Tommy |
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Released: May 23, 1969 Peak: 4 US, 2 UK, 6 CN, 8 AU, 7 DW Sales (in millions): 2.5 US, 0.1 UK, 20.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock |
Tracks:Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts.
Total Running Time: 75:15 The Players:
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Rating: 4.362 out of 5.00 (average of 27 ratings)
Awards:(Click on award to learn more).
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Before TommyThe Who formed in London in 1964. The lineup consisted of guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend, singer Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. Over the next few years, they became one of England’s most successful rock bands, landing eight top-ten hits from 1964 to ‘68 that included now rock classics like “I Can’t Explain,” “My Generation,” and “Substitute.” While they became associated with the British invasion in America, their only U.S. top 10 was “I Can See for Miles.”The Who also released a pair of top-five UK albums during that time, but failed to chart any higher than #48 in the United States. That all changed with their fourth album – a top-five, double-platinum seller in the United States that established the Who as one of the premiere rock bands. In 1968, “the band were creatively and financially in a fix.” TB They were “generally regarded as more attitude than substance…the Who were just another loud British band riding the coattails of their predecessors.” CS “With the onset of heavy blues rock and psychedelia, a gulf between chart pop and album rock opened up. To maintain credibility The Who needed to make a play for the latter audience…The Who’s manager, Kit Lambert, repeatedly pushed the idea of a rock-opera at Townshend until it took hold.” TB The First Rock Opera“Pete Townshend’s lyrical and compositional gifts would not be denied, and the swirling cacophony of sound the band produced – with Townshend’s solid guitar skills providing a foundation for Keith Moon’s chaotic drumming, John Entwistle’s adventurous bass, and Roger Daltrey’s vocal acrobatics – would find grounding and maturity in Tommy.” CSAuthor Tom Moon calls Tommy the first rock opera and still the best” TM although “many rock aficionados regard [the Pretty Things’] S.F. Sorrow as the first true rock opera.” CS Townshend does acknowledge the influence the album had on him and the creation of Tommy. CS Regardless of whether or not it was first, it was “a major leap forward in the artistic capacity of the rock world.” CS It would influence “Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd to create story albums of their own, ultimately inspiring rock musicals such as Godspell, Grease, and Jesus Christ Superstar.” CS “Townshend’s ability to construct a lengthy conceptual narrative brought new possibilities to rock music. Despite the complexity of the project, he and the Who never lost sight of solid pop melodies, harmonies, and forceful instrumentation, imbuing the material with a suitably powerful grace.” AM “These are more than songs – they’re affirmations of rock as a path to understanding and maybe even redemption.” TM When initially released, some critics hailed it as a masterpiece and “the beginnings of a new genre” WK Life magazine said, “for sheer power, invention and brilliance of performance, Tommy outstrips anything that has ever come out of a rock recording studio.” WK It has come to be regarded as “the quintessential rock opera, and to many fans, the quintessential record from The Who.” PM The RecordingRecording took place at IBC in London through the autumn and winter of 1968. Thanks to multitracking, the four-piece band could build a much bigger sound. The band tried to stick to instruments they could play, but eventually orchestral parts – although Townshend was reluctant. TB A debate was “already underway about the artistic merits of rock as the bands King Crimson, Procol Harum, the Moody Blues, and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were incorporating classical structures and instruments into their music,” CS giving birth to the progressive rock movement. In addition, “Entwistle added French horn, there are backward tapes on ‘Amazing Journey,’ buried sitar on ‘Cousin Kevin,’ and fairground barrel-organ for ‘Tommy’s Holiday Camp.’” TBThe StoryThe double album, written almost entirely by Townshend, “launched the band to international superstardom.” AM The story focuses on Tommy Walker, a deaf, dumb, and blind kid suffering from childhood trauma who becomes a Messiah-like figure. This gave Townshend a chance to explore “the larger themes of emotional scars, freedom and religion.” RV Townshend said, “When you listen to the music you can actually become aware of the boy, and aware of what he is all about, because we are creating him as we play.” PMNegative ReactionSome critics, however, considered it exploitative. The BBC and some U.S. radio stations even banned it. Detractors also cite the “pretensions of the concept and…the insubstantial nature of some of the songs that functioned as little more than devices to advance the rather sketchy plot.” AMThe SongsHere are thoughts on individual songs.“Pinball Wizard”
“Sparks” and “I’m Free”
Other Songs
NotesThe group has frequently played the entire album live in concert, but not as a staged theatrical show. Several live performances have been released in their entirety, including the 2002 Deluxe Edition of the 1970 live album Live at Leeds and the Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 release in 1996. In 1975, the album was adapted into a film with major stars such as Ann-Margret, Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, and Jack Nicholson. Elton John’s performance of “Pinball Wizard” became a top 10 hit in the U.K. The band re-released a soundtrack version of the album.In 1993, Townshend and theatrical director Des McAnuff adapted the album for a Broadway musical. The show initially received mixed reviews, but won five Tony Awards that year, including Best Original Score. A 2003 edition added a second disc of demos and outtakes. A 2013 edition added a full live performance of Tommy from October 15, 1969 at the Capitol Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and the Swansea City Football Club on June 12, 1976. |
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First posted 3/23/2008; last updated 10/2/2024. |
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