[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Baba O'Riley



I have a question about the title of the song Baba O'Riley.
I'm sure it's a pretty stupid question but now that the list
seems to no longer be under siege I feel I won't get flamed
at least nearly as bad.

What does Baba O'Riley mean.  I have recently found from
the liner notes in 'My Generation - The Very Best of The Who' that, well
I'll quote Pete saying 'This was a number I wrote while I was doing these
experiments with tapes on the synthesizer.  Among my plans was to take a
person out of the audience and feed information - height, weight,
autobiographical details - about the person int the synthesizer.  The
synthesizer would then select notes from the pattern of that person.  It
would be like translating a person into music.  On this particular track I
programmed details about the life of Meher Baba and that provided the
backing fro the number.'  That said, I have also recently been
told that the word baba means father and O'Riley was a
guy who did the keyboard set-ups for The Who.

With this information I'm confused.  Is this a title that
dedicates the song to Meher Baba and Mr. O'Riley or what.

Beau 'I Can't Explain' McCrury