Who's Next
The Who
1971
Album Summary
Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album Tommy. The project was cancelled owing to its complexity and to conflicts with Kit Lambert, the band's manager, but the group salvaged some of the songs, without the connecting story elements, to release as their next album. Eight of the nine songs on Who's Next were from Lifehouse, the lone exception being the John Entwistle-penned "My Wife". Ultimately, the remaining Lifehouse tracks would all be released on other albums throughout the next decade. The Who recorded Who's Next with assistance from recording engineer Glyn Johns. After producing the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" in the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, they relocated to Olympic Studios to record and mix most of the album's remaining songs. They made prominent use of synthesizer on the album, particularly on "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley", which were both released as singles. The cover photo was shot by Ethan Russell; it made reference to the monolith in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, as it featured group members standing by a concrete piling protruding from a slag heap in Easington Colliery, County Durham, apparently having urinated against it. The album was an immediate success when it was released on 14 August 1971. It has since been viewed by many critics as the Who's best album and one of the greatest albums of all time. It was reissued on CD several times, often with additional songs originally intended for Lifehouse included as bonus tracks.
WikipediaNow here's a classic album. This marks the third album on here I have on vinyl (actually fourth since my Pink Moon vinyl arrived today). Opens with one of the greatest songs ever made. I'm a Baba O'Riley boy through and through. There are plenty of other bangers on here too, and I also enjoyed a handful of the tracks I'd never heard before. In total, I gave a little Apple Music heart to seven of the nine tracks--that's what we in the business of calling things things call a "hit machine." Honestly insane that this album opens AND closes with two of the greatest songs the Who has ever made. This album is undeniable. Plus, I fear if I gave this less than a perfect review that my younger self would materialize to kick my ass. Good thing it more than holds up. Favorite tracks: Baba (booey) O'Riley, Won't Get Fooled Again, Behind Blue Eyes, The Song Is Over. Album art: Iconic. This should honestly be on a short list for best album covers ever. Top 15 maybe? Four blokes in a quarry, around this man-made monolith type thing. The angle of the monolith is part of the charm too--it's not centered, but it feels centered. A strong, dark energy emanates from this one. Also, I love the stylization of the title: "Who's next" Not a question, nor a statement really. Maybe just an observation. 5/5
A lot of classics, but the ones that aren’t classics kind of drag. Even the big ones are more “great riff” than “6 minutes of excellence”.
Anyone who doesn't rate this a 5 doesn't know what they are talking about. This is a nearly perfect album. Epic.
Much of Who's Next derives from Lifehouse, an ambitious sci-fi rock opera Pete Townshend abandoned after suffering a nervous breakdown, caused in part from working on the sequel to Tommy. There's no discernable theme behind these songs, yet this album is stronger than Tommy, falling just behind Who Sell Out as the finest record the Who ever cut. Townshend developed an infatuation with synthesizers during the recording of the album, and they're all over this album, adding texture where needed and amplifying the force, which is already at a fever pitch. Apart from Live at Leeds, the Who have never sounded as LOUD and unhinged as they do here, yet that's balanced by ballads, both lovely ("The Song Is Over") and scathing ("Behind Blue Eyes"). That's the key to Who's Next -- there's anger and sorrow, humor and regret, passion and tumult, all wrapped up in a blistering package where the rage is as affecting as the heartbreak. This is a retreat from the '60s, as Townshend declares the "Song Is Over," scorns the teenage wasteland, and bitterly declares that we "Won't Get Fooled Again." For all the sorrow and heartbreak that runs beneath the surface, this is an invigorating record, not just because Keith Moon runs rampant or because Roger Daltrey has never sung better or because John Entwistle spins out manic basslines that are as captivating as his "My Wife" is funny. This is invigorating because it has all of that, plus Townshend laying his soul bare in ways that are funny, painful, and utterly life-affirming. That is what the Who was about, not the rock operas, and that's why Who's Next is truer than Tommy or the abandoned Lifehouse. Those were art -- this, even with its pretensions, is rock & roll.
Oh my let me use Who’s words to say Bargain the best I ever Had”. Buying this album is the best you’ll ever buy. I lost 2 pounds listening to this album. Baba Riley had me playing air guitar, air drums,keyboard and violin. I needed water half way through due to beltimg out the words to so many - so loud! My goodness what a piece of art from the 1st track to last. This is what a masterpiece sounds like . Belisamo!
After the success of Tommy, Pete Townsend embarked on another ambitious rock opera project titled Lifehouse. This project was eventually abandoned but some of the elements made their way onto Who's Next. This album is surely one of the Who's best. It is concise and coherent and features some of their greatest hits. Many of the lesser known songs come from Lifehouse and concern themselves with the relationship between music and its audience. This is truly a great album.
The apotheosis of talent show rock (songs where all the band’s gifts are on display), nothing here is less than masterful. But what shines brightest is how consistently brilliant their final acts are. Baba O’Reilly’s gypsy coda is as great as its famous opening. Daltrey’s gravelly commitment to “When my fist clenches, crack it open” and “Put ya fingers down my throat” in Behind Blue Eyes’ finale is what tips it into all-time great. Won’t Get Fooled Again somehow finds a way to level-up at the end even though the whole song’s essentially the album’s final act. Even the lesser numbers pack a big finish: Bargain’s drum battering, My Wife’s creeping horn charts, Going Mobile’s squiggly synths. The sleeper is Getting in Tune, which re-routes its concept with each verse. First one’s about making music, second one’s about loneliness, third one’s about getting yourself right, fourth one’s about finding connection. Then they all get blitzed together. Something like that, anyway. When the material isn’t strong enough to fully embody, the McCartneyish try hard in Daltrey’s voice can be irritating; but when it is strong—which is most of the time here—it brings out the character actor in him and he puts the songs over like a motherfucker.
Who’s Next by The Who (1971) [Is this the best album cover ever?] How many of us first heard this album in our formative years, when we began to discover that hard rock was an art form, a catalyst for serious reflection on answers to the big questions, for markers along the trail toward maturity and contentment, for companionship in the pursuit of truth that we could not get from our teachers, pastors, coaches, father-figures, counselors, and drill sergeants? How many of us sat at the feet of a sage like Pete Townshend when we had tried and failed to distill life’s lessons from George McGovern, Walter Cronkite, Malcolm X, T.S. Eliot, Karl Marx, and Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? How many of us were there? And how many of us are left? We learned from the songs we absorbed. We learned that the nature of love is sacrificial (“Bargain”), that love for spouse and offspring is not passive but active (“Love Ain’t for Keeping”), that in the midst of the anger and the vengefully voided conscience of being misunderstood, self restraint is wiser than violence (“Behind Blue Eyes”), that adolescent angst is only a ‘teenage wasteland’ (“Baba O’Riley”), and that this Revolution too will pass when the ‘slogans are effaced’ and ‘the beards have all grown longer’ (“Won’t Get Fooled Again”). Of course, all these truths could have been found in the Christian faith, but the searching was hard when the more popular theologians and moralists of the mid-twentieth century had so royally screwed it up. So how many of us became atheists who had to seek these truths elsewhere? But these priceless truths would be inaccessible without a suitable vehicle of expression. It had to be heavy (“Getting In Tune”), dexterous (“Going Mobile”), and punctuated with comic relief (“My Wife”). So this is where the music comes in—guitar, bass, drums, piano, synthesizer (yes, we were ready for that), and voices that could both melt hearts (“The Song Is Over”) and produce involuntary cris de coeur. Putting yourself in the context of a post-revolutionary survivor, patiently listen to “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (loud!) and take note of what happens in your upper thoracic region at the 7:43 mark. I dare you. The physicality is astonishing. The best (and most paternal) transition from Side One to Side Two in the history of recorded music: “The song is over Excepting one note, pure and easy Playing so free, like a breath rippling by . . . I’m singing this note . . . But I’m in tune, and I’m gonna tune right in on you.” This is the album that first compelled me to listen seriously. What album did that for you? 5/5
This album starts and ends brilliantly. Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again are classics and still sound fresh in 2021, particularly the former. In the middle it is less memorable though, and seemed like fairly average rock. 3.5/5.
