Emily's Albums A to Z

Listened: Friday May 21

It’s amazing to me – ignoring close reading of lyrics for a minute – how much the White Album is like a children’s record.

Piggies, Bungalow Bill, Ob-la-di, Blackbird, Birthday, Me and My Monkey, Good Night – all could easily be played for children. Plenty of other things on this album are not, though. Helter Skelter is sonically frightening/challenging. Happiness is a Warm Gun is not explicitly sexual, but definitely has overtones and even if it wasn’t about sex, singing about how great a gun is is less than desirable. And Revolution 9, let’s not even go there. But what can I say about the White Album that hasn’t already been said? It competes with Sgt Pepper for most studied Beatles album.

I’m glad I was very versed in the Beatles’ other albums before hearing this one. It was my first Beatles album I owned on CD (and not taped from the library’s copy – the only one they had was on vinyl and I wasn’t set up to tape that). I have to admit that I’ve always disliked both Back in the USSR and Birthday. Imitating the Beach Boys (who I am not a big fan of) did not strike me as interesting when taken out of chronological context, and Birthday I just found silly. Though actually upon reflection it’s a pretty brilliantly simple song. It should be noted that I used to be a lot more anti-Paul and staunchly pro-John than I am now, so that might have something to do with it.