Re: WGFA, Who Cult, The Real We

["Leo O'Sullivan" <Leo.O'Sullivan@globalone.net>]

I wrote:

>>I never considered WGFA a song about active revolution, unless it was a
>>shunning of it.  IMO the song is about remaining indifferent to the
>>various revolutions (social and political) which swirl around us.

Mark quoted WGFA and wrote:

>Violent revoltion, no doubt...fighting in the street.

When I said I thought it wasn't "about" active revolution, I meant it
wasn't advocating active revolution, but I also believe Pete's lines are
not simply about avoiding "violent" revolutions and their leaders.  I've
always seen the lyrics as almost tongue in cheek and therefore slightly
satirical in its view of revolutions.  "When we're fighting in the
street, with our children at our feet"??  When was the last time you saw
a band of revolutionaries babysitting their kids while simultaneously
holding off the military in a street battle.  I think he's playing with
the images to get his point across, but I've always thought his point
was that we should steer clear of all world changing revolutionaries,
violent or otherwise.  I think he was lumping the hawks, doves,
rightwingers, hippies, yippies and every other group advocating a
certain agenda into the same pot.  I think the song, as you pointed out
before, was a playing out of Dylan's line, "Don't follow leaders";
leaders of any kind.

>>There was a political element to Woodstock, at least an attempted one.

>By the bands, not the organizers.

Okay, but the organization of Woodstock collapsed and the concert ended
up as a free-for-all with the bands and audience determining the meaning
of the festival for themselves.  It may not have started for political
reasons, but it certainly wound up as a political event.

Yeah, I think you're right about AAA and "The Real Me" being pre-Punk
songs too.  I wonder how many Who songs you could say that about. 
Probably a lot more than people think.  I pretty much agree with the
gist of what you wrote.  I usually do.

Yellow:  Great short story.  Can you summon Keith's wandering spirit to
my house too.  I wonder if insurance companies offer Rock Poltergeist
Policies.  I'll look into it.

Citywatch wrote in response to the following post by Yellow:
>>It will probably surprise no one to learn that I used to talk to my
>>shrink about the Who all the time.  In fact, we spent my last therapy 

>Now I've seen it all.  As I understand it Yellow Ledbetter, you're 
>really not that old (less than 20??).  Why are you seeing a shrink?? 
>What could have possibly happened in your life to justify it???

What are you kidding me?  You've never met anyone under twenty who's
seen some serious shit in their life?  You need to get out more.  

"I went back to the doctor
To get another shrink.
I sit and tell about my weekend,
But he never betrays what he thinks."

- -Leo