The Beatles' White Album As A Single Disc
I got sucked in by an April Fool's Day joke on Easter Sunday. It involved George Martin's son, Giles, releasing a single LP version of The Beatles' White Album in honor of his father in time to celebrate the album's upcoming 50th anniversary. The senior Martin often said that a single LP is what the group should have released instead of the double set they issued late in 1968. You can read the fake news here at The Glass Onion Beatles Journal.
The article started out believable enough, then quickly became ridiculous but, somehow, I was completely fooled. I only realized near the end of the post that I had become an unwitting victim of a hoax.
The good news is the joke gave me an idea to actually create my own single disc version of one of my favorite Fab Four records.
Most people agree with George Martin's assessment but what we don't all agree on is which songs should have made the cut if the band had listened to their producer.
Here is my version.
SIDE 1
Back In The USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Helter Skelter
SIDE 2
Birthday
Honey Pie
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Sexy Sadie
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry
I Will
Julia
My upcoming anniversary edition of the single CD would include a bonus disc with all of the previously unreleased tracks that appeared on the original two record set plus a fully completed, band arrangement of George Harrison's "Not Guilty." This version of the song was never released anywhere until Anthology 3. It was mysteriously left off of the album all those years ago.
The article started out believable enough, then quickly became ridiculous but, somehow, I was completely fooled. I only realized near the end of the post that I had become an unwitting victim of a hoax.
The good news is the joke gave me an idea to actually create my own single disc version of one of my favorite Fab Four records.
Most people agree with George Martin's assessment but what we don't all agree on is which songs should have made the cut if the band had listened to their producer.
Here is my version.
SIDE 1
Back In The USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Helter Skelter
SIDE 2
Birthday
Honey Pie
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Sexy Sadie
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry
I Will
Julia
My upcoming anniversary edition of the single CD would include a bonus disc with all of the previously unreleased tracks that appeared on the original two record set plus a fully completed, band arrangement of George Harrison's "Not Guilty." This version of the song was never released anywhere until Anthology 3. It was mysteriously left off of the album all those years ago.
Isn't that fun? I hope you know of my book, The Death and Life of Mal Evans, which envisions what could have happened if the Beatles had stayed together. I created three fantasy Beatles albums for the 1970s, and it was challenging to put together a believable track list.
ReplyDeleteHere's my single disc White Album:
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Mother Nature's Son
Sexy Sadie
Helter Skelter
Revolution (single version)
Good Night
I also redid Sgt. Pepper (blasphemy!), adding Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane. I ditched Fixing a Hole and Within You, Without You.
I've also done the same thing with many U2 albums...
Great post!
Revising/editing the track list of the White Album to boil it down to a single disc is always a fun game. My version:
ReplyDelete1
Back In The USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Yer Blues
2
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Sexy Sadie
Martha My Dear
Cry Baby Cry
Savoy Truffle
Helter Skelter
Okay Charlie, I'll play.
ReplyDeleteUpon review, this is definitely a stronger record that the actual release. I would also create a deluxe edition with Disc 2 containing the rest of the tracks plus, perhaps, the relevant singles from the period, such as Hey Jude and the single version of Revolution. And I would further offer a super deluxe edition, which would add a third disc containing the Esher Demos.
Side 1:
01 Back In The USSR
02 Dear Prudence
03 Glass Onion
04 Happiness Is A Warm Gun
05 Helter Skelter
06 Yer Blues
07 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Side 2:
01 I Will
02 Martha My Dear
03 Blackbird
04 Rocky Racoon
05 Julia
06 Mother Nature's Son
07 Revolution 1
OOOOOOOOOOOH! Great idea adding the Esher Demos!
Delete