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.
One Of The Boys
Roger Daltrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He speaks with a terrible stammer
So he don't have much to say
But he can spit further than any punk
So nobody gets in his way.
He knows his generation like he knows his ABC
He's a face in the mirror he'll make you a fight.
But he's alright.
He's breaking out of nowhere
He's breaking all the rules
He's got a passion for the fashion
He's freezing all the the cools
He knows that you don't have to be that good,
To be a real bad cat
He's built with speed,
Guaranteed to show you where it's at
He's blowing all the speakers making his own noise.
One of the boys.
(Guitar solo)
You know he used to work in this factory
Until the big boss said "that's enough"
So he threw down his hammer and he picked up his coat
And he told the boss to get,
Fff-f-frustration with the nation
Because the news is always bad
Life on the dole ain't no good for your soul
It's enough to drive a poor kid mad
So who's going to put him down for making his own noise.
One of the boys.
The song “One of the Boys” by Roger Daltrey captures the story of a young man who is overlooked and underestimated by those around him. The lyrics describe his rebellion against societal norms and his determination to be heard. The first verse introduces the main character as someone who speaks with a stammer and who goes unnoticed because he doesn’t have much to say. However, the lyrics also convey that he is not to be underestimated. He can spit further than any punk, making it clear that he is not one to be messed with.
The second verse goes on to talk about his passion for fashion and his persona as a “real bad cat”. He is someone who knows that you don’t have to be good to make an impact, and he is proud of who he is. The lyrics describe him as someone who is confident in his ability to break out of the norm and do things his own way. They also speak to his frustration with the way things are, and his determination to make his own noise.
Overall, “One of the Boys” is a powerful song about the struggle for identity and recognition. Through its vivid lyrics and driving music, it captures the spirit of a young man who refuses to be silenced, no matter what the world may throw at him.
Line by Line Meaning
He speaks with a terrible stammer
He has a speech impediment that makes it difficult for him to communicate clearly.
So he don't have much to say
As a result of the speech impediment, he doesn't talk much.
But he can spit further than any punk
Despite his difficulty speaking, he is able to project his voice with great force.
So nobody gets in his way.
His loud voice and intimidating presence make people think twice before challenging him.
He knows his generation like he knows his ABC
He understands his peers and the culture they belong to very well.
He's a kind of kid that don't get invited back for a Sunday tea
He is considered too unruly and disruptive to be welcomed into polite company.
He's a face in the mirror he'll make you a fight.
He is confrontational and has a tendency to pick fights with people who challenge him.
But he's alright.
Despite his flaws, he sees himself as a good person.
He's breaking out of nowhere
He is defying expectations and breaking free from societal norms.
He's breaking all the rules
He is a rebel who disregards conventional wisdom.
He's got a passion for the fashion
He is interested in the latest trends and styles.
He's freezing all the cools
He is setting new standards of coolness and daring others to follow him.
He knows that you don't have to be that good,
He believes that talent isn't the most important factor in achieving success.
To be a real bad cat
You only need to be confident and willing to take risks to be considered cool.
He's built with speed,
He moves and thinks quickly, always looking for the next opportunity.
Guaranteed to show you where it's at
He can point out the newest and most exciting developments in pop culture.
He's blowing all the speakers making his own noise.
He is creating a path for himself, regardless of what others think of him.
One of the boys.
He is part of a larger group of young people who are all pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo.
You know he used to work in this factory
He had a regular job at one point in his life.
Until the big boss said "that's enough"
However, he was fired from that job.
So he threw down his hammer and he picked up his coat
He left the job in a dramatic fashion.
And he told the boss to get,
He expressed his frustration and anger towards his former boss.
Fff-f-frustration with the nation
He is critical of the larger system that is preventing him from achieving his dreams.
Because the news is always bad
The media is a constant source of negativity and discouragement for him.
Life on the dole ain't no good for your soul
Being on government assistance is not fulfilling or rewarding.
It's enough to drive a poor kid mad
The circumstances of his life can be overwhelming and frustrating.
So who's going to put him down for making his own noise.
He refuses to let others dictate his life and refuses to be silenced.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Philip Wigger, Ronald Roker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Johnny Plunkett
Ive been wanting to see this one again for decades, it was on the Midnight Special way way back in the day and impressed me a lot. Many thanks for posting!!!
Donna Barden
I have always loved this album.....
winston smith
2 in a half minute of pure ROCK.
John White
Wow, Mick Ronson. No wonder this song rocks so well!!
Hal O'Brien
This was the first music video I ever saw. In a movie theater in the late 1970s (it ran between trailers). Which means, yes, it wasn't video, but film.
Darlene Bohorquez
Lead Guitar you hear is late Mick Ronson 🎸
Alan Levy
Mick was local to me - long been a campaign to have a statue put up in his name
Paul
This song keeps my pimp game strong....when i feel it fading.
Mucho Bueno Sabor
I Love
AngelRockLife
What song is at the end on 2:30?