Opening the second side of the second album is another short vocal link '
Miracle Cure'
The subject matter for '
Sally Simpson' may well have been one of the key elements that inspired Pete to produce 'Tommy' in the first place, but it sounds like it belongs to a different album entirely. Missing are the rhythmic structures that crop up so often elsewhere, replaced by a slight melody detailing how young Sally Simpson disobeys her parents, goes to see Tommy in concert, gets caught up in a melee at the front of the stage and is permanently disfigured as a result
This song was inspired by Pete witnessing Jim Morrison's dangerous teasing of The Doors fans when the band followed The Who at a show in New York City in August 1968. The original draft was about a rock and roll star named Danine instead of Tommy, and the car was an Eldorado instead of a Rolls Royce
It was the first song from 'Tommy' that was dropped from the live shows
"Outside the house Mr. Simpson announced
that Sally couldn't go to the meeting.
He went on cleaning his blue Rolls Royce
and she ran inside weeping.
She got to her room and tears splashed the picture
of the new Messiah.
She picked up a book of her fathers life
and threw it on the fire!
She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.
The theme of the sermon was come unto me,
Love will find a way,
So Sally decided to ignore her dad,
and sneak out anyway!
She spent all afternoon getting ready,
and decided she'd try to touch him,
Maybe he'd see that she was free
and talk to her this Sunday.
She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.
She arrived at six and the place was swinging
to gospel music by nine.
Group after group appeared on the stage
and Sally just sat there crying.
She bit her nails looking pretty as a picture
right in the very front row
And then a DJ wearing a blazer with a badge
ran on and said 'here we go!'
The crowd went crazy
As Tommy hit the stage!
Little Sally got lost as the police bossed
The crowd back in a rage!
But soon the atmosphere was cooler
as Tommy gave a lesson.
Sally just had to let him know she loved him
and leapt up on the rostrum!
She ran cross stage to the spotlit figure
and touched him on the face
Tommy whirled around as a uniformed man,
threw her of the stage.
She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be.
Her cheek hit a chair and blood trickled down,
mingling with her tears,
Tommy carried on preaching
and his voice filled Sally's ear
She caught his eye she had to try
but couldn't see through the lights
Her face was gashed and the ambulance men
had to carry her out that night.
The crowd went crazy
As Tommy left the stage!
Little Sally was lost for the price of a touch
And a gash across her face! OOoooh.
Sixteen stitches put her right and her Dad said
'don't say I didn't warn yer'.
Sally got married to a rock musician
she met in California
Tommy always talks about the day
the disciples all went wild!
Sally still carries a scar on her cheek
to remind her of his smile.
She knew from the start
Deep down in her heart
That she and Tommy were worlds apart,
But her Mother said never mind your part...
Is to be what you'll be."
A memorable six chord riff introduces '
I'm Free', one of the best songs on the album. Tommy throws off the shackles of his disability and urges his followers - those attracted to pinball - to follow him
There's a tinkly piano, great acoustic guitar solo and a nice return to the familiar 'Pinball Wizard' riff
Pete:
'I'm Free' came from 'Street Fighting Man.' This has a weird time / shape and when I finally discovered how it went, I thought 'well blimey, it can't be that simple,' but it was and it was a gas and I wanted to do it myself."
"I'M FREE - I'm free,
And freedom tastes of reality,
I'm free - I'm free,
AN' I'm waiting for you to follow me.
If I told you what it takes
to reach the highest high,
You'd laugh and say 'nothing's that simple'
But you've been told many times before
Messiahs pointed to the door
And no one had the guts to leave the temple!
I'm free - I'm free
And freedom tastes of reality
I'm free - I'm free
And I'm waiting for you to follow me.
Chorus:
How can we follow?
How can we follow?"