What is the meaning of Tommy by the who?
The Who. Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who, a double album first released in May 1969. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend as a rock opera that tells the story about a "deaf, dumb and blind" boy, including his experiences with life and his relationship with his family.
When did Tommy Walker by the who come out?
It was first released as a double album on 17 May 1969 by Decca Records. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, and is a rock opera that tells the story of Tommy Walker, a "deaf, dumb and blind" boy, including his experiences with life and his relationship with his family.
What is the best book about the who's Tommy?
Barnes, Richard and Townshend, Pete (1977). The Story of Tommy. Eel Pie Publishing. 128 pp. Cawthorne, Nigel (2005). The Who and the making of Tommy. Unanimous Ltd (Vinyl Frontier 5). 224 pp. ISBN 1-903318-76-9 Townshend, Pete (1993). Tommy : The Musical. Pantheon. 173 pp. + a CD w/ the song I Can't Believe My Own Eyes. ISBN 0-679-43066-0.
Who designed the cover of the original Tommy album?
Tommy was originally released as a two- LP set with artwork designed by Mike McInnerney, which included a booklet including lyrics and images to illustrate parts of the story. Townshend asked McInnerney to do the cover artwork for Tommy in September 1968. [73] Townshend had originally considered Alan Aldridge for the cover. [73]
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Who wrote Tommy by the Who?
All but three of the songs were written by Pete – one by Keith Moon and two being by John Entwistle, “Fiddle About” and “Cousin Kevin.” Says Pete: “I didn't want to do them. I didn't think I could be cruel enough. They're ruthlessly brilliant songs because they are just as cruel as people can be.
When was the Who's Tommy written?
Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities has inspired, amazed and puzzled audiences for more than 40 years.
How did the Who come up with Tommy?
Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of Meher Baba, and attempted to translate Baba's teachings into music. Recording on the album began in September 1968, but took six months to complete as material needed to be arranged and re-recorded in the studio.
What is the significance of the Who's Tommy?
Townshend eventually named the double-album story of a deaf and blind mute and abuse victim who grows up to be a pinball expert and spiritual leader 'Tommy' as it was a common British name and the nickname of soldiers in WWI.
What was the first rock opera?
S. F. SorrowWith the lyric ''From number three there came the cry, 'S. F. Sorrow is born,'' the British band the Pretty Things entered the rock-and-roll history books in 1968 with what is generally acknowledged as the first rock opera.
Did Jack Nicholson sing in Tommy?
All the actors, including famous non-singers Jack Nicholson and Oliver Reed, perform their own songs.
What does Uncle Ernie do to Tommy?
When the parents leave, Ernie takes advantage of Tommy's blindness, deafness, and dumbness by sexually molesting him, in an attempt to do it behind his parents' back so no one would know about it and he can get away with it. It works at first until it backfires when Frank returns and overhears it.
What type of rock is King Crimson?
progressive rock bandKing Crimson are a progressive rock band. They formed in England in 1969. Their music is usually called progressive rock, but they also have jazz, gamelan, classical music, heavy metal and experimental music in their sound.
What is the meaning behind Pinball Wizard?
The song is literally about a deaf, dumb, and blind kid becoming the best pinball player in the world.
Is Tommy a masterpiece?
Perhaps the most popular, for many the best in this small category, but without a doubt a masterpiece that managed to crown The Who as one of the most interesting bands of all time. On March 23, 1969, Tommy would arrive at the record stores to sell more than 20 million copies, according to Rolling Stone.
What is the reason for Tommy's loss of sight speech and hearing?
Tommy follows his silhouette and sees his murder through a mirror that captures his and his father's souls. Nora and Frank tell Tommy that he didn't see it or hear it, and he must never speak of it. This causes him to go blind, deaf, and mute.
How does Tommy end the Who?
Tommy, in horror, stops the show and tends to Sally. He says he has had enough and decides to go home. Realizing how caught up in celebrity he has become, Tommy wishes to do something in return for his fans and invites them all back to his house ("Welcome").
When was the Who's Tommy on Broadway?
The Who's Tommy opened at the St. James Theatre April 22, 1993. The production, directed by Des McAnuff with choreography by Wayne Cilento, played 27 previews and 899 performances before closing June 17, 1995.
How many Tony Awards did the Who's Broadway show Tommy take home?
Along the way, it racked up five Tony Awards and proved that rock can work on the Broadway stage, paving the way for countless shows that followed. Like the 1993 original, this new version of Tommy will be directed by Des McAnuff.
When did Tommy take place?
In 1951, she meets Frank Hobbs in a summer camp and they have an affair. In the middle of a stormy night, Tommy has a nightmare about his father and runs to his mother's room, where he finds her naked with "Uncle" Frank. He instantly becomes blind, deaf, and mute.
