| Artist |
The Beatles |
| Album Title: |
The Beatles |
| Album Cover: |
 |
| Primary Genre |
Rock: Classic Rock |
| Format |
CD (6) Blu-Ray (1) |
| Released |
11/09/2018 |
| Label |
Apple Records |
| Catalog No |
0602567571957 |
| Bar Code No |
6 02567 57195 7 |
| Reissue |
Yes |
| Remastered |
Yes |
| Packaging |
Book Bound Thang |
| Tracks |
| The Beatles (Disc 1) |
| 1.
|
Back In The U.S.S.R. (2:41)
|
| 2.
|
Dear Prudence (3:55)
|
| 3.
|
Glass Onion (2:18)
|
| 4.
|
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (3:08)
|
| 5.
|
Wild Honey Pie (0:53)
|
| 6.
|
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (3:13)
|
| 7.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (4:44)
|
| 8.
|
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (2:44)
|
| 9.
|
Martha My Dear (2:28)
|
| 10.
|
I'm So Tired (2:02)
|
| 11.
|
Blackbird (2:18)
|
| 12.
|
Piggies (2:04)
|
| 13.
|
Rocky Raccoon (3:32)
|
| 14.
|
Don't Pass Me By (3:50)
|
| 15.
|
Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (1:41)
|
| 16.
|
I Will (1:46)
|
| 17.
|
Julia (2:54)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 2) |
| 1.
|
Birthday (2:43)
|
| 2.
|
Yer Blues (4:01)
|
| 3.
|
Mother Nature's Son (2:46)
|
| 4.
|
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (2:24)
|
| 5.
|
Sexy Sadie (3:15)
|
| 6.
|
Helter Skelter (4:29)
|
| 7.
|
Long, Long, Long (3:07)
|
| 8.
|
Revolution I (4:15)
|
| 9.
|
Honey Pie (2:41)
|
| 10.
|
Savoy Truffle (2:54)
|
| 11.
|
Cry Baby Cry (3:01)
|
| 12.
|
Revolution 9 (8:21)
|
| 13.
|
Good Night (3:13)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 3) Esher Demos |
| 1.
|
Back In The U.S.S.R. (3:00)
|
| 2.
|
Dear Prudence (4:47)
|
| 3.
|
Glass Onion (1:55)
|
| 4.
|
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (3:10)
|
| 5.
|
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (2:40)
|
| 6.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (2:41)
|
| 7.
|
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (1:55)
|
| 8.
|
I'm So Tired (3:10)
|
| 9.
|
Blackbird (2:34)
|
| 10.
|
Piggies (2:05)
|
| 11.
|
Rocky Raccoon (2:44)
|
| 12.
|
Julia (3:56)
|
| 13.
|
Yer Blues (3:31)
|
| 14.
|
Mother Nature's Son (2:24)
|
| 15.
|
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (3:03)
|
| 16.
|
Sexy Sadie (2:26)
|
| 17.
|
Revolution (4:06)
|
| 18.
|
Honey Pie (1:59)
|
| 19.
|
Cry Baby Cry (2:27)
|
| 20.
|
Sour Milk Sea (3:43)
|
| 21.
|
Junk (2:36)
|
| 22.
|
Child Of Nature (2:37)
|
| 23.
|
Circles (2:16)
|
| 24.
|
Mean Mr. Mustard (2:05)
|
| 25.
|
Polythene Pam (1:26)
|
| 26.
|
Not Guilty (3:05)
|
| 27.
|
What's The New Mary Jane (2:45)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 4) Sessions |
| 1.
|
Revolution (Take 18) (10:28)
|
| 2.
|
A Beginning (Take 4)/Don't Pass Me By (Take 7) (5:05)
|
| 3.
|
Blackbird (Take 28) (2:15)
|
| 4.
|
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (2:43)
|
| 5.
|
Good Night (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (0:39)
|
| 6.
|
Good Night (Take 10 With A Guitar Part From Take 5) (2:31)
|
| 7.
