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Post by musicismyradar on Mar 13, 2009 0:58:24 GMT
Hi guys, I run a music website called Gobshout. One of our members just published an excellent piece on his attempt to prove or disprove George Martins classic opinion that they should have let me put The White Album onto a single disc. Just wanted to get an opinion on what you guys-the real fans thought about it. Any feedback, positive of negative is welcome! Link is here: www.gobshout.com/Home/Your_Shout/Features/Article.html?art=620Thanks, David
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zipp
What Goes On In Your Heart
Posts: 97
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Post by zipp on Mar 13, 2009 22:10:25 GMT
Too many Paul songs. Three Paul songs in a row at one point! Given the tastes of your member he should try :
USSR Prudence Glass Onion Ob-La-Di Bungalow Bill While My Guitar Happiness Martha Blackbird Don't Pass Me By Julia Yer Blues Mother Nature Helter Skelter Hidden Track : Rev 1 extended version
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Post by musicismyradar on Mar 13, 2009 22:52:37 GMT
to miss out rocky racoon though...? surely a travesty??
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BlueMeanie
For A Number Of Things
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
Posts: 606
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Post by BlueMeanie on Mar 14, 2009 7:11:37 GMT
Making TWA into a single album isn't about picking your favourite songs, or necessarily the 'best' songs. It's all about the flow, and if that means that some 'essential' songs have to be left out, then so be it. There are always singles. b-sides, and EP's. I spent some time on this and here's what I came up with:
Back In The U.S.S.R. While My Guitar Gently Weeps I Will Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey I'm So Tired Martha My Dear Yer Blues (22.13)
Revolution 1 Blackbird Sexy Sadie Happiness Is A Warm Gun Long, Long, Long Helter Skelter (20.34)
I've had this arrangement on my iPod for a couple of weeks now, and it seems to work pretty well. I've paid no attention to the number of Paul song's vs John's, and there's no Ringo song. All I was concerned with was making a 40+ minute album of two sides that worked. In fact, I've left a couple of my favourite songs off: 'Ob-Bla-Di', and 'Glass Onion'. And I'm not over fond of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', but it seems to work coming right after 'Back In The USSR'. Heaven knows why 'Ob-Bla-Di' wasn't released as a single in the UK and US, if Marmalade can have a huge hit with it think how many The Beatles would have sold.
David, I read your friends article, but what I couldn't understand was why someone would go to so much trouble, and then disregard the fact that it has to fit neatly on two sides of vinyl:
"I gave myself only one rule: I'm not going to be pissing about with a stopwatch and a CD burner, so I've tried this numerically. The White Album has 30 tracks. An edited version will therefore have 15."
I really think it defeats the object to take no notice of sequencing. Fun though.
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zipp
What Goes On In Your Heart
Posts: 97
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Post by zipp on Mar 14, 2009 10:19:06 GMT
Of course you're right Blue Meanie but I was using more or less the information in the article and the hidden track was a joke.
I doubt they would have put Rev 1 on a single album since Rev was already out on Hey Jude and they'd have preferred all new songs.
I'm pleased you gave Rocky the push too.And, despite what you say, I think a bit of personal choice always comes into it.
The only thing people sem to agree on is that it would start with USSR. After that I've never seen a general agreement on the tracks to be kept.
Incidentally, don't you think they should have given the album a title?
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BlueMeanie
For A Number Of Things
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
Posts: 606
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Post by BlueMeanie on Mar 14, 2009 10:33:33 GMT
Of course you're right Blue Meanie but I was using more or less the information in the article and the hidden track was a joke. I realised that! I doubt they would have put Rev 1 on a single album since Rev was already out on Hey Jude and they'd have preferred all new songs. Highly likely. But I was attempting to put a record together that flowed. What to have instead? Dear Prudence, maybe. The only thing people sem to agree on is that it would start with USSR. After that I've never seen a general agreement on the tracks to be kept. Incidentally, don't you think they should have given the album a title? USSR is a great opener, possibly their best after 'I Saw Her Standing There'. You should try WMGGW as track 2, it works surprisingly well.
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zipp
What Goes On In Your Heart
Posts: 97
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Post by zipp on Mar 14, 2009 14:29:19 GMT
Ok, I've just had a listen. It works OK but I'd probably keep it for later in the album. The main conclusion I've come to at the moment is to start side one with USSR and finish with Happiness then start side two with Prudence and end with Helter Skelter. These songs give a group feel to the album. In between it's not easy but I think they'd have kept a Ringo song and two George songs to keep everyone happy at a time of group tension. I tried putting Don't Pass Me By just after Ob-La-Di and it works pretty well with the chatty 'thank you' going nicely into the squiggly organ intro to Ringo's song.
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Post by musicismyradar on Mar 14, 2009 14:58:30 GMT
blue meanie: that's an interesting point actually. He's a real music buff too! I think he was trying to make it a bit easier for himself (which could go against the whole point...?)
also, the album you have done is lot more complete as an album, I believe. For instance, your second side has a nice, drifting lilt to it, before the blitz of Helter Skelter. It's always difficult with Beatles tracks, because people have such defined personal identification with songs that they can't face leaving them out (even if its for the greater good...)
interesting no-ones included 'Piggies'. Its a tough one to include in such a small tracklisting. There could be a line of thought that this proves George Martin's point?
Playing Devils Advocate.....
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BlueMeanie
For A Number Of Things
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
Posts: 606
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Post by BlueMeanie on Mar 15, 2009 3:20:32 GMT
Piggies is pants. It was easy for me to leave out. You have to think of the greater good.
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Post by musicismyradar on Mar 15, 2009 13:08:04 GMT
see i quite like Piggies. But not on a single disc!
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alexis
I'll Be On My Way
Posts: 447
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Post by alexis on Mar 15, 2009 15:51:25 GMT
I rather like Piggies too. It was one of the earlier songs I learned piano to, there's either a harpsichord sound in there, or at least I imagined one to play along to!
Though it's been a long time since I've heard it, and I don't remember all the details much, other things I remember liking about it are:
1) Paul's "operatic" harmony (was it in "eat the bacon"?). 2) Going to the minor chord at the very end of the song. 3) Chord/key changes for the middle eight ("In their eyes there's something lacking, what they need's a damn good whacking!"). 4) Unusual/fun ending ("One more time ... strings-la-la-la"). 5. Transitons nicely into Rocky Racoon.
So, IMO, it's certainly OK as a Beatles song. Not to say whether it should or should not be on a single White Album, I'm not good at figuring that sort of stuff out. But I like it lots more than some other Beatles tunes!
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Post by musicismyradar on Mar 18, 2009 23:39:25 GMT
see, there's the tricky part. if you look at the songs you'd have to drop for it on the single, its hard to justify
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JS2
What Goes On In Your Heart
GOO GOO G'JOOB!
Posts: 55
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Post by JS2 on Mar 31, 2009 19:19:50 GMT
15 tracks? Just sort tracks into pairs, and combine them!
JS2 out.
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Post by mannamedlear on Dec 14, 2009 5:32:01 GMT
I have come up with a list of my own. It's not compiled of the songs I like most, rather what I think would "work" the best. With the exception of the superbly noticeable "airplane" at the beginning of "Prudence", I think this flows decently.
1. Back in the USSR 2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 4. Don't Pass Me By 5. I'm So Tired 6. Blackbird 7. Happiness is a Warm Gun - - - - - 8. Birthday 9. Dear Prudence 10. Julia 11. Yer Blues 12. Martha My Dear 13. Sexy Sadie 14. Helter Skelter
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elementrypenguin
I'll Be On My Way
Living is Easy with eyes closed...
Posts: 155
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Post by elementrypenguin on Dec 18, 2009 20:25:37 GMT
1. Back In The Ussr 2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 3. Rocky Raccoon 5. Dear Prudence 6. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da 7. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
8. Yer Blues 9. Don't Pass Me By 10. Long Long Long 11. Birthday 12. Sexy Sadie 13. Savoy Truffle 14. Martha My Dear 15. Helter Skelter
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doug
And That's A Start
Posts: 5
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Post by doug on Jan 21, 2010 5:57:49 GMT
This took me no time at all:
Back In The USSR Dear Prudence Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill While My Guitar Gently Weeps Happiness Is A Warm Gun Martha My Dear I'm So Tired Blackbird Rocky Racoon Julia Birthday Yer Blues Sexy Sadie Helter Skelter
I could probably do with Sadie, Blues, and Julia too...
I didn't include Revolution for the fact that a better version was already out...
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Post by stevemac on Jan 26, 2010 5:20:49 GMT
I've got multiple single-disk White Album playlists on my iPod, and they're pretty much covered by other people's suggestions! But what I did after reading the list is created two more, focusing not on best songs, most played songs, or favorite songs (even if quirky). Instead, I did one that focuses on the harder edged songs, and one that is softer (and they're cool to listen to this way). The White Album with an edge: Side A (21:05) 1. Back in the USSR 2. Why Don't We Do It In the Road 3. Yer Blues 4. Everybody's Got Something to Hide. . . 5. Sexy Sadie 6. Glass Onion 7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps Side B (20.07) 1. Happiness Is a Warm Gun 2. Birthday 3. Revolution 1 4. Savoy Truffle 5. Cry Baby Cry 6. Helter Skelter (Great way to leave the album!) And a softer album: Side A (20:37) 1. Can You Take Me Back/Blackbird (I really like this combination ) 2. I'm So Tired 3. Piggies 4. Dear Prudence 5. Martha My Dear 6. Sexy Sadie 7. Mother Nature's Son 8. I Will Side B (21:40) 1. Ob-La-Di 2. Rocky Raccoon 3. Julia 4. Long, Long, Long 5. Honey Pie 6. Cry Baby Cry 7. Good Night If you really want to have fun (and haven't come across this site already), go to www.turnmeondeadman.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=57, follow the pages, and have a great time!
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Post by trawicki on Jun 15, 2010 15:42:02 GMT
Side 1 Side 2 1. Back in the USSR 2:43 1. Birthday 2:42 2. Dear Prudence 3:56 2. I'm So Tired 2:03 3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 3:08 3. Mother Nature's Son 2:48 4. While My Guitar G. W.4:45 4. Helter Skelter 4:29 5. Martha My Dear 2:28 5. Revolution 1 4:15 6. Blackbird 2:18 6. Cry Baby Cry 3:10 7. I Will 1:46 7. Good Night 3:11 8. Julia 2:54
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