The Roots of Tommy
Encyclopedia
The Roots of Tommy: Music That Inspired The Who's Classic Rock Opera, a compilation album
that was released with the April 2004 issue of Uncut
, is composed of tracks that it is asserted influenced the creation of the 1969 rock opera
Tommy by the Who
.
The album ends with Townshend's demo recording of "Pinball Wizard," which is followed by additional ribald comedy of Max Miller, apparently the inspiration for Uncle Ernie.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
that was released with the April 2004 issue of Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
, is composed of tracks that it is asserted influenced the creation of the 1969 rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Tommy by the Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
The album ends with Townshend's demo recording of "Pinball Wizard," which is followed by additional ribald comedy of Max Miller, apparently the inspiration for Uncle Ernie.
Track listing
- The Pretty ThingsThe Pretty ThingsThe Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
– "S.F. SorrowS.F. SorrowS.F. Sorrow is the title of the fourth LP by the British rock group The Pretty Things, released in 1968.One of the first rock concept albums, S.F. Sorrow was based on a short story by singer-guitarist Phil May. The album is structured as a song cycle, telling the story of the main character,...
Is Born" (TaylorDick TaylorRichard Clifford 'Dick' Taylor is an English musician who was an early bass guitarist for The Rolling Stones. He left to become an art student at Sidcup Art College and while there formed The Pretty Things in September 1963...
, Waller) - Mose AllisonMose AllisonMose John Allison, Jr. is an American jazz blues pianist and singer.-Biography:...
– "A Young Man" (Allison) - The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceThe Jimi Hendrix ExperienceThe Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
– "I Don't Live Today" (HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
) - The ZombiesThe ZombiesThe Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
– "Care of Cell 44Odessey and OracleOdessey and Oracle is the third studio album by British pop rock band The Zombies, released on 19 April 1968 by Date Records. It is among the most critically acclaimed albums of popular music.-Album information:...
" (ArgentRod ArgentRod Argent is an English rock musician and a founding member of the 1960s English pop group The Zombies and the 1970s band Argent....
) - Eddie CochranEddie CochranEddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
– "My Way" (Capehart, Cochran) - The CreationThe Creation (band)The Creation were an English rock band, formed in 1966. The most popular Creation song was "Painter Man", which made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in late 1966, and reached #8 in the German chart in April 1967. It was later covered by Boney M in 1979, and reached the #10 position in the UK...
– "Nightmares" (Pickett, Phillips) - Muddy WatersMuddy WatersMcKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
– "Mannish Boy" (Morganfield, McDaniels) - NirvanaNirvana (UK band)Nirvana were a United Kingdom-based progressive rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though the band only achieved limited commercial success, they were acclaimed both by music industry professionals and critics...
– "Pentecost Hotel" (Spyropoulos, Campbell-LyonsPatrick Campbell-LyonsPatrick Campbell-Lyons , is a composer and musician who is one half of the cult symphonic-rock band, Nirvana - formed in London in 1967 and still sporadically active in 2006....
) - Sonny Boy WilliamsonSonny Boy Williamson IIWillie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
– "Eyesight to the BlindEyesight to the Blind"Eyesight to the Blind" is a 12-bar blues originally written and recorded in 1951 by Sonny Boy Williamson II , and subsequently recorded by many other musicians including The Who as part of the rock opera Tommy....
" (Miller) - Procol HarumProcol HarumProcol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
– "Shine on BrightlyShine on BrightlyShine on Brightly, by the UK band Procol Harum, was released in 1968 and consolidated the success of their debut album; it was influential in the development of progressive rock by breaking all pop and rock music standards with the 17-minute epic "In Held Twas in I", which marked the beginning of...
" (BrookerGary BrookerGary Brooker, MBE, is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder of the rock band Procol Harum. Brooker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2003, in recognition of his charitable services.-Early life:Brooker was born in...
, ReidKeith ReidKeith Reid is a songwriter who wrote the lyrics of every Procol Harum song that is not a cover...
) - Max Miller – "I Never Slept a Wink All Night" (Royd, Paighton, Nicholls)
- The KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
– "The Village Green Preservation Society" (DaviesRay DaviesRay Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
) - Keith WestKeith WestKeith Alan Hopkins, better known by his stage name, Keith West was the lead singer of Tomorrow, a 1960s psychedelic rock band. West composed most of the band's songs...
– "Sam" (from A Teenage OperaA Teenage OperaA Teenage Opera is a musical project from the 1960s and was the creation of record producer Mark Wirtz.- History :According to Wirtz, he had been working on an idea for a rock opera since January 1966, when he was experimenting in his London studio and produced a piece of music entitled "A Touch of...
by Mark WirtzMark WirtzMark P. Wirtz is an Alsatian born pop music record producer, composer, singer, musician, author, and stand-up comedian. As a producer, Wirtz's most famous output is from the mid to late 1960s, when he worked at Abbey Road Studios with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, under contract to EMI...
), HopkinsKeith WestKeith Alan Hopkins, better known by his stage name, Keith West was the lead singer of Tomorrow, a 1960s psychedelic rock band. West composed most of the band's songs...
) - Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
– "Pinball Wizard" (Demo) (Townshend) 3:55- Max Miller – spoken word tag, 0:14