Baba O'Riley
The Who Lyrics


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Out here in the fields
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 cry
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Who's song Baba O'Riley depict a young person's struggle to find their place in the world. The first verse speaks to the idea of working hard to survive and make a living, but without needing to resort to violence or proving oneself to others. The line "I get my back into my living" suggests that the singer is physically exerting themselves to survive. The song then shifts to a chorus of "It's only teenage wasteland," which may be interpreted as a commentary on the societal perception of youth as being directionless and unproductive.


In the second verse, the singer calls out to Sally, presumably a friend or love interest, to join them on a journey to the south. The line "Put out the fire and don't look past my shoulder" suggests a desire to leave behind old troubles and start anew. The use of the word "exodus" invokes images of a mass migration, which could represent a desire for change on a larger societal level. The idea of getting together before one is "much older" implies a sense of urgency to experience life before it's too late.


Overall, Baba O'Riley may be interpreted as a commentary on the struggles and desires of young people to find purpose and meaning in their lives, and to make an impact on the world despite the feeling of being dismissed as "teenage wasteland."


Line by Line Meaning

Out here in the fields
In this open space, where anything can happen


I fight for my meals
I work hard for food to survive


I get my back into my living
I put my all into what I do


I don't need to fight
I don't need to enter battles


To prove I'm right
To show everyone else that I am correct


I don't need to be forgiven
I don't need to beg for someone's mercy


Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of excitement and acknowledgement


Don't cry
Do not weep


Don't raise your eye
Don't look up or pay attention


It's only teenage wasteland
This is only juvenile chaos


Sally, take my hand
Partner, let us unite


We'll travel south 'cross land
We'll journey through landscapes towards our destination


Put out the fire and don't look past my shoulder
Extinguish the flames and move forward


The exodus is here
A mass departure is taking place


The happy ones are near
The ones filled with joy are coming closer


Let's get together before we get much older
Let's congregate and make the best of our youth


Teenage wasteland
A place filled with childish behavior


It's only teenage wasteland
This is only a place for young and reckless ones


Teenage wasteland, oh, yeah
A definitive statement that this is truly a teenage domain


Teenage wasteland
An area where everyone is foolish and unproductive


They're all wasted
They are all wasted on youth and frivolity




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@periklaskyriakidis6064

I'm 17 and I know the Who since 2016/2017, but after watching Girl Next Door I always think of this movie whenever I hear this masterpiece of a song. Without any doubt, one of the Top 10 songs in music history.




"It's like a gift you know.
It's like I can't control it."

The juice was really worth the squeeze boys 😉



@Richlyan

Out here in the fields
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 cry
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



@mhayes33120

So very creative.
A drum set, a synthesiser, some guitars with overdrive, sustain and feedback,
and then finally, a violin solo to finish it off. Never knew who it was.
His name is { Dave Arbus } and he is 82 years old now, going on 83.
I have eclectic taste in music, but deep down, I really have a thing for piano, and violin.
I'm not quite sure where this comes from.
I may be a reincarnated person.
Most likely, it's because they are wondrous instruments for classic musical expression.
The piano and the violin that is.
I'm thankful that we have this song forever.
Aren't you ?
The outro violin solo always made me see Gypsies dancing around a fire at night-time.
Close your eyes and listen to it closely.
Can you see them ?
They are dancing very passionately, and they have been drinking.
They are not half-hearted people these Gypsies.
They're liquored up, they're down for it, and they're All In.



@justjeepn425

Peter, did you throw up in the sink!?

(Baba O'Riley plays)

Peter!

(Baba O'Riley continues to play)

Out here in the fields- Yeah, that was me, I'm the one that threw up in the sink. I farm for my meals. ((<-- those are the actual lyrics in the episode))



All comments from YouTube:

@swapnilghosh7123

These visuals are out of the world. The music already is from another.

@atharvaugale6379

So rightly said😁

@markgoodwin7258

🐿🐿🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🐿🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🐹🐹🐹🐹🐹🐹🦇🍤🍤🍤🍤🍤🍤🍤Swapnil Ghosh Z. 🤐Z🍋🍋😌😞😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎🥦🥦🥦🥦🍋🥕🥦🥦🥦🥦🥦🍋📐📐📐🦇😊😊😌

@milogorey8341

they aren't even that good...

@pigga9878

@@milogorey8341 do you not know who they are?

@pigga9878

@@milogorey8341 must be gen z

18 More Replies...

@julieenslow5915

As a Boomer on her way out - I am so glad to see new fans for this music. It really should not be forgotten. Torch passed.

@dohanddonuts5716

When Townshend said 'wasted' he was talking about how his generation had so much promise but it was just wasted in the end. My dad who fought in Vietnam thinks about all his brothers who never came back when he hears this song. Each generation at times seems to repeat the same mistakes. This whole album is great but Baba O'Reilly and Won't Get Fooled Again are basically songs young people need to hear.

@ltrpwd

@@dohanddonuts5716 same still going on. Afghanistan… now Ukraine is seeing civilians here in America die because of the economic tole causing starvation and freezing as we enter winter and people can’t afford heat. Everything seems fine in liberal areas but get to a rural town where we don’t have the same social safety nets and people are dying out here in their own homes.

@joekris.2998

Hello 👋🏻 Julie Enslow 😊 how are you?

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