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.
Saturday Night's Alright
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now tell me when the boys get here
It's seven o'clock and I want to rock
I want to get a belly full of beer
My old man's drunker than a barrel full of monkeys
And my old lady she don't care
My sister looks cute in her braces and boots
Hey, don't give us none of your aggravation
We've had it with your discipline
Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in
I get about as oiled as a diesel train, gonna set the dance alight
'Cause Saturday night's the night I like
Saturday nights alright, alright, alright
Well, we're packed pretty tight in here tonight
And I'm looking for a dolly who'll see me right
I may use a little muscle to get what I need
And sink a little drink and shout out, "she's with me!"
A couple of the sounds that I really like
Are the sound of a switchblade and a motorbike
I'm a juvenile product of the working class,
Who's best friend floats in the bottom of a glass
Don't give us none of your aggravation
We've had it with your discipline
Saturday night's alright for fighting, to get a little action in
I get about as oiled as a diesel train, gonna set this dance alight
'Cause Saturday night's the night I like
Saturday night's alright, alright, alright
Saturday night's alright, alright, alright, alright
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
Na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na
Na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
I can't wait up for the Saturday night, night, n-n-night
Na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na
The Who's "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" is an up-tempo rock song that captures the rebellious spirit and excitement of weekend nights spent out with friends. The song's narrator is eagerly anticipating the arrival of his mates, and wants to "get a belly full of beer" before hitting the dance floor. He describes his dysfunctional family, with a drunk father and a sister who is cute but tough, and asserts his right to let loose on a Saturday night without any interference.
The chorus of the song includes the iconic line, "Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in," which speaks to the thrill of physical altercation as a release of pent-up energy and aggression. The singer boasts about his ability to hold his liquor, and describes his affinity for dangerous sounds like switchblades and motorcycles. The song's energetic musical accompaniment matches the vocal intensity of the lyrics, creating a thrilling and electrifying listening experience.
Overall, "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" is a celebration of youthful rebellion and the joy of letting loose on the weekends. It captures the wild abandon and free-spiritedness of youth, and invites the listener to join in on the fun.
Line by Line Meaning
It's getting late have you seen my mates
It's getting late and I'm wondering if my friends have arrived
Now tell me when the boys get here
Let me know when my male friends arrive
It's seven o'clock and I want to rock
It's 7pm and I'm eager to dance and sing
I want to get a belly full of beer
I desire to drink lots of beer and fill my stomach
My old man's drunker than a barrel full of monkeys
My dad is extremely intoxicated
And my old lady she don't care
My mother is not concerned
My sister looks cute in her braces and boots
My sister appears attractive with her orthodontic braces and footwear
And a handful of grease in her hair
And she has applied some grease to her hair for styling
Hey, don't give us none of your aggravation
Hey, stop giving us your annoyance and irritation
We've had it with your discipline
We can't tolerate your strictness anymore
Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in
Saturday nights are perfect for engaging in physical fights and enjoying an exciting time
I get about as oiled as a diesel train, gonna set the dance alight
I drink heavily and become intoxicated, then I'm going to start a lively dance party
'Cause Saturday night's the night I like
Because Saturday nights are my favorite time
Saturday nights alright, alright, alright
Saturday nights are great!
Well, we're packed pretty tight in here tonight
The place is very crowded and there's not much room
And I'm looking for a dolly who'll see me right
I'm searching for a female partner who will please me
I may use a little muscle to get what I need
I might use a bit of force to get what I want
And sink a little drink and shout out, "she's with me!"
And after having a drink, I'll yell out that the lady is with me
A couple of the sounds that I really like
I enjoy the sound of certain things
Are the sound of a switchblade and a motorbike
I particularly like the sound of a switchblade and a motorcycle
I'm a juvenile product of the working class,
I come from a working-class background and I'm still young
Who's best friend floats in the bottom of a glass
My best friend is always in the bottom of my glass because I drink excessively
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the plane's cockpit and show me around
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
I'm a stranger to flying and need someone to guide me
Na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na na
This line is the chorus and repeats multiple times without a specific meaning
I can't wait up for the Saturday night, night, n-n-night
I'm so excited for Saturday night that I can't wait for it to come
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernard Taupin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S J
@aldo vergara 🤣 And you don't know what you're talking about:
Cover done for The Who's long-time friend Elton John for a tribute CD called Two Rooms that entered the U.S. charts November 9, 1991 and reached #18.
Pete, Roger and John got together to decide which song to cover. Roger was adamant about covering "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" but Pete, as a tip of the hat to Elton for putting "I Can't Explain" in the middle of his cover of "Pinball Wizard", put Elton's old song "Take Me To The Pilot" into the bridge.
Pete and Simon Phillips recorded their parts at one studio (with Simon's drum part either augmented or replaced with an electronic drum track programmed by Jon Astley) and Roger and John recorded their parts at another studio.
There FTFY YW
A. Joseph Silvestri
Two of my favorite artists in history coming together.
MY LIFE IS COMPLETE!!!
Bill Coldwell
Two Rooms producer: "Hey Who, take this song and make it sound like a combination of Pinball Wizard and We Won't Get Fooled Again."
Who: "Hold my beer."
Robert Hannah
Perfect for The Who
flavio Lima
Last studio record with all three together
SuperBlargle
And it’s incredible !!! So hard to find. I was only able to find it on the maximum r&b boxed set
Joseph A Bold
Has to be Simon Phillips on drums. Clean and powerful.
S J
@Dean Holzapfel It is Simon on the kit. Astley simply mixed it into the song
Dean Holzapfel
Apparently it’s a guy named Jon Astley
The SNES Man
Reminds me of the sound they had for the Kids Are Alright Tour in 1989. Last studio recording with John.
Eric Pereyra
Unos genios estos tipos, hicieron un terrible covers, pero increíblemente bueno.