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- Timeline More from year 1968
- UK release date:
- Nov 22, 1968
Articles
“The Beatles” double-album postponed by one week
Early November 1968
A TV ad project to promote “The Beatles” double-album called off
End of October / early November 1968
“The Beatles” double-album announced
Sep 28, 1968
Designing the “White Album” packaging
September - October 1968
The “Mad Day Out” photo session
Jul 28, 1968
February 19 to March 26, 1968
About
From thebeatles.com:
The Beatles or “The White album” as it became better known was released on 22nd November, 1968 on the fifth anniversary of their second album, With The Beatles. A total of 34 new tracks were released in 1968 and 30 were contained on this one double-LP.
Following the recording of their single “Lady Madonna” in February, the Beatles flew to Rishikesh, India for several weeks of meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi during which they enjoyed a prolific period of song writing. Recording began at Abbey Road on 30th May and studio work occupied most of their time until the final session in mid October.
The colourful artwork that had adorned Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour albums was absent here. The double wallet merely had words The BEATLES embossed on the front cover. Early copies also had a individual number stamped on the front. Inside the package along with the two discs wrapped in black inner sleeves were four individual photographs of the guys and a folded poster containing a photo-collage with the lyrics to the songs on the reverse.
The Beatles was the group’s first album to appear on the Apple label. The change from Parlophone to Apple had first taken place with the release of the “Hey Jude” single in August, 1968.
Despite the fact that it was a double album it entered the UK chart at no. 1 and occupied that position for eight of the 22 weeks it spent in the chart. The US situation was even more impressive with a nine week stay in the top spot during an initial chart run of 65 weeks.
That was the tension album. We were all in the midst of that psychedelic thing, or just coming out of it. In any case, it was weird. Never before had we recorded with beds in the studio and people visiting for hours on end: business meetings and all that. There was a lot of friction during that album. We were just about to break up, and that was tense in itself.
Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years” by Barry Miles
Last updated on September 26, 2021
Special editions
The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
By The Beatles • Official album
The Beatles (Mono - 2009 remaster)
By The Beatles • Official album
The Beatles (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
By The Beatles • Official album
Una Sensazionale Intervista Dei Beatles
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Related singles
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Hey Jude / Revolution (UK - 1976)
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Hey Jude / Revolution (UK - 1988)
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Hey Jude / Revolution (UK - Picture disc - 1988)
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Una Sensazionale Intervista Dei Beatles
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Related bootlegs
Twickenham Filming Session 1968
By Paul McCartney • Unofficial album
By The Beatles • Unofficial album
By The Beatles • Unofficial album
Related songs
(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care
Officially appears on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Officially appears on Anthology 3
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Officially appears on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Unreleased song
Unreleased song
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on Hey Jude / Revolution
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on Anthology 3
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on Anthology 3
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on Hey Jude / Revolution
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Unreleased song
Officially appears on Anthology 3
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Why Don't We Do It In The Road?
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Officially appears on The Beatles (Mono)
Related films
1968 • For The Beatles • Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
1968 • For The Beatles • Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
2016 • For The Beatles
2018 • For The Beatles • Directed by Alasdair Brotherston
2018 • For The Beatles • Directed by Alasdair Brotherston
Related artists
Related sessions
May 30, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
May 31, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 04, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 05, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 06, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 10, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Blackbird", "Revolution 9"
Jun 11, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 20, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Revolution 1", "Revolution 9"
Jun 21, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Revolution 1", "Revolution 9"
Jun 25, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"
Jun 26, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"
Jun 27, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jun 28, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"
Jul 01, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 02, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 03, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 04, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 05, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 08, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 09, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 10, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Hey Jude / Revolution
Recording "Revolution", recording and mixing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Jul 11, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 12, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Revolution", recording and mixing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", recording "Cry Baby Cry"
Jul 15, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 16, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Cry Baby Cry", "Helter Skelter"
Jul 18, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 19, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Don't Pass Me By", "Good Night"
Jul 22, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Everybody's Got Something To Hide...", mixing "Good Night"
Jul 23, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Jul 24, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Jul 25, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Not Guilty", "Mother Nature's Son"
Aug 09, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Anthology 3
Recording "Sexy Sadie", "Yer Blues"
Aug 13, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Yer Blues", recording and mixing "What's The New Mary Jane"
Aug 14, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Rocky Raccoon"
Aug 15, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Aug 16, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Tape copying "Yer Blues", "Don't Pass Me By"
Oct 18, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "It's All Too Much" and cross-fades for the White Album
Oct 16-17, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "I'm So Tired", "Cry Baby Cry"
Oct 15, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 14, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Julia", "Dear Prudence", "Wild Honey Pie", "Back In The U.S.S.R.", "Blackbird"
Oct 13, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 12, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Savoy Truffle", "Piggies", "Don't Pass Me By", "Good Night"
Oct 11, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 10, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 09, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Long Long Long", "I'm So Tired", "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill"
Oct 08, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", recording "Long Long Long"
Oct 07, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 05, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Martha My Dear", "Honey Pie"
Oct 04, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 03, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Oct 02, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Honey Pie"
Oct 01, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "What's The New Mary Jane", "Glass Onion", "I Will"
Sep 26, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"
Sep 25, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"
Sep 24, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"
Sep 23, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 20, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 19, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Birthday"
Sep 18, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Mixing "Helter Skelter", recording "I Will", "Cry Baby Cry"
Sep 17, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "I Will", "Glass Onion"
Sep 16, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 13, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 12, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 11, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 10, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Sep 09, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Sep 06, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Sep 05, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Sep 03, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Aug 30, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Aug 29, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Aug 28, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Tape copying "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Blackbird", "Not Guilty", "Revolution 9"
Aug 27, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Aug 26, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Back In The U.S.S.R."
Aug 23, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Back In The U.S.S.R."
Aug 22, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Sexy Sadie"
Aug 21, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording "Yer Blues", recording and mixing "Mother Nature's Son", "Wild Honey Pie"
Aug 20, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
"The Beatles" (aka the White Album) sessions
May 30 - Oct 18, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Filming "Hey Jude", "Revolution" promo films
Sep 04, 1968
First half of 2018 ? • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Related interviews
Giles Martin on mixing The Beatles' White Album: 'It slaps you in the face'
Nov 10, 2018 • From BBC News
I Enjoyed The Memories It Brought Back
Nov 01, 2018 • From MOJO
Beatles’ recording engineer Ken Scott reveals behind the scenes details on working with The Fab Four
Jul 25, 2012 • From DAYTRIPPIN' BEATLES MAGAZINE
Paul recalls inspirations of LP
Nov 30, 1968 • From New Musical Express
Interview with Radio Luxembourg
Nov 21, 1968 • From Radio Luxembourg
You know what I'd love to do? Produce an album for Elvis!
Sep 14, 1968 • From Melody Maker
Jul 20, 1968 • From Melody Maker
Interview for The Kenny Everett Show
Jun 09, 1968 • From BBC Radio
We have a handful of songs and a band called The Beatles
Jun 08, 1968 • From Melody Maker
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