Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc
 

First of all, let me say that this is one of my top 3 albums of all time, so I'm not trying to diss it. I've heard George Martin say that he was in favor of releasing The White Album as a really strong single disc, but was overruled by the group.

If you had to (please, no "I like it the way it is") cut The White Album down to a single disc of 15 songs, which would you keep and why?

Disc: 1
1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5. Wild Honey Pie
6. Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
9. Martha My Dear
10. I'm So Tired
11. Blackbird
12. Piggies
13. Rocky Raccoon
14. Don't Pass Me By
15. Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
16. I Will
17. Julia
Disc: 2
1. Birthday
2. Yer Blues
3. Mother Nature's Son
4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide
5. Sexy Sadie
6. Helter Skelter
7. Long, Long, Long
8. Revolution 1
9. Honey Pie
10. Savoy Truffle
11. Cry Baby Cry
12. Revolution 9
13. Good Night

I went about this by first making 3 groups: In, Maybe, and Out

In:
Dear Prudence - Nice soft song during the India trip.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - Not a favorite of mine but it's catchy.
Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill - Fun song with light political humor.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Best track on the album?
I'm So Tired - My theme song.
Blackbird - Very nice acoustic guitar.
I Will - I hate this sing-song but the girlfriend loves it.
Julia - A creepy call to John's mother. Great to close out the album.
Birthday - A classic.
Rocky Raccoon - Sort of a throw-away song but it squeezes in here.
Helter Skelter - The beginnings of heavy metal.
Revolution 1 - I like this slow version.

Maybe:
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
Piggies
Mother Nature's Son
Yer Blues
Sexy Sadie
Long, Long, Long
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry

Out:
Glass Onion - Nonsense lyrics to get back at fans who read too much into John's songs. Funny how I don't like this and yet think 'I am the Walrus' is brilliant.
Wild Honey Pie - Filler
Don't Pass Me By - "You were in a car crash, and you lost your hair".
Why Don't We Do It in the Road? - Funny concept, but repetitive song not worth the space.
Everybody's Got Something To Hide - Other songs are just better
Honey Pie - This one's just filler
Revolution 9 - Ugh, I hate it when the CD player is on random and picks this.
Good Night - Perhaps if Ringo could stay in tune this would be a good close to the album.

So that gives me 12 in with 3 more to pick. I've got a good mix of 6 Paul songs and 5 John songs, but only 1 George song. So, I'll include Piggies to get George his usual 2. Ringo, I'm sorry but your songs just don't make this cut -- "You were in a car crash, and you lost your hair" -- WTF??

I'll add Back in the U.S.S.R. and Sexy Sadie and that's all the room I have. So here's my Lineup, a pretty tight album IMHO:

1. Birthday
2. Back in the U.S.S.R.
3. Dear Prudence
4. Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Blackbird
7. Revolution 1
8. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
9. I'm So Tired
10. Mother Nature's Son
11. Sexy Sadie
12. I Will
13. Piggies
14. Helter Skelter
15. Julia

With edits to remove and create track continuance...

1 - Back in the USSR
2 - Everybody's got something to hide...
3 - Cry Baby Cry
4 - Glass Onion
5 - Blackbird
6 - Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
7 - While My Guitar
8 - Martha My Dear
9 - Helter Skelter
10 - Sexy Sadie
11 - Rocky Raccoon
12 - I'm so Tired
13 - Happiness is a Warm Gun
14 - I'm so Tired
15 - Julia

This would be my preferred tracklisting and flow.

Just out of sheer curiosity, how many tracks could you put on it with approx 79 min you can put on a cd. I was able to put the entire "the wall" double disc cd onto one cd, but I had to cut one song but regretably, I cut "good bye cruel world", when I should of cut like "Vera"

Here's mine--in no particular order.

