Today in Music (1968): The Who charted with Magic Bus album

Magic Bus The Who

Recorded: 1966-68 Released: September 1968 Charted: October 26, 1968 Peak: 39 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Click on a song titled for more details. Disguises [3:10] Run, Run, Run [2:43] Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [2:27] I Can’t Reach You [3:03] Our Love Was [3:23] Call Me Lightning [2:25] Magic Bus [3:15] Someone’s Coming [2:33] Doctor Doctor [3:02] Bucket T [2:07] Pictures of Lily [2:44] Total Running Time: 30:48 Other Songs from This Era: Dogs [3:04] 50 Circles (Instant Party) [2:27] Batman [1:22] Barbara Ann [1:59] The Players: Roger Daltrey (vocals) Pete Townshend (guitar, vocals) John Entwistle (bass) Keith Moon (drums)

Rating: 3.365 out of 5.00 (average of 19 ratings)

About the Album This was a compilation primarily of singles and B-sides from 1966-68 that had not previously appeared on albums. However, the collection inexplicably features three previously released album cuts “Run, Run, Run,” “I Can’t Reach You,” and “Our Love Was” when it would have made more sense to gather up the songs from the 1966 EP Ready Steady Who. “Bucket T” from that EP was featured on this collection, but the other four songs (“Dogs,” “Circles (Instant Party),” “Batman,” and “Barbara Ann”) were not. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs not previously featured on earlier albums by The Who.

Disguises The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: Ready Steady Who (EP, 11/11/1966), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968), A Quick One (1995 reissue) Peak: 31 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.36 streaming About the Song: This was the lead track on Ready Steady Who, the first EP release from The Who. The other tracks were “Circles (Instant Party),” “Batman,” “Bucket T,” and “Barbara Ann.” All of the songs but “Circles” were released on the 1995 CD reissue of A Quick One.

Circles (Instant Party) The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: Ready Steady Who (EP, 11/11/1966), My Generation (2002 deluxe edition) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.36 streaming

Batman The Who

Writer(s): Neal Hefti Released: Ready Steady Who (EP, 11/11/1966), A Quick One (1995 reissue) Peak: 37 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.75 streaming About the Song: Neal Hefti composed this theme for the 1966 Batman TV series. He built it around a guitar hook similar to those from surf music and scores from spy films. It was performed by members of the Wrecking Crew, a loose collective of Los Angeles-based studio musicians. The Who recorded the song for their 1966 EP Ready Steady Who. It has been covered by dozens of other artists as well, including The Kinks, The Jam, and Eddie Vedder.

Bucket T The Who

Writer(s): Don Altfeld, Roger Christian, Dean Torrence Released: Magic Bus (compilation, 1968), A Quick One (1995 reissue) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.11 streaming

Barbara Ann The Who

Writer(s): Fred Fassert Released: Ready Steady Who (EP, 11/11/1966), A Quick One (1995 reissue) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.18 streaming About the Song: The Regents took this song to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. The Beach Boys’ 1965 recording was even more successful, reaching #2 in the U.S. and #3 in the UK.

Pictures of Lily The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: single (UK, 4/21/1967), single (US, 6/24/1967), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) B-side: “Doctor Doctor” Peak: 51 BB, 60 CB, 49 HR, 8 CL, 4 UK, 36 CN, 7 AU, 8 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1.42 video, 6.17 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Pete Townshend manages to create a top-five UK hit with a song about masturbation. The song tells the tale of a boy approaching his dad about sleepless nights, a problem which Dad solves by providing the son with pictures of Lily to put on his wall. The Lily in question is Lily Langtree, a silent movie actress.

Doctor Doctor The Who

Writer(s): John Entwistle Released: B-side of “Pictures of Lily” (UK, 4/21/1967), B-side of “Pictures of Lily” (US, 6/24/1967), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.47 streaming

Someone’s Coming The Who

Writer(s): John Entwistle Released: B-side of “I Can See for Miles” (UK, 10/13/1967), B-side of “Magic Bus” (US, 7/27/1968), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.45 streaming

Call Me Lightning The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: single (US, 3/16/1968), B-side of “Dogs” (UK, 6/14/1968), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) B-side: “Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde” (US) Peak: 40 BB, 38 CB, 24 HR, 18 CL, 30 AU, 28 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.62 streaming

Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde The Who

Writer(s): ? Released: B-side of “Call Me Lightning” (US, 3/16/1968), B-side of “Magic Bus” (UK, 7/27/1968), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.15 streaming

Dogs The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: single (UK, 6/14/1968) B-side: “Call Me Lightning” Peak: 43 CL, 25 UK, 93 AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.41 streaming

Magic Bus The Who

Writer(s): Pete Townshend Released: single (7/27/1968), Magic Bus (compilation, 1968) B-side: “Someone’s Coming” (US), “Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde” (UK) Peak: 25 BB, 10 CB, 13 HR, 3 CL, 26 UK, 6 CN, 20 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 11.53 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Has there ever been a sillier chorus, croaked in voices that would have been sent home from even the most open-minded choir rehearsal?” PW This is a “sloppy, off-key performance with its ridiculous subject matter (guy in love obsessing on the bus that takes him to his girlfriend’s house).” PW Nonetheless, “something is engaged here, dumb as pattycake but achingly close to the profound mystery of what gives music its power.” PW “Get the beat just right and it stirs…the under-conscious, terror, revelation, joy.” PW

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review PW Paul Williams (1993). Rock and Roll: The 100 Best Singles. Carroll and Graff Publishers: New York, NY. Pages 131-2. Related DMDB Pages: First posted 9/2/2025.