The Beatles’ ‘White Album’ Played in Court During Manson Trial
by Sterling Whitaker, January 19, 2013
John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images |
Manson was the self-styled leader of a group of quasi-hippie misfits called the Family. He had once entertained notions of a career in music and had long been a fringe character in L.A.’s music scene, hanging around with Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson and even recording a demo at his expense.
Manson’s paranoid delusions eventually led him to conceive the notion that the lyrics from certain Beatles songs — most notably ‘Helter Skelter,’ ‘Revolution 1,’ ‘Revolution 9,’ ‘Blackbird’ and ‘Piggies,’ all from the ‘White Album’ — were calling him to stir up racial unrest in order to bring about a race riot in which the black population would rise up against the white population and topple the existing order, creating a situation in which he and the Family would be installed as the new hierarchy.
In a scene truly stranger than fiction, the ‘White Album’ was played in court on Jan. 19, 1971 during the Manson trial for the murder of Sharon Tate. Jurors listened intently in order to ascertain if the Fab Four had, indeed, called Manson to his nefarious deeds through song, but when it turned out that — surprise! — Manson and his followers were simply crazier than hell, they were subsequently convicted and sentenced to death.
In 1972 the death sentence was abolished in California, automatically reducing Manson’s sentence to life in prison. He has been denied parole on 12 separate occasions since then, most recently in April of 2012, when a ruling found that Manson would not be eligible for another parole review for 15 years.
Yes I know...
ReplyDeleteTechnically, it's 42 years ago yesterday (not today), but whatever...
Deal with it... LOL
I think Judge Older played that album during all of his trials he presided over after the Manson case. Charlie must have brain washed him from the defendents desk. Older even wore a tie-dyed robe and granny glasses.
ReplyDeleteBTW did everyone see the pics of the guy who tried to assassinate the politician in Bulgaria? He got his face smashed. I have always wondered why Squeaky wasn't pummeled too when she tried to assissinate Pres Ford. That chick really needed a good ass kicking to knock some sense in her head, if that's possible.
Mr. P, you crack me up!
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a laugh about this, that or the other, in a light-hearted way, and some intellectual would read us, some symbolic youth generation wants to see something in it. We also took seriously some parts of the role, but I don't know what Helter Skelter has to do with knifing someone. I've never listened to it properly, it was just a noise. - John Lennon
Here are some interesting quotes from Paul, John & Manson on Helter Skelter:
http://www.beatleswiki.com/wiki/index.php/Helter_Skelter
love me do
ReplyDeleteRecall when I was even younger than I am now, I heard some nutcase on the radio say that if you peeled back the cover of the White Album that you'd find the cover of the Butcher Baby album. So, I took my brother's WA and peeled and peeled.....people, THIS RUMOR IS NOT TRUE
ReplyDeleteRingo said something about it too, he said how they were friends with Roman Polanski and how they were glad they caught Manson. I think I read they sent flowers to Polanski too.
ReplyDeleteThat's gotta suck to be dissed by one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
At least the jurors got to listen to some good tunes.
ReplyDeleteNINERS!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
If Baltimore wins it will be a Harbowl......
ReplyDeletePATRIOT FEVER!!!
ReplyDeleteLynyrdSkynyrdBand said...
ReplyDeletePATRIOT FEVER!!!
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Ok Skynyrd. Just because I like you I'll root for New England. After all, Brady's from the same part of the Bay Area I'm from. If they win you owe me.
Once again, dont know whats more embarrassing: Shaving your head and crawling for miles while people look at you, or being dissed by the Beatles.
ReplyDeletelathough his team won, watch jim harbough revert to childhood with this epic slow motion reaction.
ReplyDeletehe really looks like a petulant child...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrbSGroWlns
me, i am rooting for the sane harbough. that would be john.
>>>Lauren said: Once again, dont know whats more embarrassing: Shaving your head and crawling for miles while people look at you, or being dissed by the Beatles.>>>
ReplyDeleteThat's a toss up. Hmmmm... the jury's out on that one Lauren. They're both equally embarrassing....
>>>Matt said: At least the jurors got to listen to some good tunes.>>>
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they got to hear "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"
Where did Charlie get a record player anyway? From the stolen Sears credit card? LOL
I guess it was just Baltimore's day. My condolences Skynyrd.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Baltimore won too....
ReplyDeleteG'night Jugdish.
from what manson had a battery operated recorder player made for kids.
ReplyDeleteThe Butcher Shot album cover was for Yesterday and Today...not the White Album. So peel that one away instead. The White Album, being all white, might not even have any paper to be peeled.
ReplyDelete