Now, one thing that almost everyone mentions when talking about The White Album is the plethora of musical styles on it. Indeed, it's what makes the album so great. But what a lot of people don't mention is that many of these songs are affectionate parodies of other genres, or in some cases, artists.

The obvious example would be Back In the USSR, which is a pastiche of the Beach Boys' style of music.
Yer Blues and Honey Pie are based on blues and ragtime music, respectively.
Why Don't We Do It In The Road is Paul's pastiche of John's style of repetitive and sort-of obscene lyrics and harsh sound. Conversely, "Goodnight" sounds to me like something John would write if he wanted to sound like Paul.
Rocky Raccoon, to me, sounds like it's a pastiche of early Dylan, with his epic story songs and interestingly-named characters.

Or am I just imagining all this? Opinions please.

but then all music is based on something

I read somewhere that their are only five or so original stories you can tell .So i think their is pastiche in their work but they did it very well and in a very creative way .

I think it's 7 stories D.

You describe the feel well Mairi. To stay creative, you have to keep mixing it up a bit....This they were well aware of.

I like the sprawl and variety of it, and the let's-try-it-all attitude. It doesn't all work, and there's a strong suggestion of self indulgence to some of the tracks, but the cumulative effect is quite wonderful.  

I've always found it a difficult album to listen through from start to finish. I only ever pick out individual songs, unless I'm drunk, in which case I can detect never before heard, hidden satanic messages in Rocky Raccoon.

Quoted from BlueMeanie

I can detect never before heard, hidden satanic messages in Rocky Raccoon.

Especially if you play it backwards. Apparently the whole White Album is like a satanic bacchanalia for initiates who have the wherewithal to play it all in reverse. That's a bit more than I've ever been inclined to try, though.  

I think Mairi's right. They very much lampoon the contempory music scene, even themselves (Glass Onion.) Humour was always a big part of their appeal. Praise The Lord that even Sgt Pepper (their most serious album?) has its light moments, and they never tried to weigh themselves down with attempts at The Court of The Crimson King or Pipers at the Gates of Dawn sort of stuff.

I think their is quite a bit of humour on  " The White Album " , even John seems to have is happy hat on again , that holiday in India seems to have relaxed them for a little while .

Quoted from An Apple Beatle

I think it's 7 stories D.

You describe the feel well Mairi. To stay creative, you have to keep mixing it up a bit....This they were well aware of.

I think your right with 7 stories

Quoted from DaveRam

...even John seems to have is happy hat on again...

Well...'Yer Blues' and 'I'm So Tired' come to mind, but they're also well balanced by other more upbeat pieces. A very diverse collection, for sure.

I love the pastiches. Back in the USSR is actually my favorite song of all time. It's just great to hear the Beatles playing songs that they otherwise wouldn't play. and it's not like the songs in question don't have merit. USSR is one of the best rock songs ever. Yer Blues is a perfect mockery of the blues. Honey Pie is an acquired taste but I like it.

everyone always says that the White Album is just "straight forward rock" or a "return to old" for the Beatles. that's true to some extent. songs like Birthday, Ob La Di, and I'm So Tired are very reminiscent of past recordings. but at the end of the day, nobody at the time of the album's release has ever heard anything like Helter Skelter or Revolution 9...so there's major creativity there, in spite of some people's negative opinions of the tracks. there's acoustic masterpieces all over the place (Blackbird, Long Long Long, Mother Nature's Son), there are songs that are just plain fun and shouldn't be taken to seriously (Bungalo Bill, Why Don't We Do It, Honey Pie, Rocky Raccoon, Wild Honey Pie), John hitting on all cylinders with the lyrics  (Julia, Revolution, Sexy Sadie, Happiness is a Warm Gun) and lastly.....Ringo backed by an orchestra.

the rest of my opinion is summed up in my signature

Quoted from ShesCominDownFastYesSheIs

there's acoustic masterpieces all over the place (Blackbird, Long Long Long, Mother Nature's Son), there are songs that are just plain fun and shouldn't be taken to seriously (Bungalo Bill, Why Don't We Do It, Honey Pie, Rocky Raccoon, Wild Honey Pie), John hitting on all cylinders with the lyrics  (Julia, Revolution, Sexy Sadie, Happiness is a Warm Gun) and lastly.....Ringo backed by an orchestra.

Some of the pieces are less than great, but I love the overall effect: The Beatles is like a concept album without the bother of a big, boring Concept.  

Definetly a pastiche and one hell of a record.
Favorites are Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Helter Skelter.  I still get chills every trime I hear the ending of Helter Skelter.

This is my opinion but, I think at the time the White Album was produced, the Fab 4 were getting tired and things started to go downhill.  What I mean is that they were tired of being a group.  I believe each of them basically said, "screw it, I'm writing and singing what I want to..."  Regardless if some think this album was less than their "Potential Greatness" I still feel it is superior to anything else at that time.  The Beatles less than superior is still better the other bands best stuff...

Again, just my opinion...