The Weird Story of Baba O'Riley by The Who

[@MusicMongoose]

Is Baba O’Riley your favourite Who song? If not - what is?

[@OfficialEvermore]

“The Real Me” “Love Reign O’er Me” It’s a tie. Both are straight bangers!

[@frankfurter63]

" Christmas" from Tommy. It summarizes what the album's about.

[@lilajagears8317]

Behind blue eyes.

[@Joel_Roberts]

Who Are You. Epic.

[@lilajagears8317]

@@Joel_Roberts I will admit that Rogers voice never sounded better, very "gruff " the only thing that ruins "who are you" is Pete's constant WHOO WHOO garbage. Otherwise it was a great song.

[@JoshMaxPower]

I did a triathlon in 2010 and almost collapsed. The song got me on my feet and motivated me to finish. LONG LIVE THE WHO MAXIMUM R&B

[@MusicMongoose]

That’s awesome man! Well done 💪💪

[@Charlie-f4q4o]

No your rong

[@10th_Doctor]

Just to note, Baba is not a name either first or last, it is an honorific which means father, grandfather, wise old man, or sir in Persian. It is used as a mark of respect to refer to Hindu ascetics and Sikh gurus.

[@MusicMongoose]

Good to know - thanks!

[@ivan_vasilj]

Also means Grandmother in many Slavic languages

[@patrickreilly7256]

Wow... nice information.♡. The song left an indelible mark in my mind as well as my heart. In 1990? We were at a Grateful Dead show at Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas. The band was.ending its 2nd set when my eldest son 2-3 yrs old disappeared. The stadium, seats and field were packed. Soon all exits in all directions would empty out. I panicked. I grabbed the gaurds, sent walki-talki everywhere. His name is Grail O'Riley. 35lbs. Tye dye shirt. I was besides myself. Just then, the Grateful Dead stepped on stage for their encore and broke into the WHOs "Baba O'Riley". Never done before by them. Thanks Jerry ♡. Needless to say my son was fine. Chased a balloon up several rows where a couple had him wait for his parents. "Out here in the feilds....it's only teen age waistland"

[@davidketterer2157]

Had to suffer through those flashes, etc. to wtch this

[@MusicMongoose]

Thanks for the feedback. The effects are stylistic choices but also to avoid unnecessary difficulty with KZbin's Content ID system. I'm working on different ways to show content in my videos now, with less flashes, etc... Stay tuned

[@tixximmi1]

I like that part where the one person said, the Universe is held together by a harmony. Zappa said the Universe is just one NOTE.

[@georgeprice4212]

8 of the 9 songs were initially part of a story called “Lifehouse”. The one that wasn’t? “My Wife”, composed by John Entwistle.

[@MusicMongoose]

Didn’t know that - thanks! 😁

[@TheDevnul]

He’s a guy in a field Who fights for his meals

[@peterwills5533]

Fascinating and very informative; thank you. I've been a big Who fan for years though I can't say I know masses about the band. I was however lucky enough, because of my connection with a disabled home in Bognor Regis, to be on many of the sets during the filming of Tommy. One quick story. The scene you show at 1.15 is in a Naval scrap yard in Portsmouth and the large silver balls were, I believe, redundant steel buoys; which is why they have handles attached to them! As I remember it there were huge two rows of these piled high with young birch trees growing through them. All old and black someone with a massive spray gun just went out, sprayed the whole lot silver (one side only) and there you have giant silver balls in Tommy's holiday camp. I've always thought this was an inspired piece of film-set location finding and I hope whoever thought of it got the praise they deserved. Thanks again for the post, much enjoyed.

[@MusicMongoose]

Amazing insight about the filming - thanks so much for sharing that!

[@StarDarkAshes]

Always one of my favorite from them and during the early 90s and late 80s I was on tour with the Grateful Dead and I was so stoked the first time I heard them cover this song.

[@justdiane5]

The Dead played Baba O'Riley?! I've got to search the archives now! 😃

[@truvakaplan2376]

Back in 1979 when I myself was in Teenage Wasteland. I loved this song but did not know the title until after I saw the 1979 Kids are Alright movie. In July 1979 in Towson Maryland

[@DoubleACbg]

An edited version of “Baba O’Riley” was utilized as the theme for the US television show CSI: NY, the second spinoff from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (which utilized an edited version of another Who song, “Who Are You” as its theme song)

[@susangirardi3655]

Okay Pete Townsend is way smarter than I ever imagined.

[@davidlosers]

Geesh I had to stop watching because of all the shiny video effects. Was that necessary!? I almost had an epileptic seizure.

[@ronaldworley7178]

Incredibly unnecessary and annoying

[@drecklydave9594]

You poor thing!

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

Remember playing this LP over and over Master piece😊

[@philiparmstrong2815]

Who's next is in my top 5 of all time. Every song is a hit.

[@richierugs6544]

Pete is my favorite rock personality, he is brilliant like no other, his demos are spectacular, I just marvel at everything he's done. The Bob then Jerry.

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

do you marvel over him beating peeedo charges?? I do Any normal person would be in jail

[@richierugs6544]

@@buzzedalldrink9131 no, it's justice, he didn't download anything, he wanted to see if it was as easy as he suspected--believe what u want

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

@@richierugs6544 BS you don’t go there “ for research” any normal ( non peedo) stays far away from anything like that. He got away with his crime because he is famous and probably bought his way out of jail. Why don’t you try the same thing and see what happens tp you. Don’t defend a peeedo it makes you look just as bad

[@tinahs8269]

Wow...that's so much more complicated than I imagined. I always thought Baba O Riley was a nickname of someone's grandmother (like Nana or Nonna in some cultures) and the song was an examination of the youth culture as seen from the eyes of a much older person, who valued hard work (in the fields, for example) over wasteful teenage pursuits such as lounging, listening to rock music, and consuming certain substances (ie the line "we're all wasted") I guess I get this from the fact that the same guy wrote " My generation"

[@jerrymcdaniel4539]

Behind Blue Eyes is my Favorite. Won’t get fooled again a close second. Baba O’Riley is a good song too but I have a better appreciation of it based on this video. This album is in my top 5 of all time.

[@Obleo575]

Inayat khan’s daughter, Noor although a pacifist, was a British WII spy. A wireless operator working with the French resistance. Refusing to leave France and her partisans without a radio she was captured and executed. I love Baba O’ Riley and often wondered about the name. I was a teenager when it came out. Thanks for the insight

[@johndurant622]

The simple lyrics are about teenagers coming of age. It’s hard to believe Kieth was shooting for something else entirely.

[@JelMain]

Don't forget, this must be read alongside psychodelia, with different approaches even within the band, as Keith Moon gradually succumbs to the drugs. It's rather a question of origins, too: Jagger, Bowie, Lennon, each have their own take, without diving into the depths of Concept Rock Tommy reflects, with Yes, Genesis, Focus setting the stage for Lloyd Webber, as the story-telling concept migrates from the world of Literature and Stage.

[@PhilipRawbon-rk8uv]

Crazy insight..thanks for this! I really had on idea..an the song still blows me away..lol..saw them live at Oldchella

[@MusicMongoose]

The song is a technical marvel 🙌

[@kingpishful]

Is it the person who told Peter to go on the internet? You know *"the internet"*

[@sweethands4328]

I actually learned something 👍

[@MusicMongoose]

That’s a relief! Make sure you’re subscribed - you might learn more! 😁👍

[@BigElCat]

Fascinating. I really glad they abandon the 'Lighthouse Rock Opera'. A world without the Who's Next album would have become that dystopia in rapid order.

[@familydogg1234]

Old Who fans Know, live and breathe Who history. Thanks anyway. I bought Who's Next/ Lifehouse 10 cd box set- there is something We would like to hear about. Favorite song? There are too many to choose and I dont have any songs I dislike. RIP Moony and John Alec Entwistle

[@steve2515]

'teenage wasteland' refrain . . . 'i fight for my meals' . . with those lyrics . . and being released during the heigiht of Vietnam War . . . I always thought it was an anti -war song.

[@dallascumming8750]

We'll get on to that in a minute.

[@Shemers42]

I have always wondered why it is called Baba O'Reilly. Unfortunately, I couldn't even make it halfway through this video, so I still dont know.

[@MusicMongoose]

Your loss pal

[@RogueA.I.]

I thought it was fascinating

[@drecklydave9594]

The yoof of today: no staying power!

[@jerrymcdaniel4539]

AI might be able to help write a persons musical avatar . It would be interesting to see.

[@travisazzopardi8024]

The original version was 13 minutes and this video is 13 minutes? I'm sensing a pattern here. 🤔😂

[@jfabiani]

"teens lost in acid trips and some suffered permanent brain damage" *REQUIRES FACTS NOT IN EVIDENCE.

[@sethwetzel974]

Was a little bit surprized to hear you did not mention Tommy's last name.

[@davidclaycomb4287]

Mehar baba looks like Ron Jeremy

[@timdulle5189]

always wondered...

[@JJP316]

Which one of those guys is Dave Arbus?

[@MusicMongoose]

Dave’s contribution is talked about at 10:15

[@winstonrumfoord7927]

Joe pera discovers baba oriley is some funny shit

[@DMSProduktions]

GREAT song! \m/

[@MusicMongoose]

One of the best of all time!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@MusicMongoose Oh yeah!

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Baba au rhum 😊

[@fredricclack7137]

Behind 💙 👀😢

[@bigjoe8922]

I see what you did there nice😊

[@roncarlson7682]

I thought the Lowery was used on WGFA, not Baba O’Reilly??

[@MusicMongoose]

Not sure about WGFA but definitely used on Baba - it's the marimba setting on it that produced that iconic intro!

[@roncarlson7682]

@@MusicMongoose Not saying you're wrong as you've obviously done the work. About a year to 2 years ago I read 2 different articles, one in Recording magazine and the other in a source I don't recall, mentioning the Lowery organ was used in WGFA using the function that may be the one you mention. One could hold the chords and the Lowery would do the repeating which mimicked a staccato playing approach . The author in the Recording article mentioned specifically remembering this as the music store he worked in at the time had a Lowery organ in stock with different folks, himself included, who got a kick out of emulating WGFA. I'm just confused as I thought that BO WAS a synth (a VCS-3) and WGFA was the Lowery and 'ne'er the twain shall meet', so to speak. Thanks for putting together the video. I appreciate your efforts, sir!

[@MusicMongoose]

@@roncarlson7682 Thanks for the kind words! Think you might have the two tracks mixed up - Baba was just the marimba setting on the organ and WGFA is run through a synthesiser (here's the man himself explaining WGFA): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWbZoIGvh9KpjtU&pp=ygUncGV0ZSB0b3duc2hlbmQgb24gcmVjb3JpbmcgYmFiYSBvIHJpbGV5

[@MusicMongoose]

@@roncarlson7682 And at 0:20 here - 'not a loop, played live' (not through a synthesiser! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqrdgpKYdself7M

[@roncarlson7682]

@@MusicMongoose I've got the dvd this video was taken from. Seems I need to rewatch. Thanks for your reply and link. An aside: I always disliked the inter-cutting between the studio track and the live recording because they are pitched differently. Hope all is well.

[@camwatters-iz5bs]

I always wondered why it was called baba o Reilly. I first thought it was called teenage wasteland

[@MusicMongoose]

Common mistake! 😊

[@subooking]

"Teenage Wasteland" was actually supposed to be a separate track similar to Baba O'Riley but it had a different arrangement and additional lyrics. You can find it on the Lifehouse Chronicles.

[@johnbuie966]

As Townshend said himself it's not about getting wasted. It's about wasted youth, wasted opportunities and wasted life.

[@RedVynil]

Didn't, "Lifehouse" eventually become, "Quadrophenia"?

[@MusicMongoose]

I don't think so... My understanding is Lifehouse became Who's Next (and later had it's own releases as the Lifehouse chronicles, etc) and Quadrophenia was a new musical direction and plot entirely. Pete once said about recording Quadrophenia: "I've got to get a new act together… People don't really want to sit and listen to all our past"

[@RedVynil]

@@MusicMongoose I never heard of Lifehouse until maybe a year ago and I'm pretty sure Pete said it (or some of the songs from it) eventually went to, "Quadrophinia". I guess he'll have to be asked.

[@chrisdelisle3954]

There was an idea for an album called “Rock Is Dead - Long Live Rock” that evolved into “Quadrophenia.”

[@RedVynil]

@@chrisdelisle3954 I never heard of that one.

