The Beatles Nightmare Recording The White Album

[@mpemberton7760]

The White Album may not be the Beatles' best album, but it's my favorite because it's a sort of chaotic journey into the world of a band that was falling apart at the seams . The songs are tender and personal, wild and unrestrained, straight up rockers and straight up ballads, blues and country, intelligent and stupid, witty and ridiculous, sublime and heavy. They threw just about everything they could churn out into a musical stew and let it cook into a glorious mess of a double LP. That's why I love it!

[@danholm4952]

Disagree, its their best album IMO

[@SADFORIAN]

White Album is my favorite too. It would be my choice if I could only keep just one Beatles album. If Let it Be and Abbey Road were a double album, then that'd be the one.

[@mpemberton7760]

@@danholm4952 ok

[@bubbajones6907]

It's amazing that under these conditions they still produced one of the best albums of all time.

[@RUfromthe40s]

i think is one of their best albums and i can understand some saying that isn´t good but it as some of the best beatles songs like my guitar gently weeps, revolutuion 1 or 2 and many others i was going to start writting and all songs have interest was also a change in the way beatles composed their songs ,there are stories about it but what matters is that all came alive from john lennon country house near london after a well passed weekend or week what they did or didn´t do there only concerns to them not us we only have the right to hear what was done as a real four menber band working together

[@RogerPeet]

I remember buying The White Album, as soon as it came out. I was 12. Me and my brothers opened the album in my bedroom and played it on my little plastic record player. I was the most excited because my brothers were not into music, and I was the only one that played an instrument (alto-sax). Oh, and I saw The Beatles, Live on my 9th b-day ! Aug1965Portland OR The Beatles can do no wrong and I love everything about The White Album. I wasn't that upset when they broke up. They had given the World soo much, already. People grow and move on.

[@LSUOdyssey]

Imagine being "not into music" 😂😂😂😂😂 terrible shit life

[@michaelwandell2533]

Do you remember much about the concert? Pretty loud I imagine. Mostly from screaming girls. Haha. That's awesome man.

[@Kjt853]

I’m fuming with jealousy! I was 15 when the White Album was released, so I was 12 when the Beatles toured the US in ‘65, but my parents thought I was too young to see them when they played at Suffolk Downs (outside Boston), even though my older brother got to go. 😤 Many years later, however, a woman I worked with told me that she had been to the Suffolk Downs concert, but the screaming was so loud, you could barely hear them, and the stage was set up so far away from the audience that you could hardly see them. That gave me some consolation.

[@RogerPeet]

@@Kjt853 I'm sorry that happened or didn't happen to you. In Portland, there were 2 shows that day, 3:30 pm and 8 pm. I went to the first show. It was indoors, 12,000 people. I was very lucky, but I never talked about it because people didn't believe me or I made people feel bad, which I didn't want to do. They were on stage for 35 mins so it was over way too soon. Take care.

[@meeeka]

It was the only record my mom ever bought me and the last present she ever bought me; she became paralysed by MS in a month or two. I so loved it. But one day, I came home from school and found that the lyric sheet had been removed; why? Because of John and Yoko's naked pictures. I was 11; I couldn't see naked people yet ... or ever. We took that white album everywhere and soon the white cover looked like the bottom of a parkinglot floor. So we mixed up some dark blue paint and finger painted the covers. By the time I finished high school, the discs looked like we'd been eating pizzas on them.

[@frankbonarrigo6086]

Ilong , long , long is an underrated gem

[@rickbrenner6079]

Absolutely. It’s my favorite song from the White Album. The song gets no love and it should, as it’s REALLY good.

[@PaulFormentos]

My God Paul Paul is dead

[@lestermolecule9388]

Couldn’t agree more 👍

[@thermionic1234567]

It’s also very-well and very-intimately recorded. Dynamic range, imaging and tessitura are fantastic. I’m in the audio industry and it is a go-to song when testing equipment and tubes.

[@mattscanlon2541]

Long, Long, Long is so sensitive and unique, it became one of my 2-3 favorites of all George's masterpieces. If it doesn't touch your soul, then you don't have one.

[@sawboss216]

Even with all the chaos brewing in the band. The White Album is a masterpiece.

[@oldestgamer]

no, it isn't.

[@KebabMusicLtd]

@@oldestgamer No, its even better than that.

[@oldestgamer]

@@KebabMusicLtd Sorry, no Beatles fans would consider that album to be a masterpiece, not even the boys would think that!

[@SKYSAW59]

20% GREAT.. 80% UTTER SHIT.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@SKYSAW59 did you were with them at the time to know about it ,it sems a lot of people here were close friends to one or all of them, i wouldn´t call a masterpiece but one of the best albuns imagine one record only it would be the best for some

[@P.Galore]

Even under the worst of circumstances, The Beatles created genius work.

[@goplad1]

Such B.S. Just because it's the Beatles they don't get a free pass when they don't live up to their reputation. The White Album is a mess. Far, far from genius. That word has become a word that can describe the most mediocre music. I don't see how the White Album can be classified as genius. Flawed works better.

[@PaulFormentos]

@@goplad1 The backmasking on minor tunes like Birthday and Do It in the road is very well done

[@izmee6852]

@@goplad1hating fool. It’s anything more than you have ever done. Lmaooo

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

@@goplad1 Do you have ALL of Hall and Oates recordings, including the rare B sides and bootlegs? Yes, I'm sure you do.

[@albertotroncoso5641]

Life Magazine described them as: " the best abilities and the worst tendencies". And it has been captures in the White Album.

[@echo-boy9649]

I'm so glad I was young, and unaware of any of the drama. The White Album was perfect. Perfect.

[@ursaminorjim]

And it still is! 😀

[@kevdmiller]

For all the chaos, I love it. And I'm glad George Martin didn't get his way. It's a great double album. Sure, not all the songs are objectively great.. but those songs are good transitional pieces. Short and sweet bits that flow nicely into other songs. A double album doesn't need to be lean and immaculate. When you've got some room to play with, it can be a little messy and that can be part of the magic.

