The White Album (Remastered) [ENHANCED] [LIMITED EDITION] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

The Beatles

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 2009)
• Original Release Date: November 22, 1968
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced, Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI
• ASIN: B0025KVLU6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Back In The U.S.S.R.

2. Dear Prudence

3. Glass Onion

4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

5. Wild Honey Pie

6. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill

7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun

9. Martha My Dear

10. I'm So Tired

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Birthday

2. Yer Blues

3. Mother Nature's Son

4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey

5. Sexy Sadie

6. Helter Skelter

7. Long, Long, Long

8. Revolution 1

9. Honey Pie

10. Savoy Truffle

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The classic original Beatles studio albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the Beatles catalogue has seen since its original release.

Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. The newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TURN ME ON YOU REMASTERED DEAD MAN!, September 9, 2009

By	W. T. Hoffman "artist and musician" (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I tried to get a handle on what to expect with the remastered BEATLES songs, by comparing the old remastered CDs from the 80s, with BEATLES ONE (the red CD with the yellow "1", that had 24 bit remastered versions of their number one hits, that came out in 2000.) You can get a ballpark idea about the new remasters, using this method. But of course, NOTHING from the white album is one BEATLES ONE. I expected at least some increased clarity, and increased volumn from the added compression. Yes, its all that and more. Right off the bat, you start hearing sounds you have NEVER heard (or noticed?) before. This isnt from equalization popping up the top end of the sound. There's improved sonic clarity across the HERTZ spectrum. Its as tho you were sonically nearsighted, and someone just put glasses on you for the first time. EVERYTHING just STANDS OUT with such clarity and force. YOU get this effect on ALL the songs. If you listen to JULIA, the acoustic guitars just BLOW YOUR MIND! You can hear John's fingers scrape across the strings. His vocals are rich, full, and the bottom end is....well, altho there is NO bass guitar on JULIA, the bottom end is so full and rich, you would think there WAS bass. Naturally, the BIG TEST for the white album, is listening to REVOLUTION #9. For some reason, deciphering REVOLUTION #9 thru headphones, penetrating the incomprehensible density of tape loops, has been a favorite pass time for some mega-fans for decades. (I'm one.) And you know what? For the first time EVER, I was able to hear more of Ringo's and John's bizarre mumbling jokes, and nonsense verbage. Again, the CLARITY! the DEPTH OF SONIC PERCEPTION! Honestly, its about as much as anyone can hope for. Of course, the WHITE ALBUM was the first Beatle's album recorded in 8 track, so there is less bouncing to free up tracks on this album. For that reason alone, there has always been less tape hiss, and greater clarity, with this album. But since this isnt a digital remix, like the YELLOW SUB soundtrack, the same clarity and vibrancy can be expected on each remastered title. Its amazing, that the engineers at ABBEY ROAD were able to find such vivid soundscapes on those (digitally transfered) master tapes. BRAVO!

NeedI say how great the WHITE ALBUM is? Let's just stick to the remastered CD's "GOODIES". First, you have a protective cardboard slip case around the double gatefold CD, EMBOSSED with "THE BEATLES", just like the first LPS did. The White album folds open, giving you four panels, each with one of the color "glossy photos" on it. (originally on seperate sheets, like the poster, but no more.) The first panel contains the 28 page booklet. It gives you all the lyrics, along with a small essay about the album. The information it contains is concise, exact, and puts the album within the context of the Fab Four's total discography. I loved the extra photos. The July '68 color "Hollyhock" photos are included, and rare B&W promo shots from that period, but the surprises will give Beatle fans something new to munch on. After the first panel containing the booklet, the next two panels have CD1 and CD2 of the album. (the documentary is on CD2). The fourth panel holds a mini reproduction of the poster, with the lyrics on the back. My only complaint, is that the glossy cardboard CD foldout has the CDs stuck in those cardboard slots TIGHT. They tend to grab onto the CDs....be careful taking them out, or the cardboard will give you minor surface scratches. (The CDs aren't in something like LP sleeves, which is the norm when this type of CD mini-LP format is used. Next, I played the QUICK TIME mini documentary. (They're about 3-4 minutes long.) I was worried cos my computer is an old MAC, but it supports MAC OS 10.3 on G4 and G5, as well as PC Pentium 3 processor using windows 2000+. Obviously, nearly anyone with a working computer will be able to watch the QUICKTIME documentaries. They don't have complete music videos, but rather show bits of studio performance. My favorite bit was Paul recording BLACKBIRD. It starts with a close up of TAP SHOES producing that beat, then the camera pulls back to reveal Paul recording on his acoustic. MAD COOL! Also, there's a TON of previously unseen footage from John's home movies of Maharishi's summer camp at Rishikesh India. Plus, photos of the sessions, topped off with studio chatter by the fab four. If you remember the White album section from the ANTHOLOGY, its an extension of that, but no repeats for the most part. Now that the WHITE ALBUM is over 40 years old, putting the songs in a sociological/historical context, will definately be a service to those new to this album, or discovering the BEATLES for the first time.