|
Good Night (Take 22) (3:46)
|
| 8.
|
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Take 3) (2:54)
|
| 9.
|
Revolution (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (2:16)
|
| 10.
|
Revolution (Take 14 Instrumental Backing Track) (3:25)
|
| 11.
|
Cry Baby Cry (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (3:02)
|
| 12.
|
Helter Skelter (First Version Take 2) (12:53)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 5) Sessions |
| 1.
|
Sexy Sadie (Take 3) (3:08)
|
| 2.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Acoustic Version-Take 2) (3:02)
|
| 3.
|
Hey Jude (Take 1) (6:44)
|
| 4.
|
St. Louis Blies (Studio Jam) (0:51)
|
| 5.
|
Not Guilty (Take 102) (4:28)
|
| 6.
|
Mother Nature's Son (Take 15) (3:11)
|
| 7.
|
Yer Blues (Take 5 With Guide Vocal) (3:57)
|
| 8.
|
What's The New Mary Jane (Take 1) (2:06)
|
| 9.
|
Rocky Raccoon (Take 8) (4:57)
|
| 10.
|
Back In The U.S.S.R. (Take 5-Instrumental Backing Track) (3:09)
|
| 11.
|
Dear Prudence (Vocal, Guitar & Drums) (3:59)
|
| 12.
|
Let It Be (Unnumbered Rehearsal) (1:17)
|
| 13.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Third Version-Take 27) (3:17)
|
| 14.
|
(You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care (Studio Jam) (0:42)
|
| 15.
|
Helter Skelter (Second Version-Take 17) (3:39)
|
| 16.
|
Glass Onion (Take 10) (2:12)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 6) Sessions |
| 1.
|
I Will (Take 13) (2:20)
|
| 2.
|
Blue Moon (Studio Jam) (1:11)
|
| 3.
|
I Will (Take 29) (0:26)
|
| 4.
|
Step Inside Love (Studio Jam) (1:34)
|
| 5.
|
Los Paranoias (Studio Jam) (3:58)
|
| 6.
|
Can You Take Me Back (Take 1) (2:22)
|
| 7.
|
Birthday (Take 2 Instrumental Backing Track) (2:40)
|
| 8.
|
Piggies (Take 12 Instrumental Backing Track) (2:10)
|
| 9.
|
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Take 19) (3:09)
|
| 10.
|
Honey Pie (Instrumental Backing Track) (2:43)
|
| 11.
|
Savoy Truffle (Instrumental Backing Track) (2:56)
|
| 12.
|
Martha My Dear (Without Brass And Strings) (2:29)
|
| 13.
|
Long Long Long (Take 44) (2:54)
|
| 14.
|
I'm So Tired (Take 7) (2:29)
|
| 15.
|
I'm So Tired (Take 14) (2:17)
|
| 16.
|
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (Take 2) (3:12)
|
| 17.
|
Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (Take 5) (2:03)
|
| 18.
|
Julia (Two Rehearsals) (4:31)
|
| 19.
|
The Inner Light (Take 6 Instrumental Backing Track) (2:47)
|
| 20.
|
Lady Madonna (Take 2 Piano & Drums) (2:25)
|
| 21.
|
Lady Madonna (Backing Vocals Take 3) (0:54)
|
| 22.
|
Across The Universe (Take 6) (3:52)
|
|
| The Beatles (Disc 7)(Blu-Ray With PCM Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby True HD 5.1 & Mono) |
| 1.
|
Back In The U.S.S.R. (2:41)
|
| 2.
|
Dear Prudence (3:55)
|
| 3.
|
Glass Onion (2:18)
|
| 4.
|
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (3:08)
|
| 5.
|
Wild Honey Pie (0:53)
|
| 6.
|
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (3:13)
|
| 7.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (4:44)
|
| 8.
|
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (2:44)
|
| 9.
|
Martha My Dear (2:28)
|
| 10.
|
I'm So Tired (2:02)
|
| 11.
|
Blackbird (2:18)
|
| 12.
|
Piggies (2:04)
|
| 13.
