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.
Athena
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In peaceful times I hold her close and I feed her
My heart starts palpitating
When I think my guess was wrong
But I think I'll get alone
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
All I ever want to do is please her
My life has been so settled
And she's the reason
Just one word from her
And my troubles are long gone
But I think I'll get along
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's a bomb
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
She's just a girl
Athena
My heart felt like a shattered glass in an acid bath
I felt like one of those flattened ants
You find on a crazy path
I'd have stopped myself to give her time
She didn't need to ask
Was I a suicidal psychopath
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
Consumed
There was a beautiful white horse
I saw on a dream stage
He had a snake the size of a sewer pipe
Livin' in his rib cage
I felt like a pickled priest
Who was being flambed
You've got me requisitioned blondie
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
I'm happy
She's a bomb
I'm ecstatic
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl, just a girl
Just a girl
Look into the face of a child
Measure how long you smiled
Before the mem'ry claimed
How long would children remain
How long could children remain
Athena
You picked me up by my lapels
And screamed "leave her"
I felt like waking up in heaven
On an empty meter
And now you're stuck
With a castrated leader
And I hate the creep
I didn't mean that
She's a bomb
I just said it
She's a bomb
Please She's a bomb
Athena
I had no idea how much I need her
My life has been so settled
And she's the reason
Just one word from her
And my troubles are long gone
Ooh but I get along
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
She's just a girl
She's a bomb
The lyrics of The Who's song Athena appear to be a love letter of sorts to the titular character, Athena, who is likely based on the Greek goddess of the same name. The singer conveys how much he needs Athena, especially during peaceful times when he can hold her close and feed her. He gets nervous about being wrong about her, but ultimately thinks he can get along with her despite her explosive nature, proclaiming that she's just a girl and a bomb. Later in the song, the singer reflects on how being with Athena makes him feel like he's in heaven, but also acknowledges that being with her could potentially lead to his downfall, as she has the power to consume him.
Overall, the lyrics of Athena can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting oneself fall too deeply in love, while also acknowledging how difficult it can be to resist such a powerful force. The comparison between Athena and a bomb may also suggest a sense of danger or unpredictability in the relationship, highlighting the risks involved in loving someone so passionately.
Line by Line Meaning
I had no idea how much I need her
I didn't realize how much I depended on her
In peaceful times I hold her close and I feed her
During the calm moments, I cherish and take care of her
My heart starts palpitating
My heart races with excitement
When I think my guess was wrong
When I doubt my intuition
But I think I'll get alone
But I think I'll manage without her
She's just a girl
She appears to be just an ordinary girl
She's a bomb
But she has an explosive personality
Athena
Referring to the woman as the goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts
All I ever want to do is please her
My sole purpose is to make her happy
My life has been so settled
My life was calm and monotone without her
And she's the reason
But she brought color and excitement into my life
Just one word from her
Her approval is all I need to feel content
And my troubles are long gone
Any problems I have vanish when she's around
Consumed
I am fully immersed in my love for her
There was a beautiful white horse I saw on a dream stage
A surreal image of a horse with an unusual creature living in its body
He had a snake the size of a sewer pipe living in his rib cage
The horse has an enormous and dangerous snake inside its body
I felt like a pickled priest who was being flambéed
I felt helpless and vulnerable as if being tortured
You've got me requisitioned, blondie
I am under your command, my love
Look into the face of a child
Reflect on the innocence of a child
Measure how long you smiled
See how long you can maintain a happy expression
Before the mem'ry claimed How long would children remain How long could children remain
Before the harshness of life takes away the carefree spirit of childhood
You picked me up by my lapels And screamed 'leave her'
You brought me back to reality and told me to distance myself from her
I felt like waking up in heaven On an empty meter
I felt ecstatic yet uncertain at the same time
And now you're stuck With a castrated leader
Now, you are surrounded by weak and powerless men
And I hate the creep I didn't mean that
I dislike the man who tries to control us, but I shouldn't say it out loud
Please She's a bomb
Please understand that she has a captivating personality that can be explosive
Ooh but I get along
But I can manage without her if need be
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: Peter Dennis Blandfor Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@jdg62269
To all the Athenas out there...You're The Bomb!
@brucebratman3331
Èwwwep
@daviddenty8745
Thank you
@nooneimporntant9133
Awww thank you! I need thag
@nooneimporntant9133
Awww thank you
@kelleyhackney
My b/fs cat
@judyjohnson630
The Who say they didn't do anything good on this album other than Eminence Front. They're wrong. This song kills.
@dantrim3937
and yet they released it anyway?
@Andrea1542
I love this song way more than Eminence Front.
@thomasdillman154
I was disappointed when I bought it the day it dropped. I was 12 and wanted ANTHEMS!! It's a pop record though and a damn good one. At the time The Police and The English Beat were a few steps ahead of The Who in that game so this album got poor reviews in comparison. I think it holds up just as well.