I am ready for another revisionism. This time I will like this album, but selectively.
When it came out, I listened pretty uncritically. But I did think it was dark, disturbed, and disturbing, with plenty of violence (“Bungalow Bill”, “Rocky Raccoon”, “Happiness is a Warm Gun”).
Later, in the punk era, I was revulsed. No Elvis, Beatles, or Rolling Stones. (Or in a more charitable mood- “I was in love with the Beatles.”)
Now - I will amuse myself by creating a one-record version with the songs I think worth keeping.
Worth keeping, and would have made a pretty kick-ass Beatles album:
Back in the USSR (Paul)
Dear Prudence (John)
Glass Onion (John)
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George)
Blackbird (Paul)
I Will (Paul)
Julia (John)
Mother Nature’s Son (Paul)
Sexy Sadie (John)
Helter Skelter (Paul)
Long, Long, Long (George)
Revolution 1 (John)
Cry Baby Cry (John)
Good Night (John, w/ Ringo on vocals)
Throw away: (In today’s terms, “White Album Deluxe Edition”):
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Paul)
Wild Honey Pie (Paul)
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (John)
Happiness Is a Warm Gun (John)
Martha My Dear (Paul)
I’m So Tired (John)
Piggies (George)
Rocky Raccoon (Paul)
Don’t Pass Me By (Ringo)
Why Don’t We Do It In the Road? (Paul)
Birthday (Paul)
Yer Blues (John)
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey (John)
Honey Pie (Paul)
Savoy Truffle (George)
Revolution 9 (John)
I never understood Revolution 9. I know it was experimental but rather than revolutionary I found it revolting. Agree with most of the others on the throw away list although I do like Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da but probably because Olivia loves singing it.
ReplyDeleteThere's definitely a strain of children's music on the White Album - a Facebook commenter said her kids love "Rocky Raccoon." As for Revolution 9, it's hard to judge the success of that kind of experiment but if the measure of success is "you want to listen to it again" it failed.
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