The album received a five-star review in Rolling Stone.
The first track, "Athena" peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Pop Singles charts.
The album cover, designed by Graham Hughes, depicts a young boy playing Atari's Space Duel arcade game. It is a reference to Tommy, with the pinball machine that the main character played updated to the times.
In 1997, MCA re-released the album with new mixes for "Athena" and "Eminence Front" that corrected problems with the original 1982 mix. The lead vocals on both songs had been hard-panned to opposite channels, and Townshend and Daltrey shared a vocal flub on "Eminence Front."
Pete Townshend has been sometimes noted to give a brief history of "Eminence Front" before playing it in concert. He would explain what the song was about, and finish by saying the album's name (It's Hard).
Athena
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In peaceful times I hold her close and I feed her
My heart starts palpitating
When I think my guess was wrong
But I think I'll get alone
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
Athena
All I ever want to do is please her
My life has been so settled
And she's the reason
Just one word from her
And my troubles are long gone
But I think I'll get along
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's a bomb
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
She's just a girl
Athena
My heart felt like a shattered glass in an acid bath
I felt like one of those flattened ants
You find on a crazy path
I'd have stopped myself to give her time
She didn't need to ask
Was I a suicidal psychopath
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
Consumed
There was a beautiful white horse
I saw on a dream stage
He had a snake the size of a sewer pipe
Livin' in his rib cage
I felt like a pickled priest
Who was being flambed
You've got me requisitioned blondie
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
I'm happy
She's a bomb
I'm ecstatic
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl
Look into the face of a child
Measure how long you smiled
Before the mem'ry claimed
How long would children remain
How long could children remain
Athena
You picked me up by my lapels
And screamed "leave her"
I felt like waking up in heaven
On an empty meter
And now you're stuck
With a castrated leader
And I hate the creep
I didn't mean that
She's a bomb
I just said it
She's a bomb
Please She's a bomb
Athena
I had no idea how much I need her
My life has been so settled
And she's the reason
Just one word from her
And my troubles are long gone
Ooh but I get along
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
The lyrics of The Who's song Athena appear to be a love letter of sorts to the titular character, Athena, who is likely based on the Greek goddess of the same name. The singer conveys how much he needs Athena, especially during peaceful times when he can hold her close and feed her. He gets nervous about being wrong about her, but ultimately thinks he can get along with her despite her explosive nature, proclaiming that she's just a girl and a bomb. Later in the song, the singer reflects on how being with Athena makes him feel like he's in heaven, but also acknowledges that being with her could potentially lead to his downfall, as she has the power to consume him.
Overall, the lyrics of Athena can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting oneself fall too deeply in love, while also acknowledging how difficult it can be to resist such a powerful force. The comparison between Athena and a bomb may also suggest a sense of danger or unpredictability in the relationship, highlighting the risks involved in loving someone so passionately.
Line by Line Meaning
I had no idea how much I need her
I didn't realize how much I depended on her
In peaceful times I hold her close and I feed her
During the calm moments, I cherish and take care of her
My heart starts palpitating
My heart races with excitement
When I think my guess was wrong
When I doubt my intuition
But I think I'll get alone
But I think I'll manage without her
She's just a girl
She appears to be just an ordinary girl
She's a bomb
But she has an explosive personality
Athena
Referring to the woman as the goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts
All I ever want to do is please her
My sole purpose is to make her happy
My life has been so settled
My life was calm and monotone without her
And she's the reason
But she brought color and excitement into my life
Just one word from her
Her approval is all I need to feel content
And my troubles are long gone
Any problems I have vanish when she's around
Consumed
I am fully immersed in my love for her
There was a beautiful white horse I saw on a dream stage
A surreal image of a horse with an unusual creature living in its body
He had a snake the size of a sewer pipe living in his rib cage
The horse has an enormous and dangerous snake inside its body
I felt like a pickled priest who was being flambéed
I felt helpless and vulnerable as if being tortured
You've got me requisitioned, blondie
I am under your command, my love
Look into the face of a child
Reflect on the innocence of a child
Measure how long you smiled
See how long you can maintain a happy expression
Before the mem'ry claimed How long would children remain How long could children remain
Before the harshness of life takes away the carefree spirit of childhood
You picked me up by my lapels And screamed 'leave her'
You brought me back to reality and told me to distance myself from her
I felt like waking up in heaven On an empty meter
I felt ecstatic yet uncertain at the same time
And now you're stuck With a castrated leader
Now, you are surrounded by weak and powerless men
And I hate the creep I didn't mean that
I dislike the man who tries to control us, but I shouldn't say it out loud
Please She's a bomb
Please understand that she has a captivating personality that can be explosive
Ooh but I get along
But I can manage without her if need be
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: Peter Dennis Blandfor Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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