Beyond a couple of early singles, I have never understood the interest in The Who. This album is far from a classic, and sounds like a really bad hangover from the Sixties. Lumpen rock with no soul or even meaningful lyrics. There is nothing ‘mod'ern about this, even for the time. Even Townshend’s guitar playing - so often discussed and admired - doesn’t really stand out as being either virtuosic or particularly original, to these ears. Next!
As I've mentioned in my reviews of the other Who albums, never been a big fan. At least those albums ("Tommy" and "My Generation") I wasn't as familiar with. This record is not so lucky. Classic rock radio has beaten at least four of these to absolute death, so much so that when I saw the last two songs were "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", I decided to spare myself. If I had known "Bargain" by the title, I would've skipped that one as well. Two of these songs both have similar enough melodies, albeit differing intensities, and to have them back to back is just poor design ("The Song is Over" and "Getting In Tune"). The other three songs are absolutely forgettable. The Who are a classic rock band that I've never understood why every radio station in America is required to play their music. I just wish they'd go away. Favorite track: "Won't Get Fooled Again"
A classic!! I think I first heard this sometime in high school. "Going Mobile" is really really good in particular - that one always stood out to me, even more so than "Behind Blue Eyes" or "Won't Get Fooled Again". As someone who has listened to the Who's entire discography, this is without a doubt one of the strongest points.
One of the toughest for me to get through so far. I realized after listening to this that The Who are the MOST overplayed classic rock group of all time. Ugh.
Even though I still feel this album has some arguably filler-ish tracks - 'My Wife' in particular, and 'Love Ain't for Keeping' always felt a bit bland - the strength of the songs are just too great to justify anything other than 5 stars.
This one was full of nostalgia for me. I don't think I appreciatecd the nuance of the percussion and just the raw angsty feel. when I was young. It was over too soon
A jubilant slice of classic 70s rock. Tumbling rolling drums. Mold-breaking. Baba O Riley. Behind Blue Eyes.
This is an all-time classic, one of the best albums ever in my opinion. There really isn't a bad song in the bunch. Lately I've really been appreciating My Wife (the song, although I do appreciate my real-life wife as well). Listen to the drumming in that song, and then the horns kick in. And of course, Won't Get Fooled Again is epic. 5 stars easy.
This album was simply amazing. The band was inspiration to countless bands and multiple generations . damn near perfect
Classic album. Second favorite Who album behind Quadrophenia. 9-10/10 1. Baba O'Riley 2. Won't Get Fooled Again 3. My Wife
Classic album just. a bit of a dip in the middle. BT: Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again
Any album that starts with one of the greatest Youth anthems of all time is an easy 4star. That it ends with behind blue eyes earns it the 5
Great album! I don't know The Who very well so happy to listen through a full album of theirs
Seminal album with countless classic tracks. The musicianship is excelling to the point where vocals are the weakest link, which is saying something.
Great album. No weak tracks. Bargain, love ain’t for keeping, going mobile, behind blue eyes, all great secondary tracks. Probably the best Who album
Nonstop rock from start to finish. Insanely iconic introduction and closer but the meat and bones hold their own for the runtime. 4.5 to 5/5
I feel like anything I would have to say about this album would be woefully insufficient. I mean, this is the epitome of a 5 star album. Best thing the Who ever made. There's a reason why we know so many of these songs, to the point where some have become overfamiliar. Don't let that get in the way of your enjoyment. There are literally some of the best rock songs ever made on this album, including the monumental "Baba O'Riley," the blistering "Won't get Fooled Again," and the deeply intense "Behind Blue Eyes." This is the Who musically at their best and going for broke on every song. Fave Songs: Baba O'Riley, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again, Going Mobile
Always liked The Who, but never truly appreciated them for their collective talent until recently. It was sparked by this album. Surely, there are many classics on here, But, the genius and musicianship are often hidden when the songs are overplayed. For me, I really began to appreciate Moon and Entwistle, both separate and together on this album, which only grew as I would re-listen to the other Who albums.
Aunque conocía varias de las canciones por separado, no había oído el disco completo y en orden y me sorprendió lo bueno que es. Cons sus 9 canciones y 43 minutos, todas tienen mucha coherencia y armonía entre ellas y el disco entero se va volando. Mi parte favorita, por mucho, es todo Baba O'Riley: desde la entrada con el sintetizador hasta la parte climática que viene al final, esa rola no tiene una nota de desperdicio.
Sin duda, así es como me gusta The Who. Nunca había escuchado el disco completo tal cual era y, sin temor a equivocarme creo que es ahora mi disco favorito de ellos. Me encanta el gran sonido completo que lograron con este álbum. En mi opinión, muy similar en partes a Tommy pero ahora, quizá debido a que no se logró cuajar la historia y el album "concepto" dio lugar a solo usar la música mejor lograda. Hay mucha grandilocuencia en todas las canciones y drama en todas partes sin seguir el molde de la ópera rock. "Baba O’Riley" siempre ha sido una de mis canciones favoritas y puedo escucharla una y otra vez. Esa canción para mí es parte esencial del hard rock y un excelente ejemplo del estilo destilado. La parte de acompañamiento con el sintetizador es muy original para su momento. Siempre me ha gustado "Won’t Get Fooled Again", y "Going Mobile". "Getting in Tune” fue nueva pero me gusto bastante. Y luego está "Behind Blue Eyes" que se había arruinado para mí hace mucho debido a un cover de Limp Bizkit. Sin embargo, creo que estoy listo para apreciarla y, sí, se siente medio cursilona pero es de esos puntos que nos recuerdan que esto iba a ser una ópera rock y en ese sentido no está nada mal lograda. Al final, tenemos creo sin duda uno de los mejores discos de los 70s y de todo el hard rock clásico en general.
Got better and better over its brief run. There's nobody who ever played like Keith Moon.
I think one of their best, maybe the best. It’s all spot on, exemplary of their unique brand, and of course a fist full of absolute iconic rock classics.
A well-regarded classic, peppered with epoch-making tunes, and a lighter touch than I remembered. Great to hear it again.
One of my all-time favorites from my favorite band. An awesome album. Essential classic rock.
Obviously iconic album. That intro to Baba O'Reily teleports me to riding in the car with my Dad.
Classic rock here, some absolutely euphoric bangers, Daltrey’s vocals have an epic quality, Townshend’s guitars providing great fills, harmonies and riffs, Entwistle’s shuffling and grooving baselines keeping things moving and Moon’s insane drum fills and cymbal runs make sure the whole album never just settles but crackles and pops all the way through. Varied and always an interesting listen. Top tracks: Won’t Get Fooled Again, Baba O’Riley, Love Ain’t for Keeping, My Wife, Behind Blue Eyes
Un dels millors discos de la història del rock. Des de l'icònica portada a l'èpica de 'Baba O'Riley' i 'Won't Get Fooled Again', passant per l'himne dels himnes, 'Behind Blue Eyes' i un reguitzell de temes menys coneguts però igualment triomfants. Obra mestra molt difícil d'igualar
What a great album! Compared to earlier Who albums, this is a marvel. "Bookended" by three mega hits, the rest of the album is studded with everything, fast paced songs, power ballads, guitars, synthesisers
A masterpiece rock classic. I don’t think any band makes such a dramatic change in their career as The Who, Beatles aside. The album is packed with 3 mega iconic songs, great musicianship that well produced, all packaged in a great runtime. The album is a must and truly belongs on the list.
My first memorable exposure to The Who was thanks to trailers for 'A Bugs Life' featuring the song 'Baba O'Riley', though I didn't know it yet. 'Boris the Spider' was my second thanks to my Uncle; curiously I also use to call him 'Baba' as a kid, though I doubt there's any connection. Some of the songs definitely come across as a filler but there's nothing that is flat out awful and some genuine amazing songs are featured in this album. Absolutely nothing original in my opinion for those songs being 'Baba O'Riley', 'Behind Blue Eyes' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again'.
Fantastic album. Starts off great, ends also with a great song. Just a classic album. Favourite songs - Baba O’reily - Behind blue eyes - Won’t get fooled again
I have probably heard this album before, but I only remember the big hits off this. A monster album. So great! I loved every song.
This is one of my all-time favorites. With some devastating lyrics and incredible musicianship, it's got so many great songs that it feels like a "Best of..." record. (Though there are many, many more of The Who's bests not on this album.) It is grandly exuberant, theatrical, cinematic. (There is a reason Baba O'Riley is the soundtrack to so many movie trailers.) Listening to this album just feels HUGE. Like I need to expand to fit the music in. It's exhilarating. lovelovelovelovelove
I have heard of this album, but never listened to it…and I don’t know why. It was great!
It's very exciting to listen to a classic album for the first time and to find that the whole thing is as engaging and enjoyable as the classic songs I know from it. I consider myself a bigger Who fan as of today because of this one.
Four stars and a half. An all-time classic, and an album which still holds its own many years after it was released. Highlights abound throughout this record, from that iconic opening played on synths on "Baba O'Riley" to the poignant, immediately gripping and memorable "Behind Blue Eyes", followed by epic closer "Won't Get Fooled Again". Like many classic albums by The Who, the whole might be just *a little* too grandiose and "over the top" to be digested in one single take, but this here is a very minor complaint. Just press pause once in a while to catch your breath, and then head right back into it. There are enough wonders and treasures inside this record to make it a worthwhile experience. As is usually the case with those classic albums, I won't write a full-blown review here given that others have already written wonderful stuff about them and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. *Who's Next* is just a timeless gem for anyone who has even a remote interest in The Who. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. if you haven't already. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 970 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 12 (including this one). Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 7 Albums from the list I will *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 9 Albums I might not be able to judge (some might end up on my final list but it's because I recognize how culturally important they are): 2
Excelente! Muito bom ouvir mais do The Who! Melhor música: Tirando Baba O'Riley que é uma das minhas músicas favoritas da vida, Getting in Tune
Pros: -Has some absolute bangers, like "Baba O'Riley", "Bargain", and "Behind Blue Eyes" "Won't Get Fooled Again". -Serious trailblazers with their electronic synth work. -The more Roger Daltry lead vocal tracks are good, like "Getting in Tune" is a solid track. Not as great as the bangers above. Cons: -Some tracks are lackluster. "My Wife" flat out isn't good. It's like a funny song about running from your wife and buying a tank and protection? -"Going Mobile" is a nice tune but the drums sound off at times. Not off rhythmically, but there's whole sections where Keith Moon stops playing cymbals and continues a kick-snare and it sounds like the cymbals are missing there rather than a cool stylistic choice.
This was in high-rotation for high school Steve. Sometimes I take a break from this album for years at a time because I feel like the songs are overplayed on classic rock radio but then I come back to it and the big songs blow my mind all over again. I forget about the more melodic tracks too. Really nice. This song isn't on here but listening to the album again reminded me of this scene from Louie where he takes his daughters on a long car ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhAn6ZB5Vg0
Amazing album by a classic band, from the first notes you are hooked in for the journey/
What kind of crazy, fucked-up world do we live in where this album isn't one of the top 20 highest rated on this sites list? This is the sound of a band at the absolute peak of their powers. It's the epitome of a classic album. There's a reason the best songs from the album have been overplayed everywhere: they're simply that good. I even like the track John Entwistle sings lead on.
Masterpiece. Have it on vinyl. Great melodies with a complex sound. Baba O'Riley still kills despite being overplayed. Behind Blue Eyes is a great change of pace on the second half. Love it.
Oh, that album cover's a pisser, isn't it? The album shouldn't work, being various bits pulled from the wreckage of the Lifehouse project (I've heard a reconstruction of that which is interesting) and an unrelated Entwistle song, but somehow it's one of the best albums ever made. Particularly brilliant beginning and ending, of course.
Baba O’Riley is a stadium shaker. And then Bargin is the two and cements this as one of the strongest opening one-twos in all of rock. The Song Is Over has the worst synth tone for a ballad. Getting In Tune strikes the right balance for a slower, more operatic feeling song. Behind Blue Eyes is great. Won't Get Fooled Again is another fanstastic stadium closer. Honestly, the strength of the Lifehouse songs on this is more than enough to merit a 5 from me.
Google “best ‘Yeah’ in rock” and see how far you can go without seeing someone mention the end of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” For just one word which has also been used in about 95% of pop and rock songs ever, it seems to crystallise everything that made The Who great, capturing lightning in a bottle. When I first heard “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, I was already aware of Daltrey’s legendary full-throttled cry. It’s echoed through the pantheons of rock history as the band’s signature moment and one of the greatest climaxes in music. So when the first and much shorter “Yeah” came, four or so minutes in, it caught me off guard. Was that it? I kept listening, feeling a bit underwhelmed… and then at last, it came. And The Who have never stopped being one of my favourite classic rock bands ever since. “Who’s Next” showcases the band in their absolute prime, without any convoluted concepts or any indulgent theatrics. Their musicianship speaks for itself, all four of them jostling for the spotlight as masters of their craft. As well as ultimate closer “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, there’s the ultimate opening “Baba O’Riley” and the ultimate midway ballad “The Song Is Over”. Townshend’s introspective, soul-searching lyrics come to the fore, elevating the already great “Bargain”, “Getting in Tune” and “Behind Blue Eyes” to something really special. Then there’s the lighter pieces which I initially thought were throwaway: “Love Ain’t for Keeping”, “My Wife”, “Going Mobile”. But they all finish off the album with a lovely blend of humour and zeal, each with their own elements to love (backing vocals! Acoustic guitar licks! Horns! A solo that sounds like a duck!) It’s crazy to think the album is largely a series of outtakes from a concept piece Townshend could never quite get together: “Lifehouse”. After having read about this, I’m convinced it would have been lofty and convoluted- a sprawling mess with plenty of filler like “Tommy”. Thank god they opted for a straighter rock album here, before hitting their peak with the next album “Quadrophenia”. So just as Messrs Daltrey, Entwistle, Moon and Townshend urinated all over the imposing monolith on the cover, they spent the forty minutes of “Who’s Next” dousing their eager listeners with hit after hit, in a run of windmilling power chords, manic drum fills and full-throated bellows. It’s the only golden shower I can imagine enjoying.
