5/12: '
Much Too Much' is a fairly standard beat group song from the era. Keith's drumming is good however
"Much too much to bear
Your love is hard and fast
Your love will always last
If it's you I need
I've got to pay the levy
Got to pay
'Cause your love's too heavy on me
And it's much too much to bear
If I ever leave you darlin'
I hope you see
That I really love you
But your love's too heavy on me
And it's much too much to bear
When I make love to you
Do all the things you want me to do
You never think of me
Always cry a bevy
Bevy of tears
'Cause your love's too heavy on me
And it's much too much to bear
There was a time I could give all I had to you
But my enthusiasm waned and I can't bear the pain
Of doing what I don't want to do
Much too much to bear
Your love is hard and fast
Your love will always last
If it's you I need
I've got to pay the levy
Got to pay
'Cause your love's too heavy on me
And it's much too much to bear"
6/12: What can be said about '
My Generation' which hasn't been said before? Closing the first side of the album is *the* Mod anthem from the 60's; the best known song in the Who's repertoire; and one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded - It was named the 11th greatest song by Rolling Stone Magazine in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; 13th on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Songs of Rock & Roll; is part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll; and is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value. In 2009 VH1 named named it the 37th Greatest Hard Rock Song of all time
Pete has often regretted writing the line 'hope I die before I get old', but 'My Generation' remains the hardest hitting single release by any group of the time. Remember that The Beatles and The Stones were still singing about love!
The song started life as a slow blues number, but manager Kit Lambert suggested that they sped things up a bit.
Released as a single on October 29th, 1965, 6 weeks before the album was released, it reaching No. 2 in the UK charts, and is their highest charting single in their home country. Just before it was released, however, Roger was fired (again) for his violent attacks on the other three members of the band! He was quickly reinstated when the song leapt up the charts - it's success undoubtedly saved him from the life of a tearaway (and possible prison) and the band from extinction!
The song is a cataclysmic tour de force, from Roger's 'controversial' stuttering vocals, to John's lumpy bass solo (which was probably the first time a bass solo had appeared in a rock song), to Pete's grungy two-chord guitar riff, to Keith's assault on the drums. The rebellious stance was a perfect war cry for anyone under the age of 20 who felt alienated and that the current state of the world wasn't for them. If the first two minuted of the song were not enough, the band pile on the pressure with a musical key change...and the song ends with a brutal climax of distorted feedback and general mayhem
Pete:
"The guy who's singing is supposed to be blocked. It's reminiscent in a way because Mods don't get blocked anymore. They get drunk or other things. Pills was a phase...No, he's not blocked. He just can't form his words. [Manager] Chris Stamp was all for it, but the others kept wanting to put their own bits in. The ending is a natural progression of what's come before. It's the way it happens on stage. It was meant to get back more to the general theme at the end, but it doesn't."
At the time, it was used as the last song of the set, leading to the wanton destruction of the instruments. Over the years, it also evolved into a improvisational jam session between Pete, John and Keith, with the run time being extended. The longest version I am aware of lasts for over 30 minutes, and was recorded at the
Fillmore East in 1968
"People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to d-dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby"