Two Songs by The Who that Roger Daltrey HATES!

The Who are one of the most influential bands on the planet. Hard to think that Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, Pete Townsend and the rest could ever produce a bad song. Daltrey disagrees though... This is the story of the songs from the albums Who Are You and Who's Next that Daltrey despises the most!
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[@MusicMongoose]

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[@vinceventresca6763]

There’s no drums on Music Must Change. The Beat, such as it is, was actually set by Pete Townshend recording himself walking across the floor in Time with the rest of the song. If you listen closely to Music Must Change, you’ll hear footsteps, as well as the sound of broken glass. That was Pete walking across the floor and then kicking a bottle down the steps. He recorded those two sounds for the demo, but used them in the final Studio product after Keith Moon couldn’t get the Timing down on the drums. The Who performed Music Must Change during their shows with Kenney Jones in 1979, often stretching it to over seven minutes with Pete Townshend going off and soloing. As for bringing in a Session Drummer, that was something Pete, Roger and John actually discussed as Keith had trouble cutting it in the studio. They did warn him that he’d be tossed out and a new drummer brought in if he didn’t get his act together. In the short term it worked as he was able to do all of the drum tracks for Who are You over the space of a few days, but it ultimately didn’t keep his body from falling apart and his confidence from going completely south. If I were Roger, all that would be enough baggage for me to not want to play it on later tours, but John Entwistle dying after they all decided to revive it for the 2002 tour would make me think it was cursed as well.

[@juliatutor8099]

I was going to put this in, but bless you for doing so

[@Me-zt8gy]

THANK YOU!!!

[@rockinremnants510]

Nice post! I'd say there's "percussion" on Music Must Change (even if it was Pete stomping on the floor...)

[@JPBinni137]

Haha! You beat us to it! Well done, sir! Thank you for posting!🤘 🎸

[@179cpv]

The fact that Daltrey didn’t want to perform the song because of unpleasant memories associated with it doesn’t make it an awful song. “Music Must Change” is a awesome track, one of the best from the Who Are You album.

[@JPBinni137]

Yes, I agree! Music Must Change and Guitar and Pen are very underrated!

[@ramalama9650]

That track is absolutely amazing. There is so much detail in there. The vocals are brilliant. In fact, they are perfect. 'Sometimes at night, I wake up and my body's like iceeeeeessss The sound of the running wild stallion, the noise of the mice' (With the sound of mice panning across) I hear something new in it every time I listen. Oh, and by the way, I bought it when it was first released. So I have listened A LOT!

[@philipgior3312]

It's one thing to hate a song, quite another to hate having to play it over and over.

[@patiemorton50]

And still play it wonderfully, at that!

[@pulsarlights2825]

I wouldn't want to attempt that scream at the end of the song in my late 70s every night either.....

[@maxthepupp]

I would contend The Kinks are the ones who get credit for the power chord in "You Really Got Me"' As they should. Rock on!🤘😎🤘

[@briankorbelik2873]

I think it's a tie.

[@johnnyazer5779]

I think I may have. There was a band my parents hired for an outdoor event I was told when I was three. the guitar player left his amp on and I walked over it not knowing what the volume knob was. Cranked it up strummed a big whooop, feedback..chased away and spanked severely. The strum sounded as dirty as a cartel bribe.

[@wayneelliott7011]

You are correct Max.

[@kewrock]

They invented distortion on YRGM. In Ray Davies' biography, he goes into how Dave jammed knitting needle into their little green amp, creating the fuzzy sound that every rock and metal band use today. According to Wiki. Power chords were around since the fifties. It lists a bunch of old R&B acts I never heard of.

[@kewrock]

Pete has stated he hates Goodbye Sister Disco. It's one of Roger's favorites. When they play it, Roger comes and gets close to Pete. He hates that. John Entwistle hated Happy Jack. He said it was boring and repetitive to play. And they used to drag it on forever.

[@JDG7724]

You may be thinking of "Magic Bus"

[@kewrock]

@@JDG7724 Yes. My mistake. It was magic Bus. He said it was the same chords over and over. And live, they'd stretch it out too long.