What stays:

1. Dear Prudence
2. Mother Nature's Son
3. Happiness is a Warm Gun
4. Blackbird
5. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for me and my Monkey
6. Helter Skelter
7. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
8. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
9. I'm So Tired
10. Rocky Raccoon
11. Julia
12. Cry Baby Cry
13. I Will
14. Long Long Long
15. Good Night

More of a John fan, so I tended to favor his tracks. "Revolution 9" was the only real easy track for me to discard. "Revolution 1" goes because I like the faster version of it better. Hate to leave off "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Birthday", but they've never been my favorites, and I usually like the slower numbers a little more.

Interesting topic!

Ooo, good topic. Just finished watching Beatles Anthology myself and while I agree, The White Album couldn't be any different than it actually is, if I played this game I'd go for --

1. Glass Onion
2. Dear Prudence
3. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
5. Happiness Is A Warm Gun (the one-two punch of these two song together on the original album can't be beat, IMHO)
6. Martha My Dear
7. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
8. I Will
9. Julia
10. Helter Skelter
11. Cry Baby Cry
12. Sexy Sadie
13. Yer Blues
14. I'm So Tired
15. Don't Pass Me By

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc
 

1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
4. Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
7. Blackbird
8. Rocky Raccoon
9. Julia
10. Yer Blues
11. Everybody's Got Something To Hide
12. Sexy Sadie
13. Helter Skelter
14. Cry Baby Cry
15. Good Night

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc
 

Interesting concept.

1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Glass Onion
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
4. Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
7. Blackbird
8. Rocky Raccoon
9. Don't Pass Me By
10. Julia
11. Birthday
12 Revolution 1
13 Honey Pie
14 Savoy Truffle
15 Good Night

The big question is, would anybody leave Revolution #9 in place?

My picks:


1. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
2. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
3. Martha My Dear
4. Blackbird
5. Rocky Raccoon
6. Don't Pass Me By
7. Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
8. I Will
9. Julia
10. Mother Nature's Son
11. Everybody's Got Something To Hide
12. Sexy Sadie
13. Helter Skelter
14. Savoy Truffle
15. Cry Baby Cry

It's really hard to cut a lot of the tracks. The first ones to go are definitely Revolution 1 and 9. After that it's Wild Honey Pie, but then it gets really difficult.

1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
7. Blackbird
8. Rocky Raccoon
9. Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
10. Julia
11. Yer Blues
12. Sexy Sadie
13. Helter Skelter
14. Revolution 1
15. Good Night

But I have to admit I have not listened to this a lot.

mixing White Album to 1 disc
 

I am trying to mix The Beatles' "White Album" (93 minutes) down to one disc (80 minutes).

Which would be the first tracks to cut?

Thanks to anyone for their help.

01. Back in the U.S.S.R. - 2:43
02. Dear Prudence - 3:56
03. Glass Onion - 2:17
04. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - 3:08
05. Wild Honey Pie - :52
06. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill - 3:14
07. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - 4:45
08. Happiness Is a Warm Gun - 2:43
09. Martha My Dear - 2:28
10. I'm So Tired - 2:03
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
18. Birthday - 2:42
19. Yer Blues - 4:01
20. Mother Nature's Son - 2:48
21. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except... - 2:24
22. Sexy Sadie - 3:15
23. Helter Skelter - 4:29
24. Long, Long, Long - 3:04
25. Revolution 1 - 4:15
26. Honey Pie - 2:41
27. Savoy Truffle - 2:54
28. Cry Baby Cry - 3:01
29. Revolution 9 - 8:22
30. Good Night - 3:11

Revolution 1 because I like Paul's version better which is on the Past Masters Vol. 2. Wild Honey Pie because its just them singing in silly voices and Revolution 9 because its pretentious art music and is the worst song "written" by the Beatles

Dump the following:

Revolution 9
Wild Honey Pie
Honey Pie
Why Don't We Do It In The Road

i'd dump revolution 9, don't pass me by, and long long long.

