Released in December 1972, '
Relay' is another song that was originally written for the 'Lifehouse' album, but then shelved along with the rest of the album. It was then resurrected to be used in another Who album entitled '
Rock Is Dead — Long Live Rock!', that was also ultimately abandoned
A 'wah-wah' guitar, or possibly a 'treated synthesizer guitar' opens a full tilt rocker about the need to exchange information and ideas - or at ;east pass them onto the next generation. With a ringing acoustic guitar in one channel and the wah-wah in the other, not to mention John's exemplary bass playing high up on his fretboard, there is a wealth of good ideas, both musically and lyrically, here. Plus, there is a nice allegory about passing the baton in a relay race
Much too weighty to be released as a single, it reached no. 21 in the UK chart in 1973
'Relay' was also the last non-album single by The Who until 'Real Good Looking Boy' was released 32 years later in 2004
"You can hear it in the street, see it in the dragging feet,
The word is getting out about control,
Spies they've come and gone, the story travels on,
The only quiet place is inside your soul.
From tree to tree, from you to me,
Traveling twice as fast as on any freeway,
Every single dream, wrapped up in the scheme,
They all get carried on the relay.
Relay, things are brewing,
Relay, something's doing,
Relay, there's a revolution,
Relay, relay, hand me down a solution, yeah.
Pass it on, come on, a relay.
Someone disapproves of what you say and do,
I was asked to see what I could really learn you,
Don't believe your eyes, they're telling only lies,
What is done in the first place don't concern you.
From tree to tree, from you to me,
Traveling twice as fast as on any freeway,
Every single dream wrapped up in the scheme,
They all get carried on the relay.
Relay, things are brewing,
Relay, something's doing,
Relay, there's a revolution,
Relay, relay, hand me down a solution, yeah.
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on, hey you, pass it on,
We're on the relay, get a moving, get on a moving on,
The relay, the relay, the relay, the relay."
The B-side of the single was an instrumental by Keith called '
Wasp Man', although it's thought John actually wrote it and gave the credit to Keith
Three minutes of pure lunacy that allegedly originated when Keith, bored on a long flight from Australia, adopted the guise of a wasp, and ran around the plane making buzzing noises and wearing a groupies bra wrapped around his face!
Relocating to the studio, he continued to buzz while the band played a truly monotonous three chord riff. It would be generous to describe this track as 'filler material'!
On other instrumental songs, Keith had always made a point of doing something special on the drums, but sadly that is not evident here
The band didn't return to Australia until 2004!
"Waspman...
Sting, sting
Don't get stung
You're gonna get stung
[etc.]"