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.
Baba O'Reily
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fight for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
Sally, take my hand
We'll travel south 'cross land
Put out the fire and don't look past my shoulder
The exodus is here
The happy ones are near
Let's get together before we get much older
Teenage wasteland
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland, oh yeah
Teenage wasteland
They're all wasted
The lyrics to The Who's song "Baba O'Riley" (Orchestral Version) tells a story about a teenager fighting for their survival in the midst of societal turmoil. The opening lines, "Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals" represents the daily struggles and hardships that the singer faces as a young person. The lines, "I get my back into my living, I don't need to fight to prove I'm right, I don't need to be forgiven" reflects the singer’s sense of pride and self-assurance that their hard work will pay off without them having to prove anything to anyone else.
The chorus of the song, "Don't cry, don't raise your eye, it's only teenage wasteland" is perhaps the most well-known and represents how society sees young people as a "wasteland" and that their struggles are insignificant. The lines, "Sally, take my hand, we'll travel south 'cross land" shows the singer's desire to escape their current situation and look for a brighter future.
The second chorus of the song reinforces the idea that young people are "wasted" and implies that they are being left behind. The lines, "The exodus is here, the happy ones are near, let's get together before we get much older" is an appeal to all young people to come together and fight for what they believe in before it's too late.
Overall, "Baba O'Riley" (Orchestral Version) is a song that speaks to the plight of young people in a world that often overlooks their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Out here in the fields
In this open, rural space,
I fight for my meals
I work hard to earn my livelihood,
I get my back into my living
I put my all into what I do for a living,
I don't need to fight
I don't need to engage in conflict,
To prove I'm right
To assert my correctness,
I don't need to be forgiven
I don't require forgiveness from others,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This is repeated exuberantly with no real meaning attached.
Don't cry
Don't become upset or tearful,
Don't raise your eye
Don't look up or become curious,
It's only teenage wasteland
This is a reference to the tumultuous nature of adolescence.
Sally, take my hand
This is a call to someone identified as Sally to join together,
We'll travel south 'cross land
We will embark on a journey towards the southern portion of the geography we inhabit,
Put out the fire and don't look past my shoulder
This means to put out the figurative flames of conflict and strife, and not dwell on past events.
The exodus is here
The departure of a group of people en masse is imminent,
The happy ones are near
Those in proximity to us are joyful,
Let's get together before we get much older
This is an invitation to pursue merriment before it is too late,
Teenage wasteland
This is repeated once more to emphasize the idea of adolescence as a turbulent time,
It's only teenage wasteland
This is a reminder that, despite its challenges, adolescence is a temporary period of life.
Teenage wasteland, oh yeah
This repeats the chorus once more,
Teenage wasteland
This is reiterated yet again for emphasis,
They're all wasted
This suggests that those around us are all metaphorically 'wasted' and experiencing the tumult of adolescence.
Contributed by Violet L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JJ
on Won't Get Fooled Again - Original Album Version
It was Racist
Philip Kassabian
on Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
The Who have so many great songs it's difficult to even describe.
Philip Kassabian
on See Me, Feel Me
Yet another excellent song by The Who one of the best bands of the 1960's.
Philip Kassabian
on I Can't Explain
A really good song by The Who.
Philip Kassabian
on I Can See for Miles
A song that definitely gets stuck in your head.
Philip Kassabian
on My Generation
An amazing song by The Who.