This is The Who doing what they do best, for me: big, epic, well-produced rockers with meaty guitars - and, as it happens, two of the best sequenced synth intros of all time. Speaking of which, I once woke up to Won’t Get Fooled Again, and would highly recommend it. Beyond the hitz, the supporting cast is fairly decent - the likes of Bargain and Going Mobile are strong album tracks. I can’t decide whether they’re strong enough to justify giving the whole album 5 stars, but I’m feeling generous so I’ll score it 4.5, rounded up.
I was tempted to give it a star less due to a couple of songs I would skip (Going Mobile and Getting In Tune), but after realising I've given 5 for less and that the rest of Who's Next slaps, fuck it. Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again are truely fantastic. Even some of the filler tracks like My Wife was mint.
What a ride. This is probably the best album that’s going to be on this list. And to think this was leftovers from their previous record. Absolute legends.
*CSI Intro Plays* (YEAAAAAAAAHHH) Objectively The Who's best album. Plenty of all time classic tracks here that deserve to be overplayed. Favourites: "Baba O'Riley", "Bargain", "The Song Is Over", "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Lot of enduring mega hits on this album, can’t deny that. Baba O’Reilly is a killer opening track, perfectly sets the tone for everything that follows. It’s a very precise and expertly executed album. The absolute best that The Who can be.
Who's best. The songs here are so iconic that I'm pretty sure you're just born into this world with the knowledge of their existence. "Baba O'Riley", "Behind Blue Eyes", "Won't Get Fooled Again" - some of the biggest songs ever. I'm also a big fan of "Bargain" and "My Wife". One of the most iconic album covers of all time. They really pissed all over that monolith. Good for them.
Starts off with 'Baba O'Riley,' and I mean, really, what more needs to be said? It's a perfect song to kick off the album. It's possible, then, that you think the album can't get better, or at the very least can't keep the quality that it set up with 'Baba O'Riley.' But you'd be wrong. We move straight into 'Bargain' and then 'Love Ain't for Keeping,' two more absolutely great songs. And then buckle in, because the album doesn't let up. 'Behind Blue Eyes' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' show that the album never dips, and maintains a consistency that most bands only dream of. This is The Who's best album, which is saying a lot, but it certainly lives up to the hype.
Damn these are all classics, I think this is the album I've been looking for for a long time, thinking I'd lost it forever
In my humble opinion, this is one of the greatest Rock albums of all time! I remember falling off my chair over 50 years ago when I heard Baba O'Riley for the first time. " The Song Is Over" is absolutely beautiful. Pete Townsend is a genius, writing most of the tracks and playing guitar, synth, organ, and singing vocals. John Entwistle and Keith Moon are brilliant. Roger Daltry has one of the most iconic rock voices in history. Every song on this album is a classic. I would be remiss to rate this anything less than 5 stars. Oh, did I mention the boys are British?
TIL "the teenage wasteland song" is called Baba O'Riley. "My Wife" was hilariously good. "Bargain," "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Be Fooled Again" are iconic. I know half this album just from movie soundtracks. They remind me of a more radio-friendly Rush. Great album, front to back.
Baba O’Riley, Won’t Get Fooled Again, and Behind Blue Eyes on the same album, and it’s NOT a Greatest Hits collection?!? A Huge record, and undoubtedly one of, if not, their best!
Brilliant from start to finish - no weak point on the album for me, definitely will be revisiting
Iconic album, classic sound that could fill a stadium to this day. Such a joy to listen to this album through and introduce me to a few new songs combined with the hits I’ve known for a long time
-"Baba O'Riley" opens up the album unimaginably strong with the now iconic, but also highly detailed and interesting synthesizer-y riff, which then becomes the triumphant bum-bum-bum's. Dalteey's vocals are ripping and every instrument is just perfectly melding together into simple but highly intricate rhythms. The finale of the iconic "Teenage Wasteland" lines, then a guitar solo that transitions into a violin solo sounds crazy but the song is incredible. Whatever I'll stop explaining it is a famously a very good song -"Bargain" is a banger track that strikes a great balance between being ballad-y and being a rocking track. The sections sung by Roger are super energetic and feel like a determined protagonist, and the Townshend verses sound somber and hopeful, basically like saying any price would be a bargain to get you -"Love Ain't For Keeping" is a solid track but if I'm being honest it doesn't blow my nuts off. The rest of the album is incredibly strong competition so not standing out on the album is barely a negative quality a song can have -"My Wife" is possibly the quintessential Entwistle track. Very funny exaggerated version of a fight with your wife. It's also totally catchy, Entwistle gives a great vocal performance (especially on live versions) and the drumming stands out a bunch on this one. The horn section is also sweet and a little out of left field but fits perfectly -"The Song Is Over" is not like my totally favorite track on the album but it is a great example of building a song from small and kind of sad up into a powerful song. Actually makes the slow, calm parts worthwhile. Also Keith's drumming is totally unique, as usual. The Roger sections really sound like they could fit onto a track from "Who Are You" -In my opinion, the drums heavily carry "Going Mobile" Keith is constantly doing drum fills in a way that fits perfectly with the song. The bridge's combo drumming/guitar solo/chorus and then the drive into the conclusion is great -"Behind Blue Eyes" is an incredible build. It starts super sad an somber, and although the instrumental stays relatively the same, Roger's voice builds slowly from sadness to anger, and then the instruments abruptly catch up into a total jam. Truly incredible song -"Won't Get Fooled Again" is another track where I'm going to try and explain what makes it so good but probably just be confusing -"Won't Get Fooled Again" opens with another iconic synth-y line and goes right into a ripping song of victory. Every instrument's part is incredible. Every instrument is combining to make one entire rhythm, and each one has its own complex, independent part. The song builds up into one of the most iconic moments in rock and roll. The synth chugging along, then Keith's insane drum fills, and then Roger just belts out the most famous, the most powerful, and most iconic scream in all of rock, and possibly of music history. Then scene of them performing it live, with Roger in the laser lights, then Pete's big knee slide is possibly the greatest single moment in rock history. -An incredible album with some absolute killer tracks. Some of the bonus tracks, like "Water," and "I Don't Even Know Myself" are great as well. But "Baba O'Rikey" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" are some of the top songs all time. "Bargain" and "Behind Blue Eyes" are incredible as well
The Who’s masterpiece, this one has aged much better than Tommy in my opinion, don’t think there is a bad song on this album, and there are 3 all time great songs on there too.
the album defintley has a lull in the middle, but many great songs here, and definitley a classic. I liked it better than Tommy. I really loved Bargain, which I wasnt familiar with before. Closer to a 3.5
2/9 Wanderer music. Standou Tracks: Behind Blue Eyes, Won’t Get Fooled Again, Water, I Don’t Even Know Myself
29 Songs. Opens with classic Baba O'Riley (Teenage Wasteland) followed by Bargain (The Best I Ever Had). Won't Get Fooled Again's keyboard is unforgettable. Disc 2 is Live.