What is Tommy the rock opera about?
About the Musical A rock musical based on The Who's 1969 album, Tommy. Story: After witnessing his father commit murder, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia. As an adolescent, he discovers a natural knack for pinball, and when his breaking through his catatonia, becomes an international pinball superstar.
When was Tommy released?
Tommy was first released on CD in 1984 as a two disc set. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab subsequently released a special single-disc edition of the album in 1990, featuring an alternate take of "Eyesight to the Blind" and a low volume extensive break on the glass in "Smash The Mirror".
Who named Tommy the best album of 1969?
Goldman asserted that, based on innovation, performance, and "sheer power", Tommy surpasses anything else in studio-recorded rock. Robert Christgau named Tommy the best album of 1969 in his year-end list for Jazz & Pop magazine.
What radio station was Pinball Wizard on?
The album had a hostile reception with the BBC and certain US radio stations, with Tony Blackburn describing " Pinball Wizard " as "distasteful". Nevertheless, BBC Radio 1 received an advance copy of the album at the start of May and gave the material its first airplay on Pete Drummond 's show on 3 May.
What was the public reaction to the Who concerts that included Tommy?
Public reaction to the Who's concerts that included Tommy was overwhelmingly positive. The touring helped keep the album in the public eye, and cleared the band's debts. Several live recordings of Tommy from the Who's 1969–70 tours have been released.
When did Tommy and Quadrophenia reunion?
They revived Tommy as a whole for its twentieth anniversary during their 1989 reunion tour, reinstating the previously overlooked "Cousin Kevin" and "Sensation", but still omitting "Underture" and "Welcome". Recordings from this tour can be found on the Join Together live album and the Tommy and Quadrophenia Live DVD.
When did Tommy go to the Metropolitan Opera?
By 1970, Tommy had achieved sufficient critical acclaim to be performed live in the Metropolitan Opera House. Tommy remained in the Who's live set through the rest of the year and into 1970. In October 1969, the Who played six shows at the Fillmore East, where Leonard Bernstein praised them for their new music.
Who played Tommy in the 1975 movie?
The movie version starred Roger Daltrey as Tommy, and featured the other members of the Who, plus a supporting cast that included Ann-Margret as Tommy's mother, Oliver Reed as "the Lover", with appearances by Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Arthur Brown, and Jack Nicholson. Russell insisted on having a known cast, though Townshend wanted people who could sing the material, and was particularly disappointed at not being allowed to cast Stevie Wonder as the Pinball Wizard. In several cinemas, the film supported a multi-track soundtrack billed as quintaphonic sound, which placed speaker banks in the four quadrants of the house and directly behind the centre of the screen.
Who wrote Tommy's Holiday Camp?
Keith Moon is credited as writing ‘Tommy’s Holiday Camp’, but Townshend actually wrote and recorded the song. Moon’s input was simply coming up with the idea of the sort of cult that Tommy would lead. 5. Radio One DJ Tony Blackburn criticized the single ‘Pinball Wizard’ for being “distasteful” in its approach to disabilities.
What was the first true narrative concept album?
As (arguably) the first true narrative concept album and a 20 million seller, ‘Tommy’ quickly took on a life of its own. After the band toured the album, playing it virtually in full, they staged a version backed by the London Symphony Orchestra starring the likes of Peter Sellers, Rod Stewart and Ringo Starr in 1972 and a film version was released in 1975 featuring Elton John, Tina Turner, Oliver Reed and Jack Nicholson. In 1993, a Broadway stage version opened and ran for two years. And in the interim, the idea of the ‘rock opera’ swept through ’70s rock, virtually inventing prog.
What are the other titles of the movie "The Brain Opera"?
2. Other working titles included ‘Amazing Journey’, ‘Journey Into Space’, ‘The Brain Opera’ and ‘Omnibus’.
Who criticized Pinball Wizard?
5. Radio One DJ Tony Blackburn criticized the single ‘Pinball Wizard’ for being “distasteful” in its approach to disabilities.
Is Tommy a rock opera?
Bloated, cheesy, overblown and cartoonishly offensive by today’s standards sure, but ‘Tommy’ contains some of The Who’s finest moments in ‘See Me, Feel Me’ and ‘Pinball Wizard’, and its pioneering of the rock opera format has subsequently given us everything from ‘…Ziggy Stardust…’ to Muse’s ‘Drones’.
What is the theme of Tommy?
One of the central themes of Tommy is the play between self and illusory self. It’s expressed by Tommy (the real self) who can see nothing but his reflection (illusory self) in the mirror – “There had to be a loophole so I could show this.
How long did it take Pete to make Tommy?
