The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album)

The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) - Double Album

The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) - NOT the actual cover, But rather, two parts of the cover edited to show the embossed title, and the numbering in detail.

The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) - The Poster

Label	Apple
Catalogue No.'s	PMC 7067/8 (Mono) PCS 7067/8 (Stereo) CDP 7 46443 8 CDP 4 96895 2 (Special Edition)
Matrix No.'s	Side 1   Side 2   Side 3   Side 4 Mono : XEX 709-1   XEX 710-1   XEX 711-1   XEX 712-1 Stereo: YEX 709-1   YEX 710-1   XEX 711-1   XEX 712-1 1982 Mono : XEX 709-2   XEX 710-2   XEX 711-4   XEX 712-2
Release dates	22nd November 1968 16 January 1979 (White Vinyl) 24th August 1987 (CD) 23rd November 1998 (CD Special Edition)
Total time	93:09
U.K. Album Chart Detail :	Entry Date : 7th December 1968 Highest Position : 1 ... for 7 weeks from 7th December 1968           + 1 week from 1st February 1969 Weeks in Chart : + + 22   2 from 5th September 1987 (CD release ... reached number 18 !)   3 from 13th September 2009 (reached no.21) == 27 weeks in total ==
Detail :	The Beatles tenth official album release, their FIRST double, and their FIRST on Apple. The proper name of the album is simply, "The Beatles", but almost immediately it became known affectionately as "The White Album" due to it's packaging. What is true, is that this was the first release by The Beatles which contains purely solo material. In fact, some tracks are even recorded that way, for example, "Julia" was a solo Lennon recording - his first ever. Once again The Beatles had over a quarter of a million advance orders, and of course went straight to number 1. This was the first double album EVER to get to the top slot where it stayed for 7 weeks in a row. It sold so many, that once again The Beatles also made the singles chart, consequently the ONLY double album to ever enter that chart. By the end of the year, just over a month later, the white album had sold over 4,000,000 copies worldwide, and by the end of 1970 global sales were around 6.5 million. At that time this was the biggest selling double album of all time, but just a few years later was topped by "Saturday Night Fever". The sleeve design was by Richard Hamilton, who suggested the minimalistic approach and the consecutively numbered sleeves which would give a limited edition feel to it. Richard also came up with the montage idea for the large free poster, which included the lyrics on it's rear. The four free colour prints were taken by John Kelly. Original copies also have a top opening sleeve, and black paper inner sleeves. Also recorded during the sessions for "The Beatles, "Revolution" (The single version) 10-15th July 1968 in 16 takes. "Hey Jude" 29th July-1st August 1968 in 29 takes "Not Guilty" 7th-9th August 1968 in 102 takes "What's The New Mary Jane" 14th August 1968 in 4 takes. The album was also part of "The Beatles Collection" 13 album box set (see Beatles Collection). On 24th August 1987 this album had it's first release on C.D. which was published in stereo, with a catalogue number of CDP 7 46443 8 And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered CD Box Set Comprising: The C.D. of "The Beatles" + A badge + A booklet of b/w photos + Extended notes about the L.P. + The usual colour Beatle shots This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25/4, and was in a limited edition of 7,000 copies. The C.D. was also part of "The Beatles Box" 15 C.D. box set (see Beatles C.D. Box). The C.D. was re-released in a special edition on 23rd November 1998 on catalogue number CDP 4 96895 2. 09/09/09 (Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine) - the album was re-released as part of the Beatles In Stereo Remasters collection. 13th September 2009 it re-entered the chart again at number 21 in the fifth highest position of SEVENTEEN chart positions The Beatles captured in one amazing week.          (see the box set detail for the chart position of all 17 titles together) 20th September 2009 - dropped eleven places down to number 32. 27th September 2009 - dropped twenty-nine places down to number 61. 4th October 2009 - dropped twenty-two places down to number 83 - which is outside the official chart and doesn't count for longevity purposes. 11th October 2009 - No longer listed in the Top 100. Tape Media The album was also available on 5" reel-to-reel tape, 1968 - Catalogue number DTA-PMC 7067/8 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape)                                         DTD-PCS 7067/8 (3¾ ips 4-track stereo) these editions in a "jewel" box. Prior to 1973: The album was released on stereo twin-cassette tapes (1⅞ ips) - Catalogue number - TC2-PCS 4501 The album was also released on twin 8-track stereo continuous play cartridges (3¾ ips) - catalogue no. 8X2-PCS 8501 In November 1988 the double album was re-released on twin cassette tape (stereo only) - Catalogue number - TC2-PCS 4501.

Side 1

Side 2

Side 3

Side 4

Mono/Stereo Differences

Released Versions

The standard Apple label.
The label DOES have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.
My stereo copy has "An E.M.I. recording" printed on the left above the 33 1/3 text, my mono copy does not. I can't say whether that's fixed on all variants though.
The sleeves are gatefold and are top opening, the front of which has an embossed "The Beatles", and a unique stamped serial number. Obviously the lower the stamped number the greater the value, so 0050,000 would be about £100, whereas 0000010 could be worth £5,000.
(My numbers, bought on the day of release in the county of Essex in England, are : Mono - 0609258, Stereo - 0387593)
The inner sleeves are black, and the album contains a free poster and four colour prints.

As above, except, the sleeves are un-numbered, the gatefold openings are at the two opposite ends of the sleeves and the inner sleeves are white.
BUT, such are the vagaries of the printing plants, there are also numbered versions around of the end-opening sleeves.

Once again, the sleeves are un-numbered, the gatefold openings are at the two opposite ends of the sleeves and the inner sleeves are white, the Apple is light green and the vinyl is lightweight.

Fourth Pressings (1995) - Stereo version ONLY

Standard Apple label.
Gatefold sleeve, poster and four prints.
The gatefold sleeve has a printed statement which reads:
"This album has been Direct Metal Mastered From a Digitally Re-mastered Original Tape to give the best possible sound quality"
This release is (surprisingly) on a lightweight vinyl.

Export Only Issue
There is also a "The Beatles" two vinyl set that was issued for Export only in 1968.
This had the catalogue number P-PCS 7067/8 and is very rare.
Instead of being on Apple, it is on the black and yellow Parlophone label with "The Gramophone Co Ltd" on the rim.
The set came with the same four photographs and poster as the standard release.
The machine stamped matrix on side 1 is YEX 709-1   Side 2: YEX 710-1   Side 3: YEX 711-1   Side 4: YEX 712-2.
Here is an example Export Issue label:

MFSL Pressing
There is also a Japanese MFSL pressing which is quite sought after.
Here is an example label: