Love Reign O'er Me

Well, we made it! This is the last song on Quadrophenia, and goodness it is a great one! Love Reign O’er Me is one of those songs that I get goose bumps every time that I listen to it. There is not one thing that is bad about it, and it is by far the best song on Quadrophenia.

As far as the story goes what we know is that Jimmy was heading toward a rock in a boat. He actually jumps onto the rock and this is where Love Reign O’er Me takes place. During one of my first blogs I mentioned that Quadrophenia is happening in flashback, Jimmy is remembering what has led him to a certain point and this is it. I don’t think that Jimmy isn’t actually dying, but I think that he has gone all the way out to this rock and gets stuck. He starts to think about everything has happened and has an epiphany.

Love Reign O’er Me starts out with the sound of rain and a solitary piano, the song has a somber sound to it and the piano really sets the mood. The piano that you hear on this recording is actually what Pete Townshend had recorded for the demo version, when it came time to re-record everyone involved thought that the piano sounded great and wanted to use that same take. Pete on the other hand never thought that his piano playing was good enough and wanted someone else to record it for the album.

As for vocals Love Reign O’er Me has some of the best vocals ever recorded. This is a difficult song to sing and Roger Daltrey pulls it off magnificently. There is quite a range of notes and emotion that is held in the vocals and it not easy to pull off. I have heard Roger sing this song live and he does not disappoint. People often say that when singers get older they can never sing as well as they use to but I have to say that Roger still sounds pretty good. Yes, Roger’s voice is not quite what it used to be 40 years ago, but he still sounds really good and I can’t wait to hear how he sounds on this tour!

I think that by listening to the song that you can probably figure out on your own what the epiphany Jimmy had on the rock. Love Reign O’er Me is such a great way to end this story, the sentiment that is held within the song is universal. Things for Jimmy are not completely resolved, but you can tell that they will get better from here.

I hope that you enjoyed my musings on Quadrophenia because I have really enjoyed writing them! This project has gotten me very excited for the concert tomorrow! I can’t believe that the concert is tomorrow! When I wrote the first blog it felt like it was so far away! It is going to be such a great show!

 

Drowned

Drowned is one of my favourite songs, I know that keep saying that but I can’t help it, and when I fell in love it with was not from the studio album but from the Live at Royal Albert Hall. When I was, I believe, 17 I went on a trip with my cousins to Barrie for shopping, dinner and a movie, and during that trip I bought The Who Live at Royal Albert Hall. I remember watching it for the first time and thinking that it was the best thing ever. Most of all I remember being floored the first time I watched the live version of Drowned which was Pete alone unaccompanied by himself with his guitar and it was amazing! I still don’t think that I have ever seen anyone play the guitar like that, it is mind blowing. Since that day I love Drowned so much.

As for the story Drowned actually doesn’t move it along at all. In the liner notes where there is the short story that explains what is happening the only thing that is written is “The sea is so gorgeous you want to jump into it and sink”. That is it. It doesn’t give much to go on. In my mind I am thinking that Jimmy is probably having another drug trip, and he is looking out at sea just loving it.

Musically while Drowned fits in perfectly with the rest of the songs on Quadrophenia I also think that it is the only one on the album that can stand alone. It is just a great song one that needs to listened too.

 

 

The Punk and the Godfather

The Punk and the Godfather is an interesting song because it is actually a conversation between two people. What happens is that Jimmy goes to see The Who play and he waits for them outside because he use to know one of them. At first the band member doesn’t recognize him so Jimmy shouts at him which is when the exchange happens. Jimmy goes on about how The Who would be nothing without kids like him, that they are the reason for their fame, and the Godfather responds by saying that the punk shouldn’t really be feeling to good about himself at the moment because he doesn’t have that much to be proud of.

 

The next thing that I want to talk about is who I think the Godfather actually is. It has to be member of The Who, but I’ve never read anything that says which member it is. I think that it is Pete Townshend. During the 60’s people thought of The Who as the premier Mod band, and Pete Townshend wrote all these great Mod songs, which would make him the Godfather of the Mods. I think that situations like this probably happened all the time, where some kid would yell at them after concerts, and sometimes people just snap. The last verse is sung by Pete Townshend and I think that it is the Godfathers thoughts, that he saw something in Jimmy that reminded him of himself and he has this thought.

I love how, musically, The Punk and the Godfather has a real argument vibe to it. Roger Daltrey sings all but the last verse and it still sounds like two different people, there are two distinctive voices, one young and angry, and one annoyed and mocking. I also love how The Who was never afraid to mix vocals in a song. Roger was the singer, but sometimes a different quality was needed to drive a point or idea home. In this song you need Roger’s harsh tough guy tone for the argument and Pete’s smoother style for the introspective section. It’s an interesting mix and the voices work really well with each other.