[@chrisdelisle3954]

@@RedVynil The first indication I ever heard about it was in the liner notes of the "Odds And Sods" album for the song "Long Live Rock." Recorded in May/June 1972, the song had a couple of "Lifehouse"-ish songs in "Join Together," "The Relay" and "Put The Money Down." (it's not 100% clear to me if these could have been recorded the year prior, but they still have those same "Lifehouse"-era sounds. 2 songs from Quadrophenia were recorded around this time: "Is It In My Head" and "Love Reign O'er Me." The other songs recorded around this time were pretty weak. The album's original premise is that it was about the history of the Who. A song like "Long Live Rock" sounds like a perfect soundtrack song for that idea. However, it was rejected because it sounded too much like what they had recorded before. Then Townshend got a better idea and instead of just looking back on the era, they placed the story back in 1963/64, and etc, etc.

[@frankzappa951]

Danny’s brother.

[@fredricclack7137]

Teenage Wayland ✋

[@johnny5805]

I think we all know WHY Townsend envisioned the internet !

[@tonycowin]

Haha top comment on here. 😂

[@billyshane3804]

Welfare checks??? Russian Youths???

[@robert-wr6md]

Except I've always called it Barbra O'Riley, whoops.

[@MusicMongoose]

Ha!

[@johnking6252]

Way to much info on an album I enjoyed immensely..... until now ✌️. peace 🙏

[@hevydavy]

Silly sausage

[@MusicMongoose]

You found the secret message! Here’s a cookie 🍪

[@hevydavy]

@@MusicMongoose yummy, thank you!

[@billmalec]

Lots of drugs...

[@DavidLee-bf2pe]

This is the first video of yours I've tried to watch. Do you trash up the clips you use on all your videos? I'm watching because I love the subject you've chosen. So why the flashing garbage overlay? Why didn't you do it on the parts where you're talking to the camera? Nevermind. I'm out at six minutes and twenty six. Thumbs down.

[@MusicMongoose]

Thanks for the (unnecessarily nasty) feedback. The effects are stylistic choices but also to avoid unnecessary difficulty with KZbin's Content ID system. I'm working on different ways to show content in my videos now, with less flashes, etc... thanks for watching half the video 👍

[@DavidLee-bf2pe]

@@MusicMongoose My apologies. I'll give it the full viewing it deserves.

[@davidrauh8118]

If you didn't know who Baba was, you're not a Who fan!

[@MusicMongoose]

@@davidrauh8118 bit harsh 🤣

[@Chez8922-kf6cy]

Booo

[@bigl6322]

You can be a music fan without digging into their particular spiritual quest. Millions of fans…legitimate fans…cannot even sing all the lyrics through of some of their favorite songs, let alone know what inspired it, that doesn’t mean they connect less with it. They connect the way they need. I’ve been a guitar player and drummer for decades, I still have songs I have loved since the 70’s that connect with me based on just the music and I don’t know all the words. There are other songs that connect with me based on the lyrics, but the music bores me to death. It varies. But we are awed by your deep and broad knowledge of all things The Who minutiae… personally, I think you’re a troll 🧌

[@Charlie-f4q4o]

No sory but your rong

[@MusicMongoose]

? 😂

[@susangirardi3655]

You can't even spell. I doubt you know more than anybody.

[@drecklydave9594]

@@susangirardi3655 Maybe, by not filling one's brain with spellings, there is more room for loftier thought? Unfortunately, in this case the room is empty!

[@susangirardi3655]

@drecklydave9594 the more you know, the more you know.

[@drecklydave9594]

@@susangirardi3655 Oh look, over there, a tautology!

[@p0llenp0ny]

12:54 It appears you're pointing to a video about the Pixies, not the Rolling Stones.

[@MusicMongoose]

Thanks for pointing that out! I must have selected the wrong video.

[@beachcomberbob3496]

I never got on board with all of this Eastern mysticism gobbledegook that bands in the 60s went for. I always saw it as working class lads suddenly thrust into fame and fortune, without mental self reliance, looking for a short-cut to satisfaction. It didn't help that recreational drugs and alcohol were ubiquitous back then. 'Creative types' always seem to be a bit 'up their own arse' with their conception of 'art', trying too hard to impress a class of people who will write some kind of pseudo intellectual gibberish about said 'art'. Give a an honest rock track like 'Won’t Get Fooled Again' instead of sound 'acoustic landscape painting' that is supposed to have hidden depths and meaning.