Every song sounds very similar apart from BBE, which is fine if you want to listen to The Who
I learned today that it's 'Baba O'Reilly', not 'Baby O'Reilly' Won't Get Fooled is really long
Classic. Shame some of these have been so associated with other things for me (CSI). Interesting to hear some of the other tracks
actually had never heard this entire album, but what can I say? total dad rock/greatness.
Really enjoyed this album! Nothing wrong with a little bit of The Who while moving into a college dorm room.
It's hard to believe this is the same band that made Tommy, but that's not a knock against either album: it's just a completely different style. This is a Zeppelin-esque hard rock album, and it certainly stands well enough to be compared to them. I wish I could give this 4 and a half stars, because it feels too good for a 4 but lacks the je ne sais quoi that a true 5 needs.
I’ll be interested to see what the comparison is between how many albums come from which country because this feels like an invasion. Who’s next? The Who? I had a whole bit I was doing with this Abbott and Costello style but I started seeing the word Who too much and it lost its meaning. In any case, this is one group of tossers I’m more than happy to listen to. I really like this album and it has some bangers. One of the coolest album covers, with the fellas standing around a monolith (something doesn’t look right about the guy second from the right…maybe he is being affected by the monolith). The songs on this album remind me of my days as a lifeguard and in high school when I was jamming to all the classic rock. Not every song hits for me but my favs are obviously Baba O’Riley, Getting In Tune, Going Mobile, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won’t Get Fooled Again. This feels like the height of the who and maybe even for rock in general around this time. These are some of the most recognized songs especially Baba which goes by many names like Teenage Wasteland and was a blast to play on Rock Band. I loved this album and can’t wait for more classic rock pieces like this.
Baba o'reilly alone give this a 4, not as stand out as other iconic albums however, maybe 3.75
Very good music with memorable riffs and lyrics and some absolute bangers like Baba o Riley
I've never been especially crazy about this album. I love individual tracks on their own, but this has always felt like a Who album that happens to have their best songs rather than the best Who album.
Middle part of the album is not as great, but the album has an incredibly strong start and end, which made The Who a cornerstone classic rock band.
Schönes solides klassisches Rockalbum, kommt mit auf die nächste Roadtrip-Playlist (Wie bekomme ich das schlimme Cover von Limp Bizkit aus dem Kopf? :D)
A trip down memory lane. Das Hören diese Klassiker hat mich in ne Bar in Bolivien, n Abend in Kanada und in gewisse Filmszenen zurückversetzt. Abgesehen davon ist die Musik auch echt gut.
Os The Who são das bandas mais icónicas do Rock Clássico, contudo não são das coisas que mais gosto. Colocando de lado o meu gosto pessoal tenho de admitir que estes álbum é bastante bom, o reportório de instrumentos era vasto cada música tinha um identidade própria, talvez o que me menos agrade seja a voz do vocalista, mas agradar menos não quer dizer que está é má. No geral terei de dar um 7 ao álbum, talvez dava uma nota mais alta se não fosse a questão do gosto. Nota:7/10
20th May 2021 Listened to this whilst the awards were going on for the southern h conference. Really good, they've accelerated their sound and broadened their scope. Baba O'Reilly one of the all time greats
I haven't given The Who a deep dive. The only album I've listened to in the past was Tommy, which I do like. This album is pretty damn good too.
Baba O’Riley: amazing Bargain: excellent Love ain’t for keeping: very good My wife: good The song is over: excellent Getting in tune: good Going mobile: above average Behind blue eyes: amazing Won’t get fooled again: very good Pure and easy: good Baby don’t you do it: average Naked eye: good Water: good Too much of anything: very good I don’t even know myself: good 7.5/10
I mean it's got some good songs, but it's just regular classic rock to me. Good but not great.
Classic album, so many songs I didn't know I knew. Every song larger than life, great production and engineering. Definition of "classic rock."
Actually much better than I expected. Baba O'Riley and Wont get fooled again stand out. Lead singer sounds like Paul McCartney
Mix of high-adrenaline hard rock and slower, more sentimental numbers. Both starts and ends with an absolute banger. Although “The Song Is Over” is probably objectively the best track on the album
Pretty good album. I really enjoy piano and keyboard mixed with guitars, and this album is chock-full of that. Each song is different and unique from each other and many are bangers. My main gripe is that the two popular songs heavily outshine the other ones. Favorite track: Baba O'Riley
What a great album. You gotta love when the bookends are just two great songs. I can't believe I'm just now hearing "The Song is Over." That one's underrated
It is The Who what else can you say one of the greatest rock bands of all time almost as many hits as the Beatles incredible music one of my favorite bands
Saved Prior: Baba O'Riley Off Rip: Bargain, The Song Is Over, Getting In Tune, Behind Blue Eyes Cutting Edge: My Wife Overall Notes: This is a masterpiece. Not usually a massive fan of mainstream rock, but this for sure earned its reputation as one of the greatest albums of all time. Baba O'Riley is one of the best album openers of all time, and though I didn't really get the hype for the closer Won't Get Fooled Again I respect the hell out of this album.
Baba O'Riley and Behind Blue Eyes probably give this album three stars alone, and a second listen got me into Bargain as well. It's a phenomenal album, but I can't say anything else really blew me away, so 4 stars Already Saved: Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes Saved After Listening: Bargain*
Some all-time classics on this. I enjoyed the lesser-known tracks too like "the song is over" too!
Strong stuff here. The two well known epics backed up by some interesting songs which show of the versitility of the band.
Byl zywiec na leedsie, a teraz nastepny w dyskografii czyli whos next, plyte ktora myslalem, ze znam a okazuje sie, ze jednak nie wiem o niej zupelnie nic, bo nie ma jakiegos motywu przewodniego, konceptu spajajacego 9 trakow zawartych na 43 minutach materialu, a jednak gdy bardziej sie zaglebic w historie nagrania wychodzi, ze wiekszosc materialu tej plyty byla czescia wiekszego projektu, przy ktorym tommy moglby schowac sie w koncie, epicka futurystyczna opera o post apokaliptycznych wyspach, gdzie bojowniki o wolnosc katuja ludzi rokowymi seansami muzycznymi, ta plyta zawiera wlasnie slady tego koneptu, znanego jako lifehouse, prawie jak komory matrixowe, jedynym kawalkiem ktory nie jest zwiazany z tym projektem jest my wife napisany i wykoanny przez Entwistla, reszta materialu jest autorstwa Townshenda, a za wokal robi Daltrey, czyli standardowo jak chodzi o kompozycje the who, co natomiast wychodzi poza standardy na tej plycie, to z pewnoscia mocne wykorzystane, ktorych nie slychac az tak na poprzednich albumach zespolu, ma to zapewne zwiazek z futurystycznym zamyslem lifehouse, wiec obok klawiszy pianina pojawiaja sie organy puszczone przez EMS VCS 3, czy ARP 2500, co definiuje brzmienie calego albumu, bo otwieranie hardo rokowego albumu takim combem, to odwazny pomysl, ale to wlasnie te kawalki ktore zawieraja niecodzienne dla bandy elementy sa najmocniejszymi punktami plyty, to bedzie otwierajacy baba o'riley czy song is over ktory zamyka pierwsza strone, no i konczacy cala plyte wont get fooled again, moze to referencja do pana producentowego lamberta, ktory do wydania tommiego byl brosem bandy, a potem zaczal jebac na kase i kable, wiec drogi sie rozeszly, tak jak wspominalem na zywym leedsie ten okres whosowy, to jak dla mnie ich peak pod wzgledem solowych skilli jesli chodzi o instrumenty, wiec nawet eksperymenty synthowe nie zbijaja ich az tak bardzo na dalszy plan, z songow plejkowych, to behind blue eyes byl juz dodany dawniej, ciekawa sprawa jest to jak zmienia sie postrzeganie kawalka, jesli pozna sie historie, akurat ten utwor mial opowiadac historie z puntku widzenia glownego antagonisty opery, zlodupca jumbo, a bezposrednia inspiracja do napisana traka mial byc moment oswiecenia pana Pete, gdy splawil szlaufa po koncercie jak nauczal jego mentor pana baba meher, wiec na plejliste leca wspominane juz synthowe traczyska i getting in tune, ktory jest ich calkowicie pozbawiony, jest to dobry kawalek na otwarcie drugiej strony przez to jak dynamicznie progresuje opowiadajac o sprzecznosciach zycia uduchowiono oswieconego, a pijacko hedonistycznego, ktore zawarte sa w jednej postaci, wiec o ile ostatnio byly odkrywane same nowosci, tak fajnie posluchac czegos co juz sie zna, a dowiedziec sie wiecej na ten temat i spojrzec na plyte z innej strony
Lekker album om eens te luisteren. Nu vind ik Baba O'Riley echt een super mooi nummer en ben ik blij Behind Blue Eyes eens in deze versie te horen.