In conclusion, from the first JET ENGINE flying between your speakers, to Ringo whispering "Good night everybody, everybody everywhere, Good night", the remastered WHITE ALBUM does NOT DISAPPOINT. I don't think they could have gotten a better sound if they had gone back to remix the album. Some people are disappointed that the Beatles didnt put this out on SACD (a format already abandoned), or AUDIO DVD (Perhaps when this format is further standardized, APPLE RECORDS might bring out an AUDIO DVD boxset...who knows?) So many Beatles fans have complained about the original transfer, and then, complained as 24 BIT remastering arrived, but APPLE RECORDS didnt remaster. Well, now it's done, and obviously they worked their butts off to make everybody happy. I"m happy. And, you can bet I'm going to buy at least the ABBEY ROAD, SGT PEPPER, and REVOLVER remasters. If you're on the fence about replacing your whole BEATLES CD collection, my advice is to just buy ONE. Only YOUR ears will tell you where to go from there.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Completely Sure Yet, September 10, 2009

By	Deby Castro "ElimentaryPenguinsKickingPoe" (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For me the remaster took a little getting used to. They are "bright and clear" like everyone keeps saying, but to me this initially seemed "harsh." On the White album the drums hit you in the neck when they're present. You can hear the bass pluck- and tell whether McCartney is using his fingers of a pick- it is that clear. On "I Will" you can hear him making bass sounds entirely with his voice (I had to go back to the un-remastered CD and check if that was there in the original mix). Some of the previously more laid back songs like Julia, or LongLongLong, stand out a lot more. The acoustic guitars are fierce, and deep. Check out Blackbird- that song threw me back a little. Definitely different. You can hear the percussive monotone tap of Paul's foot. The bird sounds are really prominent toward the end- but overall his voice is just so beautiful and the guitar so well composed that it still works for me.

Overall the album seems "woken up." For me the original CD release always seemed a bit sleepy. Now even the acoustic pieces have punch.

BUT, I don't think that the white album is the most noticeable of the remasters. There is a lot of improvement/ change- but the real bulk of the remastering happened on the earlier albums.

If the White Album is your favorite- get it. If you planned on getting them all- get it. But if you're looking to see a really obvious improvement I would try some of the albums before Sgt. Peppers. You may just find that these more drastic changes (cleaning of the tape hiss, fix in dynamics etc.) will make you a new fan. I've camped on the post 1965 albums for some time just because I couldn't stand the early quality. These remasters opened my eyes.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Beatles" aka "The White Album" sounding better than ever!, September 9, 2009

By	Jason Pumphrey (Falls Church, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I am floored, I just listened to the 2009 Stereo Remaster of "The Beatles" aka "The White Album" and WOW! Everything sounds better with this awesome remastering, much fuller and dynamic. I'm no audiophile but I CAN tell the difference between this and the old CD release! Comes with a nice booklet and a reproduction of the poster that came with the original LP. Even the slipcover for the 2-CD set is embossed like the original LP cover! I give this 2009 Stereo Remaster an A+