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.
Under a Raging Moon
Roger Daltrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You could see us as you circled round
Down below us you were screaming
I could hear the sound
I could see your arms reaching up to me
Like a demon, I could feel the madness
Running through the crowd
We were freedom
And the wild man, he laid the thunder down.
Do you remember me, like I remember you
In a sea of hands you came shining through
In the mist of time I can see it now
All my life I will remember this (under a raging moon)
For this moment I was born for it (under a raging moon)
Under a raging moon, we were flying there
Under a raging moon, we saw Zion there
It ended all too soon, under a raging moon
We were out there
When they handed us the rebel's crown
All the headlines
All they tried to do was tear us down
But the wild man, he didn't fool around
Do you remember me, cause I remember you
Yeah you won my love, when the dream came true
When my blood ran high, I can hear it now
All my life I will remember it (under a raging moon)
For this moment I was born for it (under a raging moon)
Under a raging moon, we were flying boy
Under a raging moon, it's worth dying for
It ended all too soon, under a raging moon
Taking me back to better times
We never read the danger signs
Why are the young, why are the young so blind?
The song "Under a Raging Moon" by Roger Daltrey is a powerful representation of the rebellious spirit embodied by rock n' roll. The opening verse captures the exhilarating feeling of performing for a live audience, under the bright lights of a concert venue. The imagery of fans reaching out to the performer creates a sense of connectedness, as if everyone is united by a common passion for music. Despite the chaos and noise of the crowd, Daltrey is able to tap into a primal energy that allows him to feel "free" and "alive."
The chorus of the song is all about nostalgia; memories of a life-changing concert experience that the singer will never forget. He sings about being "born" for this moment, as if destiny has brought him to this particular point in time. The "raging moon" is a metaphor for the intense emotions that the singer feels during the concert; he is caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and passion that is hard to describe.
The second verse of the song speaks to the ups and downs of a rock star's life. It is a reminder that not everyone appreciates the genre of music, and that haters will always try to bring down those who are different. Despite these setbacks, the singer remains undeterred; the "wild man" is a nod to his rebellious spirit, and a determination to continue making music no matter what.
Overall, "Under a Raging Moon" is a celebration of the power of music to unite people and create unforgettable experiences. The song is a reminder that despite the madness of the world around us, we can always find solace and meaning in the things we love.
Line by Line Meaning
In the searchlights
The bright lights illuminated our presence
You could see us as you circled round
As you looked around, we stood out among the crowd
Down below us you were screaming
The spectators were shouting from beneath us
I could hear the sound
Their screams echoed in my ears
I could see your arms reaching up to me
People were trying to touch me as I performed
Like a demon, I could feel the madness
The frenzied atmosphere made me feel like a creature possessed
Running through the crowd
The excitement spread throughout the audience
We were freedom
We represented the rebellious spirit of freedom
From the moment that we hit the ground
We had a strong impact from the very beginning
And the wild man, he laid the thunder down.
The main performer stole the show and left everyone amazed
Do you remember me, like I remember you
Do you have memories of me just as I do of you?
In a sea of hands you came shining through
You emerged from the crowd and made yourself known
In the mist of time I can see it now
Even after so long, I can still vividly picture that moment
All my life I will remember this (under a raging moon)
This experience will stick with me for eternity
For this moment I was born for it (under a raging moon)
This was my destiny, my purpose, my calling
Under a raging moon, we were flying there
We were soaring high, propelled by the intensity of the moment
Under a raging moon, we saw Zion there
We experienced something spiritual and significant
It ended all too soon, under a raging moon
The moment was fleeting and ended before we knew it
We were out there
We were on the frontlines, pushing boundaries
When they handed us the rebel's crown
We were recognized as daring, unconventional individuals
All the headlines
The news stories and media attention
All they tried to do was tear us down
People wanted to criticize us and bring us down
But the wild man, he didn't fool around
Despite any criticism, the main performer was strong and confident
Yeah you won my love, when the dream came true
You captured my heart when my dreams became a reality
When my blood ran high, I can hear it now
I am still affected emotionally by that experience
Under a raging moon, we were flying boy
We were on top of the world, full of youthful vitality
Under a raging moon, it's worth dying for
We were willing to risk everything to pursue that intense feeling
Taking me back to better times
Reminiscing about that moment takes me back to a more positive era
We never read the danger signs
We didn't realize the risks involved at the time
Why are the young, why are the young so blind?
Why are young people often unaware of the consequences of their actions?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN PARR, JULIA ANNE DOWNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind