Tommy

Ahhhh its okay. It's ambitious which I respect but I can't say I particularly enjoy listening to it. Some fun little songs but the sound is tiring for me. Fav songs: - The acid queen - Pinball Wizard

A musical almost, told with interesting melodies and even some classical instruments.

40 minutes of rock opera crap before you get to pinball wizard? Stick it up your ass. 1921 is good though

Well the song about the pedo uncle certainly was something!

I was *shocked* how underwhelming this is, outside of the few songs we all know

This one is a lot to think about. I like the Who quite a bit, but I never reach for this one when I want to listen to the Who. The good songs on here are some all time classics. The shorter/lesser songs that are used to progress the story are a bit samey. The whole album is a bit samey. It's a big undertaking and they pulled it off...basically.

Bisher längstes Album in der Super Deluxe Edition. Herausragendes Rock-Oper-Werk.

Anytime I hear Rock Opera, I cringe... They are never worth the time spent listening, and this stands true after listening to this. There are a couple keepers on this album. but I will never sit through that again.

Me gustó más el otro disco que escuche

cool!

I'm a bit disappointed with myself for not liking this more. I quite like The Who and this album certainly has great tunes, but I somehow didn't tune into the story and after a while it was a drag. I must be missing something

Listened to this tons as a kid. I wasn’t sure if I’d still enjoy it today, but I really did. Pictured the characters from the movie version as I listened and had a delightful time.

Will I listen to it again? Probably not. However, it wasn't bad. "Pinball Wizard" was the best song on the album, when listening to it from a straight music standpoint. But, seeing as how the entire album is a story from beginning to end, it's best to treat it as the soundtrack to a Rock Opera.

Never listened to this before only select songs. Generally enjoyed it.

45 songs, give me a break. But actually this is way better album than previously heard from The Who. I realised, I don’t mind the music, I’m just quite not sure about the singer.

This was such an interesting concept. It took me a few songs to pick up on the theme. Overall, the album was captivating as it told the story of Tommy Walker and everything he went through.

Mto grande nem ouvi

Nothing other than "classic rock" - Who's Next is better IMO.

It’s alright. The unthinking man’s sgt peppers?

Bloated and doesn't really stand up as an album in its own right. A poor man's SF Sorrow.

A bit pretentious and "highbrow" for me. I saw the movie and had the soundtrack album. It's just not an album that I'd sit down to and listen.

I like the Who, but this album is just too long for me

Overly long with a plot that would be impossible to understand without the Wikipedia page, this was still way more enjoyable than I expected. Pinball Wizard also has one of my favorite guitar intros in all of rock history. Have to give credit to what The Who was able to pull off here, warts and all.

I always have time for a concept album and obviously this is one of the 'rock opera' variety. It's got so many great tunes on it that even if the story gets incredibly weird and doesn't always make complete sense, the songs are there and it's great fun to listen to, regardless. Pinball Wizard has to be one of the greatest rock songs ever written.

It’s really weird to listen to songs from a musical I’ve never seen, and therefore difficult to rate. Listens: 1 Fave Track: Pinball Wizard Rating: 3

Great! Love concept albums

This was pretty cool, I liked the narrative thread through the album. I tell you what though, imma whoop cousin Kevin, nobody hurts my boy Tommy like that.

Favorite Tracks: Pinball Wizard Underture We’re Not Gonna Take It

I liked that the album was thematically put together well with all of the references to Tommy and other songs within the album but the music wasn’t really my style.

Super weird storyline. Some great songs and Moon’s drumming is amazing.

A classic

Not sure this rekid would get made, or phrased the same way at least, in our modern world. But man that kid plays a mean pinball... What's next, the The Wiz soundtrack with MJ? Surely that has dated better?

Well yes the Who certainly know how to pull off a cheeky rock opera.

Self indulgent BS

Solid album but too long

I understand this is considered an innovative concept album, especially for the time, but that does not make it good or an enjoyable listen. Several of the songs were actively annoying, and by the end I hated the character of Tommy. The highlight of the album by far was Pinball Wizard. Lowlights were plentiful but Tommy Can You Hear Me and Tommy's Holiday Camp were especially rough.

I haven’t listened to Tommy in almost a decade and I remember it once being one of my favorites in my late teens/early twenties. I played it for one of my friends and he just said it was weird and why would I listen to this in the year of our lord 2009. That stuck with me and every time I listened to it afterwards, I thought about that comment about this thing I loved and felt a twinge of embarrassment. Well here in 2024 at 35 years old, I don’t give a shit about your opinion, Alex, Tommy is fucking awesome. It is weird and definitely a product of the 60s. One of the early rock operas and others have done it better, but I absolutely love this album. My unpopular opinion is that this is my favorite Who album.

Its solid, but a bit long and the concept doesnt do much for me. Musically i like it tho.

Oh god one of the best albums, i love it. Definitely one of the best from The Who. Pinball Wizard is my fav track on here

Like a lot of late 60s records, it suffers from trying to be too much at once, and forgetting that a lot of the power in rock music is it's raw power. The production is thin and has no real balls to it, a far cry from the bludgeoning energy of the who's best work. The songs are too concerned with the concept of the record to simply let the listener enjoy them, except pinball wizard, which is by far the most immediate and engaging. Narratively, the concept of a deaf, dumb and blind kid becoming a legendary pinball player and messianic figure is exciting, but likely not relatable or moving. The playing is, as usual, remarkable, and the use of orchestral instruments really work, so take the good with that bad, I guess. Overall I feel like the premise of the record is really strong, and it deserves respect for the amount of great albums it influenced, but most of the record is wasted potential. If you want a great concept album by The Who, check out Quadrophenia, which is bafflingly not included in this book.

A virtuoso performance by one of the premier bands of all time. A big score.

I've given this a lot of listens, and although I no longer dislike it, I also don't see myself volunarily playing it again. There's some great musicianship in places, but overall, it's a swing and a miss for me.

What an amazing and ambitious project! A rock opera that hits on so many levels and superior musicianship across the board.

This must be sacrilege to Who fans but I prefer the film soundtrack version, Oliver Reed's flat warble and all.

2.5 - I thought the drums and guitar over shadowed the voice in this album. It was just way to long and felt that it didn't have much emotion for me.

12 tracks of preamble to Pinball Wizard. Pinball Wizard. 9 more tracks of mostly filler. OH MY BLOODY CHRIST WHAT THE HELL IS TOMMYS HOLIDAY CAMP. 1.5/5

Tommy defined 'concept album.' The fact that it's back on Broadway shows you just how powerful this music still is. One of the great recordings of all time.

Previously rated: Who's Next (5/5) Live at Leeds (5/5) ******************** I'm not big on the whole rock opera concept here. There are a couple of good rock tracks - Pinball Wizard, Christmas, and Tommy Can You Hear Me? has been stuck in my head. But some of the other stuff is not to my taste. Some of the singing sounds off-key to me too.

slightly to long but so fun

some of the catchiest songs about child abuse and molestation, murder, and cults that i've heard

(I am reviewing just the original album, the 12 songs) The og rock opera. Really felt like a musical instead of a traditional album because of the way it tells the story. most of the songs I can really picture being sung on stage. Holy fucking fuck that pinball wizard of yours is insane.

The first of The Who's rock operas I believe. I got this record and Quadrophenia, another rock opera, from my ex's collection of her dad's old records. This album is epic in many ways: the sound, length, and lyrical concept. Crazy that Pete Townshend wrote almost the entire thing. I think I saw an ad around NYC recently for Tommy on Broadway, that would be fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this from front to back, it did not feel as long as it is.

There's a reason its one of the most famous and mainstream rock operas, would've been great to see it live, it's such a nice cohesive story. One year in marching band we played an arrangement of a couple musicals and this was one of them and the most fun. Pinball Wizard is a childhood favorite and it was nice to really listen to the rest of the album. Favorite Song: Pinball Wizard 8/10

I feel like the lyrics are kinda bad? A few times I was like lol really that's what we're going with? The whole thing is very dramatic, feels very musical theater. Saw pinball wizard on there and thought I would like the whole thing more tbh. It feels a bit unnecessary at times? Like underture doesn't need to be 10mins it's the same thing the whole time. Feels like they avoided metaphors all together and went for straight literal storytelling. I love a rock opera, but something about the literal lyrics is just not vibing with me sadly. Top songs: Pinball wizard

Not bad, but not sure I'll ever put it on again all the way through. Sonically interesting but lacked a certain something to make me want to come back to it

As someone who already loved a lot of The Who tracks, Pinball Wizard included, I was surprised that I didn’t really enjoy listening to this album. When it comes to musical ability, all of the band members, Keith Moon especially, can play their asses off. At their best, The Who write these captivating tracks that are expansive and dynamic, with interesting song structure, vivid storytelling, and energetic instrumentals. Much of the tracks on Tommy, however, have a softer sound. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it just felt like their talents musically were being under utilized. This became all too apparent to me when I hit Pinball Wizard on the track list and the band came erupting through with an electrifying performance, sounding head and shoulders above everything I heard up to that point. Pinball Wizard is and will always be a banger. I still think this album has value. I can appreciate it as an import art piece in music history, but if I’m being honest I appreciate the idea of a rock opera much more in concept than in practice. Fav Songs: Christmas Pinball Wizard Go To The Mirror!

It's a solid album, and interesting in the fact that it pretty well created the rock opera. Pinball Wizard certainly stands above.

Great rock album. Pinball Wizard is one of my all time favorite songs. I have many memories of my dad putting this album on and jamming out.

I just can't get into this band. Favorite track: Pinball Wizard

Этот альбом как минимум гораздо лучше дебютника. Не знаю, насколько прорывно это звучало в момент релиза, но по концепции остается только снять шляпу: сделано это всё аккуратно и как бы... Органично? Музыка сама по себе чаще не мое, чем мое, но в целом сойдёт. В целом, мне кажется, концепт концептом, но затянуто кошмар. Лучшая песня - The Acid Queen.

The story of Tommy. A little over my head and perhaps I’m too naive to grasp the grandeur. Overall the guitar work is lovely, with some strong songs and some noise.

una verga

Maybe I just have a soft spot for Rock Operas, but this is a great album. Universally known and respected amongst listeners and musicians alike. Any time a piece of art s translated across multiple media, you know you have something special.

I don't know what genre I thought The Who played, but it's absolutely wild that they kick-started prog rock when the Beatles were still going. I liked it, but it was a little too far from my expectations of prog rock.

Gosh golly that was an ambitious album, wasn’t it? There were moments where the musicality felt genuinely timeless, like a piece of classical music.

I'm sure I heard these songs before I saw the movie but I specifically remember seeing the movie when I was 11 or 12 and it was then I realized an album can be much more that just a collection of music. It was my first introduction to a concept record and I've been enjoying them ever since.

Good!

Okay. I didn’t finish it. Some catchy hooks. The Who have some things I love, but this album isn’t it. I’m not a lyrics person so a start to finish narrative really isn’t what I’m looking for in an album.

This is another tricky one. I get that it’s an impressive achievement, and there’s plenty of Who goodness here, but it’s also bloated and full of uncomfortable songs about child abuse. It’s the kind of album that if I’m in the right mood hits me exactly right. But generally it annoys me.

You knooooooooow……….not great. I was not excited when this came up, but figured I’d give it at least a three. But it didn’t earn it, and instead just had a bunch of weird, lamenting with bad rhymes.

Thoughtful and tuneful stuff from The Who. Love the Film too.

A decent album. Not my favourite rock opera of all time. Don't really find the whole life story of the dumb, deaf, and blind kid to be particularly, especially the whole thing with him somehow being a pinball wizard. Sounds are good if you don't think about the lyrics too much.

This is a tough one for me. I give it 5/5 for ingenuity and for being the most well known (and first?) rock opera. I give the opening guitars in “Pinball Wizard” 5/5 because, WOW. But honestly, the storyline gives me the yucks. Who wants to sing a song about joyfully molesting someone? 1/1 for that one for sure. And I also have to give 1/1 for the ending, which just kind of goes on a bit too long. The story really should end with “I’m Free,” but delves into the unnecessary fame/guru/fall from grace storyline that just doesn’t seem fully fleshed out. So, 3/5 over all. Despite my criticisms, I have to say that I recently saw the Tommy musical revival in Chicago, which is now headed to Broadway (2024). I’ve never really enjoyed the show but did like this current iteration. There’s some very clever staging/choreography that is so good it kind of makes you forget the “ick” of it all.

