The Who is an English rock band formed in 1964. Their classic line-up consi… Read Full Bio ↴The Who is an English rock band formed in 1964. Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, selling over 100 million records worldwide and holding a reputation for their live shows and studio work.

The Who developed from an earlier group, the Detours, and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements, featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage. Their first single as the Who, "I Can't Explain", reached the UK top ten, followed by a string of singles including "My Generation", "Substitute" and "Happy Jack". In 1967, they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released the US top ten single "I Can See for Miles", while touring extensively. The group's fourth album, 1969's rock opera Tommy, included the single "Pinball Wizard" and was a critical and commercial success. Live appearances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival, along with the live album Live at Leeds, cemented their reputation as a respected rock act. With their success came increased pressure on lead songwriter Townshend, and the follow-up to Tommy, Lifehouse, was abandoned. Songs from the project made up 1971's Who's Next, which included the hit "Won't Get Fooled Again". The group released the album Quadrophenia in 1973 as a celebration of their mod roots, and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy in 1975. They continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976. The release of Who Are You in 1978 was overshadowed by the death of Moon shortly after.

Kenney Jones replaced Moon and the group resumed activity, releasing a film adaptation of Quadrophenia and the retrospective documentary The Kids Are Alright. After Townshend became weary of touring, the group split in 1982. The Who occasionally re-formed for live appearances such as Live Aid in 1985, a 25th anniversary tour in 1989 and a tour of Quadrophenia in 1996–1997. They resumed regular touring in 1999, with drummer Zak Starkey. After Entwistle's death in 2002, plans for a new album were delayed. Townshend and Daltrey continued as the Who, releasing Endless Wire in 2006, and continued to play live regularly.

The Who's major contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack, large PA systems, use of the synthesizer, Entwistle and Moon's lead playing styles, Townshend's feedback and power chord guitar technique, and the development of the rock opera. They are cited as an influence by hard rock, punk rock and mod bands, and their songs still receive regular exposure.

The Who is one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century. Their appearances at Monterey and Woodstock helped give them a reputation as one of the greatest live rock acts and they have been credited with originating the "rock opera". The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide.

The group's contributions to rock include the power chord, windmill strum and the use of non-musical instrument noise such as feedback. The band influenced fashion from their earliest days with their embrace of pop art and the use of the Union Jack for clothing. The guitar-smashing incident at the Railway Hotel in 1964 is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock 'n' Roll".

Pink Floyd began to use feedback from their early shows in 1966, inspired by the Who, whom they considered a formative influence. Shortly after arriving in London in 1966, Jimi Hendrix visited Marshall's music shop demanding an amp setup like Townshend's and manipulated electronic noises in ways that Townshend had pioneered. The Beatles were fans and socialised with Moon in particular during the mid-1960s. In 1965, Paul McCartney said the Who "are the most exciting thing around" and was inspired to write "Helter Skelter" in the group's "heavy" style; John Lennon borrowed the acoustic guitar style in "Pinball Wizard" for "Polythene Pam".

The loud volume of the band's live show influenced the approach of hard rock and heavy metal. Proto punk and punk rock bands such as the MC5, the Stooges, the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, the Clash and Green Day cite the Who as an influence. The Who inspired mod revival bands, particularly the Jam, which helped other groups influenced by the Who become popular. The Who influenced hard rock bands such as Guns N' Roses. In the mid-1990s, Britpop bands such as Blur and Oasis were influenced by the Who. The Who have also influenced pop punk band Panic! at the Disco.

The Who has inspired many tribute bands; Daltrey has endorsed the Whodlums, who raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Many bands have covered Who songs; Elton John's version of "Pinball Wizard" reached No. 7 in the UK.

1921
The Who Lyrics

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Got a feeling '21
Is going to be a good year
Especially if you and me
See it in together

So you think '21
Is going to be a good year
It could be good for me and her

But you and her, no never!
I had no reason to be over optimistic
But somehow when you smiled
I could brave bad weather

What about the boy?
What about the boy?
What about the boy?
He saw it all!

You didn't hear it
You didn't see it
You won't say nothing to no-one
Never in your life
You never heard it
Oh, how absurd it all seems
Without any proof
You didn't hear it
You didn't see it
You never heard it, not a word of it
You won't say nothing to no-one
Never tell a soul
What you know is the Truth

Got a feeling '21
Is going to be a good year
Especially if you and me
See it in together

Got a feeling '21
Is going to be a good year
Especially if you and me
See it in together

I had no reason to be over optimistic

But somehow when you smiled
I could brave bad weather

Overall Meaning

The Who's song "1921" is a track from their rock opera album "Tommy" released in 1969. The song starts with a hopeful verse, "Got a feeling '21 is going to be a good year, especially if you and me see it in together," indicating the optimism towards the future. However, the mood shifts from hope to despair with the verse, "What about the boy? He saw it all!" The boy referred to here is Tommy, the main character in the rock opera. Tommy witnesses his father kill his mother's lover and is told to keep it a secret, leading to his trauma and eventual refusal to speak.

The song then makes a reference back to the optimistic beginning, with the lines "I had no reason to be over optimistic, but somehow when you smiled I could brave bad weather." These lines suggest a romantic relationship between the singer and the person they are speaking to, and that even though they had no reason to believe in the future, the other person's presence gives them strength.

Overall, "1921" explores the themes of hope, disillusionment, and the consequences of secrets and trauma. It captures the essence of "Tommy," which is a story about a young boy who becomes deaf, dumb, and blind after a traumatic experience, and finds his way back to reality through pinball.

Line by Line Meaning

Got a feeling '21
I have a premonition about 2021

Is going to be a good year
The upcoming year seems promising and hopeful

Especially if you and me
Our collective presence in each other's lives makes a significant difference

See it in together
Together, we must envision a promising future

So you think '21
Do you also believe 2021 will be a positive year?

It could be good for me and her
The upcoming year could hold promise for both of us

But you and her, no never!
You and her being a positive thing is impossible

I had no reason to be over optimistic
I had no particular cause to be overly hopeful

But somehow when you smiled
However, your smile still instilled hope in me

I could brave bad weather
I could endure any troubles that come along

What about the boy?
What of the young lad in question?