The Who - Tommys Holiday Camp + We're not gonna take it (1969)

First, I know from 55 years ago, but that song resounds with modern day voters, about the 2024 democrats.

Flame away.

No flames. I love this band and this album. I might argue that Quadrophenia is “peak Who” but Tommy is close.

Although I loved these songs when I was younger, it wasn’t until I was older that I understand what the theme is.

I think your comparison to current politics is appropriate to say the least.

Oh, and thanks for giving me something cool to listen to while I’m working :)

WIKI

“They’ve paid their money and they’ve walked in the door thinking they’re going to get a shortcut to God-realization. [Tommy] starts to make the rules hard. He says ‘you can’t drink, you can’t smoke dope, you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you’ve got to play pinball, you’ve got to do it my way; if you don’t do it my way, you’re out.’ And he starts to get so tough that they rebel. ‘We don’t want your religion. What we want is a shortcut away from all our problems.’ That’s what they really want.

— Pete Townshend

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We‘re_Not_Gonna_Take_It_(The_Who_song)

Funny…I’ve been having the song Substitute in my head since last week and was thinking through it as I came across this post. Awesome!

The Who in their early days were absolutely amazing. "Happy Jack"..."I'm A Boy"..."I Can't Explain" are absolute classics...at least as good as anything else that was being done during that period.

But then they got complacent...sophisticated. I know that Tommy is basically the most famous thing they ever did. But to me rock & roll is supposed to be raw...is *not* supposed to be sophisticated.

The Who Sell Out is my favorite.

I love the older stuff of theirs too, but give Quadrophenia another listen. It is definitely more musically complex, but also, at the same time, very visceral and impactful.