I didn’t like this album when I was younger and I found out I still don’t. I don’t like the music or the strange unsettling storyline. They are very gifted musicians and I can understand why people enjoy their music, just not for me.

Gear: Hifiman Arya Mix (2013 Remaster): "authentischer" (=mitunter arg limitierter) Remaster mit krachenden Drums und mickriger Soundstage Musik: knallhart durchgezogenes Konzept-Album - leider mit einer überwätigenden Zahl von Fillern generischen, "narrativ" schwachen Opera-Rocks oder, um es mit Ian Malcolm zu sagen: "Your Scientists Were So Preoccupied With Whether Or Not They Could, They Didn’t Stop To Think If They Should" Wertung: 🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️/5 (inkl. +1 für "Pinball Wizard")

Love this album! One of the first albums I can remember being obsessed with! I was in a production of Tommy back in 11th grade and I basically ate, drank, and slept The Who for like 3 months straight. I have so many great memories of relistening to this album over and over and over. Fundamental to me!

Not so good. I hope this is not their best

I bought this years ago thinking that it was going to be great... and was disappointed. Too much of it is rambling and unfocused, with Pinball Wizard being the only solid gold classic. When Who's Next comes along here for me, that will be 5⭐ But this overweight sloppy blancmange of an album only gets 3.

Underture is nowhere near interesting enough to merit being 10 minutes long. Pinball Wizard is the only memorable song on this album and saves it from a lower score.

"Tommy" by The Who was the first album considered a rock opera. Far from being politically correct by today's standards, this album tells the story of a fictional, "deaf, dumb, and blind" boy named Tommy Walker. In a bizarre tale, Tommy is abused by his relatives, is found to be a pinball savant, and then blossoms into a cult leader. The listener's full and undivided attention is required to fully appreciate the storytelling and recurrent themes in this musical marvel.

Just not my thing

3.5

Right, so the reason this doesn't work for me as opposed to something like The Wall is that it feels insincere. It's like they constantly started adding whatever bullshit they could think of in order to justify the length. There are a couple good songs on this album (as usual with the Who, way more a singles band than an album band), but as a whole it's just a slog to get through.

already listened to this one Tempted to give it a 5 but its a bit generic It has some plot holes but some parts are surprisingly subtle Not bad for the first successful rock opera ever About 3.8 imma give it a 4

It's ambitious and impressive, but it doesn't hold that level the whole way through. The movie improves on the tightness of the storytelling to get a better picture of what's going on.

Pinball wizard is a classic song off this ambitious rock opera. The entire concept album rock opera idea is executed perfectly by the Who on this album. Great songs tell the story of man's life. Great album

The WHO is a band that enjoys the smell of their own farts.

The who prøver prog men det blir mer trubadur, konseptablum er nok ikke deres greie gutta.

Again, a classic album. Love The Who. Love this album.

Wow, that's a long album. Has some big hits, lots of misses. Don't know how we used to listen to this all the way through.

This is an album I’ve been curious to revisit on the 1001 album list. I listened to it a lot as a teenager. The Who were one of my favorite bands in high school as I got into classic rock. At the time, the idea of an ambitious concept album was so cool to me. Listening to it now, I’m surprised how much of it is ingrained in my memory. I must have listened to this a ton because I know every shift and change in the music by heart. Twenty years after I first heard it, I think this album is pretentious and ridiculous but also brilliant and amazing. The music really carries it. The lyrics and story are so strange though. A deaf, dumb and blind boy is subjected to all kinds of torment — a bullying cousin, a preacher trying to save him… a prostitute? … an uncle who molests him? 😬 — and he turns out to be an amazing pinball player? And then is cured by a miracle medical treatment and becomes a prophet? What compelled Pete Townshend to tell this story? But even though the story is the driving force of this album I kind of think you actually don’t completely need it. Is that crazy to say? The music is so good though. I love how musical themes are established and reprised. “Overture” and “Underture” have an epic sweep to them. The Who helped legitimize a level of ambition for rock music that still reverberates today and I’m so grateful for that. Damn, Keith Moon is so good. I said that about him on The Who’s live album “Live at Leeds” too. These drum fills on “Go to the Mirror!” are insane. He’s an absolute thunderstorm on the toms but somehow sounds light as a feather too. And he switches gears to play a different beat in an instance. Incredible. Ugh, hold up, back to the story — why is Uncle Ernie playing a part in Tommy’s camp? I guess Tommy could never know what happened to him when he was a kid but man, that’s such an unsettling inclusion right at the end of this album. Ultimately, the grandeur of this whole thing really swept me up all over again. This album swings for the fences and I can’t help but call it a masterpiece. I had a lot of fun diving back into this.

I've never heard this full through and I'm glad that this is the album on a Friday because it's a commitment. I know this is super influential and was a revelation when it was released, but I can't help but feel like seeing the movie would help tell the story a bit easier. I'm often finding myself questioning the lyrics sometimes and thinking "is that really the words?" I'll plan to watch it at some point soon to get the experience. The downsides for this album come kind of early. "I have a feeling 21 is gonna be a good year" -- it doesn't really sound like The Who to me. It's daring to do this kind of record, but I'm someone who can be sometimes pretty easily be turned off by the music in musicals. They can feel kind of devoid of personal attachment, they can easily sound fake, over-acted, and inauthentic to me. Not saying that this sounds fake, but unfortunately I get a little bit of this feeling at times while I'm listening, like this is a stadium rock band that are practicing their diction to get everything perfect and precise and clean. When I hear "Sparks", I really start to get to wanting some kind of visual aid. To me this is like an action scene or a dance number. But because it's in this musical performance style, the walk down riffs with the orchestral percussion sounds phony. It sounds like a hired band pit band that is trying to make rock music by staring at sheet music and not once looking at each other. Oh and they are taping down the gain on their overdrive pedals to "3" so that they don't get "too crazy" with distortion. Rock bands don't have to always be rock, but when rock bands try to make rock it should rock, ya know? I do think there are times where the lyrics are straightforward and I can easily follow, which is appreciated, but it's not consistent throughout. I think this may be more because the concept is kind of out there though. It's ambitious, and I have to give extra credit for that. I feel like there are many musicians out there who want to make some kind of big operatic concept album at some point in their lives. I'm sure some don't, but I think there's something magical about a concept album where you can put on track 1 and get lost for an hour or two. Despite all of my reviewing, I found this an incredible listen.

