The BeatlesThe Beatles or The White Album, whatever you prefer. I’ve always just called it The White Album. I don’t listen to this album very much and now I know why. There’s a lot of stuff on it that I don’t care for. it’s a mixed up, jumbled up, mess. Maybe it was due to the transition the lads were in with Brian dying, the whole India thing, and Yucko making her presence known. I’m not sure. I do know its way too long. This thing about killed me while I was attempting to put this review together.
Back In The USSR - Paul doing his best Beach Boys impersonation with this fast paced rock/pop tune. Airplane beginning is pretty cool. 0:08 love the guitar here. Song does have a great beat to it. Drums are doubletracked. Piano is good throughout. Rhythm guitar sounds great. Backgrounds are good. Pauls does a great job singing as well. 1:35 Guitar solo is nice. Paul I gather? 2:03 lead guitar comes in with a repeating note that makes it my favorite part of the song. Well everything seems pretty positive except that I’m terribly sick of this song. I quickly change the station if it comes on and never listen to it.
Dear Prudence - I think this has become my favorite Beatle song. I’ve always liked it a lot, but I’ve heard it a few times in the last week or so and its awesome. Love the guitar intro. Johns voice is fantastic. Bass sounds good and clear. Pauls drumming is very good on this song. Maybe my favorite that he’s done including his solo work. Has a very Ringo feeling to it though. 1:24 backgrounds vocals add a higher pitch. Nice. 1:49 Love the guitar part. 2:12 Guitar again. 2:50 Paul rips this part up on the drums. Sorry to keep coming back to that, but I like it. 3:03 Piano is great here. 3:18 piano down the keyboard, who doesn’t love that? Guitar ending is great too. What else can I say? Fantastic song.
Glass Onion - Ringos drums sound great on this song. Bass is powerful and cool. Johns voice sounds nice. 0:10 like when the strings come in. Guitar tone is good throughout. 1:00 like the higher pitched background ‘Aww’. 1:12 Johns ‘Oh Yeah’ is priceless here. 1:28 flute is cool after the fool on the hill is mentioned. 1:48 Ending is awesome. Who thinks that stuff up? Nice song, but nothing great.
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da - Really don’t like this song unless I’m drunker than hell and then it can be fun. Johns beer barrel piano intro is nice, but then again, he was sick of this song too. Ringos drums are crisp and good. Pauls voice does sound great. 0:51 high pitched repeat of ring in the backgrounds. Seems like nobody took the song seriously. Speaking of backgrounds, I hate the ‘La La La’s’. 1:34 I do like the laughing part. 2:32 dig the piano part here. Again, I don’t care for this one.
Wild Honey Pie - Why even add this to the record? This is terrible. Its almost as though the Beatles were testing us to see how far we would go. I like the guitar sound. The voices annoy the p*ss out of me as does everything else. One of the most embarrassing moments for the Beatles ever.
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill - Not a fan of this song either. Sorry. The Spanish guitar intro is nice, but I don’t think it was even a Beatle that played that. I might be wrong and I cant remember. I hate the background vocals. Johns voice is decent here. Bass sounds good. Ringos brush work is great. 0:53 tambourine is nice. 1:21 liked how John ended ‘Eye’s’ when he sang it here. 1:46 wanted to cut my ears off and I’ll leave it at that. 2:00 like how the keyboard ended. 2:18 what is this instrument? Whistling sucks. Just not my cup of tea.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The most bloated, boring, overrated Beatle song ever. I’m going to my grave wondering why people like this song so much. Piano intro with the hi hat splash is nice. Georges voice is alright. Ringos drums sound great. 0:34 like the gallop on the percussion instrument. 0:50 the background vocals along with George are butchered. They are never together and that’s for the entire song. Sloppy. Claptons guitar tone is nice but his solos don’t do anything for me. He does nothing on this song that George couldn’t have done in my opinion. Its only a mediocre to bad Clapton song as for his guitar playing. Hate the high background weeping while George moans during the ending. I’ve said it a million times, but if John or Paul wrote this, it would only be just another Beatle song.
Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Always liked this song. Dig the guitar at the beginning while John sings. 0:14 guitar strums are nice. Ringo drums sound good once again. 0:29 backgrounds are good. 0:44 love the guitar tone here. 1:16 tambourine adds. 1:35 Johns voice has never sounded better than in this part. 2:22 nice falsetto. Good song.
Martha My Dear - Always fond of this song too. Like the piano in the beginning. Like the strings when Paul starts singing too. 0:38 love how the horns act as the bass. 1:00 drums and guitar coming in and tempo change is sweet. 1:20 dig the guitar being played behind the strings. Pauls falsettos throughout the song are strong. Good song, but nothing great.
I’m So Tired I hate this song. So boring. Johns voice sounds good. Bass sounds great. Really don’t like Ringos drum sound here though. 0:37 Johns voice sounds excellent. 0:47 Like the guitar tone. 1:29 Love Ringos double time on the drums. Eh, I cant stand this song.
Blackbird - Another one that I’m really sick of. I hate the tapping during the song. Bugs me. Great guitar tone. Pauls voice is nice. 0:47 doubletracked backgrounds are good. Not that tight together, but good. Bird noises in the background is dumb as hell. Should have left those out. Not a bad song and I guess its kind of tough on the guitar, but I hear it too often.
Piggies - Remember when I said the Beatles were seeing what they could get away with? Here you go. The harpsichord is nice. Bass sounds good. Acoustic guitar sounds good too. 0:05 like the little cymbal percussion instrument. 0:26 strings add a lot. 0:48 voice through the megaphone is cool. 1:26 backgrounds are terrible. 1:44 love the harpsichord going to different key here. I do like the ending, but over all, I think this is a stupid song.
Rocky Racoon - Another one I’m sick of. Yeah, it tells a neat story, but I’ve listened to this way too much when I was younger. Doesn’t make it bad though. Acoustic sounds good. Pauls voice is ok. 0:41 like how Ringo comes in with the hi hats. Bass with effects is cool. The harmonica makes me think of Neil Young when I hear this song. 1:48 best part of the song is when Ringo hit’s the snare hard after Rocky got shot. 1:55 saloon piano is great. 2:22 organ sounds like an accordion. 2:52 love the background vocals. Not a bad one, just sick of it.
Don’t Pass Me By - Ringo wrote this. So what. That’s doesn’t give this song an excuse for being bad, and it is. Piano sounds good. Ringo drums sound like crap. Bass and organ are annoying. 0:38 fiddle is dumb sounding and never should have been here. Its almost as though Ringo was unsure about the song and thought that a country/western flare would make the song acceptable. It didn’t. Ringos voice is actually alright throughout. 2:38 somebody (Ringo I think) counts to 8. Pretty neat. The song is such a mess that they didn’t even know how to end it.
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road - Another one of the Beatles most embarrassing moments is right here. This sucks. Thankfully Paul left it short. The piano and bass isn’t bad. Hate Pauls voice. I do like the electric guitar tone. Drums sounds awful. 1:17 cool bass part. Terrible, terrible song.
I Will - Love Pauls voice. Like the bongos and acoustic in the beginning too. Ringos constant ride adds to the song. The background ‘Do’s’ throughout suck. 1:40 like the doubletracked harmonies. 1:27 maracas are cool. Just an ok song at best.
Julia - Beautiful song. Great how John can write when he wants to say something. Love the guitar. Double tracked backgrounds are nice. 0:14 studio opens a channel here and it sounds neat. 1:04 John sings shimmering and it comes through like his normal voice. Awesome. Good song.
Side 2Birthday - Hey the Beatles wrote an anthem. How cool. Yeah whatever. Don’t you just love when its your birthday and somebody calls to sing this to you? I don’t. Moving on. I like Ringos intro. Song is a pretty good rocker. Guitar sounds good and then the singing starts. It kills the song for me. Just annoys me. 0:42 like Ringos drum solo and Paul counting in. 0:56 constant handclapping here is awful. Shame because Johns voice is killer and the clapping detracts. 1:10 piano is great. 1:22 Paul yells Dance and extends it. Nice. 1:29 Don’t care for the organ. The high backgrounds singing ‘Birthday’ sucks throughout. I don’t like the ending either. The song is a nice rocker and I actually like it a little better than my review might portray. Not bad at all.
Yer Blues - Hate this song too. Bass sound sucks and is annoying. I don’t care for the guitar tone either. Johns voice is decent, but it cant save this song. 1:01 cool echo effect on Johns voice. Ringos drumming is the best part of the song. 2:09 tempo change is welcome and organ is nice in the background. 2:24 really dig Ringos doubletracked snare here. 2:53 guitar solo is like razor blades to my eardrums. Horrible. This song is awful.
Mother Natures Son - I like this one. I like the acoustic in the beginning. Pauls voice is good. 0:42 love the bass here. 0:59 tapping is not needed. Actually don’t mind the ‘Do Do Do’s’ during the song. 2:16 love, love the acoustic guitar that comes in here. Lite song that’s not great, but enjoyable enough for me.
Everybodys Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey - Like this one a lot. Love guitar and handclaps in beginning. Ringos snare has never sounded better. Bass jams throughout the entire song. The constant bell ringing doesn’t even offend me. 0:32 guitar tone is great. 0:38 the scream here is awesome. 0:39 shaker in the background. 2:03 great guitar here too. Most enjoyable song.
Sexy Sadie - Like this too. Love piano in beginning. Bass sounds great. Ringo is awesome as usual. Johns voice is strong throughout. 0:25 ‘Wa Wa Wa’ backgrounds are cool. 0:54 organ in the background sounds good. Background vocal are great throughout the entire song. Again, I love when John has something to sing about.
Helter Skelter - Pauls slams the Who. I also love when Paul just writes something for the hell of it and gets his point across (Silly Love Songs anyone?). Hard, hard rocker here. Pauls voice is great throughout. 0:23 love background ‘Ahhh’s’. Powerful bass. Ringo kills as usual. 0:40 guitar tone is great. 0:50 sounds like glass breaking in background. 1:31 squeaking mouse noises now. Weird. 1:35 guitar solo is awful. Tone is muddy and its harsh like a lot of effort was being put into it, but he couldn’t pull it off. 2:35 favorite part of the song with the guitar here. Song probably should have ended around the 3:00 minute mark. That would have made it more acceptable, but they threw in a few fade in’s and fade outs. Ringo had blisters on his fingers and I had blisters on my eardrums when the song ended.
Long Long Long - Always been a favorite. Love guitar and organ in beginning. Like Georges smooth voice and doubletracked backgrounds. Ringos drumming is powerful and bass is top notch. 1:14 love piano and Georges voice here. One of my favorite Beatle moments on album. 2:30 creaky door effect is cool. 2:45 I like the painful wail at the end. Love the song, but I must say the production has always sucked. Muddy compared to the rest of the album.
Revolution 1 - Don’t like this song and really don’t care for the single version either. False intro is cool I guess. Acoustic guitar sounds good. Electric guitar sounds slow and plods. Sound effects in the beginning are dumb and not needed. Johns voice is ok. 0:48 like the horns. 1:03 Shooby Doo Wah’s are ok, but would have been better if the song had a faster pace in my opinion. 1:21 French horn doesn’t work. Annoying. Guitar solo’s are decent. Bass playing is good, but the ending sucks.
Honey Pie - Pauls going back to the old times again. Neutral song to me. 0:09 like the old phonograph effect. Pauls voice is ok. Horns are nice with the ragtime tempo. 1:33 guitar solo sucked. Not much else to say.
Savory Truffle - Cool song. Like organ in beginning. Love guitar playing along with the singing. Drums are muddy and I don’t care for the sound. Horns are great and definitely add. 0:29 falsetto sounds good. Rhythm guitar is awesome throughout. 1:26 random tambourine hit. Just one. Why? Guitar solo is good. Catchy song that I enjoy.
Cry Baby Cry - Probably a top 15 song for me. Love the guitar and accordion in beginning. 0:15 repeating bass? Never noticed before. 0:17 Like piano. 0:26 even better piano. 0:41 Ringo is fantastic ending the bars with a hi hat splash. Wish I thought like him. 1:10 glasses bumping and birds singing in the background to portray the tea party. Cool. 1:26 love the guitar here. Best part of the song. 2:33 ’Can you take me back,,’ ending sucks. Love the song.
Revolution 9 No. Not doing it. Its 100% sh*t and I refuse to bother. By all means, help yourself though if you feel the need.
Goodnight - A nice way to end and album. A classical lullaby type song with Ringo at the helm. Speaking of Ringo, his voice sucks here. All in all, reminds me of a Disney tune. I always shut the album off before this song ends if that’s any indication of how well I like it though.
There you have it. I never listen to this album and now I know why. I don’t like hardly any of the songs. I never realized that before. I always pick this as my desert album if I’m stranded, but now I need to reconsider. Just because theres more to listen to doesn’t always make it the right choice. Why bother if theres barely anything you like on it?