A very good exemplary of a genre I do not really like. Though I liked the baroque intro of Baby O'Riley and also Behind Blue Eyes is just a wonderful song.
Good album, but not a fan enough for all the live stuff. Which sounds just like the recording studio stuff anyway, they that good.
It's not my favorite Who era/album, but it still has some real classic bangers ("Won't Get Fooled Again" is iconic!)
An exceptional rock album. The Who are constantly in motion, driven by Moon's tripping-tumbling drums in large part, but also Entwhistle's rubberised bass lines, Townsend's whirlwind alternating between hard strums and high solos, all topped off with Daltry's stop-start-then-let-it-rip vocals. Very occasionaly this makes the tracks blend one into the other, across the middle section - but when it gives you your Baba O'Rileys and your (excellent) Won't Get Fooled Agains who can resist?
I'd gladly listen to The Who I'd gladly say this ain't half bad To hear this, I'd say it makes me pretty glad I'd pay...a bit? just to get Who's Next I'd work part of my life and I will To win you, I'd stand naked, stoned and stabbed (scratch that) - but I'd call that a bargain The best album the Who ever had? The best they ever had
Wow! This must have been played to me heaps when I was little. Thanks, Dad! That opening track is magnificent.
Somehow had not listened to this album in its entirety but have heard all the pieces separately. Baba o’riley which has felt stale for a while gained new life for me as the intro song to this epic collection. Strong bass lines, drum solos and vocals throughout and experimental sounds woven in. Behind Blue Eyes, the song is over, won’t get fooled again 4.4
Lots of classics on this album. Some unknowns as well. It started off really strong and finishes really strong. It lags a little in the middle. It was a good album.
Was looking forward to this like the improved next show following the previous album, which didn’t live up to the sound of ‘The who’ I had in mind. “Won’t get fooled again” is amazing. I assumed Limp Bizkit wrecked ‘Behind Blue Eyes’, but even the original is pretty shitty.
Still not totally a huge fan of The Who, but, some undeniable classics. Also, one of the best album closures of all time.
A really good album. There's much to like an not a lot to dislike. A classic for a reason.
Some of the songs went on too long, but otherwise an enjoyable listen. I enjoyed the different renditions in one album.
Baba O'Riley has to be the best opener to an album ever. Nope - the keyboard changes in the first five seconds of Baba O'Riley has to be the best album opener ever. Then the chords kick in, drums next etc. The whole album just gets better and better throughout. Keith Moon's drumming on My Wife is class. Note Glyn Johns' involvement once again. Outstanding.
This album is so good! 70s rock fucks. This feels so complex and serious while retaining a really great since of humor. I love the mix. I cant believe i’ve never listened to the Who that much.
Solid album. Among The Who's best. Heard it so many times, though, I probably only caught half of it even though I played it end-to-end. Didn't add - already own.
Having already listened to this album and the rest of The Who's music, I was delighted to relisten to this one, and MAN had I forgotten how many classics this one had. I feel like many of the songs are overshadowed by Baba O'Riley, which in itself is also a good song. This is a classic album and I love it. Favorite songs: This Song is Over, Won't Get Fooled Again
Paar steengoeie nummers. Andere wat middelmatig, en TIL dat 'Behind Blue Eyes' niet origineel van Limp Bizkit is
Je suis beaucoup moins dithyrambique que mon camarade d'écoute l'inusable robdewaulter, l'album est en effet très bon, mais bien loin de pouvoir s'accorder les faveurs d'un 5/5, ni même d'un 4.5. De plus, contrairement à rob, je n'ai pas la mémoire courte, et me rapelle aisément aux précédents albums absoluments minables proposés par ce groupe.
Comme vous le savez probablement, mon pire ennemi et compagnon d'écoute habite actuellement dans un pays frontalier du mien, la Suisse. Vous n'êtes pas sans savoir que je m'apprête cette semaine à postuler pour un emploi se situant dans la capitale de ce pays. Le problème est le suivant : si j'obtenais le poste en question, je me retrouverais à moins d'une heure de trajet de mon rival absolu. Cette possibilité est très vite arrivée aux oreilles de Robert qui s'est dit très inquiet et met actuellement tout en œuvre pour me dissuader d'envoyer une candidature. Plus d'informations à venir...
Love this album. No words can describe how beautiful this album is and there isn’t an one bad song on the album. 4.5
This us where The Who went from British Invasion stars to Arena-Rock mega stars. I like The Who but somehow never before listened to Who's Next from beginning to end. It went as I expected. It's a great album that will never usurp My Generation, Quadrophenia and The Who Sell Out as the Band's best. Too overplayed for that to ever happen. Favourite songs; Getting in Tune and Behind Blue Eyes. 4 🌟
I'm not a fan of the Who and particularly Townshend, but I can't deny the quality here.
Awesome album, never heard the whole thing before but was familiar with a few of the more famous songs. I didn't think I was going to like it but I was very pleasantly surprised.
This is where The Who went from British Invasion stars to Arena-Rock mega stars. I like The Who but somehow never before listened to Who's Next from beginning to end. It went as I expected. It's a great album that will never usurp My Generation, Quadrophenia and The Who Sell Out as the Band's best, in my opinion. Too overplayed for that to ever happen. Favourite songs; Getting in Tune and Behind Blue Eyes. 4 🌟
The final position for this album really comes down to tracks 3-6 because 1-2 and 5-7 are quite good. Baba O’Riley is an all time banger. On the second listen, tracks 3-6 hold up well.
Quite good. Two of the CSI intro themes came from this LP, I thought only one of them did.
The first and last two songs on this album are off the charts. "Baba O'Riley" especially being one of the best songs ever written I think. "Won't Get Fooled Again" is also pretty high up there. The middle is pretty meh though. They try to get deep with "Getting Mobile" and "Getting in Tune" but the end product is pretty corny. That middle is bad enough to drop it half a star. 4.5 stars.