[@stephenking3356]

@@kevdmiller Yeah Martin added a lot to other Beatle recordings, but he was dead wrong about wanting to chop off half of this album. The White album allowed them to stretch out and explore, and that made it fascinating.

[@kevdmiller]

@@stephenking3356 hell yeah! It would have been a great one-disc album...but I'm really glad we got the version we did.

[@FortYeah]

Yep. I still remember around 1982, the shock after the Red and Blue albums. All night long changing the sides of the 2 records and going to sleep after an endless listening.I don't think i will ever recover from the White Album.

[@robyoung9968]

I love this album, one of my favorite albums really.

[@vinnysamways63]

Favourite

[@Ron-l9d]

I could agree "one of" as well being they are all my favorite albums. I don't want to imagine a world where any Beatles album didn't exist.

[@brianwarner308]

ya me too

[@Ghoopty]

Fantastic video. Paul’s referring to it as “The Tension Album” seems accurate given the information. And the amazing thing is YOU CAN HEAR THAT in the album! There is an unease, an eerieness that pervades throughout. My 2nd favorite next to Revolver.

[@Chriswatney]

The White Albums always been my favourite Beatles record. It’s incredibly eclectic and wonderfully imaginative.. some fantastic tunes that possibly wouldn’t have ever come to life had they worked together as one. Great video too btw - really well put together mate.. interesting, informative and nicely paced! 👏🏻

[@gannonb4u]

I'm 70 yrs old and remember seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 ( I was 10 yr old then) (we only have a 10" black and white tv we kept on the kitchen table) The White Album is a great album for the simple fact that it is far above the Beatles songs that made them famous in the US such as I Want To Hold Your Hand, All my Lovin', (And yet these songs where great for that time)

[@DanSchroeder-j5r]

The stuff about Blackbird being recorded outdoors is wrong, it was all done in the studio. The birds are from a sound effects tape. God bless Geoff Emerick but his book has a whole bunch of factual errors.

[@hepphepps8356]

Yeah, Paul actually did it in the backyard of AR around 1980(?) for some TV thing. Emerick got it mixed up. Ken Scott recorded the 1968 original.

[@robh5601]

He says most bird sounds are added after. Tit

[@tylerthompson1842]

Not to mention the bird sounds are very obvious overdubs

[@DanBurroso]

Geoff wasn't too fond of George and John from what I read in his book

[@KenLieck]

@@robh5601 Are you sure the birds were tits? Blackbirds sound very different from tits.

[@ChrisJohnson-c3s]

I think Ringo singing good night is one of the most beautiful endings to a remarkable album ever❤

[@mikephalen3162]

I agree. Thanks to John for thinking of Ringo.

[@Ron-l9d]

@@mikephalen3162 They all loved Ringo.

[@dennisdezarn5895]

It sounds like the ending of a great old Disney Cartoon Film that never was.

[@ivanconnolly7332]

IT includes the lines "You was in a car crash and you lost your hair ", exactly describing what happened to Phil Spector in the 70's.

[@fearsomename4517]

Even with all the drama The Beatles created a masterpiece.

[@hejla4524]

A shout out to the engineers and producers who had to put up with working with the Beatles.

[@goplad1]

Emerick couldn't take anymore. The Beatles were on a huge ego trip and could barely stand to be in the same room together. The White Album was the precursor to the Beatles inevitable breakup.

[@roba7737]

Yoko Ono has to be one of the homliest women I've ever seen. John, what were you thinking? Must have been the acid.

[@abc456f]

​@@roba7737The heroin.

[@spaceghost8995]

Try living with my ex-wife.

[@sydbarrett6762]

@@roba7737 John wanted and needed a strong woman to take over his life and especially his finances. Yoko was more than glad to fill that role.

[@thecallshop]

The White Album is an absolute masterpiece. The challenges creating it, the disputes behind the scenes, the relationship going to hell in hand basket before their very eyes, all contribute to its greatness. A wildly emotional album that blew me away as a teenager, describing in sonic poetry the anguish of growing up

[@Lethgar_Smith]

What they should've done was take a year off from each other, each produce their own solo album, then get back to together and be the Beatles again. Time was simply moving too fast for them. They had to grow up, grow old and get tired of each other all in a span of just 10 years. They each changed and grew so much during that 10 year time span. Way more than most of us do.

[@mattscanlon2541]

It’s an interesting take, but I think their individual growth as individuals and musicians meant it was too late for the lads to return as The Beatles we knew. Still, I rejoice in their individual efforts on this album, then struggling thru the Let It Be sessions and coming back w/ an individual and The Beatles magic 11:40 encompassed in Abbey Road, a new gift to us all unlike any of their others.

[@rupertschwarz1176]

I guess they would never have banded together again. Instead they recorded Let it Be and in a last full effort Abbey Road.

[@sstrauss415]

Well said. I also agree with George Martin who said that he thought there was enough good material for a single album. I have been a Beatles fan from the first time I heard them when they were on the AM radio. I still listen to them -- everything up to the White album. Lots of good songs but it never felt like the other albums. I also wish they had rerecorded Back In the USSR with Ringo. Nothing against Paul, but he aint Ringo.

[@mattscanlon2541]

@@sstrauss415 Considering the ever-increasing acrimony and John's often irrational behavior, the majority of the songs the lads created on The Beatles ran the gamut of individuality and uniqueness. Frankly, I think we were and are very fortunate that they didn't dissolve by the end of 1967. To me The Beatles, Let It Be and Abbey Road are all quite different albums, and a long w/ their singles put out in 1968-69, they left us w/ a treasure trove of incredible music that most of us still cherish today. ✌🌈☯

[@matthewbudzinski8320]

It took about 8 years for them to even listen to the idea of working together and George was still against it at that point, I think Ringo was either in or about to hit a rehab clinic. A year or so later, John was murdered.

[@frankbonarrigo6086]

Dear prudence is a master piece

[@matthewbudzinski8320]

Worked out the chords structures with Donavan who I crafted this entire sentence for to give him some recognition due the fact he's a musical wizard.

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

@@matthewbudzinski8320 Other than showing Lennon how to claw-hammer on the guitar Donavan had nothing to do with the musical structure of DP. Zero.

