The Who lyrics make for an interesting study when you consider the fact that unlike many of their British counterparts in the 60s, the band was interested in pushing the boundaries of what could be accomplished in popular music. Their early tracks like My Generation and The Kids Are Alright dealt with the common themes of youthful rebellion and relationships, combining coming of age with an incisive social intelligence. While they had their share of straight ahead rock and roll songs, it was clear from the beginning that songwriter and guitarist Pete Townshend was quite interested in telling stories through his lyrics. Early on these stories were somewhat allegorical and vague, as with Happy Jack, but the first in-depth lyrical exploration undertaken by the band can be found in the 1966 release of A Quick One While Hes Away. 9 minutes long, The Who divided the song into six movements and the lyrics outline what happens to a woman who is abandoned by her lover and then details their eventual reunion and reconciliation. Many critics point to this track, included as the final song on the album A Quick One, as representing the embryonic beginnings of Townshends desire to create a rock opera. The Who Sell Out would take the interim step between the overt narratives of the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia. The Who lyrics on this album loosely follow the theme that the album listener is hearing a pirate radio broadcast, and the album also contains more snippets of Townshends artistic stretching, with certain tracks foreshadowing some of the themes that would be further developed in Tommy. The full blown lyrical and musical masterpiece Tommy and its follow-up Quadrophenia saw The Who completely abandon anything resembling a standard pop or rock song and instead focus entirely on a cohesive storyline. Despite such esoteric subjects as pinball and total sensory deprivation, the work still managed to spin off several successful radio singles and was embraced by fans and critics alike as a monument to what could be accomplished in the medium. The story of Quadrophenia was much more down to Earth, despite the schizophrenia of the operas main character,. It was a straight-ahead tale of a young mans navigation through the confusing world of social expectations, disillusionment and finally redemption. While other artists may have tackled political and social issues head on, Townshend and The Who preferred to construct elaborate lyrical landscapes within which to situate their opinions and messages. The metaphors found in their music are as vibrant and poignant today as they were 30 years ago.
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Classic-Rock-Music.com is the mystical rehersal studio for rockers DEMON TWEAK. Listen as they prepare for battle with the evil trickster Loki by playing home brewed classic rock direct from Ragnarok. Also read articles on your favorite classic rock band written by resident historian VIRGIL THE STORYTELLER
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