For all the lightness of the tune, '
1921' is a dark song. Tommy's father shoots his wife's lover. Tommy's father was assumed missing ['
Captain Walker didn't come home, his unborn child will never know him. Believed to be missing with a number of men, Don't expect to see him again'] before Tommy was born. We then move forward three years after the war to 1921, and we find that the mother is involved with someone else. For the two of them, '
1921 is going to be a good year.' Then Tommy's father bursts through the door, and shoots the lover. [Note - There was a gunshot effect that was removed from the record]. Tommy sees this traumatic event in the mirror - this is not obvious, but the key is that in the background vocals of '1921' you get reflections -- 'You didn't hear it (I heard it)' and so forth
This was changed by Ken Russell in the movie so that it was the father who was killed
An early version of the song contained the line '
I had no reason to be over-optimistic, but I dreamed that you'd be faithful and wait for me forever.'
The song raises a number of problems, both with the narrative of the story - Tommy being born after the first world war makes no sense. In the film version, this was sensibly altered to the second world war, which makes the use of pinball machines and holiday camps much more believable
More worrying is the fact that Tommy (as we would now know) was the victim of being bullied and child abuse - 'You didn't hear it, You didn't see it, You won't say nothing to no one ever in your life What you know is the truth'
On the US release, the title was changed to 'You Didn't Hear It.'
"Lover:
I've got a feeling twenty one
Is going to be a good year.
Especially if you and me
See it in together.
Father:
So you think 21 is going to be a good year.
It could be for me and her,
But you and her - no never!
I had no reason to be over optimistic,
But somehow when you smiled
I could brave bad weather
Mother:
What about the boy?
What about the boy?
What about the boy?
He saw it all!
Mother and Father:
You didn't hear it (I heard it)
You didn't see it. (I saw it)
You won't say nothing to no one
ever in your life.
You never heard it
Oh how absurd it
All seems without any proof.
You didn't hear it (I heard it)
You didn't see it (I saw it)
You never heard it not a word of it.
You won't say nothing to no one
Never tell a soul
What you know is the Truth.
I've got a feeling twenty-one
Is going to be a good year
Especially if you and me
See it in together
I've got a feeling twenty-one
Is going to be a good year
Especially if you and me
See it in together
I had no reason
To be over optimistic
But somehow when you smiled
I can brave bad weather
What about the boy?"
'
Amazing Journey' is the first great rock song on the album and a song which was the cornerstone for the entire 'Tommy' project. Keith leads the way with some incredible drums. On the record, backward tapes are used to emphasize the state of Tommy's unbalanced mind. 'Amazing Journey' is one of the many songs on the album that come to life on the stage, and it segues directly into the instrumental '
Sparks', which contains a deep rooted, rumbling riff that slides into the melody that was previously used in the song 'Rael'
Unfortunately, because the two songs are joined, there is a nasty and disjointed cut when the two individual tracks are played on You Tube, so I have included a live version from the 2004 Isle of Wight festival
Amazing Journey
"Deaf Dumb and blind boy
He's in a quiet vibration land
Strange as it seems his musical dreams
Ain't quite so bad.
Ten years old
With thoughts as bold as thought can be
Loving life and becoming wise
In simplicity.
Sickness will surely take the mind
Where minds can't usually go.
Come on the amazing journey
And learn all you should know.
A vague haze of delerium
creeps up on me.
All at once a tall stranger I suddenly see.
He's dressed in a silver sparked
Glittering gown
And His golden beard flows
Nearly down to the ground.
Nothing to say and nothing to hear
And nothing to see.
Each sensation makes a note in my symphony.
Sickness will surely take the mind
Where minds can't usually go.
Come on the amazing journey
And learn all you should know.
His eyes are the eyes that
Transmit all they know.
Sparkle warm crystalline glances to show
That he is your leader
And he is your guide
On the amazing journey together you'll ride."