Only Pick One: Songs on The White Album

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Um. happiness is a warm gun?

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Dear Prudence.

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"Yer Blues"

― M Matos (M Matos), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:08 (twenty-two years ago)

damn. maypang beat me to it. especially for the ramsey lewis cover.

― vahid (vahid), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)

They all suck.

― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a toss-up between "Dear Prudence", "Glass Onion", Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "I'm So Tired", "Piggies", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Revolution 1", "Cry Baby Cry", and "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey". Wait! No it isn't! Duh, "Helter Skelter"!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:17 (twenty-two years ago)

All those songs that i listed don't suck. they are all really really good.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"Helter Skelter"

http://www.sondralondon.com/tales/thornley/goof.gif

― Uncle Charlie (vassifer), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Paul incited people to murder! Take that Paul-bashers. How many of your hipster faves can claim that? huh? huh? exactly.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:21 (twenty-two years ago)

What's this? No love for "Savoy Truffle"?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm really surprised that no one's listed Revolution 9 yet.

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:25 (twenty-two years ago)

revolution 9 hasn't aged very well.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:27 (twenty-two years ago)

i think its the horns that put me off "Savoy Truffle". It's a great tune otherwise though, and Ringo certainly shines on it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I know but there's always that *one* guy..

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like those people who say they prefer Smile to Pet Sounds.

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

rocky racoon

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, the horns are unfortunate on "Savoy Truffle". The sort've sap the menace out of the tune. "Helter Skelter" invariably is my favorite (still kreeps me out, it does). The whole album is pretty freaky in that respect, actually. I couldn't listen to "Revolution #9" for years....and the disembodied wail during the disquieting coda to "Long, Long, Long" used to make me run out of the room like a little girl. EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:32 (twenty-two years ago)

looking at that list of songs that i posted makes me think that if that were the whole of the white album, then it could possibly be the greatest album that i could think of this late at night after half a bottle of wine if not of all time. but don't quote me on that. and don't take my word for it. cuz i'm the guy who was so excited to find a copy of motor-booty affair in his copy of holy diver tonight that i played both of them one after another and was convinced that THAT was the greatest double album of all time. don't ask how my motor-booty got stuck in with my elf metal. I don't even know.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:35 (twenty-two years ago)

amen to "Dear Prudence".

― Al (sitcom), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:36 (twenty-two years ago)

the beatles sound great when yr drunk.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Long, Long, Long or Cry Baby Cry, depending on my mood

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)

If you got rid of all the filler material on the White Album, you'd probably have a solid 45 mins left over to make it the greatest Beatles album ever.

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:40 (twenty-two years ago)

C/D: Double LPs

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"Everybody's Got Something To Hide..." or "Savoy Truffle"

Nowt wrong with those horns on the latter dammit!

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Friday, 9 January 2004 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm So Tired."

― Chris Neal, Friday, 9 January 2004 06:00 (twenty-two years ago)

revolution 1

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 9 January 2004 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

5{ter" and "Dear Prudence" suck. So does "Long Long Long".

Me? I'll take that little part after "Cry, Baby, Cry" by McCartney.

Can you take me back to where I've been, boy. Can you take me back? Can you take me back to where I've been, boy. Brother, can you take me baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack?

So much more creepy than anything else on that album.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Friday, 9 January 2004 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

O Bla Di O Bla Da. Total nonsense. This song is more slap-happy than a Benny Hill episode. The mix is *perfect*, with that FAT bass and little sound effects going off during every measure it seems like. If more radio staples sounded like this, well, I'd listen to the radio more.

― Dr. Annabel Lies (Michael Kelly), Friday, 9 January 2004 06:24 (twenty-two years ago)

cry baby cry for GOD'S SAKE it's only like the best beatles song ever.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 9 January 2004 07:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Back in the USSR, obviously

― spittle (spittle), Friday, 9 January 2004 07:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd vote for Back in the USSR too, although i tend to agree with Sasha on this one.

― Michael Dubsky, Friday, 9 January 2004 07:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobody's going to pick this, so I might as well say I've always had a really soft spot for "Martha My Dear." I don't care if it's about his fucking dog or whatever: it has a really nice jauntiness I dig.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 9 January 2004 07:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Ouch.

― may pang (maypang), Friday, 9 January 2004 07:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I know. I should say that I don't generally listen to lyrics much, anyway.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 9 January 2004 08:04 (twenty-two years ago)

i second martha my dear

― ssldslkd, Friday, 9 January 2004 08:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"Glass Onion" has a slight edge over "Yer Blues," but I like the combination & sequencing of it better than any of the songs.

My secret favorite: John's terrifying demo of "Dear Prudence."

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 9 January 2004 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

If you took away all the filler on The White Album, you would have pretty much the whole thing minus "Don't Pass Me By."

Oh, and "Monkey" is currently my favorite.

― billstevejim, Friday, 9 January 2004 08:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Martha My Dear"'s amazing, everything that's great and horrible about Paul in one song. Um, too many. "Me and My Monkey" maybe

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 9 January 2004 08:34 (twenty-two years ago)

but i love 'don't pass me by'!
that arrangement/production!

― lolita corpus (lolitacorpus), Friday, 9 January 2004 08:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Ian nailed it in his first post, "Happiness Is a Warm Gun". Bang bang, shoot shoot.

"Helter Skelter" is pretty damn undeniable though; and here's another strong endorsement of "I'm So Tired", one of John's best vocals to my ears.

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 9 January 2004 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

If you took away all the filler on The White Album, you would be left with about 4 songs

― Michael Dubsky, Friday, 9 January 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

And one of those would be "Wild Honey Pie"...

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 9 January 2004 09:55 (twenty-two years ago)

And 'Rocky Raccoon' right? Hey check me out fuck you mum I don't like the Beatles

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 9 January 2004 09:56 (twenty-two years ago)

(That was for Michael btw)

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 9 January 2004 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

(Well, I was joking anyway.. Still love number nine though)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 9 January 2004 10:05 (twenty-two years ago)

OH FOR FUCKS SAKE I CANT BELIEVE YOU CRETINS HAVEN'T SAID CRY BABY YET AND YOU CALL YOURSELVES TRUE MUSIC FANS???

― True Music Fan, Friday, 9 January 2004 10:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Only Pick One: Songs on The White Album

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 9 January 2004 10:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I've pretty much got time for everything on this record except RRaccoon, those "what a great single record" theories don't hold a lot of water w/me, YES "Revolution Number 9" is great!

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 9 January 2004 10:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Goodnight.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 9 January 2004 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Cry Baby Cry

― John Fredland (jfredland), Friday, 9 January 2004 10:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 14 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Either Dear Prudence or Helter Skelter.... and in both cases I prefer Siouxsie & The Banshees' version.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 9 January 2004 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll get me coat.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 9 January 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

you mad you are!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 9 January 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

It's very hard to pick just one, but I'd probably have to go with "Happiness is a Warm Gun".

― o. nate (onate), Friday, 9 January 2004 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

My favorite song on the album, that one that effects me most physically, is honestly "Mother Nature's Son". It doesn't creep me out like "Helter Skelter" or "Revolution #9", it doesn't make my booty bug out quite like "Everybody's Got Something to Hide" or "Birthday", but what it does do is completely fill me with chills.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 9 January 2004 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Like, it's the one song on the album that, when it's on, my eyes will involuntarily close.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 9 January 2004 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

You rule Nick

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 9 January 2004 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Subsidiary topic: construct your own perfect White Album on a single lp (if done before please ignore).

― pete s, Friday, 9 January 2004 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

"Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey".

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 January 2004 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

"Like, it's the one song on the album that, when it's on, my eyes will involuntarily close."

I agree, Nick. I find it incredibly dull as well.

― peepee (peepee), Friday, 9 January 2004 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I totally agree that the only song I'd take off the album is "Don't Pass Me By." Defines the word "dirge."

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Friday, 9 January 2004 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"Good Night"

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 9 January 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Julia

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 9 January 2004 16:39 (twenty-two years ago)

helter skelter

― roxymuzak, Friday, 9 January 2004 17:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Martha My Dear

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Friday, 9 January 2004 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Nick, I misread your statement.
I fully take my last message back.
My sincere apology.

― peepee (peepee), Friday, 9 January 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I think "Don't Pass Me By" might work if that bouncing piano or whatever it is wasn't so loud. Ruins the song. I guess my choice is "Martha My Dear".

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Friday, 9 January 2004 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Probably not my actual favorite, but 'Revolution' is very good too.

― sym (shmuel), Friday, 9 January 2004 21:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess "Mother Nature's Son", but this album is hard for OPO.

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 9 January 2004 21:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Piggies is the only song I don't like.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Friday, 9 January 2004 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll take "Dear Prudence", tho "Glass Onion", "...Monkey" and "Helter Skelter" come close. The horns on "Savoy Truffle" are actually my favourite part of the song; "Revolution #9" could use a bit of pruning (first 5 minutes are just fine); and I never liked the final third of "...Warm Gun" (i.e. when the title is finally sung.)