|
Rocky Racoon (3:32)
|
| 14.
|
Don't Pass Me By (3:50)
|
| 15.
|
Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (1:41)
|
| 16.
|
I Will (1:46)
|
| 17.
|
Julia (2:54)
|
| 18.
|
Birthday (2:43)
|
| 19.
|
Yer Blues (4:01)
|
| 20.
|
Mother Nature's Son (2:46)
|
| 21.
|
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (2:24)
|
| 22.
|
Sexy Sadie (3:15)
|
| 23.
|
Helter Skelter (4:29)
|
| 24.
|
Long, Long, Long (3:07)
|
| 25.
|
Revolution 1 (4:15)
|
| 26.
|
Honey Pie (2:41)
|
| 27.
|
Savoy Truffle (2:54)
|
| 28.
|
Cry Baby Cry (3:01)
|
| 29.
|
Revolution 9 (8:21)
|
| 30.
|
Good Night (3:13)
|
| 31.
|
Back In The U.S.S.R. (2:43)
|
| 32.
|
Dear Prudence (3:53)
|
| 33.
|
Glass Onion (2:17)
|
| 34.
|
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (3:08)
|
| 35.
|
Wild Honey Pie (0:53)
|
| 36.
|
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (3:13)
|
| 37.
|
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (4:47)
|
| 38.
|
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (2:44)
|
| 39.
|
Martha My Dear (2:27)
|
| 40.
|
I'm So Tired (2:03)
|
| 41.
|
Blackbird (2:18)
|
| 42.
|
Piggies (2:02)
|
| 43.
|
Rocky Raccoon (3:32)
|
| 44.
|
Don't Pass Me By (3:44)
|
| 45.
|
Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (1:41)
|
| 46.
|
I Will (1:45)
|
| 47.
|
Julia (2:54)
|
| 48.
|
Birthday (2:43)
|
| 49.
|
Yer Blues (4:12)
|
| 50.
|
Mother Nature's Son (2:46)
|
| 51.
|
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey (2:24)
|
| 52.
|
Sexy Sadie (3:14)
|
| 53.
|
Helter Skelter (3:38)
|
| 54.
|
Long, Long, Long (3:05)
|
| 55.
|
Revolution 1 (4:15)
|
| 56.
|
Honey Pie (2:40)
|
| 57.
|
Savoy Truffle (2:53)
|
| 58.
|
Cry Baby Cry (3:00)
|
| 59.
|
Revolution 9 (8:23)
|
| 60.
|
Good Night (3:12)
|
|
| Date Acquired |
12/12/2018 |
| Personal Rating |
 |
| Acquired from |
Import_CDs |
| Purchase Price |
130.00 |
Web Links |
All Music Guide entry:
Discogs entry:
MusicBrainz entry: |
Notes |
Made in Germany.
Also referred to as "The Super Deluxe Edition".
Presented in hardback bound, 164 page book in a transparent slip sleeve that features the images of the four band members on the front, complete track-listing on the rear and "The Beatles" on the spine. Each book is individually numbered on the front cover and houses all seven discs (Three in the front, four in the rear). There is also a pocket at the rear of the book that houses the poster/lyric sheet and four photographs, as per the original release in 1968.
Hype sticker on cellophane reads, "The Beatles Anniversary Edition 6CD : BLU-RAY New mixes by Giles Martin thebeatles.com" along with the Apple & Parlophone logos and the barcode.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 1\Disc 1_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR10 -0.27 dB -12.01 dB 01 - Back In The U.S.S.R..flac
DR11 -0.46 dB -13.10 dB 02 - Dear Prudence.flac
DR9 -0.44 dB -11.78 dB 03 - Glass Onion.flac
DR11 -0.39 dB -11.83 dB 04 - Ob‐La‐Di, Ob‐La‐Da.flac
DR13 -0.12 dB -15.53 dB 05 - Wild Honey Pie.flac
DR10 -0.40 dB -12.18 dB 06 - The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill.flac
DR9 -0.43 dB -11.03 dB 07 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps.flac
DR10 -0.45 dB -11.91 dB 08 - Happiness Is A Warm Gun.flac
DR12 -0.27 dB -14.03 dB 09 - Martha My Dear.flac
DR11 -0.37 dB -13.81 dB 10 - I'm So Tired.flac
DR13 -2.15 dB -17.21 dB 11 - Blackbird.flac
DR10 -0.51 dB -12.67 dB 12 - Piggies.flac
DR11 -0.47 dB -13.76 dB 13 - Rocky Raccoon.flac
DR10 -0.46 dB -11.39 dB 14 - Don't Pass Me By.flac
DR9 -0.43 dB -11.27 dB 15 - Why Don't We Do It In The Road.flac
DR11 -0.50 dB -13.74 dB 16 - I Will.flac
DR10 -1.57 dB -14.14 dB 17 - Julia.flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 17
Official DR Value: DR11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 2\Disc 2_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR9 -0.44 dB -10.55 dB 01 - Birthday.flac
DR10 -0.44 dB -12.18 dB 02 - Yer Blues.flac
DR13 -0.51 dB -16.72 dB 03 - Mother Nature's Son.flac
DR8 -0.32 dB -10.26 dB 04 - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey.flac
DR10 -0.33 dB -11.65 dB 05 - Sexy Sadie.flac
DR8 -0.38 dB -10.47 dB 06 - Helter Skelter.flac
DR8 -0.42 dB -12.86 dB 07 - Long, Long, Long.flac
DR8 -0.36 dB -10.38 dB 08 - Revolution 1.flac
DR10 -0.50 dB -13.08 dB 09 - Honey Pie.flac
DR10 -0.36 dB -11.18 dB 10 - Savoy Truffle.flac
DR9 -0.43 dB -12.41 dB 11 - Cry Baby Cry.flac
DR9 -0.49 dB -14.37 dB 12 - Revolution 9.flac
DR10 -0.83 dB -13.72 dB 13 - Good Night.flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 13
Official DR Value: DR9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 3\Disc 3_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.32 dB 01 - Back In The U.S.S.R..flac
DR10 -0.49 dB -13.32 dB 02 - Dear Prudence.flac
DR12 -0.57 dB -14.14 dB 03 - Glass Onion.flac
DR9 -0.52 dB -11.04 dB 04 - Ob‐La‐Di, Ob‐La‐Da.flac
DR11 -0.27 dB -14.01 dB 05 - The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill.flac
DR11 -0.59 dB -14.45 dB 06 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps.flac
DR13 -0.59 dB -16.38 dB 07 - Happiness Is A Warm Gun.flac
DR12 -0.58 dB -15.86 dB 08 - I'm So Tired.flac
DR11 -0.60 dB -13.45 dB 09 - Blackbird.flac
DR11 -0.59 dB -13.85 dB 10 - Piggies.flac
DR10 -0.60 dB -12.93 dB 11 - Rocky Raccoon.flac
DR10 -0.57 dB -12.31 dB 12 - Julia.flac
DR13 -0.53 dB -15.65 dB 13 - Yer Blues.flac
DR10 -0.58 dB -12.30 dB 14 - Mother Nature's Son.flac
DR11 -0.43 dB -13.07 dB 15 - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey.flac
DR10 -0.49 dB -12.91 dB 16 - Sexy Sadie.flac
DR11 -0.09 dB -13.15 dB 17 - Revolution.flac
DR10 -0.46 dB -12.01 dB 18 - Honey Pie.flac
DR12 -0.58 dB -13.72 dB 19 - Cry Baby Cry.flac
DR12 -0.09 dB -13.69 dB 20 - Sour Milk Sea.flac
DR10 -0.59 dB -13.04 dB 21 - Junk.flac
DR11 -0.39 dB -13.24 dB 22 - Child Of Nature.flac
DR9 -0.63 dB -12.60 dB 23 - Circles.flac
DR10 -0.35 dB -11.97 dB 24 - Mean Mr. Mustard.flac
DR11 -0.19 dB -12.90 dB 25 - Polythene Pam.flac
DR10 -0.51 dB -14.08 dB 26 - Not Guilty.flac
DR10 -0.12 dB -13.74 dB 27 - What's The New Mary Jane.flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 27
Official DR Value: DR11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 4\Disc 4_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -0.20 dB -14.81 dB 01 - Revolution 1 (take 18).flac
DR11 -0.22 dB -12.92 dB 02 - A Beginning (Take 4) Don't Pass Me By (Take 7).flac
DR13 -2.46 dB -19.42 dB 03 - Blackbird (take 28).flac
DR12 -0.95 dB -14.71 dB 04 - Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.flac
DR14 -1.61 dB -17.75 dB 05 - Good Night (unnumbered rehearsal).flac
DR11 -1.47 dB -15.18 dB 06 - Good Night (take 10 with a guitar part from take 5).flac
DR12 -1.51 dB -15.82 dB 07 - Good Night (take 22).flac
DR11 -0.24 dB -12.72 dB 08 - Ob‐La‐Di, Ob‐La‐Da (take 3).flac
DR12 -1.22 dB -15.71 dB 09 - Revolution (unnumbered rehearsal).flac
DR13 -1.18 dB -15.23 dB 10 - Revolution (take 14 – instrumental backing track).flac
DR12 -0.70 dB -14.59 dB 11 - Cry Baby Cry (unnumbered rehearsal).flac
DR13 -0.20 dB -16.35 dB 12 - Helter Skelter (first version – take 2).flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 12
Official DR Value: DR12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 5\Disc 5_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -0.59 dB -15.12 dB 01 - Sexy Sadie (take 3).flac
DR9 -3.91 dB -15.85 dB 02 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (acoustic version – take 2).flac
DR11 -0.79 dB -13.69 dB 03 - Hey Jude (take 1).flac
DR11 -5.00 dB -18.41 dB 04 - St. Louis Blues (studio jam).flac
DR12 -0.21 dB -13.88 dB 05 - Not Guilty (take 102).flac
DR10 -3.99 dB -18.25 dB 06 - Mother Nature's Son (take 15).flac
DR10 -0.20 dB -13.00 dB 07 - Yer Blues (take 5 with guide vocal).flac
DR13 -0.84 dB -17.32 dB 08 - What's the New Mary Jane (take 1).flac
DR12 -0.22 dB -15.40 dB 09 - Rocky Raccoon (take 8).flac
DR12 -0.20 dB -13.27 dB 10 - Back in the U.S.S.R. (take 5 – instrumental backing track).flac
DR13 -0.81 dB -16.17 dB 11 - Dear Prudence (vocal, guitar & drums).flac
DR12 -0.20 dB -14.15 dB 12 - Let It Be (unnumbered rehearsal).flac
DR12 -0.20 dB -14.14 dB 13 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (third version – take 27).flac
DR11 -0.20 dB -13.28 dB 14 - (You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care (studio jam).flac
DR10 -1.12 dB -12.32 dB 15 - Helter Skelter (second version – take 17).flac
DR13 -0.18 dB -14.74 dB 16 - Glass Onion (take 10).flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 16
Official DR Value: DR12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: The Beatles\Disc 6\Disc 6_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -0.13 dB -15.70 dB 01 - I Will (take 13).flac
DR12 -1.58 dB -15.33 dB 02 - Blue Moon (studio jam).flac
DR12 -2.82 dB -16.43 dB 03 - I Will (take 29).flac
DR11 -0.71 dB -15.51 dB 04 - Step Inside Love (studio jam).flac
DR13 -0.33 dB -15.13 dB 05 - Los Paranoias (studio jam).flac
DR13 -0.20 dB -14.12 dB 06 - Can You Take Me Back¿ (take 1).flac
DR12 -0.68 dB -14.10 dB 07 - Birthday (take 2 – instrumental backing track).flac
DR13 -1.40 dB -17.44 dB 08 - Piggies (take 12 – instrumental backing track).flac
DR13 -0.35 dB -16.09 dB 09 - Happiness Is a Warm Gun (take 19).flac
DR13 -0.20 dB -15.76 dB 10 - Honey Pie (instrumental backing track).flac
DR12 -0.70 dB -14.28 dB 11 - Savoy Truffle (instrumental backing track).flac
DR12 -1.21 dB -14.40 dB 12 - Martha My Dear (without brass and strings).flac
DR13 -0.61 dB -17.93 dB 13 - Long, Long, Long (take 44).flac
DR12 -1.25 dB -16.47 dB 14 - I'm So Tired (take 7).flac
DR13 -0.58 dB -16.68 dB 15 - I'm So Tired (take 14).flac
DR13 -1.20 dB -16.96 dB 16 - The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (take 2).flac
DR13 -0.53 dB -17.37 dB 17 - Why Don't We Do It in the Road¿ (take 5).flac
DR11 -1.01 dB -15.94 dB 18 - Julia (two rehearsals).flac
DR12 -1.30 dB -17.03 dB 19 - The Inner Light (take 6 – instrumental backing track).flac
DR9 -2.17 dB -12.86 dB 20 - Lady Madonna (take 2 – piano and drums).flac
DR12 -2.32 dB -20.56 dB 21 - Lady Madonna (backing vocals from take 3).flac
DR10 -4.47 dB -15.96 dB 22 - Across the Universe (take 6).flac
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 22
Official DR Value: DR12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
| Reviews |
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:
By the time the Beatles reconvened to record the follow-up to Sgt. Pepper, they had already begun to splinter, with each member doggedly pursuing a musical vision that didn't necessarily jibe with the others'. Nor did it jibe with what the group achieved on their groundbreaking 1967 album. If the Beatles were consciously trying to distance themselves from the layered, whimsical sound of Sgt. Pepper, they couldn't have done better than The Beatles, also known as the White Album because of its plain white cover. Although it's blessed with the same studio trickery and segued sequencing, none of the songs replicate the sophisticated pop synthesis of that record; in fact, very few of the songs on the long, sprawling double album sound as if they're full-fledged band efforts. Each song is an entity unto itself, trying its own distinct style. There is no internal logic, as there was on Sgt. Pepper -- the White Album simply sprawls forth, touching on anything and everything it can.
For some, particularly fans of the seamless Pepper, this makes for a frustratingly scattershot record, but for other listeners, the White Album is a singularly gripping musical experience. There certainly is filler littered throughout the record, but all the filler has a purpose, contributing to the overall feel of the album. Furthermore, the filler isn't so much filler as it is a series of disconnected ideas, all executed brilliantly and elaborately. No idea -- not even the minute-long dissonant rant "Wild Honey Pie" or the simple vamp "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" -- is simply thrown away; instead, it's milked of all its possibilities. Perhaps this is because the four members were so possessive of their own musical ideas that they wanted to devote all their energies to their own tracks. It's certainly the reason why the record became a double album -- no one had the desire to sort through the material to craft a single record.
Then again, the White Album needs to spread out, it needs to have its loose ends and detours, because what is interesting about the album is its sprawl. Never before had a rock record been so self-reflective, or so ironic; unlike Zappa, who wore his satire on his sleeve, the Beatles deliver the Beach Boys send-up "Back in the USSR" and the British blooze parody "Yer Blues" straight-faced, so it's never clear if these are affectionate tributes or the wicked satires they really are. Also, it's inherently fascinating to hear McCartney develop the charming domesticated tunesmithery ("I Will," "Blackbird," "Mother Nature's Son") that would come to distinguish his solo work, while Lennon rocks ("Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey") and rants ("Revolution 1," "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," "I'm So Tired") into his own solo style. That's hardly the extent of their contributions, however. Lennon also turns in two of his best ballads with "Dear Prudence" and "Julia"; scours the Abbey Road vaults to create the musique concrète collage "Revolution 9"; pours on the schmaltz for Ringo's closing number, "Good Night"; celebrates the Beatles cult with "Glass Onion"; and, with "Cry Baby Cry," rivals Syd Barrett for British childhood psychedelia. McCartney doesn't reach quite as far with his efforts, simply because he values songcraft too much, but his songs are continually stunning -- from the music-hall romp "Honey Pie" and the mock country of "Rocky Raccoon" to the ska-inflected "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and the proto-metal roar of "Helter Skelter."
