Is the White Album the Right Album for you?
The year 1968 was one of the most convulsive of the 20th century. The Vietnam war ripped the USA asunder, a crazed southerner murdered Dr. Martin Luther King, the Mexico City Olympics will always be remembered for the Black Power Salute on the medal-presenting podium by US sprinters Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze), and the police riot at the 1968 Democratic convention - ordered by Chicago Mayor Richard Daly - was televised worldwide to a shocked audience. Amidst this grim background stands the enigmatic White Album by the Beatles. Avoiding the theatricality of Sgt.Pepper and the psychedelic launchpad of Revolver, fans of the Four Lads were left scratching their heads. For the most part, it seemed that each of them went to the studio alone with their musical ideas and just a few songs were performed together, not the least of which is the hard rockin'opener and parody of the Beach Boys, "Back in the USSR." What stands out are the emerging individual personalities of the group. "While my guitar gently weeps" could be considered one of George's masterpieces and it is one of the best songs, if not the best, on the album. "Yer blues" and a few others show they could rock out as well as anyone. Another is "Helter Skelter" which the Manson murderers wrote on the walls in blood during their LA killing spree; it was also the title of the book written by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi who put them in jail for life.
On a personal note, shortly after the album's release, I met Sam Melville and a woman who was an old friend of the person who invited me over for the evening; they had recently blown up a town house on Washington Square in New York and were briefly on the lam - Melville was one of the leaders of the 1971 riot at Attica prison and was killed when Gov. Nelson Rockefeller ordered the police to open fire; Melville's son was subsequently awarded $25,000 by a Federal judge in August of 2000, part of the $8 million settlement won by survivors of the Attica bloodbath. The 1972 solo album "Some Time in New York City" shows more of John's political side. "Attica State" speaks for itself as does "Angela" (Davis), now teaching at UC Santa Cruz, and "John Sinclair," imprisoned for giving a narc two joints but later freed after a rally with John, Allen Ginsberg, Abbie Hoffman, Dave Dellinger, Black Panther Bobby Seale and Stevie Wonder, among others.
This era of violence no doubt had John thinking of what his stature has added
to his appeal to the political Left. With the laid-back "Revolution 1" on the second CD, he throws us a curve: "But when you talk about destruction, don't you know that you can count me out...." whew, what a relief! But a split-second later he changes the "out" to "in!" We wonder what he meant by that? The answer lies in the two LP set, "The Beatles/1967-1970" where there is no such double entendre. Not only does the tune start out with screaming guitars and an unambiguous appeal: "But if you talk about destruction, don't you that you can count me out?" and that's it. Maybe it was Attica that erased all doubts for John.
But the music stands on its own and the White Album displays a range of the Beatles' collective and individual genius. But let us not forget "Abbey Road," their last album in a long line of masterpieces, as well as 45 rpm singles of "Strawberry Fields and "Penny Lane," both included in the 1967-1970 anthology. But by all means, this is a must-own. Enjoy!Read full review
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