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7.11pm
22 September 2014
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DearSirOrMadam said
I can still remember the December 1968… I got the brand new double-album called “The Beatles”. During the 1st weeks or even months “the best song” used to change… but quite soon Happiness Is A Warm Gun became as a favourite.
You must be ancient, DSoM, because it sounds like I am about the same age.
I too remember the anticipation that preceded the release of any new Beatles album. In the days before social media, and even the Internet, there was only word of mouth, newspaper accounts and anecdotal comments to whet the music lovers’ appetite. Any new album release of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix or, yes, even the Rolling Stones, was considered a major event. Not to mention the Beatles. I can recall like it was yesterday driving to a house off-campus where a party was declared because someone had gotten hold of the White Album .
I have to say that my overall impression of the album was disappointment. The expectations were fueled by Rubber Soul , Revolver and Sgt. Pepper , and everyone thought that the latest album (a double!) would be more of the same, but even better and bigger. I’m sure it’s not a popular view here, but there seemed to be so many frivolous tracks which the lads didn’t take seriously, including Ob-la-Di, Wild Honey Pie , Bungalow Bill, I’m So Tired , Piggies , Why Don’t we Do It in the Road, Long, Long and Revolution 9 . Some of them seemed to be in the mix only so there could be a double album or to test John’s theory that the public would buy anything associated with the Beatles, no matter its quality. Just saying; a common sentiment about the White Album in 1968.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate the great tracks on the album even more, but I still have to agree with George Martin that “I think it could have been made fantastically good if it had been compressed a bit and condensed.”
I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'.
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake, 1997
11.24pm
1 November 2012
Offline The cogency of George Martin’s remark depends on whether one expects a Beatles album to be some kind of perfectly manicured small lawn, or a wondrously luxuriating garden full of bypaths and stone gnomes and gurgling piscines overshrouded by ivy; as the White Album turned out to be.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
12.33am
22 September 2014
Offline Well, ‘Paper, I would suggest that GM’s remark was cogent, even if you don’t agree with it. This thread certainly demonstrates the Internet principle of YMMV, in spades!
Whether the ‘garden’ of the White Album can be fairly characterized as ‘wondrously luxuriant’ depends on your belief that all of its elements have musical or artistic merit. That is where reasonable minds can disagree. A garden which contains nettles, poison ivy and toads as well as orchids, roses and peacock is certainly diverse, but can diversity itself impart beauty? 
I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'.
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake, 1997
1.50am
28 March 2014
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georgiewood said
Over the years, I have come to appreciate the great tracks on the album even more, but I still have to agree with George Martin that “I think it could have been made fantastically good if it had been compressed a bit and condensed.”
I love the whole album, except Revolution 9 and Good Night .
But I think would have unfortunately trimmed even more fat than that, so I’ll gladly enjoy it for what it was and just skip those 2 songs!
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I was the walrus 
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
2.00am
28 March 2014
Offline meanmistermustard said
Supposedly Not Guilty was about the treatment George received from John and Paul, the dealings with Apple, and the fallout from the trip to India and one of the theories goes that it was dropped due to the lyrical content being a little close to home.
Well 
got it out on the Let It Be LP with his “I Me Mine ” song which we all know was about them.
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
3.10am
1 November 2013
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3.40am
1 November 2012
Offline georgiewood — good point: “A garden which contains nettles, poison ivy and toads as well as orchids, roses and peacock is certainly diverse, but can diversity itself impart beauty?”
It does all boil down to taste, I guess. I was kind of focusing on this view that “streamlined” is somehow a necessary virtue (and another dubious virtue is whether a song “means something” or “is going anywhere”).
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georgiewoodFaded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
11.37am
22 September 2014
Offline Could not agree more about the last, @Funny Paper. One of my all-time favorites, I Feel Fine , doesn’t mean anything and doesn’t go anywhere (lyrics-wise), but who could fail to love the brilliance of the intentional feedback transporting into the complementary tone of that riff, played with perfect clarity and energy. It’s exciting! What is the opposite of amüsische?
I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'.
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake, 1997
12.56am
1 November 2012
Offline Hey goergiewood, I’m not sure, but I think it must be musische (the umlauted ü only appears with the alpha privative, I think). I first learned of amüsische from film critic John Simon, who noted its felicitous implication of “amusing”.
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georgiewoodFaded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
9.27pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline Funny Paper said
Hey goergiewood…
Am I the only one who thought, “Hey there, georgiewood, swingin’ down the street so fancy-free”?
Carry on…
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
11.44pm
1 November 2012
Offline I did too Zig…
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ZigFaded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
3.05am
22 September 2014
Offline Zig said
Am I the only one who thought, “Hey there, georgiewood, swingin’ down the street so fancy-free”?
Carry on…
Zig-a-dee-doo-dah, Zig-a-dee-ay….
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Ahhh Girl, ZigI say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'.
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake, 1997
8.56pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline georgiewood said
Zig said
Am I the only one who thought, “Hey there, georgiewood, swingin’ down the street so fancy-free”?
Carry on…Zig-a-dee-doo-dah, Zig-a-dee-ay….
My oh my, have a Zig-a-dee day!
Thanks for the laugh @georgiewood !
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georgiewoodTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
8.50pm
26 August 2015
Offline VeraChuckandDave said
Why does everyone hate on Obla-Di-Obla-Da? Was it because of Johns’ “granny music” remark? Anyways my favourites are Birthday ,Happiness Is A Warm Gun , While My Guitar Gently Weeps ,Blackbird , Back In The USSR .
Great Songs, But John’s Granny Remark Was For “When I’m 64” On Pepper…..
"The Only Lyrics That Made Me Cry Were "I Don't Believe In Beatles, The Dream Is Over - RingoStarrDrums
8.54pm
26 August 2015
Offline mithveaen said
*looking at avatar*
ROFLMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Only one word : AWESOME!!
LOLOLOLOL Looks like Yoko
"The Only Lyrics That Made Me Cry Were "I Don't Believe In Beatles, The Dream Is Over - RingoStarrDrums
8.01am
28 July 2015
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My favorites include Blackbird , While My Guitar Gently Weeps , Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and Back In The USSR . Some of my least include Revolution 9 (for obvious reasons), and Wild Honey Pie .
12.59pm
28 March 2014
Offline I really just love this whole album for it’s individuality. It’s my Fav Beatles LP
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
5.41pm
29 August 2015
Offline 12.51pm
22 July 2015
Offline Favorites : Happiness Is A Warm Gun , The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
Why does everyone not like TCSBB??
Anyway, least favorite is Cry Baby Cry or Honey Pie
1.22pm
3 August 2014
Offline I find TCSBB a bit silly. It doesn’t have any really nice individual guitar/drum/keyboard/bass parts and it has even sillier than normal lyrics. But I agree with you about Cry Baby Cry , for me it is in a different class. I just love that simple Em descending riff John does as he’s singing ‘The king of marigold is in the kitchen… The words are also a it wacky but I never get bored with it. It has a nice interesting bass line if you listen 🙂 I like Honey Pie too and on the subject of bass lines, Honey Pie is a great song to pom pom along to in the shower. You have to isolate the bass in your head, I always wish I had a tuba!
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