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Re: Gay Who Fans / Spirituality



In a message dated 96-03-19 09:39:57 EST, jboswel@emory.edu (James Marshall
Boswell) writes:

>One of the things I would add, however--and this 
>is particularly true in the case of Tommy--is that many of Townshend's 
>most searching moments as re: sexual identity are also AT THE SAME TIME 
>deeply religious explorations about *spiritual* identity.

Once again I am reminded about the Jones Beach Psychoderelict concert in
which Pete was introducing the song "Who Are You".  With tongue-in-cheek he
said something to the effect that many people have heard stories about what
the song is about and really, Who Are You is much simpler than that.  It's
really just a prayer.  It asks WHO ARE YOU?  
(And then he started playing [or praying])

Until that point, I thought Who Are You was one of the worst Who songs -- Who
are you? WHO WHO WHO WHO.  And although I think Pete was trying to be funny
when he introduced the song, I sensed he was a bit more serious than what he
was was letting on that evening.  I now think Who Are You is a very spiritual
song and now I can ignore the WHO WHO WHO WHO part and concentrate on the
 awesome musicianship of the song.

-Gordie