[@matthewbudzinski8320]

@@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh I stand corrected and also by my original claim Donovan was a wizard.

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

@@matthewbudzinski8320 Seasons of the Witch was a masterpiece :-)

[@alexanderewing3779]

Forget the mythology and just enjoy the music. Everything else, is just a distraction!

[@randall1571]

The White Album was the beginning of the end for the Beatles because of the internal friction and stress going on with the band during the recording of the album but having said that this turned out to be a remarkable musical experience for the greatest band in the history of rock pop music I remember the first time I listened to it, it blew my mind, incredibly versatile one song different from the next there will never be anything like it again a timeless classic, the Beatles will never be forgotten!

[@RamblesBrambles]

The Beatles?

[@alanjohnmarshall4471]

Paul is dead !!. No he's not. He's just exhausted counting our money. Wonder who Yoko steals chocolate biscuits from now ?.

[@Ron-l9d]

@@alanjohnmarshall4471 Of course it was easy to leave the most sucessful rock band in history because a GF ate another band members cracker or sat on an amp. Granted George was more pissed off then Paul. Ringo was just like "whatever..."

[@Ron-l9d]

As far as Paul being dead... seems he was the last one to know so he just lived on. I hope I never get the memo of my own death and can milk more time out of life 😉

[@aunch3]

This is very well done I know a lot about the Beatles and the White Album but I still learned some new things from this video

[@arnesaknussemm2427]

Likewise.

[@Ron-l9d]

Which is why I keep watching Beatles KZbins. Never know when one will get to something I didn't know even thinking there was nothing left to know.

[@mwmeier7677]

Expertly edited. Extremely, well-sourced. Securely tied together by narration that tells its story, faithfully. Yours is among the very best Beatle-docs. Many thanks!

[@filmretrospective63]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lisastillwagon425]

I had no idea there was so much behind the scene fighting going on in Abbey Road Studio between The Beatles, negatively affecting George Martin and the Sound Engineers during the production of The White Album, after the trip to India. With all of these awesome musical talents and sound engineers that worked together in harmony before The Beatles’ Trip to India, it would had been better not to go the Guru’s Compound in India, in the first place. 😢

[@barbaraferron7994]

I'm glad it was all real footage too many videos nowadays are full of fake AI images.

[@williamstockman1980]

Need caption

[@alramone1]

@@lisastillwagon425 Geoff Emerick's book about this period is very revealing.

[@kabiam]

Good Ole Magic Alex. What would of The Beatles have done without him.

[@PaulFormentos]

Ole Alex dad was to do with Greek military coup

[@jumpstar9000]

Good old Alex. I just made a cheese toasty. It was very nice. Haven't had one for ages.

[@lensquires6580]

Thank you, lots of laughter I had watching this. Some of the scripting reminds me of scenes right out of that great Mockumentary, "The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash." Lots of great songs on the White Album. I had a band in high school in 1971. I used to lead sing. As I got older and learned guitar the song that still brings a smile to my face is playing "Rocky Raccoon." Especially when: "The doctor comes in stinking of gin and proceeded to lie on the table... (Favorite verse) There are lots of emotions in Beatle songs, and they run the full spectrum of the human scale. Love, anger, peace, happiness, and yes, lots of humor...🎸😃

[@canalesworks1247]

I wanted to reserve judgement but you nailed it. This is just like the Rutles parody...a lot of hype. The Album itself is great. Sure there are a couple of off tracks, but on the whole it's a fantastic album.

[@lensquires6580]

And "Magic Alex." X TV repair man and "John's new guru." Yeow, please write more about him and his influence with the Beatles. There has to be more stories on that guy! Paint that turns anything invisible, and X-ray glasses that can see through walls. He seemed to have more influence on the Beatles than the Maharishi did! Wonder if John ever wrote a song about him. " Alex talking gibberish, and John going along with him and pretending he understood what he was saying.." (I'm laughing almost insanely as I write this.) Did Magic Alex ever design a new Beatles recording studio?😃😃

[@canalesworks1247]

@@lensquires6580 He did. And it didn't work. George Martin had to supervise the installation of functional equipment in the same space.

[@lensquires6580]

Amazing. And It's fascinating that George Martin was probably "on to" Magic Alex from the beginning. But with the respect that the Beatles had for George Martin and the previous success he'd been with them with earlier album engineering it's hard to understand their thinking in not trusting his judgment. But with your excellent analysis of what was happening during the sessions, and with the reported alcohol and whatever else was going on (when they weren't fighting and "critiquing" each-others musical abilities) I guess it makes sense Magic Alex would fit right in. But please forgive me for not mentioning the beginning of this "Nightmare Story," Alan Stag! , shades of the Rutles!)"Clueless, arrogant and rude" (Here comes the laughter again) Turning off the power to Pink Floyds recording session because they went over 10:00 PM. Okay, I'm done. 😃

[@canalesworks1247]

@@lensquires6580 George Martin got screwed in the power struggle between the individual Beatles. John saw Pepper as "Paul's triumph" and seemed to hold George Martin responsible for the power shift. All Martin was trying to do is produce good records, per the Beatles high quality of songwriting. It was Martin who presented the notion that their songs were more like classical music scores, and that even the arrangements needed to be cemented as definitive, much in the way classical composers decide upon specifc orchestral choices, counterpoint etc. IMO Beatles sngs are ruined by those who cover them. The original recordings are the way they should be performed, much like a Beethoven symphony is performed. Of course I am a classical musician so I bring that bias to the table. That's why I prefer the Analogues to all other Beatles cover groups. Stones songs? Give me Tina Turner's covers, or even the Devo version of Satisfaction over the originals any day.

[@sekos99]

What's amazing to me in retrospect is that this album was made only about four and a half years after their first appearance on Ed Sullivan. Living through that period in real time, it seemed like so much more time had elapsed. Their artistic evolution was truly phenomenal. There will never again be anything like The Beatles.

[@erniericardo8140]

Ive been watching your videos, they are excellent 👍 but this episode was Superb 👌 Love the way your narrate your music documentarys 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@filmretrospective63]

Thank you so much!