There’s a couple duds on here but overall The Who’s best album. Not sure there’s a better first/last track combo. Wicked.
One of those albums where I go "Damn I've heard all of this out of order". It is good, but I get the sense (and know when reading the wikipedia page) that this could have had more of a strong narrative direction.
Rock setentero con buenas canciones, que algunas siguen perdurando, y con un estilo y voz muy reconocibles
never understood why The Who are held up as one of the all-time greats. This album makes a good case, however. Enjoyed it a lot, to my surprise!
A classic for someone who wants to discover them. Favorite: Love ain't for keeping & Getting in tune
Listened Before? N I actually really liked this album. It was very easy to listen to and includes a few CLASSIC songs in "Baba O'riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", and "Behind Blue Eyes". The latter of the three was ruined for me by Limp Bizkit back in the 90's, but the other two have definitely stood the test of time. The rest of the album is fairly unknown, but of high quality. I may listen to this again. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Won't Get Fooled Again, Baba O'riley.
An album that leans heavily on the thundering rock that the band rely on. The opening track is a blast yet the rest of the album does hit highs with key signatures from guitar riff, drum fills, bass rhythm, and piano rock and roll that give the who their familiar sound. The concluding chapter of the album is one of their greatest ballads which bookends the album perfectly, yearning for earlier days of revolution in the air while maturing to accept the times ahead.
Damn, I don't think I have ever listened to an album by the Who all the way straight through, this was impressive... Baba O'Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again and I always kinda like Getting in Tune ...I know most of these but I know I have never sat and listened to them like this. Impressive stuff.
A near masterpiece bookended by two classics. Also contains some all timer hits, but has a few subpar tracks as well.
Ble overrasket over hvor godt mange av låtene sitter. Sterk helhet, og tre-fire sanger som er historiske klassikere.
A generous 3. Really fallen out of love with this album. It sounds very meat and potatoes at times.
Baba O'Riley - 4 Bargain - 4 Love Ain't For Keeping - 2.5 My Wife - 3 The Song is Over - 3.5 Getting in Tune - 3 Going Mobile - 3 Behind Blue Eyes - 3.75 Won't Get Fooled Again - 2.5 Not a bad album just not for me. Last song is too long and has crazy outro. First two songs are great though.
Classic, and a great first entry. Baba O'Riley Going Mobile Won't Get Fooled Again *favorite songs
This album is 2.5 hours long. It's good, but at the end of the day, just too much Who.
Wrote this review late. This album was prettt standard, definitely not bad but it didn't really stand out. The first track is a masterpiece though.
Good ol boomer rock. Best tracks are behind blue eyes, baba o Riley, and won’t get fooled again
Semibängeri Helt jees, The Who e ju nog klassiker men det här albumet hade endast några bängerin, resten var ganska tråkiga
The Who are so goddamn hit or miss. Some massive bangers, some fucking ginormous duds. I think it's pretty telling when you look at the playcount of the songs on Spotify. Tracks 2 through 7 each have like 3 million plays. Then there are the 3 good tracks that have hundreds of millions of plays. TBH all I can think about when The Who comes on is the intro to CSI. Behind Blue Eyes and Baba O'Riley are jams for sure.
Baba Orielly is magic—proto LCD sound system. All the songs with synth seem to shine a bit brighter on this one. There are definitely a few clunkers on this one, mostly due to lame lyrics. Like, does “gettin’ into the straight and narrow” in the chorus elicit the spirit of ecstasy that inspires a rocking crescendo? Heck no. I don’t give a fuck if he’s “mobile.” Lots of the songs are mediocrity over Keith Moon’s killer drums. There are 3 hits on this album, Baba, Blue Eyes and Fooled, all great songs, deserving of 6’s. But the rest is twos and threes. 3.
Big classic rock! Bigger Who sound, now with (new!) synths. Whoever was controlling those synths had a real nice sense of touch and tone. They fit right in naturally. I enjoyed this one. The anthems, the stripped down jams, the love songs. Going Mobile is cheesy and from what I can tell, a song about RVs. When John Entwhistle died awhile ago I remember a critic praising his basslines - because Pete Townsend didn't solo much, and stuck to big rhythmic strumming, this left space for ol Entwhistle to go wild on the bass. He's all over the fretboard, way high up on the neck. Great sense of touch and tone. Combine that with Keith Moon's mayhem, and no sense of touch and tone, and the Who's rhythm section really cooks. Big classic rock. Big songs. I'm going B+
Ich wusste nicht, dass "Behind Blue Eyes" von the Who ist. Bin mir nicht sicher welche Version ich besser finde aber darum geht's ja nicht.
Wieder was gelernt, dann ist das wohl nicht von Limo Bizkit! The Who hab ich bisher immer vernachlässigt. Ich mag andere aus der Zeit lieber aber trotzdem, sehr gut gealtert!
Easy listening enough but not much that triggered any spike in emotion. I didn't think Baba O Riley was by The Who, sounds like a 1980's American anthem.
It's a classic, but not every song is a winner. Lots of hits and then misses. I was interested to learn that going mobile wasn't a newer song - I thought they made it in the 90s about getting an RV. The album also lacks cohesion in a lot of ways. If these songs hit the radio, I'll listen, but I never pick up this album and am excited to play it. Definitely second fiddle to the beatles, stones, and led zeps of the era. I give it 7/10.
This is an ok album. Not much of it thrills me. "Baba O'Riley" is a all time classic track but not really anything special to me. "The Song Is Over" is a painfully long song. Probably long for the sake of irony but still so long. "Behind Blue Eyes" is also a classic track that I enjoy thoroughly. And "Won't Get Fooled Again" is an amazing song that is just a little too long. All in all a pretty good album but not something too special to me.
Wont Get Fooled Again is a stone cold classic, and theres a few great songs on this. Overall I find The Who a bit ‘rock by numbers’ though.
Good album, lots of interesting bits throughout sonically speaking. Fun to listen to. Definitely an influential classic that has help perpetuate the rock scene.
I can see why this is considered in the top 1001, but I don’t think I’ll revisit. I did like Behind Blue Eyes.
Never been a big fan of The Who, and Who's Next is definitely not my favorite of theirs. There are some good tracks on this one, but if I'm going to listen to The Who, it's gonna be Tommy or Quadrophenia. Highlights: 1, 5, and 8.
44. O giz ainda mantém o teu corpo pelo chão. Ponho os óculos de sol, mas o sol já se foi. Faz frio no beco. O culpado sou eu. MotA: Won't Get Fooled Again "Out her on the fields I farm for my meals"
Heb niet alles kunnen luisteren, maar ga dat nog wel doen. Beetje jesus christ superstar hier en daar.
Openingstrack is geweldig. En zo staan er nog een paar classic Who-nummers op deze plaat. Maar toch is het nooit helemaal mijn ding geworden. Een solide 3 sterren.
Довольно необычное для рока того времени использование синтезаторов, в принципе песни ославляют приподнятое ощущение, но сейчас это не так кореллирует с моим вайбом
Classic rock at its best - some ho-hum tracks stall a bit of the forward momentum, but the synth tracks on this LP absolutely kill.
I've often wondered who had the bright idea about the album cover. How did Entwhistle get his todger away so much quicker than the other 3? What is Daltrey looking at? Why is Moon staring at Daltrey whilst still buttoning up himself? Did Townshend drip on his flairs?