[@chrisradano]

Ian Anderson said to the audience he utterly loathed playing "Living in the Past" in a live recording on my vinyl 20th Anniversary Jethro Tull box set. "Music Must Change" is a fantastic song. It does sound different without Keith Moon. But Moon really looks like he's not well in that "Who Are You" demo that is excerpted here. And John looks old before his time. He passed at 57? Wow. Hard life they must have had. "Who Are You" was a magical album when it was released in 1978. "Music Must Change" is a song that leaves quite an impression. You see me with headphones, that's a good song for headphones. That album really breathed new life into The Who's aura. At my High School "Who Are You?" was spray painted on an exterior wall about 30 feet long and remained for maybe 25 years before it was cleaned off.

[@56dinosaur]

The studio recording of "Music Must Change" has no drums whatsoever, but it does have footsteps.

[@peterraymond8470]

Yes, and cymbal crashes and perhaps some other percussion, but, yes, as you said there are no actual drums. It may actually be the only Who song [ from the Keith Moon era anyway ] with no drums whatsoever.

[@plasticoflamingo2952]

"Won't Get Fooled Again" is understandable, as modern society is pretty much a mockery of what the song is about, i.e. "meet the new boss, same as the old boss." Indeed. "The Music Must Change", as I understand it, is about the drug abuse, and human abuse, in the pop music industry. Even after this song, the abuse has only gotten worse. I love hearing and listening to these songs, and, I get why Roger doesn't want to do them, anymore. They are, both, old battle-rally songs, from a behind-the-scenes war, that has been going on for too long.

[@littlejimmy7402]

Keith was a mess during the "Who Are You" sessions. The "Not to be Taken Away" sign on the chair he is sitting on feels prophetic, he was sitting in that chair to hide his gut because he was so out of shape.

[@derekroberts6654]

Apparently “Angel of Death” didn’t read the sign closely…”NOT to be taken away”…😞

[@ronkonkoma7718]

What "guts" me is the myth that Keith was killed by the booze plus. He way overdid pills used to stop boozing, especially his last day.

[@AndyFromEssexUk.]

Lemmy hated playing ‘Ace of Spades’ at every gig,I would have been happy for them to play another song instead,although I do like ‘Ace of Spades’ a lot.

[@robertkees6048]

The irony is that the music did change but Keith could not, then he was taken away by the cosmic rock gods and the band continued on in a diminished form. And just in case you didn't know, he could play in 6/8 time as demonstrated in the song Love Reign O'er Me.

[@dannydine5263]

Your right. I would have never thought of that in a million years but after I read what you typed I listened to it my head and sure enough, 6/8 it is.

[@rakeshadhin]

Keith also plays in a 6/8 time signature on the song Welcome from Tommy. So you're right he could do it, he probably just wasn't fit enough during the Who Are You sessions.

[@dannydine5263]

@@rakeshadhin Good point. I agree. From everything I've read he was in horrible shape during the Who Are You sessions and the band and particularly Pete Townsend were wondering what are we going to do with this guy. Keith had been living in California for a while and the band was forwarned that they would be in for a shock when he comes back to England because he had been wasting himself so badly out there.

[@robertkees6048]

@@michaelmapes4119 I don't think that's right, I count eight, as does Pete in the intro. Six doesn't fit.

[@robschachter-rj2uo]

Have read the same about Moon. He was about to be fired when he passed. At this point in the band’s career, it was probably easier for Pete and John to play with Kenney Jones.

[@mad_cat_1st]

I thought you were going to mention Goin' Mobile, since Daltrey doesn't have a place in the entire song. For me, that's what makes it one of The Who's best songs. Some of Keith's Moon's best manic drumming, and the outro solo combining Townsend's guitar and the MOOG is amazing. It's like the three remaining members of The Who recorded it when Roger was on vacation, or something.

[@JDG7724]

Daltrey has performed "Goin' Mobile" on solo tours (with Pete's brother Simon doing lead vocals). He's praised other Who songs that Townshend sang as well, such as "Eminence Front" and "Blue, Red, and Grey"

[@paulw.woodring7304]

The Who has certainly made plenty in royalties from the "CSI" TV franchise using their hits for theme songs. Daltry's scream in "Won't Get Fooled Again" being the iconic opening for "CSI: Miami" after one of David Caruso's cliche quips.

[@aldonapolitano5979]

I kinda tune out when I hear "stay 'till the end".

[@michaelmapes4119]

And also Stargroves WAS NOT the mobile studio. Mick actually had a recording studio in his basement that was set up like a typical American recording studio because the English groups at that time preferred American studios to English ones - That is why Mick bought the mansion. (Although *that* mobile studio was used to record Live at Leeds.) The story actually goes while the Who were recording that track there, they took a meal break minus Daltrey who was busy laying down the vocal track. All of a sudden, the band hears Roger give out this blood curdling scream. With Mick and the rest of the Stones, the band head for the basement only to discover that Roger added that famous primal scream after the drum solo to the song.

