One of the common themes about the Beatles White Album is that it is too long, and that a Single LP would have produced a much better album. I'm not sure I entirely agree with that sentiment, but speculation is fun. So, what would an abridged White Album look like? This is bad form for AH, but for the moment, in terms of song length etc, let's use the actual White Album as a kind of baseline. I know, bad form, but that's the problem with music/creative speculation, creativity is inherently more prone to butterflies than just about anything else. Of course we have to keep in mind the rules. IE, two George Harrison songs, one Ringo song etc.
To begin the process here's what I think would be on the immediate chopping block, again assuming all things equal or some kind of reversal on the single LP issue after the recording sessions ended or something similar. I'm doing it in the order the songs appeared on the actual album.
Cutting Tier One:
Glass Onion: Yes, the song I named myself after. It's admittedly something of a throwaway song. And it's the first that appears on the album. I may not like it, but it probably wouldn't be on this hypothetical album
Wild Honey Pie: Almost didn't get on the album to begin with, and there simply wouldn't be room for it on a Single LP.
Rocky Raccoon: For some reason this song is not very well regarded. I happen to like it, but given the critical consensus, it probably doesn't make the cut. Indeed, in other speculations over what might be cut, Rocky Raccoon is often the first to get the axe.
Why Don't We Do It In The Road?: Another throwaway, not enough room for it.
Birthday: Again, I want to make it clear that I genuinely like a lot of these initial "cut list" songs. No matter how much John Lennon hated the song, I like it, for the sentimental reasons. However, objectively, it's another throwaway song that would probably get the axe.
Revolution 1: There's already a single version of "Revolution" and while you're mileage may vary over which version is the better one, in an environment in which cuts to the album are made, I suspect "Revolution 1" would be cut.
"Revolution 9": This can't make the album. Not for any question of quality, it's just too long at eight minutes. A single LP would need all the space it could get, and this song simply hogs too much time and physical space on an LP.
Perhaps I'm being over generous in the preliminary section. Anyway, now we get to the point where the cutting is a little bit less clear.
Three of George Harrison's four contributions is going to be cut, at least. All things equal, While My Guitar Gently Weeps is probably safe. But would "Piggies" "Savoy Truffle" or "Long Long Long" Accompany it? I can't be sure.
Either "Don't Pass Me By" or "Good Night" would be cut. I suspect that it would be "Good Night" that wouldn't appear, as regardless of quality, Ringo probably would want the song he wrote on the album."
And here we get, at least for me, into much murkier waters.
All things equal, I think I can safely say that "Happiness is a Warm Gun" would make the cut. It's a Lennon song from the White Album that Paul McCartney liked. Indeed, he said something about it being the only real "Beatles" song on the album. So, given that, it probably stays.
Similarly, I think that Lennon would insist on "Yer Blues" being on the album, if the fact he played the song live twice is anything to go on.
Obladi Oblada is either going to be a single or it is going to be on the album.