The White Album by The Beatles is absolutely the best for a long hike
When I recently hiked the Lost City Trek in Colombia, I only had one band stored in my phone to listen to. This wasn’t planned, it just so happened that I didn’t have enough space for others. After several taxing hours of trekking, I was in the mood for some music; but what? As I searched through their extensive discography, I realized there was only one choice; and that was The Beatles self titled album, also known as The White Album.
I’m sort of obsessed with The Beatles and I’ll find any way to write about them. They are my favorite band of ALL time. They are also the BEST band of all time and I’m sticking to that. In less than 7 years, they went from Please, Please Me to Paperback Writer to Sgt. Pepper to Come Together. The evolution and breadth of songs they recorded in that short time is miraculous. What’s more incredible is that each album has it’s own unique feel and themes, and can relate to moments in our lives differently.
Why did I pick this album to listen to on repeat for 4 days straight? I’ll tell you why; because it’s the perfect album to take on a long hike to enhance the beauty and connection with Mother Nature… and ourselves. If you are planning a nice long hike soon to Get Back to nature and are contemplating what music to bring along, consider The Beatles’ White Album.
Here are my reasons why:
- The White Album has some of the heaviest songs (Helter Skelter), as well as some of the sweetest, softest and most emotional moments of any Beatles album (Julia, Long Long Long and Goodnight). On most challenging hikes, you experience highs and lows, victories and defeats, vigor and weakness, presence and sleep, and happiness and fear.
- It’s an album with moments of individual, solo efforts and also of team work and amazing chemistry; more so than other albums. While trekking, there are moments when you need a helping hand, but your individual effort is center to the completion and success of the trek.
- Themes include: travel (Back In The USSR), isolation (Dear Prudence), life (Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da), loneliness (Don’t Pass Me By), sleeplessness (I’m So Tired), nature (Mother Nature’s Son), time (Long, Long, Long), sexual exploration (Do It In The Road), and chaotic revolution (Revolution 9). Some of these themes and emotions will come up during the hike as self reflection is a natural and frequent occurrence.
- There are a ton of animal references on the album, which completely aligns with being in nature. Some of the animals are: piggies, birds, dogs, monkeys, elephants, and raccoons (you can figure out which songs these are part of).
- Acoustic, folk and country-style songs are found all over this album, which creates natural tones and soft vibrations; a very camp-song and bond-fire friendly feel to it.
- This double album is their largest (and best selling), so it’s the longest to listen to and has more moments to remember and experience while on a long trek.
- They wrote most of the songs while in a mountain meditation retreat in India, which is so awesome.
- And specifically for me… the opening line of the entire album is… “Flew in from Miami Beach..,” which proves in my head that they wrote this entire album just for ME!
Those are my reasons why The White Album by The Beatles is the best for a long hike, and I’m sticking to that!
Side 1
1. Back in the USSR 0:00
2. Dear Prudence 2:43
3. Glass Onion 6:39
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 8:57
5. Wild Honey Pie 12:06
6. The Continuing Story of Bungalo Bill 13:07
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 16:13
8. Happiness is a Warm Gun 20:59
9. Martha My Dear 23:42
10. I’m So Tired 26:11
11. Blackbird 28:14
12. Piggies 30:32
13. Rocky Raccoon 32:37
14. Don’t Pass Me By 36:18
15. Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? 40:00
16. I Will 41:42
17. Julia 43:28
1. Back in the USSR 0:00
2. Dear Prudence 2:43
3. Glass Onion 6:39
4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 8:57
5. Wild Honey Pie 12:06
6. The Continuing Story of Bungalo Bill 13:07
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 16:13
8. Happiness is a Warm Gun 20:59
9. Martha My Dear 23:42
10. I’m So Tired 26:11
11. Blackbird 28:14
12. Piggies 30:32
13. Rocky Raccoon 32:37
14. Don’t Pass Me By 36:18
15. Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? 40:00
16. I Will 41:42
17. Julia 43:28
Side 2
1. Birthday 46:23
2. Yer Blues 49:05
3. Mother Nature’s Son – 53:06
4. Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey – 55:55
5. Sexy Sadie 58:19
6. Helter Skelter 1:01:34
7. Long, Long, Long 1:06:05
8. Revolution 1 1:09:09
9. Honey Pie 1:13:25
10. Savoy Truffle 1:16:06
11. Cry Baby Cry 1:19:02
12. Revolution 9 1:22:13
13. Good Night 1:30:27
