| One of the most celebrated lyrics from The | | | | here in the fields' line. This lyric, |
| Who Teenage Wasteland is sung in an | | | | however, has since found resonance as a |
| emotional, almost breaking voice by guitarist | | | | metaphor for many who could identify with the |
| and songwriter Pete Townshend during the | | | | feelings of the song's protagonist, however |
| bridge to the song 'Baba O'Riley' from the | | | | removed from the original meaning their life |
| 'Who's Next' album. Townshend had put | | | | might be. For The Who Teenage Wasteland |
| together an instrumental synthesizer demo in | | | | represented a less literal concept, with |
| 1971 which was over 9 minutes in length and | | | | Townshend explaining that he used it to rail |
| consisted of a series of rising and falling | | | | against those unwilling to work to improve |
| arpeggios. He played it for the band after | | | | the world around them. |
| the rock opera he had previously been working | | | | |
| on had collapsed and left him an emotional | | | | The song's synthesizer parts weren't the only |
| wreck. The Who took many bits and pieces of | | | | unique musical aspect of the track. In the |
| music from that project along with songs that | | | | last section of the song the guitars fade |
| other band members had been working on and | | | | away to reveal a violin playing a |
| combined them to form the new album. In some | | | | folk-inspired, whirling dervish of a rhythm. |
| cases, songs were split up and sewn together, | | | | This was unusual for a rock band at the time, |
| and this is how 'Baba O'Riley' came to be | | | | and instead of being rejected by fans it |
| written. The synthesizer demo was combined | | | | became one of the song's most endearing |
| with an entirely different track called | | | | qualities. On occasion The Who will employ a |
| 'Teenage Wasteland' and the end result was | | | | violinist in a live setting specifically for |
| the extremely successful opening track off of | | | | 'Baba O'Riley', but usually the solo is |
| 'Who's Next'. The 'teenage wasteland' lyric | | | | performed by Daltrey on the harmonica. The |
| in the bridge and chorus was so popular that | | | | song is only 5 minutes long, although in |
| the song is often identified by this name. | | | | concert it can range well past 10 minutes |
| | | | depending on how involved the band becomes in |
| The original song by this name was released | | | | exploring the synthesizer lines. |
| in 1999 as a demo from the sessions that took | | | | |
| place for the abandoned 'Lifehouse' rock | | | | is the mystical rehersal studio for rockers |
| opera. Some of the lyrics in the track can | | | | DEMON TWEAK. Listen as they prepare for |
| be attributed to the storyline of | | | | battle with the evil trickster Loki by |
| 'Lifehouse', as the song was intended to be | | | | playing home brewed classic rock direct from |
| sung by a farmer who was moving his family | | | | Ragnarok. |
| into the city of London, explaining the 'Out | | | | |