I'm One

Hello Folks! It’s John here (Carolyn’s brother). I love what Carolyn is doing going song by song through one of the greatest albums of all time and I had to get in on the action. I asked if I could do my favourite song on the album, I’m One, and she said yes.

This is the song I most identify with on the record. As I’ve grown older, that hasn’t changed even if I have. The song starts out with a quiet, finger picked guitar and Pete starts to sing. I always enjoy when Pete takes lead vocals on a song. It has to be a daunting task having Roger Daltry, one of the best rock singers, in your band. It probably has something to do with the narrative of the story, but I like to think Pete loved the song and simply wanted to sing it himself. The full band kicks in and it’s Who power! It quiets down again before one final bash to the finish. I love the dynamic changes and it shows how versatile this band can be, even in a single song.

This song really captures what it feels like to be a young man and wanting to fit in. A lot of Quadrophenia is about that very thing. This is the one song you could pluck out of the story and it have it stand alone without needing the rest of the narrative. Pete said when he wrote Tommy that he didn’t want it to be simply a song cycle that was driven by plot but he wanted every song to be great. While Quadrophenia is a bit more plot oriented, he does it again.

 When I first got into the album, and this song, I was in high school probably around the same age as the character in the song. I learned how to play it and still play it to this day. The final verse, I feel, could be written for me: “I’ve got a Gibson without a case, but I can’t get that even tanned look on my face. Ill fitting clothes and I blend in a crowd, fingers so clumsy, voice so loud.” I love that verse so much. I wish I would have written it.

I could go on for days about how great this song is, but I’m sure there is a limit I can write.

Carolyn has done a great job describing what the themes of the album are and how it’s such a great teenage angst album. For me, this was my song. Less dramatic than some other ones, but one I could and still do totally relate to.

Enjoy I’m One.