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The Who — Baba O'Riley
Album: Who's Next
Avg rating:
8.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3871









Released: 1971
Length: 5:05
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Out here in the fields
I fight for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven

Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland

Sally, take my hand
We'll travel south cross land
Put out the fire and don't look past my shoulder
The exodus is here
The happy ones are near
Let's get together before we get much older

Teenage wasteland
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland, oh yeah
Teenage wasteland
They're all wasted
Comments (523)add comment
 firefly6 wrote:

'Riley' is a nod to composer Terry Riley.
Listen to his 1968 recording 'In C' and you'll get it. 



And Baba is a nod to Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual figure who Townshend followed at the time. 
Crank that sh#$ up! How can this not be anything but a 10?!
All rise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Every time this song gets played the volume on my stereo seems to rise up to "10" all on its own - maybe to match my song rating.  

I played this album almost every night I was testing the smoke detectors in my university dorm room '72-'74 (most nights if I'm honest).  Forty years later and now I can catch a buzz just by losing myself to this song.  Weird
 
The violin solo on the outro.  My goodness.
It just doesn’t get any better than this. Solid 10
 acolt wrote:

Had this at an 8 cause I was all like F YOU BOOMERS but now it's a 9 because dang it this just rocks.



You're just jealous 'cause we've got the best music.
'Riley' is a nod to composer Terry Riley.
Listen to his 1968 recording 'In C' and you'll get it. 
 bdwhitepm wrote:

Banco de Gaia to The Who?  Unexpected but i love it!

Does anyone know where the title of the song originated?  So many younger people I know think this song is called "Teenage Wasteland"

Who is Baba O'Riley?



That reminds me - I first heard Banco de Gaia here on RP BillG and fell in love. Haven't heard any for ages ........... can we have some soon please, huh?
Teenage wasteland!!!!!
[URL=/gif/joe-pera-discovers-the-who-NoBdh-][IMG] [/IMG][/URL]
I highly recommend checking out the two season TV series "Sense8". One of the characters in it is a beautiful blonde woman named Riley Blue, who is from Iceland, but is a DJ in London. Her father is a musician in an orchestra in Iceland, and when he meets her, upon her arrival at the airport in Reykjavik, he plays this song for her on a ukulele.  Don't know how many viewers picked up on the connection between Baba O'Riley and Riley Blue, but it brought a big smile to my face.  
 chinaski wrote:

I'm closer to 70 than 60 and I can't help thinking that the lyrics meanings are perhaps lost on today's youth. 



Dude, half the people our age didn't get it when it was brand new
Had this at an 8 cause I was all like F YOU BOOMERS but now it's a 9 because dang it this just rocks.
The arpeggiated sound on this song is not a synthesizer or sequencer; rather it is a Lowrey TBO-1 organ with a marimba repeat effect.
 kingart wrote:

A few days ago on Facebook, a commenter on It's Only Rock and Roll page asked if you had one album and one only as a desert island disc, what would it be? Who's Next was mine.  Simply solid energy, first to last. 



hard to argue with your choice, Kingart, i love Who's Next but i might choose Quadrophenia...i mean, its got 4 sides...double the music on the desert island!
I'm closer to 70 than 60 and I can't help thinking that the lyrics meanings are perhaps lost on today's youth. 
Better Baba than Bill (O'Reilly).
The use of the drums in the song is like an eruption. Keith did it!
 bdwhitepm wrote:

Banco de Gaia to The Who?  Unexpected but i love it!

Does anyone know where the title of the song originated?  So many younger people I know think this song is called "Teenage Wasteland"

Who is Baba O'Riley?



According to Wikipedia:

"The song's title combines the names of Meher Baba and Terry Riley, two of Townshend's philosophical and musical mentors"

Wikipedia is the second best thing found on the Internet. All you RP listeners can guess at number one....
TEENAGE WASTELAND!!!!!!
Banco de Gaia to The Who?  Unexpected but i love it!

Does anyone know where the title of the song originated?  So many younger people I know think this song is called "Teenage Wasteland"

Who is Baba O'Riley?
One of the greatest. Indubitably a 10.
I LOVE playing "air violin" at the end of this great song. 