This came up once before & might help: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hlight=piggies

I can understand most people wanting to get rid of Revolution 9, but I've always liked it. My picks won't be popular, but I'd probably dump:
Back In The USSR
Sexy Sadie
Yer Blues -(I thought this was a parody until I heard it live)
Helter Skelter

I might trade 1 of the above for Martha My Dear. I haven't heard the album in awhile & don't remember that one very well. Long, Long, Long is a good song, but strange. You have to be in the right mood for it - so that might be a good one to drop. I can't believe I'm keeping the 2 Ringo songs...

For me, I never liked:

Yer Blues
Wild Honey Pie
Everybody's Got Something to Hide...
Julia (a bit too sentimental for a tough guy like John, even if the song is about his mother/Yoko)

I don't dislike Revolution 9, but it doesn't exactly fit in the context of the album if you're going to pare it down. Yet it's one of those tracks I like hearing again and again and discovering something new.

It might be tricky to whittle down the album to one disc since several songs are interlinked like the Sgt. Pepper album.

Trying to cut ANY songs off this album...estas loco tu?


btw Revolution 9 rules.

besides the last two songs, i can't see ridding of any of them.

Cut:

Revolution 9
Wild Honey Pie
Don't Pass Me By
Yer Blues

Wild Honey Pie
Why Don't We Do It in the Road
Birthday
Revolution 9

Honey Pie
Revolution #9
Good Night

Re: mixing White Album to 1 disc
 

01. Back in the U.S.S.R. - 2:43
02. Dear Prudence - 3:56
04. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - 3:08
07. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - 4:45
08. Happiness Is a Warm Gun - 2:43
09. Martha My Dear - 2:28
10. I'm So Tired - 2:03
11. Blackbird - 2:18
12. Piggies - 2:04
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 - 2:42
20. Mother Nature's Son - 2:48
21. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except... - 2:24
22. Sexy Sadie - 3:15
23. Helter Skelter - 4:29
24. Long, Long, Long - 3:04
26. Honey Pie - 2:41
27. Savoy Truffle - 2:54
28. Cry Baby Cry - 3:01
30. Good Night - 3:11

There you go. IMO, this is the most overrated of the Beatles albums. If you want a much better double album from this time (a few years later), get Exile on Main Street.

i never really enjoyed the white album either. but my favorite beatles era was help, rubber soul, revolver. however, there are some great songs on the white album.

sexy sadie
everybody's got something to hide
cry baby cry
happiness
dear prudence
revolution

Re: Re: mixing White Album to 1 disc
 

see, i feel the opposite of you. i just can't get into exile. but the white album has always been a favorite of mine. some of the best songs ever written are on it.

I wouldn't change a hair on the White Album -- a glorious sprawl of a masterpiece. Even the "lesser" songs thrive in this context. Do I point to, say, "Wild Honey Pie" as a crowning achievement of Western civilization? Of course not. Can I imagine the White Album without it? No way.

Re: mixing White Album to 1 disc
 

Sacrilige

Mostly in no particular order.

1. Back in the U.S.S.R. Great start for any album. I have to keep it just for the jet noise and opening chords.
2. Dear Prudence My favorite song on the album.
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Awfully cute, but it stays.
4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps The 2nd best song on the album.
5. Happiness Is a Warm Gun I read that John didn't like it. I do.
6. Blackbird Sweet chord progression.
7. Rocky Raccoon I loved this as a kid.
8. Don't Pass Me By Borderline
9. Julia
10. Birthday Borderline
11. Everybody's Got Something To Hide
12. Sexy Sadie
13. Helter Skelter A great 60's metal song.
14. Revolution 1 I like the slow version. Campuses haven't changed much.
15. Revolution 9 It's completely cerebral, but it still interests me. And it hasn't been played to death on the radio.

Definitely gone are:

Glass Onion I always thought it was whiny.
Wild Honey Pie This is your Beatles on drugs. Gone.
Savoy Truffle It always bugs me.

