Billy Joel is not holding back when it comes to his opinion on one of The Beatles’ most iconic records.
The legendary Piano Man has called The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 double LP — better known as The White Album — a “collection of half-assed songs”, claiming the band may have been “too stoned” or “didn’t care anymore” while putting it together.
“I hear it as a collection of half-assed songs they didn’t finish writing,” Billy said during a candid sit-down on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast.
“I think they had fragments and they put them on the album.”
A Harsh Take on a Classic
The White Album, released during the peak of The Beatles’ fame, included classics like Back In The USSR, Helter Skelter, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Dear Prudence, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. But to Joel, the 30-track project lacks cohesion and purpose.
He suggested internal struggles were beginning to show in the music.
“I think John [Lennon] was disassociating at that point. I think Paul [McCartney] was carrying the weight,” Joel said.
“Sometimes they were more prolific and sometimes they weren’t — I hear that in some of those things.”
“The Break-Up Can Be Heard on That Album”
Recorded after the band’s time with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India, The White Album marked a turning point. For the first time, The Beatles allowed their partners into the studio, with tension reportedly rising throughout the process.
Lennon once remarked, “The break-up of The Beatles can be heard on that album.”
Even producer George Martin left midway for an impromptu vacation, and sound engineer Geoff Emerick quit.
What the Beatles Themselves Said
Not all of The Beatles agreed with critics.
• Paul McCartney once said:
“It was great, it sold. It’s the bloody Beatles White Album, shut up!”
• Ringo Starr, despite briefly quitting the band during the sessions, told TMZ in 2021:
“I’ve loved the White Album all of my life because we were back to being a band.”
Still, tensions following the album’s release eventually led to the band’s break-up in 1970.
Legacy vs. Critique
Despite the chaos behind its creation — and Billy Joel’s unfiltered critique — The White Album remains a critical and commercial triumph, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums in rock history.
You can catch Billy Joel’s full comments on Club Random via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
