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 1996ā1997. 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.
The Seeker
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key
To fifty million fables
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn't help me either
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
People tend to hate me
'Cause I never smile
As I ransack their homes
They want to shake my hand
Focusing on nowhere
Investigating miles
I'm a seeker
I'm a really desperate man
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
I learned how to raise my voice in anger
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why
I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at other
And we don't know what to do
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
The Who's "The Seeker" is an introspective song about the human need to seek and search for meaning in life. The song begins by describing the singer's search for the "key" to millions of stories, suggesting that he is trying to find the answer to the big questions of life. He has looked everywhere, under chairs, tables, and even sought help from literary and musical legends, but the search remains unfulfilled.
As the song progresses, the singer's desperation to find meaning becomes more apparent. He is willing to search anywhere, focus on anything, and investigate any distance, underscoring the intensity of his search. He is "a really desperate man," someone who is not distracted by things that most people find joyful, such as smiling. He is unhappy because he has not found his purpose.
The chorus repeats that he is "The Seeker" and won't get what he's after until the day he dies, reinforcing the idea that the search is never finished, and the searchers are always seeking. The final lines reveal that the singer is not just searching for the meaning of life but is searching for himself. He is looking for his identity and is curious about the identity of others, indicating a deeper exploration of human nature.
Line by Line Meaning
I've looked under chairs
I've searched everywhere including the hidden places.
I've looked under tables
I've searched beneath things for answers.
I've tried to find the key
I've attempted to discover a solution to my problem.
To fifty million fables
To the many fictional stories or lies people tell.
They call me The Seeker
I'm known as a person who searches for answers.
I've been searching low and high
I've been searching in every possible place.
I won't get to get what I'm after
I won't reach my goal or obtain what I desire.
Till the day I die
Until the end of my life.
I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked the musician Bob Dylan for help.
I asked The Beatles
I asked the band The Beatles for assistance.
I asked Timothy Leary
I asked the psychologist Timothy Leary for guidance.
But he couldn't help me either
But even though I asked for help, I didn't receive any.
People tend to hate me
People don't like me because of my behavior.
'Cause I never smile
Because I don't show happiness outwardly.
As I ransack their homes
As I search through their possessions looking for answers.
They want to shake my hand
Ironically, even though I invade their privacy, they still treat me kindly.
Focusing on nowhere
Trying to concentrate on something but can't find the answer.
Investigating miles
Searching far and wide for an answer.
I'm a seeker
I'm always looking for answers, even if I never find them.
I'm a really desperate man
I'm very anxious to find these answers.
I won't get to get what I'm after
I won't reach the answers I'm seeking.
I learned how to raise my voice in anger
I've learned how to express my frustrations, but it doesn't solve the problem.
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
Even if I'm smiling, it doesn't mean I've found the solution to my problems.
I'm happy when life's good
I find joy when things are working out for me.
And when it's bad I cry
I'm emotional and upset when things aren't going well.
I've got values but I don't know how or why
I have beliefs and morals, but I don't understand the reasoning behind them.
I'm looking for me
I'm searching for a true understanding of myself as a person.
You're looking for you
You're searching for your own self-discovery.
We're looking in at other
We're examining ourselves through each other.
And we don't know what to do
And we're both lost in our search for answers.
I won't get to get what I'm after
I won't reach the answers I'm seeking.
Till the day I die
Until the end of my life.
Lyrics Ā© Sentric Music
Written by: PETER TOWNSHEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JJ
on Won't Get Fooled Again - Original Album Version
It was Racist
Philip Kassabian
on Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
The Who have so many great songs it's difficult to even describe.
Philip Kassabian
on See Me, Feel Me
Yet another excellent song by The Who one of the best bands of the 1960's.
Philip Kassabian
on I Can't Explain
A really good song by The Who.
Philip Kassabian
on I Can See for Miles
A song that definitely gets stuck in your head.
Philip Kassabian
on My Generation
An amazing song by The Who.