The Beatles

The Beatles[68]The Beatle Albrm
東芝EMI(FIRST PRESS ORIGINAL)＊Serial Number:A254567/見本盤

[The Beatles]はUnited Kingdomにおいて1968年11月22日に発売されたBeatlesの10作目のOriginal Album/BeatlesのOriginal Albumとしては唯一の2枚組で本作からBeatles自身が設立したApple RecordsからAlbumsもReleasedされるようになった(レコードプレスや販売はそれまで所属していたEMI (UK)/Capitol Records (US)/Toshiba Music Industry Co（日本）が継続して行った）Released当時白地のPure White Jacketは革新的だった。BritishのPop Artist、Richard HamiltonがPaul McCartneyとの協同でDesignしたPaul McCartneyは(Sgt. Pepper..)のPsychedelicなJacketとは真逆のコンセプトである。Band名がEmbossed加工され一枚一枚にSerial Number(Mumbering)が振られたが大量生産をする上でレコード・レーベルはコストの問題を抱えることになったコレクターたちが番号の早い盤を争奪することは目に見えていた。2008年、ナンバー“0000005”の盤が海外オークションサイトのeBayにて19,201ポンド(約285万円)で取引され7年後の2015年にRingoが所有していた“0000001”の盤はオークションで790,000ドル(約8,865万円)の値を付けた。当時の英国盤や日本盤初期米国盤などで番号の振られ方の形態には複数のPatternが存在するCDの初期盤ではEmbossed加工されているが通し番号はなし。米国再発盤や1987年の初CD化当時ではGrayの文字でTitleが印刷されていて初回Pres盤のみ通し番号が振られておりCD盤自体も白色になっている/Psychedelic Music花盛りの当時としてはかえって新鮮。Chuck Berryの(Back In The U.S.A)をパロディにしてBeach Boys風コーラスを聴かせるオープニング、初めてSkaのビートを取り入れた(Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da)、室内音楽風の(Piggies)、今もHard Rock/Heavy Metal関係者がこぞってCoveredする(Helter Skelter)ジョンとヨーコの前衛作品(Revolution 9)などなど内容は実にColorful。何でもありの盛りだくさん

Side one
No. Title Lead vocals Length
1. "Back in the U.S.S.R." McCartney 2:43
2. "Dear Prudence" Lennon 3:56
3. "Glass Onion" Lennon 2:18
4. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" McCartney 3:08
5. "Wild Honey Pie" McCartney 0:52
6. "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" Lennon, with Yoko Ono 3:14
7. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (George Harrison) Harrison 4:45
8. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" Lennon 2:47
Total length: 23:43
Side two
No. Title Lead vocals Length
1. "Martha My Dear" McCartney 2:28
2. "I'm So Tired" Lennon 2:03
3. "Blackbird" McCartney 2:18
4. "Piggies" (Harrison) Harrison 2:04
5. "Rocky Raccoon" McCartney 3:33
6. "Don't Pass Me By" (Richard Starkey) Starr 3:51
7. "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" McCartney 1:41
8. "I Will" McCartney 1:46
9. "Julia" Lennon 2:57
Total length: 22:41
Side three
No. Title Lead vocals Length
1. "Birthday" McCartney with Lennon 2:42
2. "Yer Blues" Lennon 4:01
3. "Mother Nature's Son" McCartney 2:48
4. "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" Lennon 2:24
5. "Sexy Sadie" Lennon 3:15
6. "Helter Skelter" McCartney 4:30
7. "Long, Long, Long" (Harrison) Harrison 3:08
Total length: 22:48
Side four
No. Title Lead vocals Length
1. "Revolution 1" Lennon 4:15
2. "Honey Pie" McCartney 2:41
3. "Savoy Truffle" (Harrison) Harrison 2:54
4. "Cry Baby Cry" Lennon, with McCartney 3:02
5. "Revolution 9" Speaking from Lennon, Harrison, Ono and George Martin 8:15
6. "Good Night" Starr 3:14

The Beatles
John Lennon lead, harmony and background vocals;acoustic, lead,rhythm　and bass guitars;pianoHammond organ,harmonium,Mellotron; harmonica,saxophone mouthpiece;]extra drums (on "Back in the U.S.S.R.") and assorted percussion (tambourine, handclaps and vocal percussion), tapes, tape loops and sound effects (electronic and home-made)
Paul McCartney lead, harmony and background vocals;bass, acoustic, lead and rhythm guitars; acoustic and electric pianos, Hammond organ;assorted percussion (timpani,tambourine, cowbell, hand shake bell, handclaps, foot taps and vocal percussion);drums (on "Back in the U.S.S.R.", "Dear Prudence", "Wild Honey Pie" and "Martha My Dear")recorder
George Harrison lead,harmony and background vocals;lead, rhythm, acoustic and bass guitars;Hammond organ (on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Savoy Truffle");extra drums (on "Back in the U.S.S.R.") and assorted percussion (tambourine, handclaps and vocal percussion) and sound effects[
Ringo Starr drums and assorted percussion (tambourine, bongos, cymbals, maracas and vocal percussion);piano and sleigh bell (on "Don't Pass Me By");[123] lead vocals (on "Don't Pass Me By" and "Good Night")[30] and backing vocals (on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill")

