Pinball Wizard
The Who_(p) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've played the silver ball
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!
He stands like a statue
Becomes part of the machine
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean
He plays by intuition
The digit counters fall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!
He's a pinball wizard
There has got to be a twist
A pinball wizard
S'got such a supple wrist
How do you think he does it? I don't know!
What makes him so good?
He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell
Always gets a replay
Never seen him fall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
I thought I was
The Bally table king
But I just handed
My pinball crown to him
Even on my favorite table
He can beat my best
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Sure plays a mean pinball!
The Who's "Pinball Wizard" is a song about a deaf, dumb, and blind boy who also happens to be a pinball prodigy. The song starts with the singer, who played the silver ball from Soho to Brighton trying to find his match. He has never seen anyone like the deaf, dumb, and blind kid who plays a mean pinball. This boy becomes a statue and becomes one with the machine while feeling all the bumpers and playing the game with intuition. With the digit counters falling, he sure plays an excellent pinball game. The boy is enigmatic, and the singer wonders what makes him so good. He has no distractions and can't hear the buzzers and bells, which could potentially confuse him. The boy plays by his sense of smell and always gets a replay, never seen him fall.
The chorus goes on to call him a pinball wizard and believes that there has to be something exaggerated or supernatural about his ability. The boy seems to have a supple wrist, which could be why he does so well. The singer questions how he does it but doesn't have an answer. He only knows that the boy is a true pro at the game. In the second verse, the singer talks about how he thought he was the Bally table king. He always considered himself the best at playing pinball, but he found his match in the deaf, dumb, and blind boy who beats him even on his favorite table. His disciples lead him in, and he does the rest. The boy has crazy flipper fingers, and the singer has never seen him fall.
Overall, "Pinball Wizard" by The Who is a song about a boy who has a natural talent for playing the game. The lyrics depict the boy as someone who is enigmatic and relies on his intuition, sense of smell, and touch to excel at playing the silver ball. The song is a tribute to this boy's prowess and a realization that there's always someone out there who can do what you do, but better.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since I was a young boy
From his youth, the singer has had a fascination for the silver ball game.
I've played the silver ball
He has played many types of silver ball games from all over the country.
From Soho down to Brighton
He has played silver ball games in different locations across the country like Soho and Brighton.
I must have played them all
Over the years, he has played a lot of silver ball games, and he is confident that he has played all kinds of them.
But I ain't seen nothing like him
But he has never seen anyone play the silver ball like the kid he's about to describe.
In any amusement hall
He has seen silver ball games played in many amusement halls, but this kid stands out.
That deaf dumb and blind kid
The kid he's describing is deaf, dumb, and blind, which makes his skill in playing the silver ball game remarkable.
Sure plays a mean pinball!
Despite his disabilities, the kid is incredibly good at playing the silver ball game.
He stands like a statue
The kid is so still and focused when he plays that he could be mistaken for a statue.
Becomes part of the machine
The kid seems to become one with the machine as he plays and knows every move to make instinctively.
Feeling all the bumpers
He knows how the machine works, and he can feel every move he makes on it.
Always playing clean
The kid is always in control when he plays, rarely ever making any mistakes.
He plays by intuition
The kid relies on his natural abilities to play the game rather than his senses.
The digit counters fall
His quick reflexes allow him to score points by quickly hitting the digital counters.
He's a pinball wizard
He is so good at playing the silver ball game that he is considered a wizard.
There has got to be a twist
People are fascinated by how he plays so well despite his disabilities and believe there must be a secret.
S'got such a supple wrist
People are mesmerized by the kid's wrist movements as he plays the game with ease.
How do you think he does it? I don't know!
People do not understand how he is so good at playing despite being deaf, dumb, and blind.
What makes him so good?
People want to know what it is that makes the kid so good at playing the silver ball game.
He ain't got no distractions
The kid does not get distracted by anything around him as he plays.
Can't hear those buzzers and bells
He cannot hear the sounds produced by the machine, but it does not hinder his playing ability.
Don't see lights a flashin'
The flashing lights of the machine do not distract him while playing.
Plays by sense of smell
The kid is so good that he even knows when to make a move based on the smell of the machine.
Always gets a replay
He is so good that he keeps getting extra playing time or 'replay' as he racks up more points.
Never seen him fall
He seldom makes any mistakes, and people have never seen him lose a game.
I thought I was
The singer thought he was good at playing the silver ball game.
The Bally table king
He used to consider himself the best player of the Bally table, a popular silver ball game.
But I just handed
But he has to admit that he has been defeated.
My pinball crown to him
The kid has dethroned him as the best player of the Bally table game.
Even on my favorite table
Even on his favorite silver ball game, the one he's best at playing.
He can beat my best
The kid is so good that he can beat anyone, even someone who is as good as the singer.
His disciples lead him in
The kid has many admirers who guide him towards the machine and watch him play with amazement.
And he just does the rest
The kid is so skilled that he does not need any guidance, and his instincts take over.
He's got crazy flipper fingers
The kid's fingers move so quickly that they seem like 'crazy flippers,' hitting buttons on the machine and scoring points.
Never seen him fall
The kid is so good that he never seems to lose or make any mistakes.
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Despite his disabilities, the kid is an expert at playing the silver ball game.
Sure plays a mean pinball!
The kid is so good that he plays the game with ease and expertise, impressive to anyone who sees him play.
Lyrics © ABKCO MUSIC INC.
Written by: PETER TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@whatdoesthisthingdo
I love this song. It’s the perfect combination of funny and badass.
Makes me think of people who are just freakishly good at the strangest things for seemingly no reason.
I.E: Jimi on guitar, Freddy killing those high notes with supposedly no training, Bach creating incomprehensible symphonies on the spot and then playing them backwards or some crazy shit.
Idk. It’s amazing, but somehow also hilarious. Like normal people don’t even try to comprehend it; we’re just like, yup, he’s a freak. Not even science can explain this. Moving on.
Sometimes I wonder if there’s something out there that I’m freakishly good at but I just haven’t discovered it yet, you know? Eh. Then I come back down to earth. XD
@wiktorkrulik9706
Ever since I was a young boy
I've played the silver ball
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all
But I ain't seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
He stands like a statue
Becomes part of the machine
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean
He plays by intuition
The digit counters fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
He's a pinball wizard
There's has to be a twist
A pinball wizard
He's got such a supple wrist
How do you think he does it?
(I don't know)
What makes him so good?
He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell
Always gets a replay
Never seen him fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
I thought I was
The Bally table king
But I just handed
My pinball crown to him
Even on my usual table
He can beat my best
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest
He's got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
@bigwingedkuriboh
I don’t know why but this feels like there could be a whole episode of regular show centered around this
@christianreynolds7856
Underrated comment of the century
@robertboyce1236
@@christianreynolds7856 you think!
@kaelbryant7660
Your comment is only for the elite to understand
@Grillenheimer
Uh.... there was a movie.
@kaelbryant7660
@@Grillenheimer you missed the joke
@bron-yr-aur7990
That legendary guitar riff, the magical vocals....
Truly an unforgettable hit.
@thebagelbird4331
demoman tf2
@bron-yr-aur7990
@@thebagelbird4331 yes is me
@thebagelbird4331
@@bron-yr-aur7990 you have good music taste