Histories greatest collage album. I mean, folks, "Helter Skelter" is on the same album as "Honey Pie".

The likes of The Beatles will probably never happen again. Sorry folks but the ability to craft melodies with the fluency The Beatles had is something only gifted to one out of billions. The Beatles had THREE of these "ones" in one outfit. No matter how many years you spend at it, if you are not the one out of billions that has this ability, you will be a musician that can maybe produce something interesting and semi original and maybe create a catchy melody or two. The ability to magically pluck so many melodies out of the air in such a short period of time is a true rarity. Since Mozart, 200 years earlier, no entity has existed that was able to churn out this many potent melodies. Well, I don't like the Beatles, you might say. It doesn't matter. This is not an opinion. The white album being a double album, with so many musical styles, makes it the one that most exemplifies this point.

The Beatles had returned home from their stay learning Transcendental Meditation from the spiritualist Maharishi's at his ashram on the Ganges river in India with buckets of material they had conceived there. By 1968 the lads had broken into to truly 3 independent songwriters and less the song writing team they once were. Going off to their own studio rooms they brought these amazing works to be. Of course they did cross-pollinated between studios. Inevitable in-fighting had become a thing. At one point Ringo walked off for in the White Album sessions. During which time he did write "Octopuses Garden", which would be on the next years Abbey Road. I just read the he also hung out on Peter Seller's yacht during this time. It seems Ringo's reason for leaving was he felt like an outsider and was insecure about his drumming ability. Though he was not of the 3, Ringo's style, simplicity and kit innovations were a perfect suit for this organization. No other drummer could have fit in The Beatles so well (not even Bernard Purdie..wink wink). I mean, Imagine The Beatles with Keith Moon…   

Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine    Each song on the sprawling double album The Beatles is an entity to itself, as the band touches on anything and everything it can. This makes for a frustratingly scattershot record or a singularly gripping musical experience, depending on your view, but what makes the so-called White Album interesting is its mess. Never before had a rock record been so self-reflective, or so ironic; the Beach Boys send-up "Back in the U.S.S.R." and the British blooze parody "Yer Blues" are delivered straight-faced, so it's never clear if these are affectionate tributes or wicked satires. Lennon turns in two of his best ballads with "Dear Prudence" and "Julia"; scours the Abbey Road vaults for the musique concrète collage "Revolution 9"; pours on the schmaltz for Ringo's closing number, "Good Night"; celebrates the Beatles cult with "Glass Onion"; and, with "Cry Baby Cry," rivals Syd Barrett. McCartney doesn't reach quite as far, yet his songs are stunning -- the music hall romp "Honey Pie," the mock country of "Rocky Raccoon," the ska-inflected "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and the proto-metal roar of "Helter Skelter." Clearly, the Beatles' two main songwriting forces were no longer on the same page, but neither were George and Ringo. Harrison still had just two songs per LP, but it's clear from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the canned soul of "Savoy Truffle," the haunting "Long, Long, Long," and even the silly "Piggies" that he had developed into a songwriter who deserved wider exposure. And Ringo turns in a delight with his first original, the lumbering country-carnival stomp "Don't Pass Me By." None of it sounds like it was meant to share album space together, but somehow The Beatles creates its own style and sound through its mess…

The Beatles White Album is a landmark in the history of rock music. It is the ninth studio album by the Beatles, and the only double album they ever released. It was recorded in 1968, during a turbulent time for the band and the world. The album reflects the diverse musical influences and personal styles of the four members, as well as their experimentation with different genres and techniques. The album is also known for its minimalist cover design, which features only the band’s name embossed on a white background.

The album contains 30 songs, ranging from rock, pop, folk, blues, ska, music hall, metal, and avant-garde. Some of the songs were written during the band’s trip to India, where they learned Transcendental Meditation and met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Some of the songs were recorded solo or with only part of the group, as tensions and disagreements arose among the band members and their producer George Martin. The album also features guest appearances by Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono, Jackie Lomax, and others.

Some of the most famous songs on the album are “Back in the U.S.S.R.”, a parody of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the U.S.A.” and the Beach Boys’ “California Girls”; “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, a melancholic ballad featuring Clapton on guitar; “Blackbird”, a simple and beautiful acoustic song inspired by the civil rights movement; “Helter Skelter”, a loud and chaotic proto-metal song; “Revolution 9”, a collage of sound effects and tape loops; and “Good Night”, a lullaby sung by Ringo Starr.

The album received mixed reviews from critics at the time, who praised some songs but criticized others as filler or nonsense. However, over time, the album has gained recognition as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. It has been ranked among the best albums by Rolling Stone, Time, NME, Pitchfork, and many other publications. It has also inspired many artists across genres, such as Nirvana, Radiohead, U2, Prince, Kanye West, and others.