Song Lyric Sunday: The Who

Today’s SLS theme, set for us by Jim in his post Never Made It, is to play a song by a band who never had a #1. For British readers it may come as a surprise to know that my choice qualifies for this, as the band has been hugely popular here for nearly sixty years and you’d have thought there would be at least one chart topper in their back catalogue, wouldn’t you? They have had a #1 album here – just the one – but as this is about songs I think I’m on safe ground concentrating on the singles chart. The Who have had thirteen top ten hits in the UK but have never got higher than #2, which they have done twice. As it has become such an iconic track over the years I’m playing you the first of those (the other was I’m A Boy). Recognise this?

My Generation was the title track of The Who’s first album, which was released in December 1965 and reached #5 here, though it didn’t make the US chart. The single had been released earlier (October in the UK, November in the US), and peaked at #2 here, whilst also making a chart entry in the US at #74. According to Wikipedia Pete Townshend reportedly wrote the song on a train and is said to have been inspired by the Queen Mother, who is alleged to have had his 1935 Packard hearse towed off a street in Belgravia because she was offended by the sight of it during her daily drive through the neighbourhood. I’ve no way of confirming if that is true but it’s a great story! If the song was written with that inspiration, its lyrics are certainly a strong case of youthful rebellion at the older, privileged upper classes:

People try to put us d-down (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we get around (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Don’t try to dig what we all s-s-s-say (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to ’cause a big s-s-sensation (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (talkin’ ’bout my generation)

My generation
This is my generation, baby

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Peter Townshend

The use of the stutter in Roger Daltrey’s singing, ten years before Bachman Turner Overdrive did it too, has been much discussed. Theories include Daltrey being nervous in the recording studio, the introduction of a pause to fool the listener into thinking that an expletive was about to be inflicted on them (“why don’t you all f-f..”), or that the stutter was a device to make the singer sound like a young Mod on amphetamines. Whatever the reason, the ever watchful BBC initially refused to play the track because it didn’t want to offend people who stutter, but it reversed that decision after the song became more popular. Same old Beeb – see a bandwagon, jump on it!

I was 12 when this came out, and the apocryphal line “hope I die before I get old” has stayed with me throughout my life. This has long been a favourite of mine: I was a big fan of the band as I was growing up, and used to annoy my Mum by running round the lounge singing accompaniment to this at the top of my voice, and looking pointedly at her! I’m 68 now, and still wish for it not to become true! (Mum made it to 87, which is a fair innings, I think). And just in case you’re wondering how much life we have left in us, try this video (you’ll need to click the ‘watch on YouTube’ link to see it but believe me, it’s worth it!):

The Zimmers are amazing, and so much fun! There is, I think, something special about a 90 year old singer giving us that line. They make a couple of important points with those cards they hold up, which we should all keep in mind for our elderly relatives, and I just love the lady doing the Pete Townshend arm swirl movement, the mass instrument destruction à la Who, and the guy at the very end. They recorded this at the Abbey Road Studios made famous by The Beatles and yes, it is THAT zebra crossing that they walk across: I used to work near there and know it well. This song, and their subsequent records, came out of a tv documentary intended to highlight the impact of becoming older, and their cover made that point well by reaching #26 in the UK chart in 2007. I think The Who would have been pleased with them and their attitude!

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