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.
Success
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They oughta make work a crime
I'm home for the weekend
I'm gonna make the most of my time
There's a rock and roll singer on the television
Giving up his music, gonna take up religion
Deserted rock and roll
To try to save his soul
Saturday night, gotta gig with the band
Playing the electric guitar
Someday I'm gonna make it
Gonna be a super-duper-star
Get a flashy car
And a house for my Ma
The big break better happen soon
'Cause I'm pushing twenty-one
Just like Cinderella
When she couldn't go to the ball
A voice said, "I'm your fairy manager
You shall play the Carnegie Hall"
I gotta give up my day job
To become a heartthrob
I may go far if I smash my guitar
Away for the weekend
I've gotta play some one-night stands
Six for the tax man, and one for the band
Back in the studio to make our latest number one
Take two-hundred-and-seventy-six
You know, this used to be fun
Monday morning, I just got home
Six and the birds are singing
I need a drink and my clothes are wet
Ooh, and my ears are still ringing
There's a rock and roll singer boppin' on the TV
He used to be a preacher, but now he sings in a major key
Amended his decision to the new religion
The song "Success Story" by The Who portrays the story of a young aspiring musician who dreams of achieving success and fame by becoming a rock star. The lyrics depict the contrasting realities of the musician's everyday life and the idealized version of his life that he aspires to have. The singer comes home from work and longs for the weekend where he can focus on playing with his band and work towards his dream. On television, he sees a rock singer who gave up his music to take up religion, which stands in sharp contrast to his own priorities.
The musician's desire to succeed and become famous is palpable, as he highlights his ambition to make it big in the music industry, which includes buying his mother a house and getting a flashy car. He outlines the necessary sacrifices he needs to make to get there, such as giving up his day job to become a "heartthrob". The comparisons between the singer and Cinderella give the listener a sense of the singer's underdog status in his society.
The lyrics also convey the less glamorous aspects of the music industry, such as playing one-night stands and dealing with taxes, as well as the toll that this lifestyle takes on a person's life. The song closes with the reminder that success often comes with a price, wherein even the rock star that the singer idolizes has had to amend his life choices to fit the demands of the industry. Overall, "Success Story" is a song that sheds light on the trials and tribulations of those who strive to turn their dreams into reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Friday night, I'm on my way home
I just finished work and am heading home for the weekend
They oughta make work a crime
Working all week is no fun
I'm home for the weekend
I get to relax and enjoy my time off
I'm gonna make the most of my time
I plan on having a good time and doing things I enjoy
There's a rock and roll singer on the television
I see a musician performing on TV
Giving up his music, gonna take up religion
The musician has decided to stop making music and follow a religious path
Deserted rock and roll
The musician has abandoned the world of rock and roll music
To try to save his soul
The musician believes that following a religious path will help him be a better person
Saturday night, gotta gig with the band
I have a performance with my band tonight
Playing the electric guitar
I am playing a specific instrument during the performance
Someday I'm gonna make it
I have aspirations of becoming famous
Gonna be a super-duper-star
I want to become a very famous and successful musician
Get a flashy car
I want to own a fancy car
And a house for my Ma
I want to buy a house for my mother
The big break better happen soon
I am getting impatient and want to become successful quickly
'Cause I'm pushing twenty-one
I am not getting any younger and feel like I need to make it big soon
Just like Cinderella
My situation is similar to that of a fairytale
When she couldn't go to the ball
Like Cinderella, I feel like I am missing out on something
A voice said, "I'm your fairy manager
Someone offered to help me achieve success
You shall play the Carnegie Hall"
They promised me the opportunity to perform at one of the most famous music venues
I gotta give up my day job
I need to quit my regular job to focus on music
To become a heartthrob
I need to become a popular and attractive musician
I may go far if I smash my guitar
I feel like I need to do something dramatic to become successful
Away for the weekend
I am traveling and performing in different locations
I've gotta play some one-night stands
I am performing at different venues for short periods of time
Six for the tax man, and one for the band
I am not making much money from these performances and am paying a lot in taxes
Back in the studio to make our latest number one
I am working on creating a new hit song
Take two-hundred-and-seventy-six
I am recording another take of the song
You know, this used to be fun
I am starting to feel burnt out and tired of the music industry
Monday morning, I just got home
I finished a weekend of performing and am now home
Six and the birds are singing
It is early in the morning and the birds are chirping
I need a drink and my clothes are wet
I am thirsty and my clothes are damp for some reason
Ooh, and my ears are still ringing
My ears are still hurting from the loud music over the weekend
There's a rock and roll singer boppin' on the TV
I see another musician performing on television
He used to be a preacher, but now he sings in a major key
The musician has changed his career path from preaching to performing music
Amended his decision to the new religion
The musician has changed his beliefs and now believes in something new
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN ENTWISTLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Kohut
Friday night, I'm on my way home
They oughta make work a crime
I'm home for the weekend
I'm gonna make the most of my time
There's a rock and roll singer on the television
Giving up his music, gonna take up religion
Deserted rock and roll
To try to save his soul
Saturday night, gotta gig with the band
Playing the electric guitar
Someday I'm gonna make it
Gonna be a super-duper-star
Get a big flashy car
And a house for my Ma
The big break better happen soon
'Cause I'm pushing twenty-one
Just like Cinderella
When she couldn't go to the ball
A voice said, "I'm your fairy manager
You shall play the Carnegie Hall"
I gotta give up my day job
To become a heartthrob
I may go far if I smash my guitar
Away for the weekend
I've gotta play some one-night stands
Six for the tax man, and one for the band
Back in the studio to make our latest number one
Take two-hundred-and-seventy-six
You know, this used to be fun
Monday morning, I just got home
Six and the birds are singing
I need a drink and my clothes are wet
Ooh, and my ears are still ringing
There's a rock and roll singer boppin' on the TV
He used to be a preacher, but now he sings in a major key
Amended his decision to the new religion
Bradley Lowden
This should be on every Who compilation. It’s catchy, funny, and representative of The Who’s mythos. Love the quirky lyrics, and that big assed bass.
Mike Spaccarelli
Yep!!!
Mike Spaccarelli
And it rock too
Doctor Jekyll
Won this album on the boardwalk in seaside heights, n. j. ... 1975...excellent album
choff56
I love this album , very very underrated
John Lee
it's right up there with Who's Next and Quadro!!! It's a hidden jem!!!
Starks749
Keith's drumming on this is incredible as usual.
Mike Spaccarelli
Great album, very underrated
Larry K
It's the highlight of their 1979 Bio Film, The Kids Are Alright
Colin Daniels
The Who By Numbers is my all time favorite album.In spite of it not originally meant to be a concept album,it kind of became one.To me it became:"Pete Townshend's I've turned 30 and I'm still here and hating album!"