I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 3:33pmSo today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.
The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.Heston wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:27pmI'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 3:33pmSo today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:48pmRoger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.Heston wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:27pmI'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 3:33pmSo today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:41pmBut then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:48pmRoger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.Heston wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:27pmI'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 3:33pmSo today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:53pmAs Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:41pmBut then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:48pmRoger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.Heston wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:27pmI'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 3:33pmSo today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 9:02pmI’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:53pmAs Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:41pmBut then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:48pmRoger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 2:20amI wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 9:02pmI’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:53pmAs Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:41pmBut then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 4:48pm
Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
Nothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:41amNo it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 2:20amI wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 9:02pmI’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:53pmAs Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:41pm
But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
It's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 5:45amNothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:41amNo it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 2:20amI wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 9:02pmI’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 8:53pm
As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
I imagine him dragging himself out of the Soho doorway, past the Who fan policeman, and catching glimpses of himself in shop windows and reflections on cars, and asking himself the question of the title. That this uncertainty is expressed by the very certain medium of a still vital rock band allows some ambivalence to the message.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 7:37amIt's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 5:45amNothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:41amNo it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 2:20amI wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.101Walterton wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 9:02pm
I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
The story is that Townsend was on a drinking bender in a Soho pub. He was being his most obnoxious self and kept saying “who are you” to everyone around him or who approached him. It was meant as a put down I.e. I’m Pete Townsend (big star) who are you? (a nobody). He was getting more and more aggressive and abusive.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 12:07pmI imagine him dragging himself out of the Soho doorway, past the Who fan policeman, and catching glimpses of himself in shop windows and reflections on cars, and asking himself the question of the title. That this uncertainty is expressed by the very certain medium of a still vital rock band allows some ambivalence to the message.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 7:37amIt's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 5:45amNothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:41amNo it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.Silent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 2:20am
I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.
Steve Jones and Paul Cook were in the pub and saw this and got it from Townsend until he realised who they were. Townsend was a Pistols fan so then sat down and spoke to Jones and Cook.
I don’t know whether the “who the fuck are you” was their retort to Townshend (likely from Jones who although was a fan wasn’t shy coming forward) or whether that was just Townshend’s escalation of abuse at the other customers as he got more and more aggressive (drunk).
I agree that in the lyric there could be double meaning of telling the story as it happened as well as his response in reflection to himself.
I remember throwin' punches around
And preachin' from my chair
Well, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who?)
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
I believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
I’d rather chat to CookySilent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:51pmI believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
Totally. Can't stand Lydon as a person for a good few years now.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:57pmI’d rather chat to CookySilent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:51pmI believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
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Re: The Mighty Musical Observations Thread
He's actually become more annoying now that he's all media friendly and adopted some kind of elder statesman role. And, like, being cool with W., Thatcher, and the royal family.Heston wrote: ↑09 Aug 2018, 4:16pmTotally. Can't stand Lydon as a person for a good few years now.101Walterton wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:57pmI’d rather chat to CookySilent Majority wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 3:51pmI believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft