Album #20: Tommy (1969)
The Who
Genre: Rock & Roll
Dedicated to MB Member(s): Boo Boo\Alfred
1. "Overture"
2. "It's a Boy"
3. "1921"
4. "Amazing Journey"
5. "Sparks"
6. "Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)"
7. "Christmas"
8. "Cousin Kevin"
9. "The Acid Queen"
10. "Underture"
11. "Do You Think It's Alright?"
12. "Fiddle About"
13. "Pinball Wizard"
14. "There's a Doctor"
15. "Go to the Mirror!"
16. "Tommy, Can You Hear Me?"
17. "Smash the Mirror"
18. "Sensation"
19. "Miracle Cure"
20. "Sally Simpson"
21. "I'm Free"
22. "Welcome"
23. "Tommy's Holiday Camp"
24. "We're Not Gonna Take It" / "See Me, Feel Me"
Doubtful I'll tell you anything about the album you've not already heard or already knew. The fourth album for the band and the one where they really started hitting their stride. One of the most acclaimed albums in music history, the Who's inaugural Rock Opera offering serves up a vivid compilation of interconnected story telling songs linked into the storyline that moves the music. Ranging from a melodic soft pop pace to a frantically orchestral gait, it's Pete Townshend's metaphorical state of enlightenment, dark and controversial, it's essentially the messianic title character's quest to fulfill the same storyline we should have already known. The album to me couldn't be less about this.
What's so exceptional about this album to me is the ability of the music to emote and essentially tell the story to the equal if not exceeding that of the lyrics. At the core of the music is Pete Townshend and mainly the acoustic guitar, the songs primarily were written around his melody and lyrics. The result are a set of songs that feel completely connected and intertwined amongst each other. Despite their relatively pop rock natured style none of the songs are really designed as singles and none of them stand out for most. I'd say Pinball Wizard is the most popular and probably the best suited for a single on the album but amongst the rest of the tunes it just fits in well.
Cutting this one a little short, not much interesting to say, I wouldn't recommend this album as a starting place for people looking to get into the band, but once you've started to enjoy the genre it's a great way to invest yourself in a new and interesting style of rock and roll music.