"If I had a nickel/I'd hammer in the morning..."

["Mark R. Leaman" <mleaman@sccoast.net>]

> Are you people mad?

Scott:

"Mad? Mad, you say?"

> "Happy Jack" is a classic WHO song that delights every time ! And
> Mark, The WHO were THE BEST Pop band in the late Sixties.

I think perhaps I should state here that the US and UK definitions of Pop
are two completely different animals. Over there (no, not the song) Pop
includes such bands as Black Sabbath and Sex Pistols...it does stand for
Popular music, after all. Here, on the other hand, it's more like Wilson
Phillips or (shudder) Michael Bolton. Celine Dion. IOW, mindless
pleasant-sounding pap which reminds me of cotton candy...tastes good but
has no substance. And let me clarify here I really have no idea what Celine
Dion tastes like...just wanted to make that clear...
I will allow that there was a time when Pop was better, for instance I'd
consider Waterloo Sunset a Pop song (but not You Really Got Me) and XTC's
Senses Working Overtime, and both are among my favorite songs of all time.
But while in the Rock genre The Who are without peer, Pop was a bit too
"nice" for them. Hey, this is only MY opinion. Worth what it costs.

> are on their way to your house right now !!!  Hide in the basement !!

A basement this close to the ocean? And you think *I* am mad?

> Come on !  This is a wonderfully sweet Entwistle song (that's a rarity !)
about two "Romeo &
> Juliet"-type lovers finding it hard to express their feelings.

You mean the dog-walking ruse? Yes, how very poetic..."Gonna get a hidin'."
has always been a lyrical highpoint...

> I do like The WHO's version quite a bit, but you're correct here, Mark. 
Jan & Dean's version is
> much cooler.

Actually, I wasn't too clear...I think the Who version is better. It's the
one with the horn solo.

> Easy.  This song blows.  Ok, Ok, so maybe I do sometimes chant "There's
more at the door !

Different song! "I overwhelm as I approach you..." I mean, who among us
HASN'T had THIS experience??? If I had a nickel...

> No, Mark !  No !  You dismiss A QUICK ONE too easily !

Maybe. It's that Pop thing. The Beatles did it perfectly, but The Who were
more Punk and grungy.

> Love Was"?  Do you have a stone in your shoe or something?

Possibly. That would explain a lot.

> ago but "We Close Tonight" I knew nothing of until the re-release of ODDS
& SODS.

Me either, and apparently Entwistle too!

> I kind of understand why "CKMC" was left off TOMMY, I find this song
extremely humorous &

I just meant it was a little too "light" for TOMMY.

> Now really, Mark.  I must protest here (& I expect many more of you to
chime in also !).  I've always
> felt that Pete Townshend is astonishingly underrated as a lyricist.

It's not the content, it's the execution. The Who By Strings....nah. And
Pete shoulda been the singer, not Roger.

> To each his own !

Of course.

> Again, some pretty amazing lryics by Pete.

Yeah, but...Disco...I mean, really!

> Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Mark.  Even though we don't see
"eye-to-eye" on everything, it's
> fun discussing/arguing WHO with such a knowledgeable WHO freak as
yourself.  Cheers to you !

Thanks! And to you.

> get the greatest reviews, doesn't get talked about a whole lot, & is
often disregarded

For my part, I felt it was the first Who album since AQO which wasn't
better than the one before it. And for all you may like it, I think you'd
admit it's not as good as QUAD. I do like it a lot better now, since given
what was to follow it is actually one of their better albums.

> Here's a positive comment for you :  The song "In A Hand Or A Face" from
WHO BY NUMBERS
> is an overlooked masterpiece by Pete & the boys.

I like this one a lot, too. For one thing, it uses that Wasp Man riff a lot
better...and it reminds me a lot of Circles.

> anyone agree/disagree...?

Well, I don't see why you didn't just add them ALL in...that's what I did.
I took the cleaned up WGFA from MG-The Best Of and added Let's See Action,
JT, Relay, etc. The ultimate WN.

> I'm The Face (oh, yeah?)

Carol:

You mean: Got Love If You Want It? At least Pete didn't claim to write this
one.

> Anytime You Want Me (drag, drag.  Speed this puppy up some, huh?)

I disagree, because I love all of their Blues numbers. This one is sad, and
makes me cry...no, not really. OK, so the guy's a wimp. He's just as bad
when he said: "Why not pretend your love is real" in Fake It. THAT is an
easy one to answer...what WAS Pete thinking???

> Is It In My Head (just bores me)

I do like this one. "Turn from being help/To being questioned..."

> I'm kidding of course.  I just find it silly when people argue and try to
> dispute the opinions of others.  How can you a Who fan and hate The
> Seeker, Squeeze Box, and or Happy Jack?!?!?

Greg:

Let me count the ways...

I don't know if we can respect the opinion of someone who finds their band
(or actor, or politician, or whatever) can do NO wrong. I've been a Who fan
for 30 years (God, the humanity) but will be the first to admit that two of
their albums are pretty durn weak.

> Also for Christmas I will get Isle of Wight, and Face Dances or It's Hard

Jim:

Maybe more! I hope so.

> 2.Let's See Action
> 3.Drowned  -it's a good song, but the piano gets annoying
> 4.Join Together

Well, I do like all of these a lot.

> Also, I have a question.  Has anyone ever seen or owned the Join Together
> box set released in 1990? 

Yes; it's better than WHO'S LAST but their second-worst live album. The
TOMMY section is interesting but nowhere near as good as the 1969 versions.
Interesting more for the comparison, perhaps.

> It is listed in the discography in the Maximum R&B set

Go to Townshend's site and go to The Who direct...don't recall the
address...and they should have it.


       Cheers                  ML

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