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Old 26th February 2021, 02:41 PM
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Susan Foreman Susan Foreman is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Childhood home of Billy Idol - Orpington
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Album #9:
The Who By Numbers

By the time the band got round to recording 'The Who By Numbers', they were tired, insecure and feeling the pace and although the record was never intended to be a concept album, there is a running theme of discontentment, disillusionment and, above all, the dilemma of growing old. It was as if Pete had approached this stage in The Who's career as a penitent might approach the confession box! Never one to shirk away from the truth, on this album Pete bares his soul and the demons that lay within...but this doesn't make for fun listening

Overall, 'The Who By Numbers' has a much lighter sound than any of its predecessors. Here, Pete abandons the the synthesizers of 'Who's Next' and 'Quadrophenia' and eschews his trademark block chords for for some diligent lead guitar. Keith's drums rarely pound like they once did and Roger's voice, becoming deeper and more sonorous as it aged, no longer spits out the lyrics with the ferocity of old. Only John retained his trademark bass style – fast and fluid and during the song 'Dreaming From The Waist', it is in a class of it's own

At this point of their career, The Who on record and The Who live were two totally different entities. Only two of the songs from this album – 'Squeeze Box' and the aforementioned 'Dreaming From The Waist' – were played live with any regularity in a set that was gradually becoming a celebratory and vigorously performed parade of 'greatest hits'. Saying that, bit 'Slip Kid' and 'However Much I Booze' were attempted on stage, but quickly discarded

On it's release in 1975, The Who made a triumphant return to the stage, touring the US with the same zest and expertise that they had shown five years earlier, but deep insode, Pete knew that to survive as a creative unit, and therefore retain his interest, the band had to change...or stagnate. The problem was the direction in which to change, and the expectations of the fans who liked their Who as loud and brash as it has alwayss been”

Released in October 1975, 'The Who By Numbers' reached no. 8 on the UK album charts

The front cover of the album is a self-deprecatory dot-to-dot cartoon that was drawn by John. In 1996, when asked about the cover, he replied:
"The first piece of artwork I released was the cover to 'The Who by Numbers'. I never got paid for it, so now I'm going to get paid. We were taking it in turns to do the covers. It was Pete's turn before me and we did the Quadrophenia cover, which cost about the same as a small house back then, about £16,000. My cover cost £32."



...while the back cover was plain except for the song titles


The album opens with 'Slip Kid'. An eight-beat count in leads to a shuffle rhythm that could be a drum machine, before Roger and Pete swap autobiographical lines about a rock and roll kid who is lost when he grows up. With Roger singing 'There's no easy way to be free', and Pete singing 'It's a hard, hard world' the mood of the album is immediately apparent. Nicky Hopkins is featured on the piano, and there is a fine guitar solo


"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

I've got my clipboard, textbooks
Lead me to the station
Yeah, I'm off to the civil war
I've got my kit bag, my heavy boots
I'm running in the rain
Going to run till my feet are raw

Slip kid, slip kid, second generation
And I'm a soldier at thirteen
Slip kid, slip kid, realization
There's no easy way to be free
No easy way to be free
It's a hard, hard world

I left my doctor's prescription bungalow behind me
I left the door ajar
I left my vacuum flask
Full of hot tea and sugar
Left the keys right in my car

Slip kid, slip kid, second generation
Only half way up the tree
Slip kid, slip kid, I'm a relation
I'm a soldier at sixty-three
No easy way to be free

Slip kid
Slip kid
Keep away old man, you won't fool me
You and your history won't rule me
You might have been a fighter, but admit you failed
I'm not affected by your blackmail
You won't blackmail me

Slip kid, slip kid, slip out of trouble
Slip over here and set me free
Slip kid, slip kid, second generation
You're sliding down the hill like me
No easy way to be free

No easy way to be free [repeat to fade]"


One of the most distinctive aspects of 'The Who By Numbers' is that the songs of personal anguish are cloaked in pleasant, almost cheerful, melodies. During 'However Much I Booze', while Pete is singing lyrics about his failures and vanities, reaching the conclusion that 'There is no way out', the band skip along brightly and Pete adds some authentic Country picking during his solo


"I see myself on T.V., I'm a faker, a paper clown
It's clear to all my friends that I habitually lie
I just bring them down
I claim proneness to exaggeration
But the truth lies in my frustration
The children of the night, they all pass me by
Have to drench myself in brandy
In sleep I'll hide
But however much I booze

There ain't no way out
There ain't no way out
I don't care what you say, boy
There ain't no way out

I lose so many nights of sleep worrying about my responsibilities
Are the problems that screw me up really down to him or me
My ego will just confuse me
Some day it's going to up and use me
Dish me out another tailor-made compliment
Tell me about some destiny I can't prevent
And however much I squirm

Won't somebody tell me how to get out of this place?!

Then the night comes down like a cell door closing
Suddenly I realize that I'm right now, I'm on the scene
While sitting here all alone with a bottle and my head a-floating
Far away from the phone and the conscience going on at me
And on at me, and I don't care what you say

There ain't no way out[x2]

Now the walls are all clawed and scratched like by some soul insane
In the morning I hungoverly detach myself, I take no blame
I just can't face my failure
I'm nothing but a well-****ed sailor
You at home can easily decide what's right
By glancing very briefly at the songs I write
But it don't help me that you know

This still ain't no way out
Won't somebody tell me?
I don't care what you say, boy
There ain't no way out[x4]
Give me the key [x4]
There ain't no way out [ad-lib to fade]"
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