Each Beatle takes control, one at a time
In early 1968, the Beatles took a break from the recording studio, but their songwriting remained highly prolific. What happened then was that their musical visions became much more individual, which was the beginning of the end of the band.
So while many people wish that the Beatles had stayed together longer than they did, and speculate over what their music would have sounded like, it is actually far easier to imagine what they would have done if they had broken up sooner with a big bang in late 1967 after "Magical Mystery Tour".
It would be a simple straightforward task to split up the two-disc "White Album" into three solo albums, one each for John, Paul and George. Ringo's "Don't Pass Me By" would have certainly been released sometime and somewhere as well. George also had other songs ready. The solo albums would have all sounded more-or-less the same as they did, and would have been excellent.
Instead, the Beatles had to resist suggestions from George Martin and others that the "White Album" should be chopped down to a single disc by simply getting rid of the weaker tracks. To which I say, "No way! I want to hear it all!" Who's to say that someone's weaker track wouldn't be someone else's favorite, depending on their mood?
Now George Martin may have had a point if he had been able to command attention to ways that particular songs could be made stronger, without the distraction of the weaker songs. That's sort of what happened on "Abbey Road", but it's highly doubtful that the Beatles were ready to submit to that, considering that the overall songwriting on the "White Album" is at least as good and arguably better. There are also weaker songs on "Abbey Road" too, but they too are helped by brilliant production.
As such, the four Beatles' growing individuality and power is actually what made the "White Album" what it is. It's the clear beginning of the Beatles' final phase and it's just what they wanted.
Also interestingly, the Beatles were working on another project at the same time, the "Yellow Submarine" animated film, so they did divert four of their supposed "weaker tracks" to that. But as one would expect, George got the short end of that stick, contributing two songs, compared to one each from John and Paul. That project kept dragging on, while "The White Album" was released identically in the UK and USA in late 1968 to an appreciative Beatles-starved public.
1 - Back in the USSR
2 - Dear Prudence
3 - Glass Onion
4 - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
5 - Wild Honey Pie
6 - Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
7 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison)
8 - Happiness is a Warm Gun
9 - Martha My Dear
10 - I'm So Tired
11 - Blackbird
12 - Piggies (George Harrison)
13 - Rocky Raccoon
14 - Don't Pass Me By (Richard Starkey)
15 - Why Don't We Do It In the Road?
16 - I Will
17 - Julia
18 - Birthday
19 - Yer Blues
20 - Mother Nature's Son
21 - Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except For Me and My Monkey
22 - Sexy Sadie
23 - Helter Skelter
24 - Long, Long, Long (George Harrison)
25 - Revolution 1
26 - Honey Pie
27 - Savoy Truffle (George Harrison)
28 - Cry Baby Cry
29 - Revolution 9
30 - Good Night
(all songs Lennon / McCartney except as indicated)
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