The Who - A Quick One, While He's Away (1966)

As Pete Townshend explained in his 2012 autobiography, Who I Am, he and his band, The Who, were in need of about ten minutes worth of songs in order to have enough material for their second album. Being the group’s only songwriter at the time, Townshend went to work. What was eventually created was a sort of “mini-opera.” The song is broken up into six parts and tells the story of a woman whose significant other has been gone for “nigh on a year.” Her friends set her up with another man, Ivor the Engine Driver, whom she eventually sleeps with. When her significant other finally returns, she’s overwhelmed with guilt, admits to her infidelity, and is ultimately forgiven. The six parts are:

I.	“Her Man’s Been Gone”
II.	“Crying Town”
III.	“We Have a Remedy”
IV.	“Ivor the Engine Driver”
V.	“Soon Be Home”
VI.	“You Are Forgiven”

That story, according to Townshend, was loosely based on his own childhood. When young, Townshend was sent by his parents to live with his grandmother, Denny. Denny lived near a train station and would often bring random men home. Although unclear on the details, Townshend is relatively sure that one or more of these men abused him- memories which he blocked out at a young age. The “twin girl” mentioned in the song, in real life, was Townshend’s imaginary friend.

The final part of the song, “You Are Forgiven,” was Townshend’s way of forgiving everyone involved in his childhood drama: his parents for abandoning him with his grandmother; his grandmother for bringing strangers into her home; and ultimately, himself. Townshend stated in his autobiography that when he performed the song live, he would always go into a wild frenzy, striking his guitar as hard as he could, when each “you are forgiven” was sung.

According to John Entwistle, The Who's bassist, "We wanted to put cellos on the track but [record producer] Kit Lambert said we couldn’t afford it. That’s why we sing 'cello, cello, cello, cello' where we thought they should be." The "mini-opera" idea became an obsession to Townshend, inspiring him to write the rock opera Tommy.




The Who - A Quick One, While He's Away (1966)

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Lyrics:


Her man’s been gone
For nearly a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain’t here

Her man’s been gone
For nigh on a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain’t here

Down your street, your cryin’ is a well-known sound
Your street is very well known, right here in town
Your town is very famous for the little girl
Whose cries can be heard all around the world

We have a remedy
You’ll appreciate
No need to be so sad
He’s only late

We’ll bring you flowers and things
Help pass your time
We’ll give him eagle’s wings
Then he can fly to you

We have a remedy
We have a remedy
We have a remedy
We have a remedy

We have a remedy?
We have!

Little girl, why don’t you stop your crying?
I’m gonna make you feel all right

My name is Ivor
I’m an engine driver

I know him well
I know why you feel blue
Just ‘cause he’s late
Don’t mean he’ll never get through

He told me he loves you
He ain’t no liar; I ain’t either
So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver
So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver

Please take a sweet
(Take a sweet)
Come take a walk with me
(Walk with me)
We’ll sort it out
(Sort it out)
Back at my place, maybe
(Back at my place, maybe)

It’ll come right
You ain’t no fool; I ain’t either
So why not be nice to an old engine driver?
Better be nice to an old engine driver
Better be nice to an old engine driver

We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

Come on, old horse

Soon be home
Soon be home
Soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon
Soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon be home
Soon be home

Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang

Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello

I can’t believe it
Do my eyes deceive me?
Am I back in your arms
Away from all harm?

It’s like a dream to be with you again
Can’t believe that I’m with you again

I missed you and I must admit
I kissed a few and once did sit
On Ivor the Engine Driver’s lap
And later, with him, had a nap

You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)

(You are forgiven)

(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You’re forgiven

The Who - Sparks (1969)

Primarily written by band member Pete Townshend, The Who’s double-sided Tommy album was one of the first rock albums in history to be considered a “rock opera.” The album’s songs systematically tell the story of Tommy, a kid who is psychosomatically deaf, dumb, and blind due to something he witnessed at a young age. The album’s time-frame spans multiple years, from Tommy as a child to his adult life. The album was banned by the BBC and many US radio stations for its subject matter, specifically revolving around a handicapped child who is abused by family members and goes on to become a spiritual leader. Just a few months after its release in 1969, the entire album was played by The Who for the crowd at Woodstock. Almost as if it were on cue, the sun began to rise at Woodstock over the horizon just as Roger Daltrey began to sing, “See Me, Feel Me.” The album has sold more than twenty million copies, been turned into a Broadway musical, an orchestral production, and a feature film. It was the band’s first major album success, to be followed by Who’s Next, Quadrophenia, The Who by Numbers, and Who Are You.

Written by Pete Townshend, this instrumental track was one of the numerous highlights on the Tommy album. The song has a notable appearance in the film Almost Famous from 2000, when the main character first becomes exposed to rock music when listening to this particular track.



The Who - Sparks (1969)

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Lyrics:

(instrumental)

The High Numbers - Zoot Suit (1964)

With roots as far back as 1961, this band was originally known as The Detours. In February 1964, when another group of the same name was discovered on television, they changed their name to “something simpler.” The group failed an audition with Fontana Records in April of the same year and consequently fired their drummer, Doug Sandom. The band soon replaced Doug with a talented drummer found in another local band known as The Beachcombers.

In the summer of 1964, after developing a reputation for being loud and destructive with their instruments, their manager, Helmut Gorden, hired an adviser, Pete Meaden, hoping to create a new image for the band. A few haircuts later and Pete recreated the group’s image to being the quintessential mod band, “mod” being a counter-culture group in the UK that appeared alongside the rockers in the ‘60s.

Also credited to Meaden was the band’s first opportunity to record a single at Fontana Records. In July 1964, the band released a single which featured lyrics written by Meaden and melodies “borrowed” from other songs. It didn’t sell well. Wanting to undo everything Meaden had done, the band fired both Gorden and Meaden and went back to their original R&B roots. They also changed their band’s name back to what it was between The Detours and Meaden’s High Numbers. From then on, the group would only be known as The Who.

Coming from the only single released by The Who while using The High Numbers name, this song was featured on the B-Side. As mentioned above, both this side and the A-Side, “I’m the Face,” had lyrics written by Pete Meaden. While “I’m the Face” featured a melody strongly inspired by Slim Harpo’s “Got Love If You Want It,” this song’s melody was almost an exact recreation of melody from The Dynamics’ “Misery.”

[Note: Also, if you haven't heard, Pete Townshend just released an autobiography titled 'Who I Am', which you can pick up at Amazon. (I'm not an affiliate to Amazon, but I did just buy a copy!) You can also see an interview Townshend did on the TODAY show over on their website.]



The High Numbers - Zoot Suit (1964)

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Lyrics:

I'm the hippiest number in town and I'll tell you why
(I’ll tell you why)
I'm the snappiest dresser right down to my inch-wide tie
(To my inch-wide tie)
And to get you wise, I'll explain it to you
You are the things that a face is supposed to do

I wear zoot suit jacket with side vents five inches long
(Five inches long)
I have two-tone brogues, all a rest, yeah, you know this is wrong
(Know this is wrong)
But the main thing is, unless you're a fool
Ah, you know, you gotta know, yeah, you know, yeah, you gotta be cool

So all you tickets, I just want you to dig me
(You to dig me)
With my striped zoot jacket that the salts can plainly see
(Plainly see)
So the action lies with all of you guys
Is how you look in the other- the other, yeah, the other cat's eye

Well don't you see? (Oh, yeah)
Well don't you see? (Oh, yeah)
Well don't you see now? (Oh, yeah)
Well don't you see now? (Oh, yeah)
Come on, baby (Oh, yeah)
'cause don't you see now?
Oh yeah, babe
Well don't you see now?
You drive me wild
You're crazy looking now

The Who - Blue, Red and Grey (1975)

Spanning forty years and still performing to this day, this band, in the minds of many, is considered to be one of the greatest rock bands of all time. From My Generation in 1965 through Who Are You in 1978, this band has put together a monumental catalog of amazing songs. Their album, Tommy (1969), is one of the greatest albums of all time and should be sat and listened to as if you were watching a movie (and, later, was a movie).

This song comes from the album The Who By Numbers, where all synthesizers and overdubbing was left behind. The entire album revolves around the inner demons of Pete Townshend, who penned all but one track, including alcoholism, loneliness, and getting older, among others. This track and “Squeeze Box” stand out as the only rays of sunshine on an otherwise depressing album.

[Update: For a brief period of time, The Who were known as The High Numbers, which you can listen to on this site.]



The Who - Blue, Red and Grey (1975)

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Lyrics:

Some people seem so obsessed with the morning
Get up early just to watch the sun rise
Some people like it more when there's fire in the sky
Worship the sun when it's high
Some people go for those sultry evenings
Sipping cocktails in the blue, red, and gray
But I like every minute of the day

I like every second, so long as you are on my mind
Every moment has its special charm
It's all right when you're around, rain or shine
I know a crowd who only live after midnight
Their faces always seem so pale
And then there's friends of mine who must have sunlight
They say, “a sun tan never fails”
I know a man who works the night shift
He's lucky to get a job and some pay
And I like every minute of the day

I dig every second
I can laugh in the snow and rain
I get a buzz from being cold and wet
The pleasure seems to balance out the pain

And so you see that I'm completely crazy
I even shun the south of France
The people on the hill, they say I'm lazy
But when they sleep, I sing and dance
Some people have to have the sultry evenings
Cocktails in the blue, red, and gray
But I like every minute of the day

I like every minute of the day