Daltrey was born in the Chiswick area of London, the same working class suburban neighbourhood that produced fellow Who members Pete Townshend and John Entwistle. He showed academic promise as a child in the English state school system, ranking at the top of his class on examinations that led to his enrollment at the Acton County Grammar School for boys. His parents, Harry and Irene, hoped he would eventually continue on to study at a university, but obeying the rules and learning from his teachers were not in the plans of the self-described "school rebel."
He made his first guitar from a block of wood and formed a band called, "The Detours." When his father bought him an Epiphone guitar in 1959, he became the lead guitarist for the band. Soon after, interested in nothing but rock and roll, he was expelled from school. He became a sheet metal worker during the day, while practising and performing nights with the band at weddings, pubs and men's clubs. At the time, the band included Daltrey on lead guitar, Pete Townshend on rhythm guitar, John Entwistle on bass, Doug Sandom on drums and Colin Dawson on lead vocals. After Colin Dawson left the band, Daltrey switched to vocals and Townshend to lead guitar.
Early on, Daltrey was the band's leader, earning a reputation for using his fists to exercise control when needed, despite his small stature. According to Townshend, Roger "ran things the way he wanted. If you argued with him, you usually got a bunch of fives." He generally selected the music they performed, including songs by The Beatles, various Motown artists, James Brown, and other rock standards. In 1964, he also helped decide on a new name for the group that had been suggested by Townshend's roommate, Richard Barnes — "The Who."
The Who
With the band's first record deal in early 1965, Townshend began writing original material and Daltrey's dominance of the band began to recede. (Their second single, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere was the only song on which Daltrey and Townshend collaborated.) As Townshend developed into one of rock's most accomplished composers, Daltrey's vocals became the vehicle through which Townshend's visions were expressed, and he gained an equally vaunted reputation as an incomparably powerful vocalist. His habit of swinging the microphone around by its cord on stage became a signature sign of his exuberance.
Daltrey's stuttering expression of youthful anger, frustration and arrogance in the band's breakthrough single, My Generation, captured the revolutionary feeling of the 1960s for many young people around the world and became the band's trademark. Later, his scream near the end of Won't Get Fooled Again became a defining moment for the band.
Yet, in the midst of the band's success, Daltrey repeatedly found himself fighting to keep the other members of The Who away from the drug and alcohol dependence that he believed would destroy them. He once flushed drummer Keith Moon's pills down the lavatory and, when Moon protested, knocked him down with one punch. Later, in October, 1973, with Townshend at a low point after struggling through the Lifehouse and Quadrophenia projects while Daltrey was experiencing some success with his solo projects and acting roles, tension between the two created more sparks. During a recording session (in an incident that Daltrey claimed was overblown), Townshend whacked the singer over the head with his guitar and Daltrey responded by knocking Townshend unconscious, again with a single blow. With each of The Who's milestone achievements, Tommy, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia, Daltrey was the face and voice of the band as they defined themselves as the ultimate rebels in a generation of change. When Tommy appeared as a feature film in 1975, Daltrey played the lead role and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for "Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture".
Solo music career
Roger Daltrey's first solo album, Daltrey
While he has always considered The Who his primary ambition in life, Daltrey has released eight solo albums. 1973's Daltrey was not the first solo release by a member of The Who, following albums by both John Entwistle and Pete Townshend. The top single off the album, "Giving It All Away," reached number five in the UK and the album, which introduced Leo Sayer as a songwriter, made the Top 50 in the United States. The emotional range displayed in Daltrey proved that the singer was capable of operating outside the context of The Who and of expressing his own moods, not just Townshend's.
When Sayer launched his own career as an artist, Daltrey called on a widening group of friends to write for and perform on his albums. Paul McCartney contributed the new song "Giddy" to "One of The Boys", where the band included Eric Clapton, Alvin Lee and Mick Ronson.
McVicar was billed as a soundtrack album for the film of the same name, which Daltrey co-produced and starred in. But since it featured all the other members of The Who — Townshend, Entwistle and Kenny Jones — it could almost have passed as a Who album. McVicar included two hit singles, Free Me and Without Your Love and was Daltrey's best-selling solo recording.
The title track to Under a Raging Moon was a tribute to Who drummer Keith Moon, who died in 1978. Each of the album's tracks, including "Let Me Down Easy" by Bryan Adams, expresses the frustration of growing older as only a man who sang "Hope I die before I get old" can. On Rocks in the Head, Daltrey is credited (along with Gerard McMahon) for co-writing seven of the eleven tracks.
Daltrey celebrated his fiftieth birthday in 1994 by performing at Carnegie Hall in a show called, "Daltrey Sings Townshend," accompanied by The Juilliard Orchestra, Townshend, Entwistle, Irish dancers and a group of folk musicians. Later he had a short weekly series on BBC Radio 2, presenting a personal choice of rock'n'roll.