[@jeffro4kag206]

So glad I found your channel! Absolutely riveting from start to finish.

[@the4thway51]

Maybe its the 'turmoil' that made it such a revolutionary double album. It remains one of the most turned on mixes ever made, an unintentional masterpiece .

[@jamesbrice6619]

It's no masterpiece. It's inferior to their best albums

[@aquamarine99911]

@@jamesbrice6619 Well that's just like, your opinion, man.

[@georgelucas2571]

@@aquamarine99911 Nah he’s right. Still one of the best albums ever made, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Sgt Pepper’s, Rubber Soul, Abbey Road, or Revolver.

[@aquamarine99911]

@@georgelucas2571 Wow, another opinion! And you're perfectly entitled to it, sir. Please tell me you recognize the difference between your personal opinions about art, and factual reality. It is my personal opinion that Pepper is a relatively poor album musically, which is overrated because it dropped at just the right time in terms of zeitgeist. And Abbey Road is weighed down by the trifecta of mid on the first side that is Octopus, Oh Darling and Maxwell. That Revolver is always a disappointing listen because the good songs are too short and don't have room to breathe - the boys were still in their three minute pop song phase. Rubber Soul is great but not in the same league as White Album. But taste is subjective.

[@georgelucas2571]

@@aquamarine99911 I ain’t reading all that, kid.

[@Bigeazy87]

The "Buffalo Springfield Again" album showed that band members didn't have to be unified to create a great album. Like the Beatles, Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young produced solo recordings and they became the album. Both albums were great, but ultimately both bands were finished within a year of those albums. Thank you for the great video!

[@Ron-l9d]

Which I why I wonder that so many make a big deal out of the Beatles breaking up. Of course it would have been nice if they would have been able to produce great music for longer but lasting a decade with a band consisting of essentially four talented and charismatic frontmen is quite a feat only to be amazed by that it lasted that long.

[@motorbikemuso]

So hard to choose a favourite Beatles album, but I took and played the "White" album, on cassette, for a lengthy campervan trip through France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland in 1990 because its varietyand length made it a good soundtrack for days on the road.

[@meredithinserra4670]

I became a Beatles fan in 1974 I think. I was just an adolescent, maybe 13 or 14 years old, and I had been playing guitar for a year or two. My mom told me my dad liked the Beatles, so I started to explore their works. I was hooked. I bought myself a 2-volume songbook collection of Beatles' songs and played through both volumes on the guitar, memorizing some songs and performing them for friends later on. In fact, I credit those songbooks for increasing my chord vocabulary and learning some music theory along the way by transposing songs into a key better for my voice and discovering how chords worked together. Since that time in the 70s, the Beatles have cemented their status as music legends, having influenced and inspired countless other musicians around the world.

[@joaquinconesasierra4087]

This album was my favorite at that time, it broke with all the previus psychedelic , listening to it seemed to me that John had returned

[@strangebrew1231]

I read in an article someone saying "if you didn't know the history behind the White Album you'd assume the band making it was having the time of their lives" and I feel like that's accurate because of the sheer variety of music it has

[@Agripapost]

Love each of these anecdotes. Really shine some light on aspects of the band you won’t hear about in any official media.

[@wonder6789]

It may have been hell to record, but the result is heaven and that's all that really matters.

[@PaulFormentos]

Or hell in reverse of some tunes on there

[@Turnheadcough]

Sure to fans but Beatles didn’t last too long did they so i guess it does matter

[@ronniechilds2002]

My hard-core obsession with the Beatles began with this record. I was 17 and a senior in high school when it came out. I gave it to my sister as a Christmas gift because I knew I could listen to it whenever I wanted. I had been a fan since Ed Sullivan, but they kinda lost me for a while during the Rubber Soul-Revolver-Pepper era. Looking back, I think this music was above my maturity level, and frankly 'I Am The Walrus' and 'Strawberry Fields' scared the crap out of me. But the songs on the 'White Album' grabbed me and held me and still haven't let go, along with the rest of their music. The 'White Album' was a turning point for me, and I have to say it changed my life for good.

[@malkismuseum]

8 copies of the white album and you tell me stuff I didn’t know !!!! Hats off to you sir

[@jeffphakenewz8556]

I think that's more than I've had. What slays me to this day is that, at 14, I spray-painted my original White Album metallic blue. Looks good, but messed with history. D'oh!!!

[@SteveSteeleSoundSymphony]

The White Album is The Beatles best album, imo. Why? The excellence in diversity. They take on so many styles and they do it well. It’s intense, (Helter Skelter, Piggies, Happiness is a Warm Gun), fun (Birthday, Back in the USSR, Everybody’s got something to hide, Savoy Truffle, Ob-La-Di), sentimental, (Dear Prudence, Julia, Goodnight), Bizarre, (Glass Onion, Revolution 9, Honey Pie, Why don’t we do it in the road), stories, (Rocky Raccoon, The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill), ballads, (While My Guitar Gently Weeps, I’m So Tired), ambient, (Long Long Long), Blues, (Yer Blues, Revolution 1,) Vaudeville, (Martha My Dear), country, (Don’t Pass me By), and other great songs, (Sexy Sadie, Cry Baby Cry, Mother Natures Son). To me, there’s not a bad song. Even the so-called filler songs servers a purpose. On top of that many of Abbey Road’s songs were written during this period. It’s definitely The Beatles most creative period with the most output.

[@KenLieck]

You call it diverse, I call it fractured. The few songs that work for me REALLY FUKKING WORK (USSR, for instance, is both brilliant rock and roll but also a comedy song with great jokes -- Raccoon & Bungo Bill almost make me forget the Fabs could even be brilliantly funny) but the bulk of the tracks are inferior versions of ideas they did better elsewhere. And in some cases I flat out admit I just hate the name Prudence, for instance. I wish I could enjoy it as much as you do, but hey, there's plenty more Beatles stuff I do love so no problem.

[@jimbommarito6797]

Under "Bizarre", you have "Honey Pie", which a throwback sentimental. I'd bet you probably meant "Wild Honey Pie", which is, in fact, bizarre and not otherwise mentioned in your posting.

[@rhinohoudini3320]

I can understand why you picked it as your favorite, but mine is Abbey Road.

[@Ron-l9d]

@@rhinohoudini3320 I could never pick a favorite Beatles album as I feel they are all equal masterpieces in their own right and perfect for the time. However with Abbey Road I personally feel that was all of them at their best studio wise. Perfect way to go at. At their best and leaving fans wanting more. But with that said I can not consider it my favorite. Just one of so many favorites. Heck even picking a favorite Beatles top 10 songs would be tough for me. Top 100 a bit easier lol.

[@DrewBlankMusic]

Thanks for this video, it is excellent content. Amazing to consider how prolific each of these dudes are as songwriters.

[@samuelmiller7987]

The beginning of the end. The '68 sessions, when things started to get weird. John was a bit out of control.

[@breadstick8456]

John AND Yoko were out of control

[@goplad1]

You have to feel sorry for George Martin and Geoff Emerick. They both threw up their arms in frustration due to the massive ego trip the group was on during these sessions.

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

Who cares? He created incredible music on the White Album.

[@jamesbrice6619]

​@@bingohhhhhhhhhhhhyes, John had some good songs, but they weren't well produced.

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

@@jamesbrice6619 If you don't like his music just say it. George Martin was a bad producer? Such little brains in these comments.

[@jamesdrynan]

It's extraordinary how interested people are in the creation of Beatles' material. Digging into the psychological aspects, rumours and innuendoes surrounding the group. I simply enjoy the music.

[@breadstick8456]

People read too much into the Beatles. The Paul is Dead crowd is the perfect example of this. Seeing and hearing things that aren’t there and were never intended by the band to be important.

[@PaulFormentos]

@@breadstick8456 Not according to Macca sanctioned Memoirs of Billy Shears

[@jamesdrynan]

@@breadstick8456 Entirely correct, Mr. breadstick. The delusional districts are welcome to their alternate universe. I'll live in mine where the Beatles supply the soundtrack.

[@psidvicious]

@@breadstick8456 I agree. The band were only together for a ~decade and so much has been written and assumed or speculated about them for the last 60 years. How much could 4 people possibly do in 10 years?

[@Ron-l9d]

Yes, it is mostly about the music but as well the level of success and number of hit songs and albums as well as cultural influence does strike the curiousity of anyone into pop/rock music and even fashion/politics in any way. My take is they were a band of four incredibly talented and charasmatic youths that not only changed with the times but contributed heavily to the changes. It goes beyond the music to many granted the music is so freaking good.

[@01HILARYKEEGAN]

Fantastic. You laid out all that info so well!!

[@singlesideman]

I have two favorite albums of all time. One is 'The Golden Age of Wireless' by Thomas Dolby, and the other is the white album by The Beatles, which was my first favorite album, and if I had to pick only one it would be that one. It blows my mind that anyone ever makes arguments for it to be only one disc long, or that it may not be the best Beatles album. I know this may sound strange, but there is something even bigger and more important than the concept of 'the best' in art: the greatest, most meaningful art that there is is art that gets you up in the morning, that moves you, that makes you think, that excites and motivates you, even provokes you, but that is informed and smart and spirited, and emotional or emotive or eliciting emotions from you, and that somehow feels necessary. The idea of 'the best' suggests a set of criteria that critics have devised as a sort of test that can be graded. There's so much of importance and really intense connection with individuals in an audience that art can convey, and it's that part that matters most, I think, to an audience, and that's what should be weighted most heavily when evaluating great musicians and composers and music makers. The really difficult part is that the white album broke the mold when it comes to making such diverse albums. I can't think of any album since that has been as eclectic. I adore that quality of the album. It feels like a travelog. I feel as if I'd taken a train across India, and the solar system, and in fact the milky way...

[@earthling-fh2mg]

Golden age of wireless: Great album. Flat earth good too (1st side particularly). The rest of Dolby’s stuff, when he went all “Americana” - crap.

[@singlesideman]

@@earthling-fh2mg exactly. Those first two albums were phenomenal. I bought every 12" I could find and ended up with quite the collection.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

What can't you get that people say that it could have made one great single album?

[@singlesideman]

@@rudolphguarnacci197 what can't you get about being sick and tired of hearing people want to strip away the white album so that it turns into a greatest hits album, and for the past several decades? A huge part of what makes the white album so extraordinary is that it is a journey, a rich musical travelog with a diverse range of moments and a tremendous breadth that a single disc couldn't possibly contain. It is a feast that takes a long time to experience. It is a multiple course dinner with aperitifs and hors d'oeuvres, and an amuse bouche and palate cleansers between courses. You don't just gorge on one dish and consume the next. Oh, wouldn't it be better if it were just an appetizer, main dish and dessert? It is exactly like this, and in fact the palate cleanser pieces on the album are elevated in importance and value because of their proximity to the great songs. They become more significant and memorable and enjoyable because of the way that they connect to the larger whole, and it makes the great songs have even more prominence. It adds to the dynamics of the album, the peaks and valleys. The white album is a trip across a continent of ideas and experiences and feelings. It is vast. It takes time. It connects so much more deeply with the individual listener than a single disc of greatest hits ever could. Apparently you just don't get this idea. Go ahead. Just drive through India or Europe as fast as you can, stopping only to eat, sleep and go to the bathroom. Knock yourself out. Wouldn't it be so much better if you could just see all of Europe in a weekend?

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

@@singlesideman The debate will go forever. I'm in both camps now. I appreciate both sides of the argument. What could be asked is if your favorite Beatles album is (fill in the blank), might it have been the white album if it was a single album?

[@JimiSTARR]

Incredibly well put together documentary. Informative, brilliant editing and expert narration.

[@cjmacq-vg8um]

personally, i believe all the troubles the beatles experienced during the recording of "the white album" are greatly exagerated. regardless, they ended up producing THE BEST r&r album ever released. thanks for the video.

[@pedromarques7457]

You're absolutely right!

[@larushka1]

Just like Let it Be. It wasn’t until Paul saw Get Back that he said he always thought they were fighting while recording, when they actually weren’t.

[@Ron-l9d]

What was a "problem" for The Beatles by that point is probsbly equivilent to any of us being late on a bill.

[@harlech52]

The day it was released our music teacher played it to us in our General Studies lesson. My favourite Beatles album.

[@toboldygo5823]

I got the white album Christmas 1969 from my brother I was 12y he was 16y I played it all day loved it. ❤

[@malectric]

I bought the White Album at the time of its release and still have it. Favourite song? Dear Prudence.

[@charleswagner2984]

Dear Prudence is my overall favorite Beatles song. Beautiful.

[@bugeanuflorin1531]

Absolutely,,,fabulous performance music. Thanks for posting them. Good time for you. "Fab Four "...BEST

[@TylerVanner]

My fave Beatles Album. So there.

[@charlesbronson4282]

The White Album is the greatest package ever assembled...period. 2 albums. 30 songs. Gatefold. 4 individual posters of each member...PLUS.. A GIANT COLLAGE poster with all the lyrics printed on the back. Astonishing. And then some copies came individually numbered

[@larushka1]

Mine was :)

[@annode]

Capital Records version had four 8x10 glossy portraits.

[@larushka1]

@@annodeThank you for that. I just went and checked my copy, bought in London on release day, and there are four pristine photos l’d completely forgotten about. Not that l’m selling them, but are they worth anything?

[@annode]

@@larushka1 I'm sure some Beatles fans would be interested, but I don't think they aren't collectors items. There is this one Beatles poster I'd love to have. Actually two, one where they are standing not side by side but some or one is standing well in the background and the poster is narrow and long compared to typical posters. The other was the one that has four sections and each Beatle photo is very psychedelic.

[@480billion]

did it come with condoms to make love to aswell?

[@notbren903]

thank you so much i’ve been looking for a long video on a deep dive about my favorite album

[@jimmyberry4451]

With how much content there was on tbw white album its always hard to find documentarys

[@clennon1720]

great video , a lot of information ..... I love the white album ... my favorite , just so much great music

[@JP-nk4sv]

Great technical info I had never heard before- great job

[@DylancatP]

A brilliant video thank you !

[@BackSeatHump]

An excellent video. The work you've put into making it is admirable. No, much more than that. ❤

[@georgeplace8513]

❤😊 This was really nice 😊. I learned a few things about the making of this album I didn't know. Thank you 😊 for posting this 😊. 9/10/24.

[@filmretrospective63]

You're welcome 😊

[@mathematrucker]

In 1970 KJR-AM in Seattle played every Beatles song in alphabetical order, calling it The Beatles A to Z. I recorded the whole thing on reel-to-reel by placing a mic near the speakers of a Stromberg-Carlson stereo we had. I liked Revolution 9 then and still think it's an interesting song.

[@charleswagner2984]

I recently learned of a style of music called "music concrete." Most of Revolution 9 is in this style. I learned that from The Daily Doug doing a blind reaction to Pink Floyd's Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict.

[@martinleavitt6094]

In ten years,there were a fewbumps in the road,overall the music rarely suffered.....its a miracle the Beats lasted this long..⏳️.

[@JohnJB-et1cw]

The White Album is so much more than just a record by some band. It's an experience, a performance, a statement, a play. It's life itself and bigger than life.

[@Frankincensedjb123]

No surprise that there were problems. Hell, they had been together since teenagers, had girlfriends, wives and family moving into their thirties. It would have been a surprise if they stayed together. Looking at what they did in their solo years, it was a good move to break up. As for The White Album, I've always loved it, the variety, the quantity, the surprises and passion. Great stuff.

[@robinwhitebeam4386]

Paul McCartney was 25 years old when the Beatles started recording , his birthday is in June , so was 26 when it was completed. John Lennon was 27 , George Harrison 25 , Ringo Starr 27. I always forget how young they are

[@WiseChineseMan]

Poor ringo. Dude just wanted everyone to get along and be friends. You can see the frustration in his eyes, watching his good friends tear eachother down.

[@Synthetrix]

Even if a band stays together for decades, they generally only have about five solid years in the beginning, and then things start going south creatively

[@barryallen3225]

Each band member had their own issues, but at the end of the day, the breakup was John Lennon’s fault. His selfish attitude, pushing Yoko on the band, ego, and his drug problems ended it all. ⚡️

[@izmee6852]

And wrote way better music than any of them 😢😢😢😢😢 strawberry fields, across the universe, so many more cosmic, transcendental music that even George couldn’t write. And Paul tried but hey he has Hey Jude, and ummmm?

[@thomasfink2385]

@@izmee6852 And that AMAZING musical performance after the beatles. So don't belittle him.

[@micheleeve6054]

And JOHN Being my FAVORITE BEATLE, ALWAYS WILL BE, I FEEL FINE.. I JUST LOVED HIM.... 💓💟❤💖HIS DEEP, SEXY VOICE, AND HIS WITTY HUMOUR. 💋 RUBBER SOUL.." BEST ALBUM" MY DARLINGS. xoxo 🎼🎸🎷🎧🎤🎺🥁🎻🎶🎵🎹🎙 LOVE FROM THE U.S.A. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 MICHELE & NANCY 1969

[@P0LGARIS]

I believe that is partially true. In Lennon's solo career, what is lacking, I believe is the orchestration of those songs. They used to fill them with interesting bits, which was the result of a collaboration. If you are a solo artist (without using a separate, caring producer), these seem to be less relevant, not just for Lennon, but for the other 3 too.

[@barryallen3225]

@@izmee6852 John Lennon is dead. He ain’t gonna let you hit little bro. ⚡️

[@jugibur2117]

A quote from John's song 'Julia' comes to mind: „Half of what I say is meaningless ...“ I think Paul and the others also knew that John could be moody, that he often changed his mind and that drugs also had an influence. In the end, they stuck it out together for a while and produced some more fantastic songs. PS: Thank you for this superbly produced story!

[@artgecko]

This is superb. It also demonstrates clearly how everyone - band, producer, engineers - were under John's mercurial tow

[@tunesdonebyone3428]

Great video. I knew it was a troublesome time ( ironic since it was right after transendental meditation and India ) but I had never heard of this Alan Stag guy.

[@marcjohnson9270]

same here. Gonna have to check on this.

[@monaural2.988]

If they had the courage to take a year long break after finishing the White album, the “Let it Be” sessions would have had a different outcome. None of them were honest when they needed to be.

[@bobstuckrath1805]

I was not invited. I'm still somewhat angry about the whole incident.

[@jessiehermit9503]

???? Are you joking?

[@speahlo4471]

@@jessiehermit9503nope, i wasn’t invited either. absolutely unbelievable.

[@davidrobinson2776]

My favourite Beatles album mainly because of how brilliant John's contribution is. It's so strong you don't mind Revolution 9.

[@frankbonarrigo6086]

Thank you , …it sometimes feels like John gets overlooked cause he’s been gone so long and Paul is always doing press

[@PaulFormentos]

Rev 9 on there for the death clues, John's and Paul's

[@unknown6390]

Revolution 9 is one of his best contributions

[@jbozradio9239]

George's too

[@garyluciani1082]

I never liked revolution number 9, it sounded like somebody just goofing off. It could have been left off the album with no effect whatsoever. There may be some songs that people don't like on the white album. I never liked obla di obla da, but at least it's a song, I don't even think of revoultion#9 as a song.

[@henmat3000]

Excess and egos is the perfect description of the White Album. The Get Back documentary is heaven compared to the White Album recording. 🤣Jeez.

[@DouglasMoreland-qd5cz]

13 albums..13 masterpieces…then it’s all over..no reunions which makes their legendary status more majestic…no other group will ever touch them..just not possible…and the best producer and engineers..unbelievable!!!

[@drakeholliday5671]

All the work on Ob-La-Di was worth it, there’s so many fun little bits and it grooves so hard.

[@stratwrassler]

Wish I still had the lp and all the packaging, pictures, poster etc. I wore it out, and as a kid I could recite all the lyrics from start to finish of all 4 sides.

[@RedVynil]

It's easy enough to find a copy.

[@Kermit_T_Frog]

Emerick is not considered to be a reliable source. He has been accused of being deeply unfair to the legacy of Harrison, Lennon, and anybody in the band other than McCartney. The guy he worked for after the band split up.

[@razzle1964]

I love the fact a lot of commentators are of the opinion The Beatles were ‘on the way out’, ‘in decline’ and ‘heading downhill’ after the death of Brian Epstein … yet STILL made the ‘White Album’, ‘Let it Be’, ‘Abbey Road’ … winning an Academy award and, eventually, giving rise to the likes of ‘Imagine’, ‘All Things Must Pass’ and tracks like ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, etc. It’s not unlike accusing Pink Floyd of ‘being shit’ after the loss of Syd Barratt … and ignoring ‘DSOM’, ‘WYWH’, ‘Animals’ & ‘The Wall’! Some people really have NO idea what they’re talking about. As Noel Gallagher one said (paraphrasing) … “the fact they produced such a body of work in just seven short years is nothing short of amazing”, adding “I’ve had longer fuckin’ holidays than that”. If you don’t like ‘em, fine. It doesn’t matter. Their contribution to popular music has been cemented in popular culture.🤔😉✌️🙏🤘🖖

[@harrypeters8306]

The Beatles work along with the people who worked with them is legendary.

[@primovid]

THIS IS AN AMAZING VIDEO! So well done with so much valuable information given relevantly and concisely. I've listened to the White Album for decades and never knew any of this background about its production--fascinating. It's shocking to me that every song on the album sounds perfect in its own way yet so many were controversial, disliked, argued over and retaken amidst what appeared to be chaotic and almost accidental recordings. Who would have guessed any of this. It's all a testament to not only the talent of the band but all those involved in its production.

[@MikeGervasi]

Well done, lad. Hits all the points. Magic Alex DID invent one thing that would have made millions. It eventually became "Macrovision" which was a copy protection method. The Beatles didn't go for it.

[@charlesbronson4282]

"It's a treasure trove of underated masterpieces and gems...

[@craiglamar709]

It's a Great Album! They all are

[@georgelucas2571]

Geoff Emerick’s book is arguably the best at describing the tension while making the White Album. And it’s very telling that he describes that most of the tension was caused by two people: John Lennon and Yoko.

[@spiritof6663]

Emerick is not a reliable narrator, however. He has a distinct bias for Paul in his book and the other engineer present during the White sessions, Ken Scott, heavily disputed a number of the stories in Emerick's book. Also, some of the stories in Emerick's book have been debunked, or challenged as not happening quite the way in which he said. This documentary is interesting but seems to rely very heavily on Emerick's book, which means it's flawed--and there are other stories from those sessions that it misses.

[@milesmcmillansr999]

The other guys were dealing with Brian's death and the animosity was definitely due to everyone in some type of PTSD. The guys were sick of each other by then, naturally.

[@martinry0427]

What a great book. I’ve read it recently and loved it. I have the book about Mal Evans in my queue

[@spiritof6663]

​@@milesmcmillansr999 Agreed. Also one of the most important reasons, which to be fair is mentioned in the start of clip but then kind of dropped, is that the new Apple business was a disaster almost right from the start. They didn't know how to run a business and began to squabble during the board meetings--and then would have a recording session right after the meeting. Apple is what really killed them, and of course that's all down to Epstein's death because if he had stayed alive, he would have naturally run Apple and left the band to do what they did best, make music.

[@grahamjarman]

uh oh here we go, the macca gravy train sounds lol

[@AegonCallery-ty6vy]

I think the Beatles' members pretty much did their own mixing and recording w the techs present. Stagg would not be able to sway anything. The Beatles pretty much owned the studio by then..

[@jamesschwartz3837]

Also misleading to newer fans is the studio was not known as Abbey Road at that time. It was simply called EMI - who later changed the name to Abbey Road to honer The Beatles after they titled their last studio album, (Let It Be was released later but recorded earlier), Abbey Road - the street where the studio was located.

