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.
Sea and Sand
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing ever goes as planned
I just couldn't face going home
It was just a drag on my own
They finally threw me out
My mom got drunk on stout
My dad couldn't stand on two feet
As he lectured about morality
With me hanging 'round on the street
Or here on the beach
The girl I love
Is a perfect dresser
Wears every fashion
Gets it to the tee
Heavens above
I've got to match her
She knows just how
She wants her man to be
Leave it to me
My jacket's gonna be cut slim and checked
Maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck
I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat
I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet
I see her dance
Across the ballroom
UV lights making stars shine
Of her smile
I am the face
She has to know me
I'm dressed up better than anyone
Within a mile
Oh, yeah
So how come the other tickets look much better?
Without a penny to spend they dress to the letter
How come the girls come on oh so cool
Yet when you meet 'em, every one's a fool?
Come sleep on the beach
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near
I'm feeling so high with you here
I'm wet and I'm cold
But thank God I ain't old
Why didn't I say what I mean?
I should have split home at fifteen
There's a story that the grass is so green
What did I see?
Where have I been?
Nothing is planned, by the sea and the sand
I'm the face if you want it, baby
I'm the face if you want it
I'm the face if you want it , baby
I'm the face if you want it
I'm the face if you want it
I'm the face if you want it, baby
If you want it, if you want it, if you want it, if you want it
If you want it, if you want it, it you want it, if you want it, ah the face
The Who's "Sea And Sand" is a poetic reflection on the frustrations and uncertainties of youth, set against the backdrop of the sea and the sand. The opening lines immediately establish a sense of discord and aimlessness, with the singer feeling adrift and unable to face returning home. The familial turmoil is alluded to in the lyrics, with references to the parents' alcoholism and moralizing, giving insight into the singer's sense of alienation and desire for escape.
The song then introduces the object of the singer's affections - a girl who is the epitome of style and fashion, her beauty and perfection both captivating and intimidating to the singer. The singer is determined to match her standards of dress and presentation, aiming for a slim and checked jacket, and a wartime coat for the harsher weather. The singer even goes so far as to express admiration for the girl's ability to control her man, suggesting a desire to be dominated if it means being accepted by her.
However, the song takes a turn towards melancholy in the final verses, with the singer reflecting on missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential. The singer admits to feeling lost and unsure of where they have been, questioning the stories they have heard about the grass being greener on the other side. The song ends with a plea to the object of their affections to stay close, to stave off the emptiness and loneliness of youth.
Line by Line Meaning
Here by the sea and sand
The setting is the beach
Nothing ever goes as planned
Life doesn't always go as one intends
I just couldn't face going home
The singer doesn't want to go home for some reason
It was just a drag on my own
Being alone is a burden for the artist
They finally threw me out
The artist was kicked out of home
My mom got drunk on stout
The singer's mother drank too much
My dad couldn't stand on two feet
The singer's father was unstable
As he lectured about morality
The father preached about what is right and wrong
Now I guess the family's complete
The artist feels like he fits in with his family now that he's homeless
With me hanging 'round on the street
The artist is homeless and spends time on the street
Or here on the beach
The singer also spends time at the beach
The girl I love
The artist is in love with someone
Is a perfect dresser
The girl dresses impeccably
Wears every fashion
The girl keeps up with the latest trends
Gets it to the tee
The girl knows how to dress well
Heavens above
The artist is amazed by the girl's fashion sense
I've got to match her
The artist wants to meet the girl's fashion standards
She knows just how
The girl knows exactly how she wants her man to dress
She wants her man to be
The girl has expectations for her partner's appearance
Leave it to me
The artist will try to meet the girl's fashion expectations
My jacket's gonna be cut slim and checked
The artist plans to wear a fitted, patterned jacket
Maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck
The artist is considering wearing a light, breathable fabric with an unbuttoned shirt
I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat
The singer travels by scooter and has a clean haircut
I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet
The artist is proud of his warm coat despite it being designed for wartime conditions
I see her dance
The singer watches the girl dance
Across the ballroom
The girl dances in a fancy setting
UV lights making stars shine
The dance floor is decorated with ultraviolet lights that make stars glow
Of her smile
The girl's smile is attractive
I am the face
The artist has confidence in his appearance
She has to know me
The singer wants the girl to notice him
I'm dressed up better than anyone
The singer believes he is better dressed than anyone else in the room
Within a mile
The artist feels confident that he is the best-dressed person in the area
So how come the other tickets look much better?
The artist is confused why some people look better than he does despite not spending much on their appearance
Without a penny to spend they dress to the letter
Some people dress really well despite not having much money
How come the girls come on oh so cool
The singer wonders how some women can look so cool
Yet when you meet 'em, every one's a fool?
Despite looking cool, some women lack intelligence
Come sleep on the beach
The singer invites someone to sleep on the beach with him
Keep within my reach
The singer wants the other person to stay close
I just want to die with you near
The singer wants to be close to someone when he dies
I'm feeling so high with you here
The artist feels happy being with the other person
I'm wet and I'm cold
The artist is getting wet and feeling cold due to being at the beach
But thank God I ain't old
The singer is glad to be young and able to handle the cold
Why didn't I say what I mean?
The singer regrets not expressing himself clearly
I should have split home at fifteen
The artist wishes he had left home at age fifteen
There's a story that the grass is so green
There is a common saying that other people's lives seem better
What did I see?
The artist is questioning his own perceptions
Where have I been?
The singer is questioning his life experiences
Nothing is planned, by the sea and the sand
The beach is an unpredictable place where plans don't always work out
I'm the face if you want it, baby
The singer is confident in his good looks
If you want it, if you want it, if you want it, if you want it
The singer repeats his offer of being a desirable partner
If you want it, if you want it, it you want it, if you want it, ah the face
The singer emphasizes that he believes he is attractive
Lyrics © ABKCO MUSIC INC PETE TOWNSHEND CATALOG , FABULOUS MUSIC LTD , SPIRIT MUSIC GROUP
Written by: PETER DENNIS BLANDFOR TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arcosin
Lyrics:
Here by the sea and sand
Nothing ever goes as planned,
I just couldn't face going home
It was just a drag on my own.
They finally threw me out
My mother got drunk on stout,
My dad couldn't stand on two feet,
As he lectured about morality.
Now I guess the families complete,
With me hanging round on the street
Or here on the beach.
The girl I love
Is a perfect dresser,
Wears every fashion
Gets it to the tee.
Heavens above,
I got to match her
She knows just how
She wants her man to be
Leave it to me.
My jacket's gonna be cut slim and checked
Maybe a touch of seersucker with an open neck
I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat
I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet.
I see her dancing
Across the ballroom
UV light making starshine
Of her smile.
I am the face,
She has to know me,
I'm dressed up better than anyone
Within a mile.
So how come the other tickets look much better?
Without a penny to spend they dress to the letter.
How come the girls come on oh so cool
Yet when you meet 'em, every one's a fool?
Come sleep on the beach
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near
I'm feeling so high with you here.
I'm wet and I'm cold
But thank God I ain't old
I should have split home at fifteen
Why didn't I ever say what I mean?
There's a story that the grass is so green,
What did I see?
Where have I been?
Nothing is planned, by the sea and the sand
foolintherain100
This is my favorite song on Quadrophenia, for sure. It has so much emotion, Pete Townshend was an amazing writer.
Steve Basadur
All of Quadraphenia is favourite songs,
Silver Snail14
Agreed. Shame they couldn't find a place for it in the film because it really sums up the themes beautifully.
mark fuchs
Tough one...is there really a best ?
The whole album is great...
Gun to my head I'd have to go with Drowned..
LROM a close second
Scott Jackson
Many males can relate to this song. I do.
K M
Same. Best song on the album.
John Smith
Keith’s playing on “the girl I love…” is so beautiful. There’s no one like him
mark fuchs
He was fckin perfect in everything he did👍...especially on this album...him and John were unbelievable
Chris Yasus
He's all out and all in.
craig tuohy
I'd never listened to Keiths playing in that bit til I read this. Its incredible. Thankyou