Clearly, the Beatles' two main songwriting forces were no longer on the same page, but neither were George and Ringo. Lennon and McCartney stuck to the traditional allotment of two Harrison songs per LP, but it's clear from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the canned soul of "Savoy Truffle," the haunting "Long, Long, Long," and even the silly "Piggies" that he had developed into a songwriter who deserved wider exposure. And Ringo, who was allowed to record his first original song ever, turns in a delight with the lumbering country-carnival stomp "Don't Pass Me By." All of it is impressive on its own terms -- none of it was quite meant to share album space together -- but somehow The Beatles (a singularly ironic title, considering the fractured state of the band) creates its own style and sound through its mess. And, in its own way, it was nearly as influential as Sgt. Pepper, since scores of post-punk bands picked up on various threads running throughout the record, and many of the great albums in rock history -- Exile on Main St., London Calling -- approximated the same great sprawl that makes The Beatles so unique.
[The conventional wisdom on The Beatles -- the record commonly known as the White Album -- crystallized not long after its 1968 release: it is the record where the Fab Four began to fall apart. Much of this comes from its double-album sprawl, which provided plenty of space for strangeness, jokes, and songs seemingly performed alone, all contributing to the impression that the album was a series of solo projects crammed into one album. The intent of the Super Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition is to correct that narrative by emphasizing band interplay via a new remix from Giles Martin and, more importantly, by offering three discs of sessions and the first official release of the legendary acoustic demos recorded by George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney at Harrison's home in Esher. As good as Martin's remix is -- it may not be as revelatory as his stereo remix of Sgt. Pepper in 2017, but it does manage the trick of sounding rich and bold without betraying the feel of the original -- the real appeal of this deluxe reissue is the unreleased material, all presented in sparkling fidelity.
This high fidelity is especially welcome on the Esher demos, which were heavily bootlegged but have never sounded as clean and rich as they do here. Heard within the context of the White Album, the demos prove that songs that seemed silly or ambiguous on the album -- such as "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill," "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," or "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" -- were fully formed early, right alongside early versions of songs later heard on Abbey Road or on solo albums (McCartney's "Junk"; Lennon's "Child of Nature," which became "Jealous Guy"). The very fact that the Beatles' three core songwriters were woodshedding together, coming up with more material than could fit on a single album, speaks to how they could still create together, and the rest of the deluxe edition underscores this point. Far from sounding fractious, the Beatles seem playful as they work out the kinks in their new songs, test-drive material ("Let It Be" is heard in a brief stomping nascent incarnation that nearly seems psychedelic), blow off steam by covering oldies, and generally do the hard work of recording.
Along the way, a few celebrated outtakes are aired -- "Not Guilty" and "What's the News Mary Jane" are now rightfully part of the White Album canon -- and the full-length "Can You Take Me Back" (still not much more than a fragment) is unearthed, as is a slow-grooving 12-minute version of "Helter Skelter," but what delights about the Super Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition is how it is full of surprises. Some of these surprises are subtle, amounting to slight turns of phrases, but there are also major revelations, including a looser, strum-along "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and a version of "Good Night" shorn of its strings that finds Ringo supported by plucked guitar and harmonies from the rest of the Beatles. All these alternate versions, both big and small, enhance the White Album, pushing it away from the weird, cloistered record of lore by highlighting the imagination and play fueling its creation. Taken on their own, the session tapes are absorbing listening, but they also have the side effect of making the finished The Beatles not seem like a mess, but rather a deft, cleverly constructed album that accurately reflects the abundant creativity of these sessions.]
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