Tuesday, October 3, 2023

The Who

13 albums with 130 songs. 20 other songs. 150 songs in total.


1965 My Generation (9)

The Who's first album offers two absolute classics ("The Kids Are Alright" and "My Generation"), three good songs ("A Legal Matter", "La-La-La-Lies" and "Much Too Much" ), as well as four appetizing hints of the glories to come ("Out In The Street", "The Good's Gone", "It's Not True" and "The Ox"). All the original songs have been written by Pete Townshend. There are also three cover songs on the album.


1966 A Quick One (9)

Unique among The Who's albums, because Pete Townshend has only written 4 out of 10 song: "A Quick One While He’s Away", "Run Run Run", "So Sad About Us" and "Don't Look Away". "Boris The Spider" (the best song on the album) and "Whiskey Man" have been written by John Entwistle. Keith Moon contributes two songs: eccentric "Cobwebs And Strange" and fine "I Need You". Roger Daltrey has written "See My Way". All the songs on this superb album are excellent, even "Heat Wave", a cover. 


1967 The Who Sell Out (18)

The Who's first concept album. Except for "Sunrise" and "Our Love Was", the songs are quite memorable: "I Can See For Miles" (the best one), "Silas Stingy", "Heinz Baked Beans", "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand", "Tattoo", "Rael", "Relax", "Medac", "Odorono", "I Can’t Reach You" and "Armenia City In The Sky". There are 13 songs on the original 1967 album. The 1995 edition of this album has ten bonus tracks of outtakes, including five original, previously unreleased songs: "Girl's Eyes", "Melancholia", "Jaguar", "Glittering Girl" and "Early Morning Cold Taxi". They are all quite good. 


1969 Tommy (1)

The Who's first rock opera. "Tommy" has definitely inspired Pink Floyd's 1979 album "The Wall". The album can (and should) be listen to from the beginning to the end without interruption, as it really forms a single musical composition.

1971 Who's Next (9)

The Who's greatest album. Three timeless classics: "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes". And six more excellent tunes: "Going Mobile", "My Wife", "Getting In Tune", "Bargain", "Love Ain't For Keeping" and "The Song Is Over". John Entwistle has written "My Wife"; all the other songs are by Pete Townshend.


1973 Quadrophenia (1)

Like "Tommy", this rock opera also can (and should) be listen to from the beginning to the end without interruption, as it really forms a single musical composition.


1974 Odds & Sods (10)

Unique among The Who's albums, it consists only of outtakes, ten original ones and one cover. Six of them are actually quite good: "Pure And Easy", "Now I'M A Farmer", "Long Live Rock", "Little Billy", "Naked Eye" and "Glow Girl". As for the others, let's just say that it's easy to understand why they were outtakes in the first place: "Too Much Of Anything", "Postcard", "Put The Money Down" and "Faith In Something Bigger".


1975 The Who By Numbers (10)

Six good songs: "Slip Kid", "Blue Red And Grey", "They Are All In Love", "Squeeze Box", "How Many Friends" and "Success Story". And four weak songs: "Dreaming From The Waist", "In A Hand Or A Face", "However Much I Booze" and "Imagine A Man".


1978 Who Are You (9)

Two superb songs: "Who Are You" and "Trick Of The Light". And seven very good ones: "Had Enough", "905", "Guitar And Pen", "Music Must Change", "Sister Disco", "Love Is Coming Down" and "New Song".


1981 Face Dances (9)

The Who's first album without Keith Moon. Nine good songs: "You Better You Bet", "Don't Let Go The Coat", "Cache Cache", "Daily Records", "The Quiet One", "Did You Steal My Money", "You", "How Can You Do It Alone" and "Another Tricky Day".


1982 It's Hard (12)

Five good songs: "Eminence Front", "I've Known No War", "It's Hard", "Athena" and "Cry If You Want". And seven weak ones: "It's Your Turn", "Dangerous", "One At A Time", "Why Did I Fall For That", "A Man Is A Man", "Cooks County" and "One Life's Enough".


2006 Endless Wire (19)

The Who's worst album, the first one without John Entwistle. "Black Widow's Eyes" is the only outstanding song on the album. There are also two other fine songs: "God Speaks Of Marty Robbins" and "A Man In A Purple Dress". But all the rest is highly forgettable: "Tea & Theatre", "Endless Wire", "Two Thousand Years", "We Got A Hit", "Sound Round", "Pick Up The Peace", "You Stand By Me", "Mike Post Theme", "Unholy Trinity", "Mirror Door", "It's Not Enough", "They Made My Dream Come True", "Fragments", "Fragments Of Fragments", "Trilby's Piano" and "In The Ether"


2019 Who (14)

After their disappointing 2006's album "Endless Wire", The Who make an impressive comeback in 2019 with "Who", their last album (so far). All the eleven songs are quite memorable: "All This Music Must Fade", "Break The News", "Ball And Chain", "I Don't Wanna Get Wise", "Detour", "Beads On One String", "Hero Ground Zero", "Street Song", "Rockin' In Rage", "She Rocked My World" and "I'll Be Back". Slightly less memorable are the three songs included on bonus tracks: "This Gun Will Misfire", "Got Nothing To Prove" and "Danny And My Ponies".


Other songs (20):

excellent "I Can’t Explain" (1964)
weak "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere" (1965)
excellent "Substitute" (1966)
good "Instant Party Circles" (1966) 
very good "I’M A Boy" (1966)
good "Pictures Of Lily" (1967)
weak "Someone's Coming" (1967)
good "Happy Jack" (1967)
fine "Magic Bus" (1968)
weak "Call Me Lightning" (1968)
weak "Dogs" (1968)
very good "The Seeker" (1970)
weak "Heaven and Hell" (John Entwistle, 1970)
good "Let’s See Action" (1971)
fine "Join Together" (1972)
weak "Relay" (1972)
weak "Empty Glass" (1996)
weak "No Road Romance" (1996)
weak "Cousin Kevin Model Child" (1998)
weak "Be Lucky" (2014)