The Who 20-1

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Mar 18, 2013
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"The Who? I love bands!"

This is my top 20 the Who songs, factoring in quality of songs and market success of songs
 
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Mar 18, 2013
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20. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (1965)
from Single




Only their second ever single, it offers a preview of what to really expect from the band. A catchy riff from Pete Townshend, the young crispy voice of Daltrey and a late drum solo by Keith Moon. It's one of their more pop songs but it was a great one to kick start an amazing career.
 
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19. Tattoo (1967)
from The Who Sell Out



One of my favourites, it's a basic tune but is a great lyrical piece, highlighting the struggles of growing up as a male wanting to be a tough man. At the time, Townshend feared Daltrey wouldn't want to sing about doubting his own masculinity, but it's actually one of Townshend's favourites that Daltrey sang.
 

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18. Happy Jack (1966)
from Single



This song comes from Townshend's experiences as a young boy holidaying at the Isle Of Man, writing about the typical local. Townshend did not want Happy Jack to become a single, but manager Kit Lambert insisted its jittery rhythm and catchy lyrics were suited to the radio. It's also Paul McCartney's favourite The Who song.
 
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16. Pictures of Lily (1967)
from Single



Supposedly written about Townshend's parents catching him masturbating, the 'pictures' refer to pin-ups teen boys would have on their walls back in the 20's and 30's. A very good song it is, a top 10 hit for The Who.
 
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14. A Quick One, While He's Away (1966)
from A Quick One



Before he could write Tommy, Pete townshend had to test out rock operas, so he came up with this 10 minute epic to finish off the album. Beautifully telling a story of infidelity and forgiveness, each band member shines on this track and it is easy in hindsight to see what they were destined to create in the years that followed.
 
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13. Who Are You (1978)
from Who Are You



Keith Moon's last big hit is perhaps The Who's most recognised song in the 21st century. Instantly recognizable for its chorus and Who-like breakdowns, this track has since grown into a crowd favorite. Roger's fiery crisp singing is one of his best pieces of work.
 
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12. Behind Blue Eyes (1971)
from Who's Next



Far superior to its more popular cover, Behind Blue Eyes is one of The Who's slowest songs, and certainly one of their best. Keith Moon is almost non-existent for the duration of the song, but Pete's incredible acoustic work makes up for it. It's one of the few later songs that involves back-up singing from the entire group. A quiet ballad turns out into a full rock tune in a matter of seconds.
 
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11. The Kids Are Alright (1966)
from My Generation



One of The Who's earliest gems, this is more of a pop tune. Moon's drumming in this is one of his best and John's bass work can not be left out either. If you skip to 1:55, you can join in with Pete's windmill - it's almost impossible not to.
 

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10. Love, Reign O'er Me (1973)
from Quadrophenia



The conclusion of arguably The Who's greatest album (not by me though) culminates in a nearly perfect track that transcends nearly every moment leading to its introduction. The track has it all; Daltrey’s soaring vocals; Moon’s vicious drumming; Townshend’s heartbreaking lyrics; Entwistle’s grounding bass line. The Who at their best.
 
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9. Naked Eye (1974)
from Odds and Sods



To me, The Who's most underrated song. Famous for being part of the band's usual encore and the final song at Woodstock, it has it all really; Townshend nails the second verse as if he had something to get off his chest, and his later guitar solo is one of his best. Roger's calm voice is incredible to listen to, as this song really captivates everything great about The Who during their peak.
 
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Saw the who when they toured here five or six years ago, it was underwhelming in some ways but at the same time it was just good to see a couple of old farts still trying to rock hard.

Townsend forgot the words at one point in Pinball Wizard. Substitute was awesome.
 
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8. I Can See For Miles (1967)
from The Who Sell Out



Though not one of the better performing Who singles in the charts, “I Can See For Miles” represents the group’s quintessential song by highlighting all four members with equal recognition and the angst-driven subject that rightfully predicted a bright future for the group.
 
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7. I Can't Explain (1964)
from Single



The Who's first single, “I Can’t Explain,” holds up shockingly well after its release over a half-century ago. While atypical of pop music being released at the time, “I Can’t Explain” has an unmistakable edge to it that can still be heard today. Roger's edgy young voice and Keith's smashing drums make this song very special.
 
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6. Pinball Wizard (1969)
from Tommy



Perhaps The Who's most recognizable track thanks to Townshend’s urgent opening guitar riff, Pinball Wizard has grown to embody a life of its own. Though it was a last minute addition to the sprawling rock opera Tommy, most Who fans will agree it was one of the group's absolute best.
 
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5. Magic Bus (1968)
from Magic Bus: The Who On tour



Perhaps The Who's greatest sing-a-long, Magic Bus is just terrific. Some of Pete's catchiest lyrics and some of his finest guitar plucking. Roger's edgy singing and the backing vocals performed by the group make it something special. This is my personal favourite The Who song.
 
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Great list so far, and nice to see a few less than well known songs mentioned ("Tattoo", "Pure And Easy", "Naked Eye"). I do however, prefer the live versions of "Happy Jack", "Tattoo", and "Magic Bus", from the expanded edition of Live At Leeds. The recent download only reissue of the album is AWESOME. Best yet.
 
Mar 18, 2013
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Great list so far, and nice to see a few less than well known songs mentioned ("Tattoo", "Pure And Easy", "Naked Eye"). I do however, prefer the live versions of "Happy Jack", "Tattoo", and "Magic Bus", from the expanded edition of Live At Leeds. The recent download only reissue of the album is AWESOME. Best yet.
I need to get back to finishing this ahah

Magic Bus is legendary on Live At Leeds - it really captures all that The Who offered live. What a performance!
 

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