Aside from the hit singles a bit of a chore to get through

overrated and try-hard - let's come up with a theme and force everything to fit it even if it ends up being mostly bad christmas underture pinball wizard

I like The Who, but I find the whole rock opera thing to be a bit cheesy.

Opera

A strange album in hindsight, but a risk taking rock opera that just isn't made anymore. Includes several classics like Pinball Wizard. Not sure if it's something I'd keep on rotation since it's material gets super heavy at times, but the singles are all catchy and musically it's very well done.

Mmmhhh a bit boring

Tommy is a classic. The quintessential rock opera. It really is fantastic, with great use of themes and motifs in the instrumental parts, plus a few big hits as well. It's a really great listen all the way through. Highlights for me are Amazing Journey/Sparks, Pinball Wizard, and Go to the Mirror. The live version on the expanded Live At Leeds is great as well.

It's OK

Not a fan.

Sounds like it's been recorded in a bucket. Roger Daltrey's singing is appalling and the music mediocre. Absolute toch.

Tommy doesn't know what day it is

The songs themselves on this album are quite good, the music in isolation is a 3.5/4 to me. But man, the storytelling on this album is just top notch. To sum it up, everyone knows the song Pinball Wizard. But to really KNOW the song, you need to know it in context - and when you do, it takes it from a good song to a truly great song. For that reason, it gets a 5 from me.

Just don’t get it, no matter how many times I try.

So far I've only heard of the rock opera, but never listened to it myself. I tried it once, but couldn't get to grips with it. So now I'm doing it again. Admittedly, I wasn't really gripped this time either. But I did get the impression that this opera was something bigger. It brought back memories of Roger Waters (it was his project, even though Pink Floyd is written on it) The Wall. But Tommy seems to be bigger. I'll have to listen to it again. Very interesting. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

I've listened to this many times over the years, and always find some little nuance I hadn't noticed before. It's a classic for a reason. Outstanding.

genius.

Haven’t heard this in a long time. Nice to hear it without the broadway treatment or the celebrity guest spots. I remember being in high school wondering how a 24 year old can singularly have the vision for a project so big. Great stuff.

I still have yet to understand The Who's popularity, especially with this album. I don't get it.

Me resultó un poco largo.

Musical Ideas I never heard before. Sometimes they were not interesting enough to keep me excited over the duration span of a song. The rhythmical interaction between the guitar and the drums stood out to me. They made heavily use of key switches by moving a pattern up and down on the fretboard of the guitar. Interesting/oldschool panning decisions (e.g. vocal to the left and guitar to the right or drums to the left and the bass to the right, also they moved the guitar to the center when it was the only instrument (including the vocal) playing). They already used some modern sampling methods (e.g. reversed sound on Amazing Journey). I like the small imperfections and subtle tempo changes. Didn’t fully listen through. Couldn’t find a personal connection. Takeaways: Rech Vocal Depth through harmonization. Make panning decisions in dependence to the song/genre/effect you want to achieve.

Really cool rock story album following a deaf, dumb, blind kid named Tommy. Sound is similar to Jesus Christ Superstar. He’s first bullied and outcasted, then treated like a saint for his ability to play pinball. Cool leitmotif throughout the album. One thing I found really interesting was that there was an overture and an “Underture”. Underture is about 10 mins long, but I didn’t mind. I didn’t quite get the album for the first 6 songs, but then Christmas came on, and I started to understand what the album was. The last 8 or so tracks of the album do not standout, but they do wrap up the story nicely. Standouts: Amazing Journey, Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker), Christmas, Cousin Kevin, Pinball Wizard, and Go to the Mirror!

1. overture - 1 2. a boy - 0 3. 1921 - 1 4. journey - 0 5. zparkz - 0 6. the blind - 0 7. chriztmaz - 0 8. kevin - 0 9. acid queen - 1 10. underture - 1 11. alright - 0 12. fiddle about - 0 13. pinball - 1.5 14. doctor - 0 15. mirror - 1 16. tommy - 1 17. zenzation - 1 18. miracle cure - 0 19. zally - 1 20. im free - 1 21. uuelcome - 1 22. holiday camp - 0 23. take it - 1

interesting rock opera.

Cheeky little album. Enjoyed the instrumental bits. Easy listen while I cooked dinner.

Not my favorite who album. The background behind it was interesting but it didn’t do a ton for me.

Concept and story throughout. underture moved me

- Das Konzept, das dem Album inhaltlich zu Grunde liegt, ist mega! - Pinball Wizard ist natürlich ein absoluter Classic - Ich fand vieles sehr cool und interessant - Insgesamt kam mir das Album aber doch recht lang vor (mit 1h 14min ist es das auch, aber gefühlt hat es noch länger gedauert) - Wahrscheinlich war ich nicht ganz im richtigen Modus, habe mich unerwateter Weise nicht so drauf einlassen können, wie ich dachte - Who‘s Next ist und bleibt mMn das beste The Who Album! Rating: 3,5/5

- habe mich am anfang sehr gefreut, weil ich The Who ziemlich cool findd, dachte am Ende aber "Puh..!" - Kannte einige Songs aber bei weitem nicht die ganze Platte und was da streckenweise an avantgardistischen und experimentellen Elementen um die Ecke kam, war für mich leider etwas störend. Dazu kommt eine ebenso experimentierfreudige Produktion, die das Stereo-Effekt-Game so doll spielt, dass man teilweise denkt, es sei einer der Kopfhörer ausgefallen. - auch in der Spielart wirkte vieles unsauber und etwas roh/rau. Kann natürlich Stil sein, hat mir aber nicht so gut gefallen. - aber es ist immernoch the who und die sind einfach arschkreativ, komponieren wie die weltmeister, wissen dramaturgien zu schreiben und haben einfach einen coolen unverwechselbaren Stil. - Pinball Wizard natürlich absoluter Banger. - Ich hoffe, es kommt noch Whos next, welches ich, jetzt wo ich Tommy komplett gehört habe, für ein wesentlich besseres und ihr bestes Album halte. 3,5

Album 351 of 1001 The Who - Tommy Rating : 4 / 5 I've always liked this album. A couple of decades went by between listens but was good to hear again. Resulted in a couple of awesome pinball machines as well, but I digress.

It was an okay rock opera.

1: Good song, I like the arrangement. 2: Important for the narrative, I guess but unremarkable otherwise. 3: Instrumentation is nice but production is a bit wonky. 4: Weird lyrics. Last minute or two is great. 5: Feels both understated and epic at the same time. Pretty damn good. 6: Lyrics feel off. 7: Not a fan of those backing vocals. Rest is fine. 8: Disney villain song, with all that brings. 9/10: Fantastic. Best song on the album so far. 11/12: Feels a bit... insensitive. 13: Killer riff. Second best song so far. 14/15: Fun songs. 16: Nice bass. 17: Don't like the vocals. 18: Trumpet! 19: Forgettable. 20: Nice piano. 21: Meh. 22: A bit boring. 23: ????? 24: I can absolutely understand this given the last song. Actually, it's p. good. I don't like a lot of rock operas, they more often than not sound cheesy and a bit pretentious at times, and Tommy, while a fun record doesn't change my perception of the concept. Overall rating: 6/10

Ein weiterer Meilenstein!

OK, but not the masterpiece it's made out to be.

Could've done with a fair bit of trimming.

I have never been able to get into the Who and this album is no exception. Although I do appreciate that in the context of its time it was very cool.

This review is lucky I had to spend all day in my car. Better than I imagined but I feel like I could just listened to Hair or A better musical.

I believe Quadrophenia to be the superior rock opera penned by The Who, but Tommy was the original. I grew up listening with the CD of The Who: Live at the Isle of Wight, where they perform Tommy in its entirety. It’s super raw and awesome with guitar solos and distortion. It wasn’t until years later that I heard Tommy studio (I had heard Pinball Wizard and other singles on radio). By contrast, Tommy studio sounded acoustic and soft. But the drums are still amazing and it’s an album I can listen to in its entirety time and time again. Bonus points for any rock album that successfully incorporates the French horn.

My mother introduced me to Tommy before I had any true appreciation for what The Who even was, I was young enough to not even really get the concept of a band. But I remember watching the musical and thinking I was supposed to think it was significant or at least out of the ordinary given the content I had been up to this point exposed. The only aspect that held my attention was the promise and expectation that there would be "pinball in it". In high school, I watched it again in a music elective as a tangent of musicals, the rock opera. Obviously everyone here knows what a rock opera is. I would venture to guess that Tommy is the reason you know what a rock opera is, both because of it's incredible songs but also the fact the it was made into a film as well. It's the ubiquitous OG of rock operas and is a reminder, along with Pink Floyd's "The Wall", of what England's youth's sentiment was at their respective times (Recall that The Wall was release 10 years after Tommy). Two world wars having exacted an attack on the nation's psyche, leaving the younger generations partially fatherless, profoundly disillusioned, and searching for answers. Tommy be slammin, fam

i was going to write a book here about Tommy, but i've run out of time. bottom line is i think this record is yugely overrated. I will say that it is one of the the most opera of the rock operas. eg refrains, callbacks, codas etc that many other rock operas forgo. Also it has a story that is mostly coherent. Really the entire record revolves around pinball wizard and nothing else really stands out.

I mean. Tommy. I feel like this album has always been with me, of course it's tied up with first arcade memories, and first rock opera memories. Maybe that's all a bit surface; this has got everything.

I’ve seen the movie and have the album but haven’t listened to it for many years and found it just marginally okay. I can’t imagine how awful this would be as just an album without knowing it’s a soundtrack or having some background on the story.

This is exactly why I was interested and excited to do this 1001 Album challenge. The Who is a name everyone knows, but I did not know their music at all. Overall I enjoyed! Not really my style but I'll be looking to check out more going forward!

Solid well done concept and execution by some of the great musicians of any generation

Album Nr. 63 Mal wieder guter 60's Sound. Auch wenn ich nicht die "Super-Deluxe"-Fassung des Albums gehört habe,sondern die normale.

Concept albums can be good albums but rarely have good songs. I think this is one of the best concept albums ever, but still doesn’t have enough strong songs for anything above a 4.

love this~!!

This album could've been an email.

O começo: detestei Meio: ainda tava ruim Final: já tinha desistido

3.5

I’m sorry but I can’t get over the fact that this album goes from a song about the main character being sexually assaulted by their uncle to a song about the main character being good at pinball with nothing in-between! That tonal shift just really stood out to me for some reason Album still good though

I never knew they made prog-rock.

Not something I would listen to all of the time but was a fun.

A Classic that stood the test of time and will also stand all other tests I guess…

3.6 - I acknowledge the quality of the songcraft and the performances on here, and can see why the Who have legions of devoted fans. While I didn’t connect with this 78 minute rock opera personally, it was a pleasant enough listen. I’d skip the “Overture” and the “Underture.”

Tommy, can you hear me??? Not bad!

Bzvz

The music is great, but the story premise is lame.

Great concept album

Pros: Some great harmonies and instrumentation, Keith Moon at (arguably) his peak Cons: The story is so convoluted, the whole bit where his uncle sexually assaults him and his cousin beats him to a pulp are a tad dark 3/5 Favorite tracks: Pinball Wizard, 1921, Go to the Mirror, I'm Free

So great. I hadn't listened to the studio in a long time and I can see why. Their live performances are just incredible.

wow... not only did they give us a Deluxe album, but a Super Deluxe one, and it has 3 discs in it for a total of 3 and a half hours... definitely way more than I wanted it to be (fortunately, I couldn't listen to disc 2 because it wasn't available on spotify and didn't show up in a google search) but after listening to it, I am slightly disappointed, as I was expecting a good The Who performance. I really like a couple of their songs and this was a bit too generic, nothing too exciting, nothing really happened throughout the whole album. I know that this was probably great for 1969 but I feel like it was a bit meh listening to the whole thing today. UPDATE - turns out that the Super Deluxe edition is just the same album but repeated three times - Disc 2 is Demo versions, and Disc 3 is the whole album but the live versions from Canada in 1969.

the who in this format are not really for me. Maybe at the time the concept of a rock opera was revolutionary, but now not so much. The who live as a straight up rocking machine is way better IMO

I liked it a lot actually. Need to listen to more of The Who.

Pinball Wizard is a bop. Rest is ok

Just an awful album

A bit of a marathon, but managed to stay varied and interesting throughout. The who has really come into their own by this album, and I love it!

Tommy is the fourth album by the English rock band The Who, and it is a rock opera double album about a fictional boy - named Tommy Walker - and his troubled life. Critically acclaimed at release, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, made into a film, Broadway musical, & orchestral version - this is considered to be The Who's breakthrough album. Tommy has been certified gold in France, Italy, New Zealand, & the UK, and certified double platinum in the US. This was an interesting musical project for an album, and a well executed rock opera. Tommy may not contain The Who's best songs, but it was the album that began generating a lot of attention for the band. It is a cult classic album that bled into the mainstream, after a continued effort at making an entertaining story tied to classic rock. Please give this album a listen!

Pinball Wizard is amazing

Pete is the best British guitar player

Never really listened to any who songs that weren’t the radio hits. If you listen to their lyrics they are pretty weird. But the guitar and harmonies are awesome.

Absolute classic. It doesn't get any better than this. Lyrics and music are top notch!

Quite overlong but I can’t help liking this one - quite an epic concept album - and the Who at some of their most grandiose.

I loved listening to an early rock opera and it was a very creative story. It got repetitive especially towards the end. Some good songs mixed in though.

Interesting album, pretty solid overall

feels like an album by teh who - don't necessarily feel like it did anything special. Maybe a little more creative and nuanced than other stuff i've heard?

Before listening: Fuck. I don't care for The Who. This one has Pinball Wizard which is pretty good though. Something about The Who just ... pisses me off. PS It's also a double album which pisses me off even more. I imagine I will be skipping a whole bunch of these songs. After listening: Fine, I'll say it, this wasn't too bad. In fact, of it wasn't such a bloated double album it might've actually been great.

Pas trop mon genre

Too weird

it was given my attention sad the plot did not enthrall but that dumb long album sure plays a mean pinball

It's freakin', Tommy. You already know.

Torn between 3 and 4

Naja ist ok, hatte mehr erwartet. Pinball wizard war noch das beste.

Love the Who!

I'm convinced The Who are the most overrated band in rock history. This album really ain't it. Like, REALLY ain't it. Lemme put it this way, if you're even semi-halfway into rock, you've heard the title of Pinball Wizard. It's one of those big, inescapable titles in rock history. I somehow managed to not listen to it til now. And the song sucks. That's basically The Who's entire discography, a big name hiding what is subpar music.

I absolutely hated this, wow. Disliked the vocals, they couldn't get my attention for the story, which would obviously be mandatory for such an album like this, and there is just generally very little to enjoy here. Oh and it just went on and on, I couldn't wait to be finished with this.

Not bad.

Self-indulgent crap. This is the first Who album I bought and listened to and basically wrote them off because of it. Who's Next is an absolute masterpiece. This? It's not enjoyable to listen to at all.

An old favorite

Don't care for concept albums but I appreciate it for what it is. And Pinball Wizard is a great song.

I had not ever listened to this album. In the first song, I recognized it as a rock opera. I knew some of the songs individually but not as part of a story. The overall story was depressing.

Goofball cheese

a cool concept album that follows a story. just not my jam. album art is cool af. pinball wizard is my favorite and that's because it was my chorus song when i was in 5th grade lol

Great album by by the Who. The guitars don't roar as much as Quadrophrenia. songs and songwriting are top notch. The opening song and Amazing Journey my faves, also Eyesight to the Blind

Buena música, qué duda cabe

This is not The Who’s best album. There area few really good songs and a bunch of filler 3.9.

2.8

Masterpiece and classic. Prototype rock opera, amazing musicianship, great songs, gripping story. What more could you want?

A seminal, important album for both rock and The Who, though I’d rather listen to virtually any other Moon-era Who album over this. The studio version of Tommy cannot compare to any of the late 60s/early 70s live versions that eventually got released.

pretentious and mostly boring

Second to last song was terrifying

Concept albums, rock operas, etc can't be great. I'll die on that hill. The greatest albums are full of songs that speak to specifics of the human condition. They can't exist to tell some half ass, ill explained tale. Some good tracks here though.

Such a great album!

Meh.... Mostly whatever and a little annoying.

Required listening for rock literacy.

At the age of 50 I had never actually gotten around to listening to that entire album from beginning to end. And having listened to it from beginning to end at the age of 50 I am now glad that I was old enough to properly appreciate it when listening to it for the first time. I'm now going to make a point of seeing if I can find a group that performs this album live in my area and attend their performance

I don't know if I'm looking forward to this or not. I'm getting a little tired of music from the 60's. There's a 10 minute song on here. Kill me. I will say, I like their sound though. Whoever this Tommy is, did not have a great time of it based on what I'm hearing... 2/5 I'm a hard sell on concept albums. I usually don't vibe with them. This album is no different.

Feels like the soundtrack to a surrealist stage play

Masterpiece, a classic. Brings me back, it's my dad who showed me the musical as a teen. Make sure to be high when watching the movie

Rock operas are mankind's greatest achievement

What a boring spectacle of british music by beloved band "The Who". The tribe has spoken!! I don't like how he signs either.

Entenc el que intenten fer però no m'acaba de convèncer del tot la música. Òbviament Pinball Wizard és un clàssic i temazo, i és molt original la idea del disc. M'agrada molt l'execució però no li dono 5 estrelles perquè hi ha cosetes que no m'acaben d'agradar.

An undeniable piece of rock history. It did to modern music what L'Orfeo did for the Baroque period. Its' legacy has spawned everything from Ziggy Stardust and the Wall to American Idiot and the Archandroid. Though I have mixed feelings about the ending with the camp aspect reaching into the absurd, the opera covers such a wide range of emotions with a gripping story that it deserves its' praise. Highly suggest reading a synopsis first to make it easier to follow

I like the who - especially „Live at leeds“. But „Tommy“ is not really mine.

Ambitious, mostly successful, enjoyable

I’m 8 tracks in and I’m ready for it to be over. I never could get into the Who much. Maybe it’ll get better, so I’ll stick it out… It does get slightly better. But not enough for me to give this any more than 3/5. I just don’t want to listen this whole thing again. It’s fine, it’s just long and the first half was pretty tedious. It feels like this one is part British Invasion, part concept. Content-wise, it’s not all lovey dovey, early Beatles type schlock, but the sound is still there. I much prefer all these boomer Brits after they’ve experimented with LSD. Maybe the Who had before they made Tommy, but it’s just not there for them. I’m looking forward to revisiting Quadrophenia. I remember liking that one more.

ALL TIME CLASSIC!

Etwas lame

What a roller coaster, I saw it was a double and got ready to dislike it for being too long, but of course they had the answer. I guess I really dig rock operas, wow. Fun story-driven album that still manages a banger like Pinball Wizard.

At the start I thought I was going to like this more than I did, but the good material is spread kind of thin. Overall I'm still kind of bored by this style of rock - I don't know much about it but maybe the production is just outdated? Has its moments

Not bad, got a bit boring tbh

Rock operas aren't really my jam.

Didn’t really pay much attention to the story

Was Aight

I'm not sure what I expected going into this album, but it certainly wasn't this. And I love it. Amazing riffs, vocals, everything really. Even the longer instumental moments managed to keep my attention and remain interesting. I love the concept too, albums that tell the story of someone's life are always my thing, and this being one of if not the earliest rock operas is really cool. I get that the interludes are important to the story, but they definitely felt like they interrupted the album sometimes, just as I was getting into the flow of it. But those aside, loved this album.

Instruments are outstanding. Most of the lyrics are dumb.

After years of listening to the album, I’m still not finding most tunes

Damn good stuff

Was not looking forward to this one. Better than i remember, but high notion concept albums are hard work. Also, shines a bit of a light on the 'those files were for research' defense of old Townsend many years later.

Started out with a strong "not hating this" which I started to doubt very much about 25 minutes in ... and then there were 2.5 more sides of albums left to go. I was stunned to learn that this is an album about the protagonist of the "sure plays a mean pinball" song. i wasn't paying enough attention to the lyrics to get much more out of it. This one was not for me. 1.5 rounded up to 2.

Easily the biggest delta so far between the reverence most folks have for the album and the depths of my distaste for it. Roger Daltrey is unbearable both as a singer and a human being. The story is boring. The music is fine. I never want to hear it again.

I love the songs on this album, but most of them felt like they were missing an extra push, like they weren’t strong enough. “Acid Queen” needed way more energy in particular. I thought the entire album was put together very well, and even though I like the Broadway musical based on it better than the actual album, I still really enjoyed it.

concept albums have no effect on me, a person who struggles to process lyrics in teal time started actually surprisingly into it, but absolutely overstated it's welcome. pinball wizard sure does come outta nowhere

 it's still a good concept album, and I really enjoy a concept album

"This developmentally disabled boy is so stupid he doesn't even know who Jesus is so I guess his soul is eternally doomed: the song" was really weird and also surprising to hear anywhere outside of, you know, maybe Mass or The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The music was decent, I would not have fully understood the story if I didn’t read the Wikipedia synopsis as I went along I had to stop and go finish a task but the last song I listened to before the pause was Fiddle About. A terrible song to have stuck in my head for a half hour

This was never my favorite Who album. Got far more acclaim than it deserved.

The Who have some great songs in their back catalogue, it's a shame the decided not to put any on this album. Rock opera guff, I was glad when it was over.

Pinball Wizard dragging this kicking and screaming to a two star review. Not their best.

Mad respect for the audacity ("it's a fucking opera!") Well recorded. But it's too long and indulgent for my taste. Give me the Who's Next every time.

Listening to you, I get the music Gazing at you, I get the heat Following you, I climb the mountain I get excitement at your feet Right behind you, I see the millions On you, I see the glory From you, I get opinions From you, I get the story Listening to a remastered version with my ears in is a revelation. I know all the songs but to hear it so clearly, to heard previously buried parts of the accompaniment brings me to tears.

Back in 1973, I ordered this album from Columbia as one of my 10 or 12 free albums. I ordered it on the urging of a friend and immediately disliked it when it arrived. But today I was able to sit down and actually listen to the music and I have changed my mind. The guitars were awesome. I probably won't listen to it again, but today I enjoyed it.

A classic, I know. But wasn't a fan then and still not feelin it now (with the exception of a couple tracks).

Obviously this is great but I am always going to associate this album with my friend who really wanted to try a raw egg cracked into a Newcastle like Keith Moon drank in the movie before abusing Tommy. Unlike this album, the drink was awful and in no way a seminal moment in prog rock.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Meh

Me encanta Pinball Wizard, el resto está bien pero no me enamora.

it is okay. a vibe but okay. not super memorable 4/7

Classic.

Great concept album. The movie has some great cameos and some better versions of these songs.

Un peu acide mais kiffant.

Rock operas don’t do it for me.

I can't knock it too much. I get why it's a classic! It was just hard to take entirely seriously. Lyrics certainly weren't subtle. But the music itself is godly. Wincing my way through tracks like Fiddle About where made easier by the insane brilliance that is Keith Moon. Without the drums, I might have given this a three to be honest! But I'll try to relisten at some point. I reckon I'll appreciate it more over time.

Some great songs on the album but not a fantastic around album

I like concept albums, but there isn't much that stands out in this one save for Pinball Wizard.

