Red Mosquito

Don't get me wrong, I love that it's a sprawling stylistic mess. But if it was a nice tight 12 or 13 tunes…omg.

USSR
Prudence
Onion
While My Guitar
Warm Gun
Blackbird
Helter Skelter
Yer Blues
Rev 1
Cry Baby Cry

Such great songs. I also have a soft spot for Rocky and Truffle.

You're ruining what makes this album great by trying to make it Great.

C'mon KD, you've got to admit that there are some deadspots. They add to its charm but not to its greatness.

I guess for me its charm and its greatness are kind of intertwined. I agree that not every track is a home run, but I really enjoy most of the pop trifles and goofy experiments--I'd rather keep them all and just allow the album to continue to exist in its compromised state of greatness.

the pacing is crucial to this album and The Beatles, along with George Martin, had their longest studio session (24 hours) making it flow. i think it shows. what you get is a series of thematic EPs:

child-like whimsy:
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da
Wild Honey Pie
Bungalow Bill

rock with a twist:
While My Guitar...
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Martha My Dear

earthy songs:
Rocky Racoon
Don't Pass Me By
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

two delicate, minimalist ballads back to back:
I Will
Julia

the second disc is more problematic when it comes to my theory

that being said, i think it flows just as good as the first. i once heard some kind of White Album mixtape with several songs removed and it just wasn't as good. i'm not crazy about Bungalow Bill, Don't Pass Me By and Good Night but i don't think they weigh down the album - they add to its joyous aspect. one just can marvel at how many great songs they could put out in one year. fuckin' impressive.

Anyone recommend some good Beatles books?

bada wrote:Anyone recommend some good Beatles books?

Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald.

mastaflatch wrote:

bada wrote:Anyone recommend some good Beatles books?

Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald.

Seconded.

zeb wrote:Don't get me wrong, I love that it's a sprawling stylistic mess. But if it was a nice tight 12 or 13 tunes…omg.

The sprawl is what makes the feel of the record to me. It affords the band the time and ability to wander down some dark alleys, and the fact that it's a double puts the listener in the mindset of being willing to indulge those alleys. For me, anyways.

I mean, if they tried to cut it down to twelve killers, stuff like Why Don't We Do It In The Road would undoubtedly get the ax, and it's that kind of color that makes the album such a fun listen.

The White Album isn't a perfect album. But it's perfect just the way it is. Yaknow?

Birds in Hell wrote:

mastaflatch wrote:

bada wrote:Anyone recommend some good Beatles books?

Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald.

Seconded.

Revolution in the Head gets a lot wrong, starting as early as Love Me Do when it implies that Norman Smith and George Martin were impressed by the song when the band played it during their audition. However, it's a good place to start if all you're doing is starting.

If you're only going to read one book, I'd really just buy the sessions guide and pull it out as you play tracks. Then, if you start to find the urge to pursue more, you can explore Revolution, the much maligned (but surprisingly insightful) Spitz book, the 65 tour journal, and others.

bada wrote:Anyone recommend some good Beatles books?

The Love You Make by Peter Brown.
The Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn and Paul McCartney.
I Me Mine by George Harrison.

Gonna try the recording sessions one.....thx all.

I have the Lewhison books which detail everything they did, and the Recording The Beatles book which is fucking massive. It details not only the recordings of the songs, but every detail about the equipment they used to record it, maps and photos and technical specs of all the studios they recorded in, the engineers they used, etc.

I also have the book Drugs, Divorce & A Slipping Image which details the Let It Be sessions in all it's perverse glory and includes some revelations about the sessions that are downplayed or all out ignored in any biography overseen by Apple. It's a fascinating book about a band crumbling apart. And they have tapes of everything to prove it.

Kevin Davis wrote:You're ruining what makes this album great by trying to make it Great.

Team Kevin Davis.

You guys have no imagination.

zeb wrote:You guys have no imagination.

You left out Why Don't We Do It In The Road so you have no soul.

I like that song a heap but didn't think the board would be with me rating it alongside all the other songs I listed.

"Martha My Dear" is the one I couldn't do without. Man I love that song.