Pinball Wizard
Monsters of Rock Lyrics
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I've played the silver ball
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
He stands like a statue
Becomes part of the machine
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean
He plays by intuition
The digit counters fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
He's a pinball wizard
There has to be a twist
A pinball wizard's got such a supple wrist
How do you think he does it?
I don't know
What makes him so good?
Ain't got no distractions
Can't hear no buzzers and bells
Don't see no lights a-flashin'
Plays by sense of smell
Always gets a replay
Never seen him fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
I thought I was The Bally table king
But I just handed my pinball crown to him
Even on my favorite table
He can beat my best
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
The song "Pinball Wizard" by the Monsters of Rock is a tribute to the character Tommy, who appears in the rock opera of the same name by the band The Who. The lyrics depict a young boy who spends his time playing pinball machines and has become an expert at the game, to the point where he outshines all his competitors. The singer notes that he's never seen anyone as good as him and is a phenomenon that stands out among all the other players.
The character, who is deaf, dumb, and blind, cannot rely on his visual or auditory perceptions to play the game. But his intuition is precise enough to calculate each flip, touch, and nudge of the machine. His win seems rather shocking and peculiar to the singer, who wonders how the boy is so good. However, the singer believes that the boy's secret lies in his lack of distractions and his ability to sense the game according to his smell and sense of touch.
In conclusion, "Pinball Wizard" describes the freakishly talented Tommy and his incredible skills with pinball. Through the song's lyrics, we understand that Tommy's gift is beyond human senses and that his magic with the machine outshines the abilities of the average person.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since I was a young boy
From my childhood, I have been playing pinball
I've played the silver ball
I have played pinball machines in numerous places
From Soho down to Brighton
I played pinball in different locations
I must have played them all
I might have played on all machines available in different places
But I ain't seen nothing like him
I have never seen anyone better at playing pinball
In any amusement hall
Even in locations where pinball machines are usually found
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
A kid with hearing, sight, and speech disabilities
Sure plays a mean pinball
Is exceptionally good at playing pinball
He stands like a statue
He stands very still while playing
Becomes part of the machine
He blends in with the machine while playing
Feeling all the bumpers
He can sense all the obstacles in the game
Always playing clean
He always avoids losing and playing poorly
He plays by intuition
He plays by instinct and feeling
The digit counters fall
He scores points with ease
He's a pinball wizard
He is exceptionally skilled at playing pinball
There has to be a twist
There must be something special that makes him so good
A pinball wizard's got such a supple wrist
Pinball wizards can move their wrists skillfully while playing
How do you think he does it?
What do you think makes him so good?
I don't know
I am not sure
What makes him so good?
What is his secret to playing so well?
Ain't got no distractions
He is not distracted by anything
Can't hear no buzzers and bells
He can't hear the sounds that the machine produces
Don't see no lights a-flashin'
He doesn't get distracted by the lights flashing on the machine
Plays by sense of smell
He has an exceptional ability to play by feeling the machine
Always gets a replay
He always gets to play the game again after his first attempt
Never seen him fall
I have never seen him play badly or lose the game
I thought I was The Bally table king
I thought I was the best at playing pinball
But I just handed my pinball crown to him
I had to accept that he is better than me at playing pinball
Even on my favorite table
Even on the machine I like the most
He can beat my best
He can win even when I am playing my best
His disciples lead him in
His followers assist him while playing
And he just does the rest
He only requires little assistance as he is good at playing
He's got crazy flipper fingers
He has exceptional dexterity in his fingers while playing pinball
Never seen him fall
He has not lost any game, according to me
Lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Peter Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind