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.
My Generation
Roger Daltrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold
(Talking 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don't you all f-fade away
(Talking 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say
(Talking 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a b-b-big sensation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Talking 'bout my-my-my-my-my-my g-generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don't you all f-fade away
(Talking 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say
(Talking 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a b-b-big sensation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Talking 'bout my-my-my-my-my-my g-generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
My-my-my-my-my generation
My-my-my-my generation
People try to put us d-down
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
My-my-my-my generation
Talking about
This is my generation
This is my generation
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Talking about
My-my-my-my-my-my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
(Talking 'bout my generation)
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
(Talking 'bout my generation)
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
The lyrics to Roger Daltrey's My Generation are a reflection of the rebellious spirit and youthful energy of the 1960s. The song is a defiant response to the older generation's criticism of the youth culture, their fashion, their music, and their lifestyle. The first verse highlights the irony of the situation where the youth are put down just because they are young, active and embrace change. The line 'Things they do look awful c-c-cold' suggests that the older generations' judgmental attitude towards the youth is based on their lack of understanding and unfamiliarity with the new trends.
The chorus 'This is my generation' repeats the statement that the song speaks for the new generation that refuses to be silenced or suppressed. The phrase 'Why don't you all f-fade away' is an exhortation to the older generation to step back and let the youth create their own path. The repetition of the line 'Talking 'bout my generation' emphasizes the determination of the youth to establish their own identity and culture.
The song is a call to arms, a rallying cry for the youth of the 60s to unite and stand up for themselves. It still resonates today as a timeless anthem of youthful rebellion and defiance.
Line by Line Meaning
People try to put us down
People are attempting to undermine us
(Talking 'bout my generation)
This discussion is about our generation
Just because we get around
Simply because we are mobile
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Again, this conversation pertains to our generation
Things they do look awful c-c-cold
Their actions come across as incredibly heartless
(Talking 'bout my generation)
We are still talking about our generation
I hope I die before I get old
I do not want to age
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Yet again, the focus is on our generation
This is my generation
This is the era in which I am living
This is my generation, baby
The generation in which I reside
Why don't you all f-fade away
Why do you not disappear?
(Talking 'bout my generation)
We are referring to our generation in this statement
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say
Do not attempt to comprehend what we're saying
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Our discussion pertains to our generation
I'm not trying to cause a b-b-big sensation
I do not desire to create a massive upheaval
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Once again, we are conversing about our generation
Talking 'bout my-my-my-my-my-my g-generation
Our dialogue is regarding our generation
My-my-my-my-my generation
Our generation
People try to put us d-down
Individuals are attempting to belittle us
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Our discussion pertains to our generation
Just because we g-g-get around
Merely because we are mobile
(Talking 'bout my generation)
We are still talking about our generation
Things they do look awful c-c-cold
Their actions appear incredibly callous
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Our dialogue pertains to our generation
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old
I hope to pass away before I get too old
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Our discussion is about our generation
This is my generation
This is the time period during which I exist
This is my generation, baby
This is, once again, the era in which I live
Talking about
We are discussing
This is my generation
Again, we are discussing our generation
This is my generation
Clearly, the focus of our conversation is our generation
This is my generation
Our generation is the topic of discussion
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Once more, we are discussing our generation
Talking about
We're discussing
My-my-my-my-my-my generation
We are talking about our generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
The discussion is focused on our generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
Our dialogue is about our generation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
The topic of conversation is our generation
This is my generation
The era in which we exist
(Talking 'bout my generation)
We are still talking about our generation
This is my generation
Our generation is still the focus of the conversation
(Talking 'bout my generation)
We're discussing our generation once again
This is my generation
Our generation is still the conversation's focus
Contributed by Ian D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@baddiemauve4958
[Intro]
[Verse 1: Roger Daltrey (Pete Townshend & John Entwistle)]
People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
[Verse 2: Roger Daltrey (Pete Townshend & John Entwistle)]
Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation) (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
[Bridge]
My, my, my generation
My, my, my generation
[Verse 1: Roger Daltrey (Pete Townshend & John Entwistle)]
People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
[Bridge]
My, my, my generation
My, my, my generation
[Verse 1: Roger Daltrey (Pete Townshend & John Entwistle)]
People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
[Bridge]
My, my, my generation
[Outro: (Pete Townshend & John Entwistle) Roger Daltrey]
(Talkin' 'bout my generation)
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) My generation
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) My generation
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) This is my generation, baby
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) This is my generation
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) This is my generation
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) This is my generation
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) This is my generation
@dyslexicbatnam1350
I was so surprised to hear this song in A Silent Voice I was actually thrown off a little lmao
@Mexican_Chad
Same I was so confused
@verbalkil5402
Facts
@bluecap6713
It caught me so off guard, I thought I was hallucinating
@illegal_juicebox
I l o v e this song
@anszjaa
It was fitting so perfectly and immediately I loved it
@23theseeker50
I'm 71 years old and still a fanatical WHO fan LONG LIVE THE WHO GREAT, GREAT BAND.
@ITheNightmare
I'm 21 years old and I like the Who too.
@_Osse
This song really be bringing all ages together
@crazyladyofberlin8715
@@ITheNightmare Good boy!