischerKing]

The Spring of 1980 - I was 10 years old. My mom drove me to the record store - back when vinyl was still king - and purchased for me my first album. The Beatles "White Album". I remember sitting for hours and hours just playing in continuously, listening to it through headphones. This album was my first introduction into the world of "grown-up" music and the Beatles.

There was such a huge eclectic mix of different styles on this album - from country ("Don't Pass Me By") to full on, in your face rock ("Helter Skelter") and pretty much every other style in between.

Probably because this was the first album that I ever owned is why this is also my favorite of all-time. I can throw this album on at any time and just be flooded with good memories of listening to it during my childhood. If you've never heard this album or have never owned it - you are missing out on a musical treat - I'd highly recommend this album to anyone, especially as an introduction to the Beatles because this album appeals to so many different musical styles that you are sure to find something on here you would enjoy!

Shawn

 

[Chaplin]

I'm not very knowledgable of the Beatles, but wasn't there some mystery or something surrounding this album? Like the originals were missing or something?

 

[FischerKing]

Originally posted by Chaplin
I'm not very knowledgable of the Beatles, but wasn't there some mystery or something surrounding this album? Like the originals were missing or something?

No, not that I'm aware of. I do happen to have a mono version of the album as well - which is extremely rare and much better than the original stero mix imo.

There was another mix done of the album by Capitol Records in California. George happened to be on vacation and stopped into the studio - found out they were remixing the album and went ballistic. He stayed up all night mixing back to how the British release was.

Shawn

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by Chaplin
I'm not very knowledgable of the Beatles, but wasn't there some mystery or something surrounding this album? Like the originals were missing or something?

Charlie Manson said the Beatles spoke to him through the album and told him to start "helter skelter," a race war that was supposed to wipe blacks from existence.

It's a bit creepy, because before the album came out Manson had moved to a ranch in the desert to prepare for what he was calling "Helter Skelter" (remember, this was BEFORE the album was released).

He also had a family member he called Sexy Sadie (again, before the album) who later testified against them. If you recall the song "Sexy Sadie" form the White Album has a few lines about betrayal, I think.

There's also something about "Pigs" in one of the songs, I think. That's where manson got the idea to right "Death to the Pigs" in Sharon Tate's blood on the wall. He thought the police would think it was a racial killing and spark "helter skelter."

The book "Helter Skelter" is a good one, that's where I heard all this stuff. It's written by bugliossi (sp?), the prosecuting attorney.

 

[FischerKing]

Originally posted by Pariah
Charlie Manson said the Beatles spoke to him through the album and told him to start "helter skelter," a race war that was supposed to wipe blacks from existence.

It's a bit creepy, because before the album came out Manson had moved to a ranch in the desert to prepare for what he was calling "Helter Skelter" (remember, this was BEFORE the album was released).

He also had a family member he called Sexy Sadie (again, before the album) who later testified against them. If you recall the song "Sexy Sadie" form the White Album has a few lines about betrayal, I think.

There's also something about "Pigs" in one of the songs, I think. That's where manson got the idea to right "Death to the Pigs" in Sharon Tate's blood on the wall. He thought the police would think it was a racial killing and spark "helter skelter."

The book "Helter Skelter" is a good one, that's where I heard all this stuff. It's written by bugliossi (sp?), the prosecuting attorney.

"Piggies" by George Harrison - good song too. About the establishment, you know The MAN.

Helter Skelter was a roller coaster ride at an amusement park in England.

Shawn

 

[Gee!]

Originally posted by FischerKing
1980 /// back when vinyl was still king

????

I had alot of tapes by then

 

[Ryanwb]

Re: Re: Album A Day #1: "White Album"

Originally posted by SameOleGee
????

I had alot of tapes by then

I was 4, so life sucked for me

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Originally posted by Chaplin
I'm not very knowledgable of the Beatles, but wasn't there some mystery or something surrounding this album? Like the originals were missing or something?

You might be thinking of the "Get Back"/"Let It Be" sessions the following year in which the Beatles recorded several hours of unreleased material, but some was finally made available during
Anthology 3.....

Most songs were written during the time The Beatles were on a retreat visiting the Maharishi....

"Dear Prudence" was about Mia Farrow's sister, "Sexy Sadie" was initially written about John's hatred towards Maharishi, but he immediately changed that....

Ringo left the band during some of the sessions, so the remaining 3 members played drums on "Back In The USSR".....

The best mystery about the album was "Revolution 9".... Never listen to that song alone at night.... I once read about how if you were to play that song backwards, you could actually hear
John say repeatedly "turn me on deadman".....A few years later while attending a broadcasting school during a studio session that we used reel-to-reel, someone recorded it and played it backwards and sure enough that is true......

Also, Eric Clapton was phenomonal on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".....

I could go on and on, but I'd bore everyone.....

I love The Beatles and always enjoyed this album...Too bad this was when they were beginning to break-up...

