5:15

Who is ready for a train ride? Everyone? Alright let’s hop on the 5:15! This is one of my all time favourite songs. Whenever I put it on I can’t help but want to dance! There is just so much that is great about 5:15; what the perfect Friday night song.

First off let’s talk about what is happening in the story. Last time we left Jimmy he was having a breakdown and crashed his scooter, after the incident he decided to leave and go somewhere that he has good memories…Brighton. To get to Brighton Jimmy needs to take the train which is what he is doing during 5:15. He takes about 20 leapers and has a major trip on the train, feeling like he is floating above his body watching what is happening around him. They lyrics to the song are the hazy memories of the train ride.

There is so much about 5:15 that I love. Roger vocals are so amazing, I think that I love the way that he sounds in this song more than any other Who song. There is also the back and forth between Roger and the background/Pete’s vocals that work so well, they show that Jimmy is on an actual train and is interacting with other people. The horns are so cool and add something very unique to the song, and the piano is somewhat reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis and Great Balls of Fire. The drums are cool because they sound sort of like a train, or at least that is what they remind me of. There is a real forward motion contained in 5:15 that really makes me feel like I am moving forward by the way that the song slowly begins and then starts to slow again at the end. I have been on a train before and this song just screams train ride through the whole thing.

5:15 is such a great way to start the second disc, it pumps the listener up and gets you excited for what is to come. This is probably the song that made me fall in love with Quadrophenia. It is well written and the performance is amazing.

Here is the studio version of 5:15 and the John Entwhistle bass solo from the Live at Albert Hall version which is the great bass solo of all time.