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.
See Me Feel Me
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me
Listening to you I get the music
Gazing at you I get the heat
Following you I climb the mountain
Right behind you I see the millions
On you I see the glory
From you I get opinions
From you I get the story
Listening to you I get the music
Gazing at you I get the heat
Following you I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet
Right behind you I see the millions
On you I see the glory
From you I get opinions
From you I get the story
Listening to you I get the music
Gazing at you I get the heat
Following you I climb the mountain
I get excitement at your feet
The opening lines of See Me, Feel Me are a repeated plea for connection, both physical and emotional. The phrase "See me, feel me, touch me, heal me" is a mantra, a message directed towards an audience, asking them to engage with the performer in a way that is deeply intimate and meaningful. This is a song about the visceral experience of music, and the ways that it can inspire a sense of awe, wonder, and comfort.
The rest of the lyrics serve as a meditation on the power of music to connect people; to uplift, inspire, and engage them in a shared emotional journey. The opening stanza sets the scene, with the performer stating that they are listening to the music and feeling the heat, the energy, and the power that it generates. From there, they follow the music up a metaphorical mountain, experiencing all the emotions that come with that journey, including elation, fear, and a sense of purpose. But through it all, the audience is always there, millions of individuals caught up in the same moment, sharing the same experience. The performer depends on them for context, for validation, and for a sense of purpose. They are connected, and the music is the thread that binds them.
In a broader sense, See Me, Feel Me is an anthem for human connection, a celebration of the power of music to bring people together and to inspire them to rise up and reach for something greater than themselves. It is a song that speaks to the universal human desire for meaning and connection, and the ways that music can help us find it.
Line by Line Meaning
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me
I want to be seen, felt, touched, and healed.
Listening to you I get the music
When I hear your words, I am inspired and moved.
Gazing at you I get the heat
When I look at you, I feel a powerful passion and intensity.
Following you I climb the mountain
By following your lead, I am able to overcome obstacles and achieve great things.
I get excitement at your feet
I am filled with excitement and energy when I am near you.
Right behind you I see the millions
I see the masses of people who follow and support you.
On you I see the glory
I see the honor and praise that you have earned through your accomplishments.
From you I get opinions
I value your perspective and seek your advice.
From you I get the story
I learn from your experiences and the lessons you can teach me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PETER DENNIS BLANDFOR TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
Yet another excellent song by The Who one of the best bands of the 1960's.
@rickwpaperworkmakeschildsu4655
Impossible to not sing along!
@phuqueobamahard8816
LISTENIN' TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@itsyoboyconnor7135
Rick W I failed
@dale8809
Rick W and head bob.
@kentnortonneurocoach7
We are all Tommy reaching out knowing what we want to say but unable to speak, at wanting to be touched but unable to feel, we are all Tommy but we are not all pinball Wizards
@thezenitsufan1249
Pete Townsend can sure write some lyrics
@sidneygarcia9921
My Dad had a heart of gold and when he passed away,he didn’t have many worldly possessions to call his own nor to give away. What he did have,was music and he gave it to me. Thank you Dad for showing me how to appreciate what music can do to one’s heart. I feel that I have done my part in passing on the love for music to my daughters and grandchildren. “Following you, I climb the mountain……”
@ganglestank
My dad died when I was 6. The one thing he had to give to me was his music collection, but my asshole grandmother decided to give his whole music collection away even though he would have wanted me to have it, that's the ONLY thing my mom asked for when he died. Regardless of the family struggle, I'm into all of the same stuff he was and I've listened to countless albums that would have been in his collection
@sidneygarcia9921
@@ganglestank well,she might’ve given away his collection but she will never touch your memories of him. Let those memories be his song to you and as far as Grama, just be as respectful as you can be. Do it for Dad❤️