 

[FischerKing]

Band: The Beatles
Website: Official Band Website
Album: The Beatles (aka. The White Album)
Year Released: 1968
No. of Discs: 2
No. of Tracks: 30
Track Listing:
Disc 1:

1. Back In The U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5. Wild Honey Pie
6. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
9. Martha My Dear
10. I'm So Tired
11. Blackbird
12. Piggies
13. Rocky Raccoon
14. Don't Pass Me By
15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
16. I Will
17. Julia
    [/list=1]
    Disc 2:
    1. Birthday
    2. Yer Blues
    3. Mother Nature's Son
    4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey
    5. Sexy Sadie
    6. Helter Skelter
    7. Long Long Long
    8. Revolution 1
    9. Honey Pie
    10. Savoy Truffle
    11. Cry Baby Cry
    12. Revolution 9
    13. Good Night
        [/list=1]
        Cover:

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I came across these clips on youtube.com and lord... they're hysterical:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Z7P7_zC40
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MU8-T2X0-w0&mode=related&search=

 

[ajcardfan]

Pretty cool mom buying the White Album as your first.

My favorite Beatles album, by far. It certainly "feels" drug inspired, but it's really creative stuff. There's funky, quirky songs like "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't we Do It in the Road", "Ob La Di, Ob La Da", "Happiness is Warm Gun"... "Helter Skelter" is the heaviest Beatles song ever IMO.

And, good old "Number Nine...Number Nine...Number Nine" that's some creepy psychedelia right there. "Glass Onion" is more Pink Floydish type of psychedailia.

 

[FischerKing]

Pretty cool mom buying the White Album as your first.

My favorite Beatles album, by far. It certainly "feels" drug inspired, but it's really creative stuff. There's funky, quirky songs like "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't we Do It in the Road", "Ob La Di, Ob La Da", "Happiness is Warm Gun"... "Helter Skelter" is the heaviest Beatles song ever IMO.

And, good old "Number Nine...Number Nine...Number Nine" that's some creepy psychedelia right there. "Glass Onion" is more Pink Floydish type of psychedailia.

on the new Beatles album "Love" - they do a really cool mix of Glass Onion that is amazing - probably one of my favorite tracks on the album.

but that White Album ranks up there as one of my favorite Beatles albums of all-time. even though it is a little schizo.

shawn

 

[D-Dogg]

Charlie Manson said the Beatles spoke to him through the album and told him to start "helter skelter," a race war that was supposed to wipe blacks from existence.

It's a bit creepy, because before the album came out Manson had moved to a ranch in the desert to prepare for what he was calling "Helter Skelter" (remember, this was BEFORE the album was released).

He also had a family member he called Sexy Sadie (again, before the album) who later testified against them. If you recall the song "Sexy Sadie" form the White Album has a few lines about betrayal, I think.

.

That's cause he's a replayer.

 

[D-Dogg]

White Album is the best Beatles album by far, IMO. Although I do like Sgnt Pepper.

 

[devilalum]

When it was released in Britain it had a disturbing image which drew bad publicity on the cover so white paper was glued over the front cover before it was shipped. Later copies were just white.

 

[Pariah]

When it was released in Britain it had a disturbing image which drew bad publicity on the cover so white paper was glued over the front cover before it was shipped. Later copies were just white.

Huh. Didn't know that. Do we know what the image was? Is there a record of it somewhere? (no pun intended)

 

[FischerKing]

When it was released in Britain it had a disturbing image which drew bad publicity on the cover so white paper was glued over the front cover before it was shipped. Later copies were just white.

no - that was the "butcher cover" for Yesterday and Today's album. they pasted over those after it was released.

shawn

 

[FischerKing]

part of the controversy with the White Album had to do with the US version verses the UK version. the process was that the Beatles would record, mix and release the album in the UK. then masters were shipped to Capitol in LA and those idiots would hack the albums up (moving songs around, taking songs off the album, adding other songs, etc) and they often would remix the entire album before they put it released it in the US.

the famous story is that Capitol, after receiving the masters, had remixed the entire album. George Harrison was in LA for vacation and he happened to stop by Capitol Studios, while he was there he heard the remix and got furious. So he called John (who was also in california at the time) and they spent all night remixing the album back to the UK version before it was sent of for pressing and a US release.

they did release, in small numbers, a mono version of the album which i have on CD.

shawn

 

[SunCityCarl]

Shawn,
Your Mom rules! I was given a cassette of the "White" album in 1975 & was able to purchase it in 1976 with posters & embossed cover on Apple. The record has so many good songs, some of my favorites include "Dear Prudence", "Birthday", "Yer Blues" & "Revolution 1"!!

 

[devilalum]

Huh. Didn't know that. Do we know what the image was? Is there a record of it somewhere? (no pun intended)

Got them mixed up somehow.

The Beatles is the ninth official album by The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is most often referred to as The White Album, as it has no other text than the band's name on its plain white sleeve, designed by pop artist Richard Hamilton. The album was released near to the height of The Beatles' popularity, and is often hailed as one of the major accomplishments in popular music. It was originally planned to be called A Doll's House.