Today’s album is The Beatles by The Beatles which was released on 22 November 1968. The record is more commonly known as “The White Album”.

The White Album was the band’s 9th studio album and only double album. The majority of the songs were written between March and April 1968 while in Rishikesh, India studying Transcendental Meditation.

The record was recorded between May and October at Abbey Road. The sessions saw arguments breakout over creative differences. The Beatles were beginning to pull in different directions. Another factor was John Lennon bringing his new girlfriend Yoko Ono to the sessions. This distraction went against the policy of not having wives and girlfriends in the studio. However, it is forgotten that Paul’s then girlfriend and George and Ringo’s wives attended some sessions. Ringo would leave the band at one point fed up with the criticism of his drumming from McCartney. The other three successfully persuaded him to return.

Musically this was the last album to be mixed separately mono and stereo. The album contains various styles and is the most musically diverse of all the albums featuring elements of blues, country, hard rock, music hall, folk, ska and avant-garde. It was a departure to the highly produced sound of Sgt. Pepper. The whole concept was to remove itself from the previous album as emphasised with the stark white album cover.

While I do not consider The White Album to be their best album it is one of The Beatles top albums. A highlight for me is the emergence of George Harrison’s songwriting from the shadows of Lennon and McCartney. Yes, it was worth being released as a double album. Each song is listenable and I include Revolution 9 in that.