Good, heard most of songs previously, but when it dove into remakes and extended versions I bailed.
Kändes till två låtar som har varit intromusil till jag tror två olika CSI serier. Helt ok
Känns som att skaparen av Baywatch theme-sång sneglat lite väl mycket på titelspåret Baba O’Riley. Helt ok i en för mig ointressant genre
The best opening track of all time? Struggling to think of a better one. Its easy to love Baba O'Riley and Won't get fooled again but is this really the rock n roll masterpiece it is often heralded as or just a couple of great singles and a load of filler? Behind Blue eyes was a surprise. a heart wrenching ballad and not what i expected from them. A lot of the other tracks are decent rock n roll tunes of the time without being remarkable. Very enjoyable listen with great moments. Still waiting for Pete Townsend's book he did all research for though... 3/5
The Who is the most maddening band on this list. Their hits are undeniably great, but the deeper cuts on every album I've ever heard of theirs are aggressively awful. The Song is Over and Going Mobile make me want to dive headfirst into a pool full of broken glass. At least this wasn't another mediocre rock opera. Best track: Baba O'Riley
Pretty good album. "Behind Blue Eyes" is the best track, and I learned that "Teenage Wasteland" is actually NOT the song title -- rather, it's "Baba O'Riley." The Who aren't very high on my list, but I'd listen to this album again. 3 stars.
3.6 - I appreciate the songcraft but still, I’m not a huge fan of The Who. It’s good manly classic rock but maybe too steeped in the canon for me to find exciting.
This throws back to my very first album of this list: I didn’t like this album as much as my generation. Baba o Reilly is still great though
Some classics in this album, but even the song I knew weren't that great in it entirety. Overall not that bad
The Who's fifth album was immediately successful and is seen by many critics as the band's best album. The Who experimented with a synthesizer on this album to create a lot of interesting effects and it turned out really well. That combined with their great hooks in each song, easily made this an amazing rock album from the 70's.
I like the Who. I like a lot of their songs. But when I rank them on my list of greatest bands from that era they're not only pretty far down the list, they're leagues below Zep, Floyd, Stones, Beatles, etc in my book.
Not bad at all. First real listen an album by The Who. Lots of energy and charged tracks. I can see why 8 out of these 9 songs were supposed to be in a rock opera. Favourite track - baba o riley
I can’t say that this was my favorite album, or anywhere close to it. All things considered, it was a decent listen. Nothing particularly impressed me, but nothing made me want to skip a song, which is a good sign. The vocal delivery, instrumental, and arrangement all were just okay to me, nothing more. As I said, nothing particularly impressed me, even though I still think this is a decent album and worth giving a shot.
The synthy bits are absolutely divine, but the boys maintain their penchant for length: Forty-five minutes is a bit long for what's here. Maybe you had to be there. Maybe I'm a tad harsh on The Who generally. So far, this is the album of theirs I'm most likely to revisit. Subliminal effect of the monolith, I'm sure.
Way better than I was expecting. I consider "My Generation" to be one of the worst songs ever. Thankfully this sounded nothing like My Generation. For a short album though, this really starts to drag towards the end. At least "Won't Fooled Again" picks up the tempo before it's over.
Never got The Who. While the first and last tracks are pretty iconic it still doesn’t do much for me. Even when they are pioneering weird synths, screaming vocals, blistering guitars, honky tonking pianos - it just hits me as middle of the road dad rock. And I normally like middle of the road dad rock! But this just bores me.
Ovaj album ima prostora za četvorku, na prvo slušanje i nije baš. Nije mi u tom nekom zanimljivom điru kao što je bio The Who Sell Out, iako nisu ni slični albumi. Totalno drugačiji đir, ali opet. Jest da sam igrao aram, nabrzaka da questove riješim, pa mi je ovo više bila pozadinska glazba, mislim da od svega su mi ostale u glavi klasici kao što su Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again i ovaj puta se u tom uplela i pjesma The Song is Over. Priznajem, ovo sam preslušao u cijelosti, ali sam priželjkivao šta ide poslije ovog albuma, a to su 3 albuma koja izlaze danas (22.04.) - novi Fontaines, Pusha T i Gizzardi Lizardi Wizardi. Kažem, 3.5. je sada, a vjerujem kad im budem išao diskografiju slušat da postoji mogućnost i da do 4 dođe, ali ne mora značiti. Jesam pitao već ovo pitanje: "Zašto nema pola-pola kao što je nekada u Maskama bilo sendviča pa su zabran'li?"
Well - an album that contains Baba O’Riley, Won’t Get Fooled Again and Behind Blue Eyes should be a perfect album, no? Alas the rest is a slightly sagging bell bottoms of a 70s Rock Monster that the 1977 movement stood against - its a band bloated - still an excellent band, but departed from its ‘My Generation’ roots and its sense of humor and blistering guitars in favour of arena enormity. Still - it’s a good album - and the aforementioned tracks are up there in the rock and roll canon - but this is The Who at its fading out.
I feel like this one gets overrated compared to a lot of other records from The Who. Yeah, it has some of their best songs (arguably some of the best rock songs ever), but many of the deep cuts just feel week to me, particularly on the B side. I wish I could rate this higher, but as an overall album experience I just can't.
There are some all-time songs on the album. Won't Get Fooled Again is incredible and Baba O'Riley is a favorite for most.
Some songs are better than others The album is considerably long so it is a drawback for me I won’t necessarily listen to this again.
Don't like the who but this was kinda bearable. That being said, I did only listen to the 43 minutes of the original and not the two-hour "deluxe" version it loaded here. Behind Blue Eyes is a genuinely good song. The rest is somewhere between ok and not bad. 3/5.
Considering all the other albums on this list from 1971, this would probably be in the bottom half. 9 songs and half of them are memorable, overrated album.
Production: 7/20 Songwriting: 5/20 Innovation: 9/20 Bangers: 10/20 Emotional response: 5/20 =36 Most of this is fucking horrible
Not really feeling this, but I’m not sure why. Nothing stands out to me and it all kind’ve just sounds like something I could hear playing in the background while listening to older rock music. Idk, it was overall kind’ve boring to me. Won’t Get Fooled Again wasn’t bad. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard it before.
Thank god that they weren't allowed to release this as another unsufferable rock opera like the attrocious Tommy. The opening motif was the highlight. Needed more synth, less of the singing. Middling throughout.
Some good songs (Baba O'Rily is a heater), but honestly everything felt very samey. Liked this better than Tommy but not enough to give it another listen.
Not sure exactly what it is that makes me hate Pete Townsend so much. Maybe it's because his stage antics are so deliberate and scripted and ripped off from the Stones or the Kinks, maybe it's because he's an insufferable schmuck who' stated he's happy his deceased bandmates are dead or, maybe its because he has a thing for kids. Oh, and Roger Daltrey's voice is awful. Regardless, there really isn't redeeming in the music on this album, or anywhere for that matter, that stands out, is unique except for maybe Keith Moon's facial expressions while drumming ... hrmmm, or maybe the use of synth repeaters. Buuuut, for the most part this band is Townsend and Daltrey, both of whom I have zero love for.
The highs are roaringly high and get you slapping your leg to the beat. The lows (or mediums?) are ok. Not bad songs but some just clearly lack the energy and you just wait for it to pick back up again.