Guest musicians
Yoko Ono backing vocals, lead vocals and handclaps on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill",backing vocals on "Birthday", speech, tapes and sound effects on "Revolution 9"
Mal Evans backing vocals and handclaps on "Dear Prudence",handclaps on "Birthday",trumpet on "Helter Skelter"
Eric Clapton lead guitar on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Jack Fallon violin on "Don't Pass Me By"
Pattie Harrison backing vocals on "Birthday"
Jackie Lomax backing vocals and handclaps on "Dear Prudence"
John McCartney backing vocals and handclaps on "Dear Prudence"
Maureen Starkey backing vocals on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"
Session musicians

Ted Barker trombone on "Martha My Dear"
Leon Calvert trumpet and flugelhorn on "Martha My Dear"
Henry Datyner, Eric Bowie, Norman Lederman and Ronald Thomas violin on "Glass Onion"
Bernard Miller, Dennis McConnell, Lou Soufier and Les Maddox violin on "Martha My Dear"
Reginald Kilby cello on "Glass Onion" and "Martha My Dear"
Eldon Fox cello on "Glass Onion"
Frederick Alexander cello on "Martha My Dear"
Harry Klein saxophone on "Savoy Truffle"[267] and "Honey Pie"
Dennis Walton, Ronald Chamberlain, Jim Chest and Rex Morris saxophone on "Honey Pie"
Raymond Newman and David Smith clarinet on "Honey Pie"
Art Ellefson, Danny Moss and Derek Collins tenor sax on "Savoy Truffle"
Ronnie Ross and Bernard George baritone sax on "Savoy Truffle"[267]
Alf Reece tuba on "Martha My Dear"
The Mike Sammes Singers backing vocals on "Good Night"
Stanley Reynolds and Ronnie Hughes trumpet on "Martha My Dear"[265]
Chris Shepard stumpf fiddle on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"
Tony Tunstall French horn on "Martha My Dear"
John Underwood and Keith Cummings viola on "Glass Onion"
Leo Birnbaum and Henry Myerscough viola on "Martha My Dear"
Production

George Martin producer, executive producer;string, brass, clarinet, orchestral arrangements and conducting; piano on "Rocky Raccoon"
Chris Thomas producer;Mellotron on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill",[261] harpsichord on "Piggies",piano on "Long, Long, Long",electric piano, organ and saxophone arrangement on "Savoy Truffle"
Ken Scott engineer and mixer[
Geoff Emerick engineer,[273] speech on "Revolution 9"
Barry Sheffield engineer (Trident Studio)

＊Helter Skelter:Paul McCartney が大きくて騒々しいサウンドを目指して書いた楽曲で音楽評論家からはHard Rock/Heavy Metalの初期発達に影響を与えた楽曲と見なされている。ビートルズ活動期にはSingle Catされなかったが、解散から6年後の1976年にCompilation Album(Rock and Roll Music)から先行SingleとしてCapitol Recordsより発売されたGot to Get You Into My LifeのB面に収録された。Helter Skelterは、同じくAlbum(The Beatles)に収録の他の楽曲とともに(Charles Manson)によって白人と黒人の人種戦争について歌われたものと解釈された。この人種戦争が勃発するその日のことをCharles Mansonは[Helter Skelter]と呼んだ。Charles MansonはBeatlesのThe White Albumの曲に[Armageddon-最終戦争]による革命と救世主Charles Mansonが表されていると解釈したCharles MansonはCaliforniaのDeath Valleyに巨大な地下世界につながる穴がありこの穴の中でファミリーたちは終末戦争の間暮らすのだという幻想に取り憑かれていた。ファミリーに(Helter Skelter)への備えを呼びかけた。Charles MansonによればThe Beatlesの楽曲(Helter Skelter)はCharles Mansonの画策した同名の黙示人種間の戦争(Race war)殺人を引き起こすことを想定した曲であるという。69年にSharon Tate殺人事件を起こしたCharles MansonはBeatlesが曲[Helter Skelter]を通じて世界の滅亡は迫っていると自分に語りかけていると思い込み狂信的な思想へたどり着いた


Please Please Me (1963)
With the Beatles (1963)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Beatles for Sale (1964)
Help! (1965)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The Beatles (1968) ("The White Album")
Yellow Submarine (1969)
Abbey Road (1969)
Let It Be (1970)
Past Masters (1988, compilation)