― Scott Bloomfield, Monday, 12 January 2004 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Another vote for "Julia".

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Monday, 12 January 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - Maybe because it's the least Beatlesesque song on the record... Or maybe because I've just had a lifetime of listenings to the white album.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 12 January 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

that track is really underrated.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 12 January 2004 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it possible for a Beatles tune to be underrated?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 12 January 2004 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

if harrison writes it.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 00:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Revolution 1
or Happiness is a Warm Gun
or Long, Long, Long
or Sexy Sadie
I dunno.

― David Nolan (David N.), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 01:27 (twenty-two years ago)

if harrison writes it.

snobs are all over harrison's jock, dood. though, yeah, the general public do not love him as much as they love lennon&mcartney

― Ian Johnson (orion), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 01:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Since I'm not going to be the only dork to answer the question seriously, I'll say "Long, Long, Long."

(This is my favorite Beatles album, despite the filler, though Revolver is probably a close second.)

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 02:14 (twenty-two years ago)

(Now I'm rearlly tempted to go on and on about the Beatles without actually saying anything remotely new or interesting. Oh Christ, the Beatles. I am NOT just brainwashed.)

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Go on I dare you

― arf, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 02:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Me? I'll take that little part after "Cry, Baby, Cry" by McCartney.
...
So much more creepy than anything else on that album. -- Pleasant Plains

The alleged creepiness, strangely, has somehow evaded me all these years. Otherwise, I'm with you; that'd be my first pick (at the mo') also.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)

four years pass...

Not a single person mentioned "I Will"? Well, I will: "I Will"

― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 10 July 2008 15:57 (seventeen years ago)

sexy sadie

― 69, Thursday, 10 July 2008 16:07 (seventeen years ago)

xp: I freaking love "I Will" - one of my favorite Beatles numbers.

But I'll have to go with Back in the U.S.S.R., because it smokes.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 10 July 2008 20:02 (seventeen years ago)

Happiness is a Warm Gun, but Martha My Dear is very good too.

― res, Thursday, 10 July 2008 21:45 (seventeen years ago)

Happiness vs Blackbird vs Cry Cry Cry. I've got a soft spot for I'm So Tired, but it can't match the brilliance of those three.

― chap, Thursday, 10 July 2008 21:54 (seventeen years ago)

Dear Prudence.

― our work is never over, Thursday, 10 July 2008 21:56 (seventeen years ago)

Dear Prudence

― billstevejim, Friday, 11 July 2008 00:53 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.2violent.com/helter_skelter_door.jpg

YOU'RE ALL DEAD AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Friday, 11 July 2008 01:01 (seventeen years ago)

two months pass...

The backing vocals on Helter Skelter fucking slay.

― The Wayward Johnny B, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 21:42 (seventeen years ago)

This might be the best album ever made.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 21:57 (seventeen years ago)

Shows you what a diverse album that is when "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" to "I Will" is only the second or maybe third, most jarring segueway.

― ☑ (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 30 September 2008 21:59 (seventeen years ago)

I'm shocked that, according to Wikipedia, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was "met with little to no interest by the other Beatles." Damn fools.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 22:00 (seventeen years ago)

Currently "Long Long Long", if only because the ending is the coolest thing the Beatles ever recorded.

― Adam Bruneau, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 05:24 (seventeen years ago)

This would've worked well as a poll. I say Back in the USSR.

― rjberry, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 08:25 (seventeen years ago)

Very tough because of so much goodness, but Id have to pick Long Long Long for the ending, when you
can hear a wine bottle rattling on top of the amp.

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 08:40 (seventeen years ago)

It really is too difficult to pick a best song off this album. Best song per side would look like this though:

Side 1 - Dear Prudence
Side 2 - I'm So Tired
Side 3 - Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Side 4 - Cry Baby Cry

All Lennon songs! I've surprised myself there!

― nate woolls, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 08:48 (seventeen years ago)

This would've worked well as a poll. I say Back in the USSR.

when i get to the bottom i go back to the top of the WHITE ALBUM POLL

― nate woolls, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 10:02 (seventeen years ago)

can hear a wine bottle rattling on top of the amp.

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, October 1, 2008 4:40 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest

Plus the whole droning organ, the snare roll, and the otherworldly wailing. It's spooky and unlike anything else in the world. The Revolution in the Head book had a very good description of it, as i recall.

It was never my favorite song when I first heard the album but years later I heard it in a car late at night, full blast, with a bunch of wasted friends after a long day of swimming and drinking. It was very magical!

The end of Happiness is a Warm Gun is the best Lennon moment EVER tho.

― Adam Bruneau, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 17:44 (seventeen years ago)

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