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