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[Wayne L.]

Is the White Album the Beatles true masterpiece?

[ringo rules]

Yes this and Sgt Peppers, I can not decide between those two.

[adamzero]

A single album White Album (as George Martin suggested) might have been their greatest single record.  But there's too much loose ends, shaggy dog material on the White Album to call it their best.

I think "Hard Day's Night" is a better album altogether--not to mention Revolver-Rubber Soul-Sgt. Pepper.  

I'd rate the White Album above Abbey Road because there's a little too much sheen to the latter.  

[Wayne L.]

I voted yes because it is creatively, musically & artistically the Beatles true masterpiece with its back to basics rock & roll approach which defines them during the late 60's which is my favorite era of the band.

[ma_tt2]

I voted yes but why didn't you just bring back the old topic Wayne

[Mairi]

No. I agree with adam, there's some great stuff on there but a lot of crap as well.

PEPPER RULES NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAYS.

[Indica]

Rubber Soul, then Revolver  

[adamzero]

I was listening to Sgt Pepper last night with the headphones on.  "She's Leaving Home" really is an amazing song.  I don't like the line about "fun is the one thing that money can't buy" but I like how the song makes both the parents and "she" sympathetic.  In some respects the parents are more sympathetic than "she."  It's easy to underestimate the power of these songs with minor quibbles--and I've been known to quibble.    

[Taxgirl]

No. I agree with adam, there's some great stuff on there but a lot of crap as well.

PEPPER RULES NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAYS.

Yeaaaaah!!

[lennonlemon]

Revolver is better. Then it's pretty close between Soul and White.

[raxo]

Not exactly.  

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

I like Abbey Road better, I think Abbey Road, AHDN are better then The White Album. But I prefer The White Album over Sgt. Peppers.

[GreenApple]

I was listening to Sgt Pepper last night with the headphones on.

[GreenApple]

I could never understand the fuss about TWA. Many have made it out to be the best of their albums. Adamzero is right; too many loose ends and un-Beatles stuff like Rocky Raccoon. Great stuff on it, but no way it's their best. I wish they had made it a single album, then did another single album later in '68 with other material.

[GreenApple]

I voted simply no, and most of us did.

[adamzero]

It's been my experience that money can buy a lot of fun.  But not Love or happiness or self-esteem or whatever.  

[raxo]

...Great stuff on it, but no way it's their best. I wish they had made it a single album, then did another single album later in '68 with other material.

It'd be a good idea: two albums in 68, but after all, they made a double (it could be two single albums too) because they had an EMI contract for some albums/songs and they wanted to finish it with the White Album. Sir George wanted a single album (I know we all know) but realized later that the guys wanted in this way because of business -and no artistic- whishes.
You could say: OK, but why didn't they make two single albums instead of a double one? One simple answer could be that at the time they were (end of the year: Christmas, etc...) and with the number of tracks they had it'd be stupid two single albums at the same time, remember that they begun to record too late to publish two single albums (one in summer and the other in Xmas time).

[GreenApple]

It'd be a good idea: two albums in 68, but after all, they made a double (it could be two single albums too) because they had an EMI contract for some albums/songs and they wanted to finish it with the White Album. Sir George wanted a single album (I know we all know) but realized later that the guys wanted in this way because of business -and no artistic- whishes.
You could say: OK, but why didn't they make two single albums instead of a double one? One simple answer could be that at the time they were (end of the year: Christmas, etc...) and with the number of tracks they had it'd be stupid two single albums at the same time, remember that they begun to record too late to publish two single albums (one in summer and the other in Xmas time).

All very fair points, but it's still the case that they padded it out with lots of mediocre and un-Beatles songs - Birthday, Rocky Raccoon, Piggies, Revolution 9, for example. And, I know there's lots of acoustic stuff because they only had acoustic guitars in India, but those numbers just sound like John or Paul doing their own thing. It just seems to be too un-Beatles, in daft songs, or acoustic solo stuff to compare to the likes of Sgt. Pepper's or Abbey Road.

I'm slightly annoyed that TWA always gets fantastic acclaim. I wonder how it would have been if they'd not gone to India, but stayed in Britland. Maybe it would have made little difference, since the early 1968 tracks show that they'd left behind the psychedelia and musical complexity of 1967. Pity!

[raxo]

It's not my favourite album but I don't think it contains mediocre songs: some bad ones (yes) and some great ones (yes), the rest just good (yes)-exactly as any of the albums from the guys, only that each one has his/her preferences, in my case -a strange one- I love Beatles For Sale.
I don't think that the guys would continue with the psicodelia thing more than a few mounths, they were very much than a psychedelic band (remember: always a different work: Lp or film, and don't repeat yourself -if it's posible) and their friends Stones, Dyland,... were going to do the same: go on. Anyway Psicodelia was going to be an old-fashioned style in a very short of time (not more than two years).

[tkitna]

I voted yes because it is creatively, musically & artistically the Beatles true masterpiece with its back to basics rock & roll approach which defines them during the late 60's which is my favorite era of the band.

There is so much material on the White Album that isnt rock and roll that this statement is untrue. Out of 30 or so songs, I bet that not even 10 of them are considered rock songs. I'll have to check later.

This question is silly anyways. If the White Album is your favorite album than of course its their masterpiece. If its not then it isnt. Easy as that. For me personaly, I like Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, AHDN, Abbey Road, and Rubber Soul better.