The Who are an English rock band that formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. The band reached international success, became known for their energetic live performances, are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and ’70s, and recognized as one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time.
The Who rose to fame in the United Kingdom with a pioneering instrument destruction stage show, as well as a series of top ten hit singles (including the celebrated “My Generation”) and top five albums, beginning in 1965 with “I Can’t Explain”. They first hit the top ten in the USA in 1967 with “I Can See for Miles”. The 1969 release of Tommy was the first in a series of top five albums for the group in the USA, followed by Live at Leeds (1970), Who’s Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973), and Who Are You (1978) among others.
Keith Moon died in 1978, after which the band released two more studio albums, the top five Face Dances (1981) and the top ten It’s Hard (1982), with drummer Kenney Jones, before officially disbanding in 1983. They reformed on several occasions to perform at special events such as Live Aid and for reunion tours such as their 25th anniversary tour (1989) and the Quadrophenia revival tours of 1996 and 1997. In 2000, the three surviving original members began to discuss the possibility of recording an album of new material. These plans were delayed following the death of John Entwistle in 2002. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey continue to perform as The Who. In 2006 they released the studio album Endless Wire, which reached the top ten in the USA and UK.
Pinball Wizard
“Pinball Wizard” is a song written by Pete Townshend. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called “Local Lad” in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera’s eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: “That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball”, and “I thought I was the Bally table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him”.
Townshend once called it “the most clumsy piece of writing [he'd] ever done”; nevertheless, the song was a gigantic commercial success and one of the most recognized tunes from the opera. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity.
http://djallyn.org/media/the-who-pinball-wizard.flvEver since I was a young boy,
I’ve played the silver ball.
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all.
but I ain’t seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall.
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!He stands like a statue,
Becomes part of the machine.
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean.
plays by intuition,
The digit counters fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!He’s a pinball wizard
There has to be a twist.
A pin ball wizard,
S’got such a supple wrist.How do you think he does it?
I don’t know!
What makes him so good?ain’t got no distractions
Can’t hear no buzzers and bells,
Don’t see no lights a flashin’
Plays by sense of smell.
Always gets the replay,
Never seen him fall,
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball.I thought I was
The Bally table king.
But I just handed
My pinball crown to him.Even on my favorite table
He can beat my best.
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest.
He’s got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall.
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!
- Audio from the 1969 album, Tommy:
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