After the Fire
Roger Daltrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The heart grows older but never ever learns
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns
After the fire the fire still burns
I heard a voice asking what happens after the fire
And then the sound of a breaking window and the scream of a tire
And then the sound of a distant gun and the cry of a hungry child
But nothing's gonna stop
This gang going wild
After the fire the fire still burns
The heart grows older but never ever learns
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns
After the fire the fire still burns
I saw Matt Dillon in black and white there ain't no colour in memories
He rode his brother's Harley across the TV while I was laughing at Dom deLuise.
Now I'm cycling all my video tapes, I'm crying and I'm joking
I've gotta stop drinking
I've gotta stop thinking
I've gotta stop smoking
After the fire the fire still burns
The heart grows older but never ever learns
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns
After the fire the fire still burns
The fire still burns, raging through the pain
Blackening the promises the tears and the rain
The fire will burn
'Til the wind begins to turn
And it all begins again
After the fire the fire still burns
The heart grows older but never ever learns
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns
After the fire the fire still burns
The song "After the Fire" by Roger Daltrey speaks about the aftermath of a fire, both literal and figurative. The opening line, "After the fire, the fire still burns," suggests that even after something is destroyed by fire, something new can be reborn from the ashes. This is a metaphor for life, where even after experiencing hardship and devastation, we must continue to move forward and grow. The heart may grow older, but it never learns because it still feels pain and longing. Memories may smolder, but the soul will always yearn for something more.
Throughout the song, we hear snippets of a chaotic and violent scene happening outside. There are the sounds of breaking glass, a car tire screeching, a distant gunshot, and a crying child. These sounds create a sense of urgency and danger, as if the world is falling apart around us. The repeated line, "This gang going wild," suggests that this is not an isolated incident, but rather a larger societal problem.
Daltrey also reflects on nostalgia and the passage of time. He remembers watching old TV shows in black and white, laughing at comedic actors like Dom DeLuise. But now, he cycles through old videos and feels a mix of emotions - crying, joking, and realizing he needs to change his habits. This is a common feeling as we grow older and remember past experiences.
Overall, "After the Fire" is a powerful song about resilience, nostalgia, and the human experience. It encourages us to keep moving forward, even when the world feels like it's falling apart.
Line by Line Meaning
After the fire the fire still burns
Even after a destructive event, its effects can still be felt.
The heart grows older but never ever learns
Aging doesn't necessarily equate to wisdom.
The memories smolder and the soul always yearns
Past experiences can continue to deeply affect us emotionally.
I heard a voice asking what happens after the fire
Someone is curious about the aftermath of a crisis.
And then the sound of a breaking window and the scream of a tire
The environment is chaotic and dangerous.
And then the sound of a distant gun and the cry of a hungry child
The world is full of violence and suffering.
The night is hot
The atmosphere is intense and unstable.
But nothing's gonna stop This gang going wild
People still act recklessly regardless of the danger around them.
I saw Matt Dillon in black and white there ain't no colour in memories
Memories can seem bleak and lacking in vivid detail.
He rode his brother's Harley across the TV while I was laughing at Dom deLuise
Nostalgic moments can be lighthearted and amusing.
Now I'm cycling all my video tapes, I'm crying and I'm joking
The singer is feeling emotional as they revisit past recordings.
I've gotta stop drinking I've gotta stop thinking I've gotta stop smoking
The artist recognizes a need to break away from unhealthy habits that may be triggered by memories.
The fire still burns, raging through the pain
The emotion may still be strong and relentless, causing further distress.
Blackening the promises the tears and the rain
The emotion is tarnishing the hope and sorrow in life.
The fire will burn 'Til the wind begins to turn
The emotion may only begin to fade when the circumstances around it change.
And it all begins again
Life is cyclical and events may repeat themselves.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: PETER DENNIS BLANDFOR TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iforgotmyscreenname1
This song came out 35+ years ago when I was still a kid. When I first heard it on MTV, I thought it was a stupid song, singing about smoke and fire. Now that I'm in my mid 40's with 3 kids, I learn the meaning of that fire, I just wanted to say it's one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Thanks Roger Daltrey.
@christmas10023
Dude it's both 😊 😢
@jimwelsh997
I always believed it's about Keith Moon he's the fire.
@allthingsbegin
it's an amazing song
@Freakster1970
It's a Pete Townsend song and he does a better live version of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I09C-owWw5s This version is over-produced and sounds very dated in the mid- 80s Just my own opinion;) It's still a great song.
@mtp4430
It's actually a Pete Townsend song that he gave to Roger to record.
@jdrumz321ify
One of the most powerful rock songs that hardly anyone knows anymore
@judylangevin4736
True! This Song & Video is the Best he’s ever made! Love love his Son is in it…! Why Awesome ❤❤❤❤! Beautiful
@nordicomsystems8841
Peperidge Farms remembers
@mikamamma
@@nordicomsystems8841😜