When I was in high school, my friends and I snuck into the school cafeteria that was under construction and spray painted "Teenage Wasteland" on some plywood. I think it was only a year or two after this song came out, so it may have been semi-new at the time...
This is THE song off THE album that awakened my lifelong love of music.
There is no other song/album combination that compares!
Epic

Why this was never a single, I will never know
A few days ago on Facebook, a commenter on It's Only Rock and Roll page asked if you had one album and one only as a desert island disc, what would it be? Who's Next was mine.  Simply solid energy, first to last. 
Bug's Life - an excellent animated movie. This awesome song will always remind me of it. 
       
Solid 10 anytime of the day or night.
 skooba wrote:
Only one word for this photo...
Awesome!
 
Snapped just as Pete is above Keith; very nice!
 sfyi2001 wrote:
 n                    

 
Only one word for this photo...
Awesome!
 EdEastridge wrote:

Any dissent?



 
Average rating 8.7, 92.7% above 7 votes. Looks like little dissent to me.
 wtango wrote:

I CONCUR
 
Thirded. Any dissent?


 cavemanleong wrote:
{#Notworthy} {#Notworthy} {#Notworthy} The only emogi that fits this song!
 
Oh, I don't know ...
{#Bananapiano}{#Bananajam}{#Guitarist}{#Drummer}
{#Notworthy} {#Notworthy} {#Notworthy} The only emogi that fits this song!
 Segue wrote:
Has to be 10. Epic. 

 
I CONCUR
 hayduke2 wrote:
IMMORTAL MOON  : )

 
bump
To me a STRONG 8 - Most Excellent  almost 9
Received this automated e-mail today from RadioParadise that I've been receiving every six months for years now, one of those things I forget about until the email notice from RP arrives but am always happy to see:

Thank you very much for your support payment of $50.00 to Radio Paradise. We remain committed to producing thoughtful & intelligent programming, while keeping the station freely available and free from advertising. Your support definitely helps to make that possible. Thank you for being an integral part of the RP community. We particularly appreciate your decision to make this a recurring automatic payment every 6 months.We'll send you an email each time your card or account is charged. You can manage (or cancel) the payment by logging in at https://radioparadise.com/support - or by emailing support@radioparadise.com.

Most gratefully,

Rebecca & Bill

NOTE: this is an automatically generated message confirming your RP support payment.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact support@radioparadise.com.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Why'd I post this? Just a hint for those of you who can afford your appreciation for RP the same way as I do. I also do the same for KNON in Dallas. Totally worth it.

 


Has to be 10. Epic. 
To me 8 - Most Excellent
Absolutely enjoy listening to this track.. always{#Guitarist}. Happy New Year people!   
 n                    

You are killing me with this mix and pics tonite, Bill! Keep killing, please!
 easmann wrote:

This is a fairly common comment on these boards. It's true, there are plenty of songs getting overplayed on other stations. Folks who complain about that could stop listening to those stations. I did years ago and highly recommend it. It's allowed me to enjoy again a number of songs that I thought were lost to me from overexposure. Peace. 

 
Ditto here.  Really enjoyed hearing this song pop up and gave me a chance to appreciate it's brilliance and power all over again.
The beauty, the power, the glory all lost. They sold it.
IMMORTAL MOON  : )
 Wardleader wrote:
To all of the people who are burned out in Innagoddadavida, Freebird, Layla etc etc.   Try reading a book.  If you are old enough to get burned out on this so called overplayed song, maybe you just over listen.  Take a break.   Spend a few years here.   Maybe take up a watching a popular sports from yr couch.  Then come back to The Who.  Variety is the spice of life.   Repetition to death is only good for memorizing the Periodic Table of Elements or multiplication tables.  And then of course, long term marriages.  But that is another story.

 
Well said!  The Who's greatest song.  Roger and Pete's best duet.   IMMORTAL
To all of the people who are burned out in Innagoddadavida, Freebird, Layla etc etc.   Try reading a book.  If you are old enough to get burned out on this so called overplayed song, maybe you just over listen.  Take a break.   Spend a few years here.   Maybe take up a watching a popular sports from yr couch.  Then come back to The Who.  Variety is the spice of life.   Repetition to death is only good for memorizing the Periodic Table of Elements or multiplication tables.  And then of course, long term marriages.  But that is another story.
Was listening to one of the rock channels on Sirius and it had a snippet from Pete mentioning the fact that he had been listening to a lot of Philip Glass and Terry Riley. You can definitely hear the minimalist influence with the keyboard drone.
still reminds me to "Think Bike"!
 hschlossberg wrote:
This used to be a great song.  It probably still is.  But classic rock radio has overplayed it for so many years, I really wish RP didn't.  Burned out.
easmann wrote:

This is a fairly common comment on these boards. It's true, there are plenty of songs getting overplayed on other stations. Folks who complain about that could stop listening to those stations. I did years ago and highly recommend it. It's allowed me to enjoy again a number of songs that I thought were lost to me from overexposure. Peace. 

 
Great reply, easmann!  I 100% agree with your approach, as FM radio has to sell ads and in order to do so they have a formula on what to play when, etc.  BillG and RebeccaG DO NOT have to satisfy advertisers (only us hopefully supporting listeners) and while I understand not wanting to hear suchnsuch - you really can't satisfy EVERYONE always.  And like you said, the best way to deprogram our ears from hearing the CLASSICS and thinking "that's been overplayed" is to just stop going there.  And then when a great tune comes on here it's a welcome event. 

LONG LIVE RP!!  Wish I had more $$ to send your way BillG....soon my 17 y/o will be graduated and I'll have a bit more disposable income to dispose of here {#Hug}


The definite test for my brand new 50 W speakers.

Approved!


But oh that hair!!

treatment_bound wrote:
Rog never did find his way over to the backstage dessert cart.

Image result for roger daltrey

 


 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:

*insert joke here*

 
Why did the cannibal get kicked out of school?
Because he was always buttering up the teachers
Rog never did find his way over to the backstage dessert cart.

Image result for roger daltrey
Had RP blasting through the house, doing the usual Sat. afternoon chores and whatevers. Kid rushes out of house, prom dress, makeup kit, etc. in hand for the big night out just as "Baba O'Riley" kicks it into its highest gear. The poetic bittersweet moment was not lost on me. Followed quickly by Nick Lowe's "Peace, Love and Understanding" (as done by EC). Could swear George Harrison's spirit just passed directly through my house. Blessed I am, mmmm hmmmm. 

Bildresultat för the who gif

Let´s rock!


Image result for beavis and butthead gif
 TerryS wrote:
Who was Sally?

 

Maybe a double meaning.  It could be referring to a person, or it could be referring to a sortie from a secure position.

noun, plural sallies.
1. a sortie of troops from a besieged place upon an enemy.
2. a sudden rushing forth or activity.
3. an excursion or trip, usually off the main course.
 
 gazcon73 wrote:
An average score of 8.8 is the highest Ive ever seen on RP and a big finger up to you nay-sayers .

 
I say nay. Meetcha in the parking lot after last class.
Who was Sally?
 gazcon73 wrote:
An average score of 8.8 is the highest Ive ever seen on RP and a big finger up to you nay-sayers .

 
Just klick "Top Lists" ;-)
{#Bananajam}
Huge 10/10 {#Bananasplit}
Happily, this song has not been ruined by overplay for me.  That would be terrible, it's one of my top 10s.  A high 10.  

Bill, where's the 11 option?  

 
An average score of 8.8 is the highest Ive ever seen on RP and a big finger up to you nay-sayers .
Image result for pete townsend windmill gif
forgot the {#Boohoo}
{#Bananasplit}{#Guitarist}{#Drummer}{#Bananapiano}{#Bananajam}
Saw The Who last night in SB Bowl. Great show {#Bananajam}
The voices have aged a bit, but the rock was still there.

Rock on.
DEAD FROM OVERPLAY
This used to be a great song.  It probably still is.  But classic rock radio has overplayed it for so many years, I really wish RP didn't.  Burned out.
 buddy wrote:
Okay all you kids out there....TURN IT UP ALL THE WAY!!!!

Praise those who came before.....this is how it's done.  Rock and Fucking Roll.

{#Guitarist}  {#Drummer} {#Dancingbanana_2} {#Guitarist} {#Boohoo}
 
{#Notworthy}

 
Boom. Turn it to 10.
Yep :o)
edit- High five OTB!
 buddy wrote:
Okay all you kids out there....TURN IT UP ALL THE WAY!!!!

Praise those who came before.....this is how it's done.  Rock and Fucking Roll.

{#Guitarist}  {#Drummer} {#Dancingbanana_2} {#Guitarist} {#Boohoo}
 
{#Notworthy}

 
Amen Brother!!!


hehe nice drunken drummer start
 buddy wrote:
Okay all you kids out there....TURN IT UP ALL THE WAY!!!!

Praise those who came before.....this is how it's done.  Rock and Fucking Roll.
 
Yep.
Who's good ?
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:

*insert joke here*

 
A priest, a minister and a rabbi walk into a bar. 

The bartender says "What is this, some kind of joke?" 
{#Cool} 

CowboyJJ wrote:
EPIC show last night at Staples, after 50 YEARS these guys STILL ROCK! {#Bananapiano}

 


EPIC show last night at Staples, after 50 YEARS these guys STILL ROCK! {#Bananapiano}
Okay all you kids out there....TURN IT UP ALL THE WAY!!!!

Praise those who came before.....this is how it's done.  Rock and Fucking Roll.

{#Guitarist}  {#Drummer} {#Dancingbanana_2} {#Guitarist} {#Boohoo}
 
{#Notworthy}
 idiot_wind wrote:
Its the drumming! Its the drumming! its the drumming!
Moon had to have a third arm! 
 
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
 gheorghios wrote:

A horse walks into a bar.
Several patrons got up and left as they recognized the potential danger in the situation.

 
{#Lol}{#Lol}{#Lol}
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:

*insert joke here*

 
A horse walks into a bar.
Several patrons got up and left as they recognized the potential danger in the situation.
 idiot_wind wrote:
its the drumming! Its the drumming! its the drumming!

Moon had to have a third arm!  
 
*insert joke here*
A1 ROCK  (only way I could get my 17 yr old son to sit through Baba is by bounding him to a chair, poor fukka : ) party on!
I always enjoy this track. Many wonderful memories evoked. More!
 
This is a desert island album, period, end of story.
 Aud wrote:


I was at the same concert with a friend on her 30th birthday.
I dropped flyers down from the upper section to behind the stage asking for a shoutout for the "kid that was all right." 

35 years now...concert was in early May.
Wow! Makes me think (briefly) that I am old...nah

 Just looked up the setlist on setlist.fm.  Boy, was I wrong on my recollection of that show:

 

Fri., May 2, 1980—St. Paul Civic Center (RIP)

 

Baba O'Riley was NOT the opener, and THEY CLOSED WITH A SEX PISTOLS SONG (according to this website), which I SURELY also don't remember.  I seem to recall "Won't Get Fooled Again" being the last song.

Aud, can you please post your thoughts (remembrances)?

It's too bad I didn't have a smartphone then to preserve a little of what went on!{#Roflol}

 

...here's what I found:

 

Substitute

I Can't Explain

Baba O'Riley

My Wife

Sister Disco

Behind Blue Eyes

Dreaming From the Waist

Drowned

Who Are You

5:15

Pinball Wizard

My Generation

I Can See for Miles

Sparks

See Me, Feel Me

Long Live Rock

Won't Get Fooled Again

Encore:

Young Man Blues (Mose Allison cover) 

Dancing in the Street (Martha Reeves and The Vandellas cover)

Dance It Away (Pete Townshend song) 

Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols cover)

 

 


 skimbrie wrote:
Is this the highest rated tune on RP? I think so. 

 
Jimi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower is currently the highest rated song on RP with a 9.649 average.
Is this the highest rated tune on RP? I think so. 
I like it, don't get me wrong, but I'd like to hear some different  Who occasionally. 
When i first saw the cover Ibought the record just because of the cover.
It was so anti, if you know what i mean. Anti to the my parents to the society...
And later hearing the whole record iloved each song on it. A Masterpiece
 ekin wrote:
I'M A UNİCORN!!!!!!
 
You're certainly something that's abnormal.
Sonic perfection.
 ekin wrote:
DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ  BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ  BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ  FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!! I'M A UNİCORN!!!!!! 

 
Ah ah ah, I'd love to have been with you when you wrote that. Quite exhilarating! {#Drunk}



DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ DİDİDİ  BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ BİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ VENİCİ  BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ BİDİDİ  FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!! I'M A UNİCORN!!!!!! 
Gave it a blast in my car 30 minutes ago on my way back from work, along with the rest of the LP.
Then it comes on RP again! We are pretty much in tune. 
{#Motor} 
 wgsu_1978 wrote:

Hearing "Eminence Front" used to flog trucks was indeed disappointing. But a new generation who wouldn't be caught dead listening to "Classic Rock" radio hears the song and seeks it out, which keeps it in circulation. I suppose that's why Townsend does it. Does he have shareholders for his catalog now, like Bowie does? If so the decision may even be out of his hands.
 
According to John Entwhistle's ex-wife, John, Roger and Pete were terrified of being poor and very jealous of the way the Rolling Stones made money. She stated that Entwhistle, who died while touring, only went on the road because he had serious cash flow problems and thought he was close to bankruptcy.

FWIW:

https://brandy_and.tripod.com/oo/maxmail.html 
lol @ Pete's nasaly vocals.
its the drumming! Its the drumming! its the drumming!

Moon had to have a third arm!  
 thewiseking wrote:
Why would, arguably, the Greatest of All Rock Bands sell out their entire catalogue for commercial use? Did they really need the dough? The overplay and horrific commercial product associations that created has made it impossible to listen to much of their wonderful, brilliant, towering best work, this one especially. A shame, really. 

 
Hearing "Eminence Front" used to flog trucks was indeed disappointing. But a new generation who wouldn't be caught dead listening to "Classic Rock" radio hears the song and seeks it out, which keeps it in circulation. I suppose that's why Townsend does it. Does he have shareholders for his catalog now, like Bowie does? If so the decision may even be out of his hands.
Took my family to the Who show in Jacksonville on 04/19/15.  Exceeded  my expectations and created great memories seeing/hearing rock royalty.  
 thewiseking wrote:
Why would, arguably, the Greatest of All Rock Bands sell out their entire catalogue for commercial use? Did they really need the dough? The overplay and horrific commercial product associations that created has made it impossible to listen to much of their wonderful, brilliant, towering best work, this one especially. A shame, really. 

 
Except that almost every band out there nowadays sells their catalog for commercial use.  Many bands sell their songs right after they are written and released.  As much as it bothers some, The Who did nothing wrong by going with the changing times.
Yeah! {#Bananajam}
Saw a concert by The Screaming Lord Sutch at some large pub (probably prior to one of his many election runs) and a friend tells me that The Who were the supporting act.
My interests at the time ensured that I was ogling whilst getting pissed and debating who might and who might not get into a car with you. Those other Whos were lost on me.
 treatment_bound wrote:
Only saw them once—-1980 in St. Paul.

They opened with this, and I felt like I was going elevate right off the floor.

 

I was at the same concert with a friend on her 30th birthday.
I dropped flyers down from the upper section to behind the stage asking for a shoutout for the "kid that was all right." 

35 years now...concert was in early May.
Wow! Makes me think (briefly) that I am old...nah
Pregame at Madison Square Garden.
Wins award for Best Use of Who.
 
They will never die? lol never trust anyone over 30
 springof63 wrote:
Posted: Jun 03, 2014 - 16:52
 < Reply >


Just for the record (lol), 'Songfacts' says -
"
The first part of the title comes from Meher Baba, who was Pete Townshend's spiritual guru. The second part comes from Terry Riley, an experimental, minimalist composer Townshend admired - many of the keyboard riffs and sound effects on Who's Next were a result of Riley's influence. According to the Who's Next liner notes, Townshend wrote it as his vision of what would happen if the spirit of Meher Baba was fed into a computer and transformed into music. The result would be Baba in the style of Terry Riley, or "Baba O'Riley."
.
The title is not mentioned in the lyrics, so the song is often referred to as "Teenage Wasteland." The "Teenage Wasteland" section was a completely different song Townshend combined with his "Baba O'Riley" idea to form the song.
.
This is the first song on Who's Next, the most successful album of The Who's career. Although this is one of the most popular Who songs, it was never released as a single in America or the UK. It was, however, the perfect song for the up-and-coming Album Oriented Rock (AOR) format that was picking up steam on FM radio. Always played in moderation, "Baba" became a Classic Rock staple and remains on many playlists.
"
'course, you can't believe everything you read on the internet . . .
should've been 'Meher O'Riley' then shouldn't it ? {#Wink}

 
And then, when Pete brought back that keyboard riff on Psychoderelict, he simply called it "Meher Baba." 3 or 4 times.
The song itself might be great. Just: I can't help but listening to this pesky background sound (keyboard). Literally drives me crazy°{#Frustrated}
Posted: Jun 03, 2014 - 16:52
 < Reply >

 PhoenixArtDj wrote:
Anyone who calls this song "teenage wasteland" deserves to be taken out behind a shed and roughed up some.

   Imkirok wrote:

Or Bubba O'Riley.

 
Just for the record (lol), 'Songfacts' says -
"
The first part of the title comes from Meher Baba, who was Pete Townshend's spiritual guru. The second part comes from Terry Riley, an experimental, minimalist composer Townshend admired - many of the keyboard riffs and sound effects on Who's Next were a result of Riley's influence. According to the Who's Next liner notes, Townshend wrote it as his vision of what would happen if the spirit of Meher Baba was fed into a computer and transformed into music. The result would be Baba in the style of Terry Riley, or "Baba O'Riley."
.
The title is not mentioned in the lyrics, so the song is often referred to as "Teenage Wasteland." The "Teenage Wasteland" section was a completely different song Townshend combined with his "Baba O'Riley" idea to form the song.
.
This is the first song on Who's Next, the most successful album of The Who's career. Although this is one of the most popular Who songs, it was never released as a single in America or the UK. It was, however, the perfect song for the up-and-coming Album Oriented Rock (AOR) format that was picking up steam on FM radio. Always played in moderation, "Baba" became a Classic Rock staple and remains on many playlists.
"
'course, you can't believe everything you read on the internet . . .
should've been 'Meher O'Riley' then shouldn't it ? {#Wink}
Why would, arguably, the Greatest of All Rock Bands sell out their entire catalogue for commercial use? Did they really need the dough? The overplay and horrific commercial product associations that created has made it impossible to listen to much of their wonderful, brilliant, towering best work, this one especially. A shame, really. 
Nice post, Mr. Duke!  {#Cheers}
June 21, 2012
(former member)
(Lazarus)  : )

"Them there teenagers are all wasted...  life is grand for the young...  sigh...  this whole album is magnificent...

think of it in the context of 1971, when the album was released... the album promotes rebellion against authority... "Meet the new boss— the same as the old boss"... oh, the optimism of youth that "we won't get fooled again..." hey— at least the young generation of Baby Boomers ended the draft, got the Civil Rights Act of 1964, created Medicare, gave women the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and created "women's liberation"... etc...

in 1971, young people were drafted in the USA to serve in an optional and unnecessary war in Vietnam... the 1960's had gradually fomented the civil unrest that was a conglomerate of reactions to many forms of institutional injustice... the USA had a president who eventually had to resign from office for being a criminal...

the cover of the album demonstrates the band's lack of respect for institutional authority... this is a brilliant historical album, and I hope the young folks today get the message— question authority rather than automatically worship it..."
words of Wisdom!   Thank you Lazarus

  
 Bobert_ParkCity wrote:

Harsh.  Sadly mistaken, in my view.  Not even Live At Leeds?

 
You and I share a lot of musical interests (according to your ratings page), so I optimistically listened to Live at Leeds.
On it I find some of the rawness that made My Generation a really good album, so I do see your point. Better live than in the studio.
But otherwise, I stand by my comment. I am not a fan of The Who, beyond the first album.