The Beatles [White Album]

by The Beatles

The Beatles [White Album] cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 22 November 1968
  • Label: Apple
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 1:33:28
  • Community rating: 4.34/5 from 108 ratings

Artists on this release: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Released as a sprawling double LP, 'The Beatles' abandons the ornate psychedelia of its predecessor for a stylistically fragmented and eclectic approach, encompassing genres from acoustic folk and blues to hard rock and avant-garde experimentation. Many songs were composed on acoustic guitars during the band's 1968 retreat in Rishikesh, India, informing a more stripped-down production aesthetic that was less reliant on studio innovation. The recording sessions were defined by escalating interpersonal friction, reflecting a shift toward individual songwriting and foreshadowing the band's eventual dissolution.

Genres

Descriptors: experimental, classic, diverse, acoustic, sprawling

Tracklist

  1. Back In The U.S.S.R. (2:43)
  2. Dear Prudence (3:55)
  3. Glass Onion (2:17)
  4. Ob (3:08)
  5. Wild Honey Pie (0:52)
  6. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (3:14)
  7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (4:45)
  8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun (2:44)
  9. Martha My Dear (2:28)
  10. I'm So Tired (2:03)
  11. Blackbird (2:18)
  12. Piggies (2:04)
  13. Rocky Raccoon (3:33)
  14. Don't Pass Me By (3:50)
  15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (1:41)
  16. I Will (1:45)
  17. Julia (2:56)
  18. Birthday (2:43)
  19. Yer Blues (4:00)
  20. Mother Nature's Son (2:48)
  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 (3:38)
  25. Revolution 1 (3:25)
  26. Honey Pie (2:41)
  27. Savoy Truffle (2:54)
  28. Cry Baby Cry (3:02)
  29. Revolution 9 (8:22)
  30. Good Night (3:13)

Credits

  • John Lennon - lead, harmony and background vocals, lead and rhythm (electric and acoustic) guitars, 4 and 6-string bass guitar, pianos (electric and acoustic), hammond organ, harmonium, mellotron, drums and assorted percussion (tambourine, maracas, thumping on the back of an acoustic guitar, handclaps and vocal percussion), harmonica, saxophone and whistling, tapes, tape loops and sound effects (electronic and home-made)
  • Paul McCartney - lead, harmony and background vocals, lead and rhythm (electric and acoustic) guitars, 4 and 6-string bass guitar, pianos (electric and acoustic), hammond organ, drums, timpani and assorted percussion (tambourine, handclaps and vocal percussion), recorder, flugelhorn and sound effects
  • George Harrison - lead, harmony and background vocals, lead and rhythm (electric and acoustic) guitars, four- and six-string bass guitar, hammond organ, drums and assorted percussion (tambourine, hand-shake bell, handclaps, and vocal percussion) and sound effects
  • Ringo Starr - drums and assorted percussion (tambourine, bongos, cymbals, maracas, vocal percussion), lead vocals, electric piano and sleigh bell, backing vocals
  • Eric Clapton - lead guitar on “while my guitar gently weeps”
  • Mal Evans - backing vocals and handclaps on “dear prudence”, “the continuing story of bungalow bill” and “birthday”, saxophone and sound effects on “helter skelter”
  • Jack Fallon - violin on “don't pass me by”
  • Pattie Harrison - backing vocals on “birthday”
  • Nicky Hopkins - piano
  • Jackie Lomax - backing vocals and handclaps on “dear prudence”
  • Billy Preston - organ
  • Jimmy Scott - congas on “ob-la-di-ob-la-da”
  • Pete Shotton - tambourine
  • Maureen Starkey - backing vocals on “the continuing story of bungalow bill”
  • The Mike Sammes Singers - backing vocals on “good night”
  • Yoko Ono - backing vocals and handclaps on “the continuing story of bungalow bill” and tapes and sound effects on “revolution 9”, backing vocals on “birthday”
  • George Martin - record producer and mixer, string, brass, clarinet, orchestral arrangements and conducting, piano on “rocky raccoon”
  • Chris Thomas - producer, mellotron on “the continuing story of bungalow bill”, harpsichord on “piggies” and piano on “long, long, long”
  • Geoff Emerick - engineer, vocal on “revolution #1”
  • Ken Scott - principal engineer and mixer

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