01 - Back in the U.S.S.R.
02 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
03 - Happiness Is a Warm Gun
04 - Blackbird
05 - Rocky Raccoon
06 - Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
07 - Birthday
08 - Everybody's Got Something To Hide
09 - Helter Skelter

That's about it. Only 9 songs.

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

I was thinking of doing a thread for this album, based on doing Springsteen's "The River," but MrR0boto beat me out by 9-years.

But since I'm here...

Disc: 1
1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
3. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
4. I'm So Tired
5. Piggies
6. Rocky Raccoon
7. Birthday
8. Everybody's Got Something To Hide
9. Sexy Sadie
10. Helter Skelter
11. Revolution 1
12. Honey Pie
13. Cry Baby Cry
14. Good Night

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

For the record, I wouldn't change THE BEATLES one fucking bit, but if I had to, I'd go for an entire re-sequencing.

Side 1:
Helter Skelter
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Blackbird
Glass Onion
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Everybody's Got Something To Hide
Dear Prudence

Side 2:
Back In The USSR
Cry Baby Cry
Savoy Truffle
Martha My Dear
Long Long Long
Birthday
Good Night

Non-album singles:
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da / Sexy Sadie
Julia / Mother Nature's Son

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

Back in the U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Rocky Raccoon

Sexy Sadie
Yer Blues
Helter Skelter
Long, Long, Long
Revolution 1
Cry Baby Cry
Mother Nature's Son
Julia

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

Pretty Tough to do. In updated album order as well.

Helter Skelter
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
I'm So Tired
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps


Blackbird
Rocky Raccoon
Sexy Sadie
I Will
Honey Pie
Julia
Cry Baby Cry
Yer Blues

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

I don't understand why you would want to trim a classic album like that in the first place. Since most players nowadays will play them, just make one mp3 disc and leave everything intact. Hell, you'd even have enough room to get a few more Beatles albums on there along with it!

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

It's not about that. It's about...I don't know what it's about, but I know it's a fun way to spend the workday.

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

So 9 years ago, I still mostly used my 100 disc cd player to listen to music. This thread arose one night when I had the player on random and of course it picked Revolution #9. That always pissed me off. I haven't thought about this in a long time because I don't even have physical cds anymore. Still a fun exercise to go through.

Hell, looking at my original list, I had to leave off Cry Baby Cry. That is blasphemy.

1. Birthday
2. Back in the U.S.S.R.
3. Dear Prudence
4. Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Blackbird
7. Revolution 1
8. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
9. I'm So Tired
10. Mother Nature's Son
11. Sexy Sadie
12. I Will
13. Piggies
14. Helter Skelter
15. Julia

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

I would definitely leave out "Revolution 9" but not sure what else I would cut besides "Wild Honey Pie"

However, "Helter Skelter" would absolutely have to be the stereo version. I was completely surprised when I heard the mono version and it didn't have the line "I've got blisters on my fingers!" in it.

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

Side One (21:46):

"Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - 2:43
"Dear Prudence" - 3:56
"Glass Onion" - 2:17
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" - 3:08
"Martha My Dear" - 2:28
"I'm So Tired" - 2:03
"I Will" - 1:46
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - 4:45

Side Two (22:02):

"Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" - 2:24
"Julia" - 2:54
"Yer Blues" - 4:01
"Mother Nature's Son" - 2:48
"Cry Baby Cry" - 3:02
"Helter Skelter" - 4:29
"Long, Long, Long" - 3:04

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
6. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
7. I'm So Tired
8. Blackbird
9. I Will
10. Julia
11. Birthday
12. Mother Nature's Son
14. Helter Skelter
15. Long, Long, Long
16. Revolution 1
17. Savoy Truffle
18. Cry Baby Cry

Re: Try to cut The White Album down to a single disc [merged]
 

Back in the U.S.S.R.
Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
Rocky Raccoon
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Don't Pass Me By
Glass Onion
Helter Skelter
Birthday

Dear Prudence
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Blackbird
Mother Nature's Son
Julia
I'm So Tired
Revolution 1