Jimbo wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:24 pm Of these two songs, Who Are You is worse. However, they're both ok songs. The real chunderdome is between Squeezebox and Behind Blue Eyes.

Ah, yes. Squeezebox don’t like that one at all

Just throwing this out there--until I was around 20 or so I thought You Better You Bet was a Fleetwood Mac song. I thought that it was Mick Fleetwood singing with Christie McVie singing the 'you better you better you bet" back up on the chorus.

Yes, I was (and remain) a very dim bulb.

Jimbo wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:24 pm Of these two songs, Who Are You is worse. However, they're both ok songs. The real chunderdome is between Squeezebox and Behind Blue Eyes.

You made me look up Squeezebox. Goodness me, Squeezebox is impressively awful.

I agree that Who Are You is ok. Since I first saw this thread, it has refluxed into my imagination enough times for me to mumble it, and I've definitely had worse hauntings.

Who Are You is better because of Keith Moon. And it has a great backstory. You Better You Bet has some pretty funny lyrics but it should have been a Townshend solo track. Everything after Who Are You should have been a Townshend solo track. Or erased.

Anyone who claims to be unmoved by The Who should down a few pints then listen to Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy. REAL loud.

The fuck is wrong with you people?

The Who is awesome, these songs, while not at the top of the list, are all awesome.

Yeah for real. You Better You bet is cheesy, but at least they put their backs into it. Mainstream music sounded generally cheesy at the time. To my mind, one of the most interesting aspects of The Who is that they eschewed the macho "hey little girl" bullshit that was typified by 90% of rock music during the era(s) in which they thrived. Even their simple love songs were expressing more complex emotions. Having a true macho dick (with a fucking incredible voice) up front singing words written by a (mostly) anti-drug spiritual devotee who could also rip the the ever loving shit out of the guitar without being overly wanky...that is unique. The level of vulnerability and uncertainty and self doubt in Townshend's lyrics go starkly against the type of 1970s rock. Entwistle was a one man orchestra. No one will ever sound like Keith Moon. When Pete takes the lead vocal on most of their shit he sounds like a choir boy with a broken heart. No band can sound so vulnerable while rocking so hard. I've never heard a band contemplate the fragility of life with so much balls and so little ego. Sure, those 4 had major egos, but the music is refreshingly free of it. To me, they are one of the most interesting rock bands ever and one of the most rewarding to listen to over and over again.

You Better You Bet is far from their best, but I give it points just for name dropping T. Rex. Even at their worst, I'd take The Who over most other 80s hard rockers with similar exposure. I'd listen to Face Dances over Guns 'n' Roses for the rest of my life.

^ word.

jeff fox wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:27 am The Who is awesome, these songs, while not at the top of the list, are all awesome.

The Who, at their best, were awesome.
I can tolerate “Squeezebox.” I even like “Eminence Front.”

“Who Are You” is one of the most irritating songs ever written.

Wood Goblin wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 10:35 am “Who Are You” is one of the most irritating songs ever written.

But is it Welcome To The Jungle irritating? Is it Cherry Pie irritating? Is it Cum Feel The Noizzzeee irritating? Is it American Pie irritating? Is it Billy Joel irritating? Music from Grease irritating?

Nah.

Who Are You still rocks.