On October 30th, 1971 (49 years ago today), The Who released their second compilation album - '
Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy'
The album's original title was 'The Who Looks Back', and the front cover was meant to illustrate that. Of course the children are not The Who, but rather four kids rounded up in 1971 and dressed to look like the young Who. One of them is Who manager Bill Curbishley's brother Paul
The panoramic photograph which is featured on the inside cover of the original gatefold release is an exterior shot of the side of the Railway Hotel in north-west London. This music venue was run by Pete's friend Richard Barnes, and was a major Mod hangout. Starting on Tuesday Nights in June 1964, soon after Keith Moon joined the band, The Who became regulars there. Pete accidentally cracked his guitar neck on the low ceiling and in reaction to laughs from the crowd, smashed his guitar for the first time
The back cover mirrored the front cover
The first editions included a sheet of liner notes
The U.K. release was held up because The Who and Bill Curbishley had failed to clear it with manager Kit Lambert. He tried to have the order of tracks changed but failed because too many copies had been pressed. The LP reached #9 in the U.K. charts on December 3rd 1971. It was released in the U.S. on November 20th, 1971, and it would reach #11 on the Billboard charts.
Track listing:
Side one
- I Can't Explain
- The Kids Are Alright
- Happy Jack
- I Can See for Miles
- Pictures of Lily
- My Generation
- The Seeker
Side two
- Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
- Pinball Wizard
- A Legal Matter
- Boris the Spider
- Magic Bus (extended version)
- Substitute
- I'm a Boy (extended version)