The Beatles - The Beatles (The White Album)
List Price:
Our Price: $25.97
You Save: $9.01 (26%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $10.89 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: The BeatlesEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Back in the U.S.S.R.
- Dear Prudence
- Glass Onion
- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- Wild Honey Pie
- Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps
- Happiness Is a Warm Gun
- Martha My Dear
- I'm So Tired
- Blackbird
- Piggies
- Rocky Raccoon
- Don't Pass Me By
- Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
- I Will
- Julia
- Birthday
- Yer Blues
- Mother Nature's Son
- Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
- Sexy Sadie
- Helter Skelter
- Long, Long, Long
- Revolution 1
- Honey Pie
- Savoy Truffle
- Cry Baby Cry
- Revolution 9
- Good Night
Free Music Notes for The Beatles (The White Album)
Free Music Review: Double Your Pleasure
Hit: 5 Stars
"The Beatles" aka "The White Album" is notable for many reasons. It's the Fab Four's only double album. It differs greatly from the band's previous two psychedelic albums for a more back-to-basics approach which would continue with their following albums. It's a sprawling and at times schizophrenic record that documents the falling apart of the band as most songs are primarily composed by whomever is singing the lead with the rest of the boys as backup band. Though this is true going back to about "Beatles For Sale", it especially applies to this album as Ringo briefly quit for a while with Paul playing drums on "Back In The U.S.S.R." and a few other songs; Yoko Ono's presence in the studio which irritated everyone with the exception of John; and other personal events that had the band unraveling.
Kicking things off to a rousing start is "Back In The U.S.S.R.", an inspired mixture of Chuck Berry and The Beach Boys. Sung by Paul with wonderful backup singing by John & George, it has a great melody and witty tongue-in-cheek lyrics. John's "Dear Prudence" with a sweet, cascading guitar line the boys became known for follows. This song was inspired by Mia Farrow whom they met during their stay in India for the purpose of studying meditation with Maharashi Mahesh Yogi. Next up is the lyrically self-referential "Glass Onion", another brilliant song by John. For me, the pseudo-reggae of Paul's "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is cute but ultimately somewhat forgettable. It's another of the Beatles' children's songs in the tradition of "Yellow Submarine". "Honey Pie" is another track that could easily have been left off the album, sounding totally like filler. John's "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill" is mainly notable for its satiric lyrics and Yoko's unique backup singing. Its melody is especially weak when compared to George's stately, lovely "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" which follows. Graced with guitar solos by George's pal Eric Clapton, this song firmly establishes Mr. Harrison as a songwriter on par with Lennon & McCartney. "Guitar" also utilizes that trademark cascading guitar figure that bonds the verses with the choruses. This song is beautifully straight forward, abandoning the psychedelia (which I nonetheless adored) of compositions like "Within You Without You" from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Blue Jay Way" from "Magical Mystery Tour". "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" is a song in three parts and the second song from this album in which John mentions guns. Spooky. In light of his tragic assassination in 1980, was this guy psychic? The verses on this one are a bit folk, the bridge is bluesy and the chorus is inspired by doo-wop. Again, the lyrics are delightfully tongue-in-cheek. Paul's "Martha My Dear" is a great little number that was inspired by his dog. John follows this with another bluesy tune, "I'm So Tired". Paul's sublime "Blackbird" was inspired by the American Civil Rights movement. It's just Paul, an acoustic guitar and birdsong and it's absolutely lovely in its simplicity. George's "Piggies" is another satire, this time concerning class differences. The first reference to Bob Dylan on "The Beatles" is "Rocky Raccoon" with Paul emulating the American poet in the lyrics and general form and tone of the song. Ringo makes his writing debut with the country song "Don't Pass Me By". The lyrics are dryly funny but like the songs that immediately precede and follow it (Paul's "Why Don't We Do It In The Road"), the tunes a bit tossed off, a bit throwaway. "I Will" is another very pretty song by Paul that is instrumentally minimalist with just acoustic and bass guitar. Disc 1 ends with John's ode to his mother, the delicate acoustic guitar ballad "Julia". It's a very touching song and its simplicity, it mirrors "I Will" perfectly.
Disc 2 opens with the rocking "Birthday" which is followed by John's "Yer Blues", a tortured blues number that references "Like A Rolling Stone" with the line 'just like Dylan's Mr. Jones'. Paul's gorgeous "Mother Nature's Son" is next. Largely acoustic, it also features a lovely horn section. John brings back the rock 'n roll with "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" with its rollicking guitar bits. The piano-driven "Sexy Sadie" was written by John about the boys' fallout with the Maharishi. Lovely background vocals enhance an already terrific song. "Helter Skelter" proves that although best known for his beautiful ballads, Paul could rock like a hell-hound. 'Blisters on my fingers', indeed. Did he invent heavy metal with this song? I believe it predates Black Sabbath's debut album by a couple of years! George's "Long,Long,Long" makes a 360 degree turn from the heavy rock of "Helter Skelter". Anchored by organ, this song is a sublime marvel. The shift in tone, like so many from this album, is what gives "The Beatles" the schizophrenic feel I noted earlier. The version of "Revolution 1" on this album is quite different than the single version. Its focus is more acoustic and again owes a debt to doo-wop. I don't share Paul's love of the music hall/vaudeville genre but if you're curious about it, the second (!) "Honey Pie" is a great example of it. George's tribute to sweets, "Savoy Truffle" follows. It's a nice little rocker with swinging horns. John's haunting, beautiful "Cry Baby Cry" precedes the Beatles' most experimental track, "Revolution 9", which was constructed from various tapes John made. His association with avant-garde artist Ono becomes crystal clear after a listen to this mind-blowing 'song'. Paul & George had enjoyed making tracks out of tapes going back to "Pepper's" at least but had never released them under the Beatles name. It has enormously influenced my own music. If you enjoy "Revolution 9" then check out the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of the original practitioners of musique concrete. "The Beatles" fittingly closes with "Good Night", a wonderfully wistful tune perfectly sung by Ringo.
Needless to say and despite its flaws, "The Beatles" is an essential part of this amazing band's catalog. You won't regret owning it.
The Beatles (The White Album) Poster
Better known as the "White Album," this was meant to be the record that brought them back to earth after three years of studio experimentation. Instead, it took them all over the place, continuing to burst the envelope of pop music. Lennon and McCartney were still at the height of their powers, with Lennon in particular growing into one of rock's towering figures. But even McCartney could still rock, and the amazement on "Helter Skelter" was that he had vocal cords at the end. From Beach Boys knock-offs to reggae and to the unknown ("Revolution #9"), this has it all. Some records have legend written all over them; this is one. --Chris NicksonPop Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Best Albums
Pearl Jam - TenRelease date: 1991-08-27; Music CD
Best price: $5.84
Price in other shops:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex MagikRelease date: 1991-09-24; Music CD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
U2 - The Joshua TreeRelease date: 1990-06-15; Music CD
Best price: $6.25
Price in other shops:
Korn - Korn - Greatest Hits, Vol. 1Release date: 2004-10-05; Music CD
Best price: $6.46
Price in other shops:
Foo Fighters - Foo FightersRelease date: 2003-12-16; Music CD
Best price: $8.27
Price in other shops:
Rush - Moving PicturesRelease date: 1997-06-03; Music CD
Best price: $4.35
Price in other shops:
Slayer - South of HeavenRelease date: 2007-07-24; Music CD
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
Pixies - Surfer RosaRelease date: 2003-05-20; Music CD
Best price: $7.96
Price in other shops:
Veruca Salt - American ThighsRelease date: 1994-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops:
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo HabitualRelease date: 1990-08-13; Music CD
Best price: $7.01
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
The Beatles - Please Please MeRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $7.55
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - With the BeatlesRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $9.35
Price in other shops:
![Help! [UK] Image](/images/Help-UK-B000002UAL-X.jpg)
The Beatles - Help! [UK]Release date: 1990-10-17; Published: 1999; Music CD
Best price: $8.78
Price in other shops:
A Hard Day's NightRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.38
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - Rubber SoulRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $9.36
Price in other shops:
![Revolver [UK] Image](/images/Revolver-UK-B000002UAR-X.jpg)
The Beatles - Revolver [UK]Release date: 1990-10-25; Published: 1998; Music CD
Best price: $8.77
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - Magical Mystery TourRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.77
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - Let It BeRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.82
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPublished: 1987; Music CD
Best price: $8.21
Price in other shops:
The Beatles - Abbey RoadRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $10.00
Price in other shops: