In The Beatles’ long and winding history, their self-titled 1968
album is considered by many to be the beginning of the end. Not
musically, of course—raw and sprawling, “The White Album”
contains some of their richest and most enduring songs—but insofar as
the LP showed they were starting to work and develop distinct styles
apart from one another. But to hear Giles Martin, son of the late
longtime Beatles producer George Martin, tell it, the truth may be more
complicated. His evidence: This new 107-track collection he has
overseen, featuring a fresh mix of the original album, freewheeling
studio outtakes, and the 27 holy-grail acoustic “Esher demos” largely
recorded at George Harrison’s house following the band’s
consciousness-expanding off-site in India. To Martin, these loose,
candid recordings show a band playing off one another’s chemistry in the
studio, working together with humor and camaraderie to spare. “You
can’t make a record like ‘The White Album’ if you’re arguing,” he says.
Martin tells Apple Music which tracks best prove his theory, and how
this set offers insight for completists and casual fans alike.
D1 Original Album
01. Back in the U.S.S.R. 2:44
02. Dear Prudence 3:54
03. Glass Onion 2:17
04. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 3:08
05. Wild Honey Pie 0:53
06. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill 3:14
07. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 4:45
08. Happiness is a Warm Gun 2:44
09. Martha My Dear 2:28
10. I'm So Tired 2:03
11. Blackbird 2:18
12. Piggies 2:04
13. Rocky Raccoon 3:33
14. Don't Pass Me By 3:50
15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road? 1:41
16. I Will 1:45
17. Julia 3:00
CD2 Original Album
01. Birthday 2:42
02. Yer Blues 4:01
03. Mother Nature's Son 2:47
04. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey 2:24
05. Sexy Sadie 3:15
06. Helter Skelter 4:29
07. Long, Long, Long 3:06
08. Revolution 1 4:15
09. Honey Pie 2:41
10. Savoy Truffle 2:54
11. Cry Baby Cry 3:01
12. Revolution 9 8:20
13. Good Night 3:17
CD3 Esher Demos
01. Back in the U.S.S.R. 3:00
02. Dear Prudence 4:47
03. Glass Onion 1:55
04. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 3:10
05. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill 2:40
06. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 2:41)
07. Happiness is a Warm Gun 1:55
08. I'm So Tired 3:10
09. Blackbird 2:34
10. Piggies 2:05
11. Rocky Raccoon 2:44
12. Julia 3:56
13. Yer Blues 3:31
14. Mother Nature's Son 2:24
15. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey 3:03
16. Sexy Sadie 2:26
17. Revolution 4:06
18. Honey Pie 1:59
19. Cry Baby Cry 2:27
20. Sour Milk Sea 3:43
21. Junk 2:36
22. Child of Nature 2:37
23. Circles 2:16
24. Mean Mr. Mustard 2:05
25. Polythene Pam 1:26
26. Not Guilty 3:05
27. What's the New Mary Jane 2:45
CD4 Sessions
01. Revolution 1 (Take 18) 10:27
02. A Beginning (Take 4) / Don't Pass Me By (Take 7) 5:04
03. Blackbird (Take 28) 2:14
04. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey (Unnumbered rehearsal) 2:40
05. Good Night (Unnumbered rehearsal) 0:37
06. Good Night (Take 10 with a guitar part from Take 5) 2:29
07. Good Night (Take 22) 3:45
08. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Take 3) 2:52
09. Revolution (Unnumbered rehearsal) 2:14
10. Revolution (Take 14 - Instrumental backing track) 3:23
11. Cry Baby Cry (Unnumbered rehearsal) 3:01
12. Helter Skelter (First version - Take 2) 12:53
CD5 Sessions
01. Sexy Sadie (Take 3) 3:06
02. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Acoustic version - Take 2) 3:01
03. Hey Jude (Take 1) 6:43
04. St. Louis Blues (Studio jam) 0:51
05. Not Guilty (Take 102) 4:28
06. Mother Nature's Son (Take 15) 3:10
07. Yer Blues (Take 5 with guide vocal) 3:55
08. What's the New Mary Jane (Take 1) 2:05
09. Rocky Raccoon (Take 8) 4:55
10. Back in the U.S.S.R. (Take 5 - Instrumental backing track) 3:08
11. Dear Prudence (Vocal, guitar & drums) 3:58
12. Let It Be (Unnumbered rehearsal) 1:16
13. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Third version - Take 27) 3:16
14. (You're so Square) Baby, I Don't Care (Studio jam) 00:41
15. Helter Skelter (Second version - Take 17) 3:47
16. Glass Onion (Take 10) 2:12
CD6 Sessions
01. I Will (Take 13) 2:19
02. Blue Moon (Studio jam) 1:09
03. I Will (Take 29) 0:26
04. Step Inside Love (Studio jam) 1:34
05. Los Paranoias (Studio jam) 3:57
06. Can You Take Me Back? (Take 1) 2:20
07. Birthday (Take 2 - Instrumental backing track) 2:38
08. Piggies (Take 12 - Instrumental backing track) 2:08
09. Happiness is a Warm Gun (Take 19) 3:08
10. Honey Pie (Instrumental backing track) 2:41
11. Savoy Truffle (Instrumental backing track) 2:55
12. Martha My Dear (Without brass and strings) 2:28
13. Long, Long, Long (Take 44) 2:53
14. I'm So Tired (Take 7) 2:28
15. I'm So Ttired (Take 14) 2:16
16. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (Take 2) 3:10
17. Why Don't We Do It In The Road? (Take 5) 2:01
18. Julia (Two rehearsals) 4:28
19. The Inner Light (Take 6 - Instrumental backing track) 2:45
20. Lady Madonna (Take 2 - Piano and drums) 2:24
21. Lady Madonna (Backing vocals from take 3) 0:51
22. Across the Universe (Take 6) 3:52