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.
PROUD
Roger Daltrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone like you could part from me
You the open seas,
Me with my long hair and my jeans.
Every where I go
A crowd of people stop to stare
They can't see it's you
But it's me who's standing there.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Years don't mean a thing
In fact it fills my mind with pride
When people see it's you
You know they can't believe it's me beside your side.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Makes me so proud,
Yes you make me so proud.
Every where I go
A crowd of people stop to stare
They can't see it's you
But they don't believe,
But it's me who's standing there.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Makes me so proud,
Yes you make me so proud.
The lyrics of Roger Daltrey's song Proud express the feelings of pride that the singer has in being in a relationship with someone he considers superior. From the first verse, we can gather that the singer thinks his partner is someone of great stature, symbolized by them being the open seas, while he sees himself as plain - just a guy with long hair and jeans. The second verse highlights the attention that the couple receives when they are together, with many people staring at them in awe. The singer knows that people wouldn't believe that he's the one standing beside his partner, but that fact fills him with pride.
As the chorus kicks in, the singer declares that he is indeed proud of the relationship he has. He doesn't care about the age difference and is happy when people see him with his partner. In the final verse, he repeats the sentiment that people can't believe it's him beside his significant other, but he's proud that it is. Overall, the song is an ode to love that transcends superficial appearances and societal norms, with the singer finding pride in his relationship despite what others may think.
Line by Line Meaning
It could never be
Roger acknowledges that his relationship with the person he is addressing could never work out.
Someone like you could part from me
Roger believes that the person he is addressing is too important to ever leave him.
You the open seas,
The person Roger is addressing is expansive and free, like the open seas.
Me with my long hair and my jeans.
Roger sees himself as someone with a more casual, relaxed style compared to the person he is addressing.
Every where I go
Roger is always recognized wherever he goes.
A crowd of people stop to stare
People are always staring at Roger because of his recognizable face.
They can't see it's you
The crowds of people don't realize that the person Roger is with is the reason that he is being stared at.
But they don't believe,
Even though Roger is saying that it's the person he's with who is the reason for the looks, people still don't believe him.
But it's me who's standing there.
Roger is the one who is actually there, standing with the other person who is garnering attention.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Roger is proud to be standing with the person he is addressing.
Years don't mean a thing
The age difference between Roger and the person he is addressing doesn't matter to him.
In fact it fills my mind with pride
Being with the person he is addressing makes Roger feel proud and honored.
When people see it's you
Roger is happy when people see that he is standing with the person he is addressing.
You know they can't believe it's me beside your side.
Despite the fact that Roger is older and not as glamorous as the person he is addressing, he is still proud to be with them.
Makes me so proud,
Being with the person Roger is addressing makes him very proud.
Yes you make me so proud.
It is the person Roger is addressing who is making him proud.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BALLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
It could never be
Someone like you could part from me
You the open seas,
Me with my long hair and my jeans.
Every where I go
A crowd of people stop to stare
They can't see it's you
But they don't believe,
But it's me who's standing there.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Years don't mean a thing
In fact it fills my mind with pride
When people see it's you
You know they can't believe it's me beside your side.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Makes me so proud,
Yes you make me so proud.
Every where I go
A crowd of people stop to stare
They can't see it's you
But they don't believe,
But it's me who's standing there.
Proud, oh that makes me proud
Proud, that it makes me proud.
Makes me so proud,
Yes you make me so proud.
MalsieD24
Roger Daltrey has the greatest voice of all time <3
BabaORiley
Great song and Powerfull Roger's voice !! Really the best singer of 70's
Matthew Neff
We need more singers like this
Tanya Stevenson
I played this album constantly when I was a kid. I can't believe I still remember all the words!! lol
DIEHARD-SCHENKER-FAN
Haven't heard this song in ages, Rock On!!!!
Kelly Sheridan
I still love this album !
Phil Lines
I am 57 and this song and album is still my favourite my time album. awesome love it what a voice
BDunneOne
damn...would you agree? ...the best voice in rock...a nice Russ Ballard song & a fantastic vocal interpretation
Juan Carlos Martinez Botija
Fantástica la buena música perdura siempre.
Hedersmedlem
Great song. One of the greaterst rocken roll singer, ever!