[@RUfromthe40s]

everyones knows that and that´s why it´s known as abbey road studios, open the blue or red doble LP and look at the photo ,it´s people wanting to see them and all are in the midle of the crowd, if you say the name of the studio who never was called simply EMI, EMI is big company and record label and not only also Parlaphone and Aple when they created it, and is imopossible to release the record first and record it later so don´t get your coment, and yes Abbey road is how the studio is known by many, but EMI are you 14 years old?not to blame , Abbey road is the album that had songs recorded earlier on the let it be sessions, About Ringo left the band check their 90´s documentary and he explains it, not the truth said in this video ,well i even can say that this video is totally incorrect

[@jamesschwartz3837]

@@RUfromthe40s speaking of 14 year olds where did you learn grammar? 😆 Also lots of McDonalds locations as well but all called McDonalds.

[@angkari7244]

Read the newspaper at 0:28 it says the white album is "long awaited." Huh? They were releasing an album every year. Pepper was 12 months earlier! That's rapid, but the public wanted more. The wait was worth it, the white album is my fave

[@alexanderhamilton8585]

Brilliant. Writing. Research. Photos. Delivery. Everything. Brilliant. One teacher to another. Props.

[@SADFORIAN]

I've known a few Magic Alexes since I started doing commercial A/V work in 1986. New hires who somehow snowed management into hiring them and are intent on reinventing the wheel. The only way to shut them up is to make them build out a system entirely on their own. Then they quit or get fired when it blows up in their face.

[@stevenledbetter9997]

Yoko was so weird and arrogant. As an "artist" she should have known about how disruptive it is for an outsider to interject themselves into a creative situation.

[@michaelbowie7410]

Narcissist.

[@teddyjackeddy6279]

Yoko and artist are mutually exclusive.

[@dansullivan8648]

100%. Hey obviously I was not there or a part of the group but a true friend of Lennon should have taken him to the side right when he started getting p%#*y whipped and say that's cool you are happy and into her but know your place and have some balls and consider and respect your band mates. If she doesn't like it, too bad. He really needed to set her straight but never did.

[@stevenledbetter9997]

@@dansullivan8648 yes, I agree definitely, but maybe that's why they were able to squeak out 2 more albums. I also think they had a reticence when it came to John. They respected him as the leader of the group and didn't feel it was their place to cross him. Besides, he would have left the band immediately if they did.

[@waymire5]

Absolutely uncool of her for sure. Totally agree with you.

[@jozefserf2024]

Excellent! An almost forensic examination of their most eclectic album. Hunter Davies eat your heart out.

[@genemilener8006]

Excellent video. Great detail, info I did not already know, and all well organized and told to us. Impressive work.

[@tonygatos1]

Thanks!

[@filmretrospective63]

Much appreciated

[@silverapples4197]

please do this for all of their albums and entire of their carriers

[@ivanfranco2363]

Killer narration. I’ve subbed and liked!

[@dynjarren8355]

Only the Beatles could come back from a vacation and deliver the best double album of all time! 😮

[@fasteddie9867]

calm down--the best? Doubtful with such clunkers as "Revolution #9" "Happiness is a Warm Gun" "Everybody's Got Something to Hide" and "Savory Truffle" Chicago II, III and VII were better double albums

[@grahamjarman]

​@@fasteddie9867no

[@ontheruntonowhere]

@@fasteddie9867 That's your opinion. I love all those songs and agree with the OP.

[@marcjohnson9270]

@@fasteddie9867 are you high? wow.

[@fasteddie9867]

@@marcjohnson9270 No. I never did drugs. Are you? Because those songs suck

[@Gee-no]

This is a really good vid. Lot of stuff I didn't know. Great stuff.

[@barnabyaprobert5159]

This is SO well done!

[@northsongs]

In a nutshell ... drugs and egos. Fantastic video, great album. From watching them on Ed Sullivan when I was 9, til the 'And in the end ... '

[@erestube]

This is exactly what was needed as a counterbalance to all that Disney "Happy Beatle Get Back" marketing crap. Of course The Beatles could smile, but to try and put a blanket over this aspect of the band is just ridiculous. Interesting that this atmosphere continued into the next year as well as the original Let It Be movie shows. A tension-filled creative process is a better story, anyway.

[@georgelucas2571]

Honestly the original Let It Be Film is really not that negative. The most “tense” part of that film was Paul and George’s argument at the beginning. I really don’t think the get back sessions were as horrible as they were made out to be. The White Album sessions on the other hand, were pretty much all terrible. And most of it is due to John and Yoko (typical).

[@goplad1]

I still shudder at the notion that just because Peter Jackson cobbled together the lighter moments of the Get Back sessions that all was fine and dandy in Beatles world. At least the original "Let It Be" film was unadulterated in its presentation of just how troubled the Beatles were at that point. It's gloomy and dark but it's honest. This era of the White Album and Get Back sessions are my least favorite in the Beatles brief history.

[@larushka1]

@@goplad1Paul would disagree. He said he was really happy to see Get Back as he had such bitter memories and realized after watching it that he had forgotten the good times.

[@Kieop]

@@goplad1 Let It Be is a loose collection of rehearsal footage and the rooftop performance presented completely out of context. Any perceptions of tension are audience projections from the context of the Beatles' breakup the month before. If anything Get Back actually shows MORE tension than Let It Be. But it also shows more levity etc. It just shows more.

[@bingohhhhhhhhhhhh]

@@georgelucas2571 Keep fellating yourself wanker.

[@Alligator6002]

Brilliant album, by the best band in the world, they had every right to be demanding considering what they'd done for EMI.

[@PaulFormentos]

Always dug when Dead did Beatles tunes

[@krisinpa8302]

Your video is wonderful, well-researched!

[@Andrewhicks-t4i]

Where can l get a backward playing record player ? I have been looking for 50 years now.

[@nerdful1]

Just put it in neutral and turn it backwards with your finger. That's how DJs back cue a record to the start. Just be sure to use a conical stylus.

[@MyCS-ec7vv]

Or just digitized the song & u can do anything to it

[@abueloraton]

One of the best albums, more interesting and memorable than Sgt Pepper. The guitars have so many different timbres and colors in that album. The songs in this double album are sequenced with flowing momentum, as a whole.

[@paulderby2117]

Thank You FR! Excellent piece of work. Much appreciated