Back to back Who albums & this one was a studio recorded one. Just as I thought, I enjoyed this one more then the Live album.

Not a fan

Bonus credit for truly being a single entity album

Great album! Open a lot of ways of doing music

Ugh

Y'a un épisode des Simpsons avec le groupe ! Homer est un fan

Cool

Ein Album dass früher jeder kennen musste, so eine Art Kult-Album wie In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Und zu meinem eigenen Erstaunen habe ich es bis heute noch nie gehört. Wurde also Zeit. Und was soll ich sagen? Ich habe nichts versäumt.

I could listen to this over and over again.

It's good, but I'm not sure it's still good in 20 years. I like it less than I did 20 years ago. It's very long. I had to take a break half way. Best song by a mile: Pinball Wizard.

A lot to take in with this one. Rock Operas are hit or miss for me usually. There’s some really interesting songs on this one. Did he murder his cousin in that one song? Are we just going to ignore that? Anyways, not my favorite Who record but still some cool stuff in there. (2.5)

Did not listen. Not a Who fan. I like behind blue eyes and pinball wizard and that's about it 1⭐

Cool story song and theme about Tommy but not a big fan of the lyrics “we’re going to rape you”

Didn’t really like the Who before listening to this… Unfortunately, this album didn’t move the needle. The whole theme just didn’t click with me.

Regular

It was fine. Grill liked it. Not so much my thing.

Interesting album. A great piece of art if you consider the age of Pete Townshend when composing it. But still it does not grab me as much as I thought. Probably one should have heard the first time in the 70s.

オペラロックとしてQUEENに繋がる点、他にもパンクの祖としても価値は高く感じた。が、やっぱブルース味が弱くてねぇ…。

It's pretty good, but goofy and self-indulgent in places. The Who has better albums.

pinball wizard nice

hmmm not very familiar with The Who. This first track is quite interesting. I may not get to hear all of this. This album is 3 and a half hours!! Yeah I'm not digging this very much. I'm going to have to give it 2 stars.

Definitely not shit but there’s something about bands from this era making lengthy albums that are 30% song and 70% instrumental.. not my fave but dragged on a bit for me.

Really enjoyed it!

Forgot how good this album was. Great Great Great

First ever rock opera. Sets the stage for so much in music and art as a whole. Touched so many places. It tells the story really well but it’s just not my favorite version of this band. A 5 star for impact, 4 star for concept and execution, 3.5/5 for me.

Just kept going and going and going

A couple of good hits. A classic rock opera story telling wise.

Tommy is a fantastic album. Great songs, great sound and a cool story.

I’ve never listened to a rock opera before so I’m not familiar with the genre. Kind of a cool idea. Just from the musical style, not really my cup of tea. But I’d listen again if I could see it performed. 3/5.

It’s ok

Great progressive Rock, why did I not listen to this before?

Brilliant. The stories and quality instrumentals are unforgettable. That said, the set is way too long for me to listen to! Great for some, not for me.

Uncle Ernie needs to be in prison

I know this and I've seen the movie so I'd say I enjoyed it. I'd say 3.5.

I am not a fan. Alot of the songs are rather long winded and mostly instrumental. Alot of the background band is really just noise; there are times where I can't hear a melody of any sort. This feels like a halfbaked album that could have been a weird 4-5 track EP. Also don't care for the range the singers hang in most of the time, very shrill.

1/11/24

Classic

i could stand 2 cuts

4/5. A concept album about a deaf, dumb, and blind boy. This shouldn't work for a lot of reasons but can Keith Moon hit those drums. The melodies are pretty and heavy while still being silly and fun. Sometimes, it can be a little too silly which prevents it from being a 5. I enjoy some comedy in music but it can just not sound good like Do You Think It's Alright, Welcome and Tommy's holiday camp. Those can be a little cringe and annoying. It's an overall good album but not perfect, mainly due to the instrumentation and passionate singing from Daltrey. Also Underture is an unnecessary track, too long and just the same riffs, plus a few, from Overture.

10 star album

Didn’t finish tbh, will go back to it

Terrible...just can't abide the Who. 1.5/5

still an okay and bizarre album

Yeah cool to listen to when it’s on but nothing sticks

I was looking forward to listening to this, as I love Pinball Wizard. Yeah, less of a fan now having endured the whole album, Fiddle About is deeply disturbing, PW is great and the rest is pretty average. Pinball Wizard alone scores a 3

long

Premissen, en rockopera från The Who på en dryg timme, är ju lovande. Och storyn är bra. Tommy, som efter ett barndomstrauma blir blind och döv, hittar inre spirituell guidning och blir en jävel på flipperspel, och skapar därigenom någon slags sekt. Men, utöver det, lite av en besvikelse om man ska bedöma albumet låt för låt. Det är bombastiskt och maffigt, som en rockopera väl ska vara, men saknar de djupa melodierna som får mig att känna något, i och med att låtarna blir mer drivna av story och repliker. Melodin jag känner starkast för är 'Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)' som är en gammal bluescover, vilket nog säger en del. Men, albumet som sig ska såklart upplevas som en helhet. Summan lyfter delarna. Föredrar verkligen Roger Daltreys sång över Pete Townshends, som lätt låter lite gnällig. Lite störigt att de envisas med att sjunga stämsång på vissa låtar. Förutom ovan nämnda låt är såklart 'Pinball Wizard' bra. 'Welcome' och 'Go to the Mirror' bra. Gillade också riffen i 'I'm Free'. Finns säkert andra guldkorn som kan sticka ut vid framtida lyssningar. Bästa låt: Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)

Goes on a bit. Didn’t think it was that great.

Wasnt my cup of tea

The Who created a whole new genre with this album. You an hear the roots in A Quick One While He's Away.

Liked how the early songs blended together. Tommy mentioned throughout, pinball also. Curious if real person. Pinball wizard probably the big hit from this album? Enjoyed it

was really into this weird album

Hele ruime 3 maar net geen 4.

I'm a fan of the film but I was surprised how lacklustre the production on the original album was. It lacks the passion of other Who albums. I'll give it another chance but I wasn't really impressed.