![]() The lyrics of the song still work well in a metaphorical way, but their original intent was very literal. More context to the literal meaning of the song can be found if you think about it in its opera sense. Instead of being stuck at the beginning of the opera, “Baba O’Riley” was stuck at the beginning of Who’s Next. The opera never got off the ground, but eight of its songs were salvaged. The song was originally written as part of a rock opera called Lifehouse, set to be a sequel to The Who’s Tommy. In a September 2009 interview with Guitar World, Townshend said the phrase was inspired by the “absolute desolation of teenagers at Woodstock, where the patrons were smacked out on acid and 20 people had brain damage.”Īs far as the music itself goes, is there anything that sounds more heroic than the opening synthesizer arpeggios? Never trust anyone who hears the “Baba O’Riley” intro and doesn’t immediately want to launch into a dramatic montage. “Baba O’Riley” isn’t a celebration of a teenage wasteland, it’s an indictment of it. “Swimming Pools” isn’t a celebration of drinking, it’s an indictment of it. The song also suffers from the same sydrome Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools” does. It also means it has nothing to do with the song on the surface. ![]() Given that the two were a heavy influence on the song itself, I suppose it gives the title some deeper meaning. Instead, lead guitarist Pete Townshend elected to make the title a kind of portmanteau, borrowing names from minimalist musician Terry Riley and Indian spiritual guru Mehar Baba. Many will be surprised to learn that this song is not called “Teenage Wasteland.” In fairness, that would been a pretty good title and something that the masses would instantly associate with this song. The legacy of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” is one of incorrect titles, misunderstood lyrics, and Indian spiritual gurus. It really kept the trio sound together."Īuthor Mark Blake explained to us how the Who - who were initially based around Mod stylistic briefs and Pete Townshend's art school concepts - eventually changed course as the realities of a life in music came fully into play, forcing Townshend to become a leading musical force far more important than his original influences: SOUNDCUE (:26 OC. The energy level was so up there that many of the solos on the record were done in on pass during the tracking sessions. He could drive the band nuts with his directions but also really got them ripping when they tracked, He would especially concentrate off whipping up Keith (Moon), because he realized the band actually took its energy cues from Keith. Legendary producer Jack Douglas, who engineered the early New York City Who's Next sessions at the Record Plant recalled, "Pete was in charge of the production. I was just relieved to have made anything." It felt uncomplicated and simple and I just didn't care that the story had been lost. It felt like the Who's first proper album. ![]() Townshend said he still rates Who's Next as a highpoint in the band's career: "I was delighted with it. The contradiction was that it became a celebration: "Teenage wasteland! Yes! We're All wasted!" Townshend told Guitar Player, "'Baba O' Riley' is about the absolute devastation of teenagers at Woodstock, where everybody was smacked out on acid and 20 people, or whatever, had brain damage. ![]() With the 50th anniversary of the Who's 1971 masterpiece Who's Next coming up this month, Pete Townshend looked back on the album's iconic opening track, "Baba O'Riley."
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