Pete has often spoken of his opera in the past. Pieces from a projected bigger work appeared on A Quick One and The Who Sell Out, but Tommy, which took two years to complete, owes little to these. The germ of the opera in fact came from a single, “Glow Girl,” which was never released.
What is Tommy's real self?
“Tommy’s real self represents the aim – God – and the illusory self is the teacher; life, the way, the path and all this. The coming together of these are what make him aware.
What is the one sense that Tommy still has in the early part of the album?
Touch is the one sense that Tommy still has in the early part of the album. McLuhan says that touch is a combination of all the senses at once: “Yea, I read that. I went into McLuhan quite deeply once. For someone that can see, sight has an absurdly high percentage over the other senses in terms of mental concentration. But if you can’t see or hear, touch must come totally alive. The most excruciating thing known to man isn’t blazing light – it’s pain. The heights of pleasure are felt through touch – at least on a physical level – and the early part of the opera is on physical level.”
What does Tommy feel?
Having lost most of his senses, Tommy feels everything simply as rhythms and vibration. Everything reaches him as music.
Who wrote the song "Cousin Kevin"?
All but three of the songs were written by Pete – one by Keith Moon and two being by John Entwistle, “Fiddle About” and “Cousin Kevin. ” Says Pete: “I didn’t want to do them. I didn’t think I could be cruel enough. They’re ruthlessly brilliant songs because they are just as cruel as people can be. I wanted to show that the boy was being dealt with very cruelly and it was because he was being dismissed as a freak.”
Is Tommy done?
After years of promising its completion, ‘Tommy’ is done, and Pete Townshend discusses its many aspects
What happened to Tommy in Catatonia?
After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother's lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia and, as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. As an adolescent, he's discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball and, when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, ...
What is the story of the deaf, dumb and blind boy?
A deaf, dumb and blind boy's journey from pain to triumph is a sensory-defying rock and roll experience. Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities has inspired, ...
Overview
Recording
The Who started recording the album at IBC Studios on 19 September 1968. There was no firm title at this point, which was variously referred to as Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy, Amazing Journey, Journey into Space, The Brain Opera and Omnibus. Townshend eventually settled on Tommy because it was a common British name, and a nickname for soldiers in the First World War. Kit Lambert took charge of the production, with Damon Lyon-Shaw as engineer. Sessions were bloc…
Synopsis
Tommy has never had a definitive plot, but the following synopsis was published following the original album's release.
British Army Captain Walker goes missing during an expedition and is believed dead ("Overture"). His wife, Mrs. Walker, gives birth to their son, Tommy ("It's a Boy"). Years later, Captain Walker returns home and discovers that his wife has found a new lover. The Captain kills the lover in an …
Background
Townshend had been looking at ways of progressing beyond the standard three-minute pop single format since 1966. Co-manager Kit Lambert shared Townshend's views and encouraged him to develop musical ideas, coming up with the term "rock opera". The first use of the term was applied to a suite called "Quads", set in a future where parents could choose the sex of their children. A couple want four girls but instead receive three girls and a boy, raising him as a girl a…
Release and reception
After delays surrounding the cover artwork, Tommy was released on 17 May 1969 in the US by Decca and 23 May in the UK by Track Records. The original double album was configured with sides 1 and 4 on one disc, and sides 2 and 3 on the other, to accommodate record changers.
The album was commercially successful, reaching No. 2 in the UK album charts. It peaked at No. 7 in the US in 1969, but in 1970 it re-entered the charts, at which time it went on to peak at No. 4…
Legacy and reappraisal
According to music journalist Richie Unterberger, Tommy was hailed by contemporary critics as The Who's breakthrough". Robert Christgau wrote in 1983, "Tommy's operatic pretensions were so transparent that for years it seemed safe to guess that Townshend's musical ideas would never catch up with his lyrics." In his review for AllMusic, Unterberger said that, despite its slight flaws, the album has "many excellent songs" permeated with "a suitably powerful grace", while Townsh…
Editions and cover art
Tommy was originally released as a two-LP set with artwork designed by Mike McInnerney, which included a booklet including lyrics and images to illustrate parts of the story. Townshend asked McInnerney to do the cover artwork for Tommy in September 1968. Townshend had originally considered Alan Aldridge for the cover. The cover is presented as part of a triptych-style fold-out cover, and the booklet contained abstract artwork that outlined the story. Although the album in…
Live performances
The Who had planned to perform Tommy live since starting the project. The group spent April 1969 rehearsing a live version of the show at the Hanwell Community Centre in Ealing including a final run down of the entire stage piece on 23 April. The running order was changed, and four songs ("Cousin Kevin", "Underture", "Sensation" and "Welcome") were dropped entirely. Townshend lat…