[@lib556]

Wasn't it also famously used to record Smoke on the Water?

[@davemathews7890]

I'll bet you have a couple of ripping yarns about when members of The Who took a dump in 1971.

[@mad_cat_1st]

That mobile studio was also the one used to record Deep Purple's Machine Head album, and is mentioned in Smoke on the Water.

[@user-hm5zb1qn6g]

Daltrey mentioned on a recent interview on Bill Maher's show that he doesn't like performing WGFA because of the pre-recorded synth track forces him to stay locked in. "I can't go anywhere with it," or something like that.

[@jasonwilliams3967]

Won't get fooled again, is one of the best songs ever....

[@mrdomofan56]

Saw them play in Vegas 2017, then again Boston 2019. Best band of all time

[@jongilbertson2106]

I like all The Who songs, even some of their silly ones. I think their worst song is probably Cache Cache.

[@100hooker]

Happy Jack and Boris The Spider, I will consider brilliantly silly!

[@phillipanderson7398]

If he was really honest he would say that he struggles these days with the loud scream towards the end of the song " Won't Get Fooled Again ".

[@gregorylapointe4157]

Who Are You is, according to Pete Townsend, was the last good Who album. Interesting comment from the guitar hero.

[@kevinmcc3147]

As a major who fan who listen to them all he's right

[@TheJohnnyCotts]

A little surprised that Roger listed Won't Get Fooled Again (considered by many to be The Who's best song) among his least faves. Then again, Robert Plant has made it no secret he loathes Stairway To Heaven.

[@wayneelliott7011]

Plant's not the only one who loathes Stairway To Heaven.

[@Gazman67]

Does anyone have a link for Link Wray? How's about you Ray?,Got a Link Ray for Link Wray.?

[@simplesecretof]

🤔🤔Session drummer filling in for Keith Moon? Did you listen to Music Must Change as the "percussion' is actually a recording of Pete Townshends squeaky leather shoes as he's walking across the room. No session drummer ever replaced Keith Moon in his entire career with The Who.👍👍👍

[@apollomemories7399]

You're quite right in saying no session drummer filled in for Keith Moon, but they used Kenney Jones for band rehearsals on a number of occasions before Moon died.

[@buddyb4343]

A little "click baity" of a title . . . ? At no point does Roger say that either song mentioned are "worst" or even just bad! The fact he may be tired of singing them for whatever reason is an issue many successful performers face. Audiences want to hear the hits, and particularly, the great/popular hits! It then becomes difficult for an act to meet both the audiences' and their own artistic desires. The Who, along with many other great bands, are lucky to have that problem!

[@docsamson198]

Daltrey was telling kids to get off of his lawn when he was in his thirties.

[@phandemicpaddy2458]

😂

[@FirstAmendmentTests]

This video is very misleading. Rodger Daltrey indicates in his biography that he thinks that won't get fooled again is a great song. He also speaks very highly of the music must change. Not wanting to perform a song live does not mean that it is a bad song, and Mr Daltrey agrees.

[@dennisgalliers2929]

A very early WHO number my greyhound and me,i cant even find it on line now,Iwonder why

[@apollomemories7399]

No such title. Maybe you're thinking of Dogs, the 1968 single flop. Or a Townshend solo track Greyhound Girl from around 1972?

[@thomasknief7557]

"It was recorded in Mick Jaggers house..." showing an incredible Mansion of the 17th century! House! Man , thats half a castle, not a "house"!

[@MusicMongoose]

This is why I'm not a realtor! 🤣

[@markjamesmeli2520]

Nah, I don't think the song is cursed. It just has some bad mojo for Roger.

[@nexpose1]

They played Who are You on the 89 tour.

[@chriswilgus165]

I wouldnt play that song again. I wouldnt say cursed, but coincidence...yes. Wouldn't be a a very good song emotionally.

[@babyshambler]

There are no drums on Music Must Change.... Only cymbals. Fairly sure Keith could 'manage' those.

[@shortsleave]

Click bait AND misinformation.

[@michaelmapes4119]

Im a drummer and No i dont think its cursed ....6/8 time is not really a rock and roll time signature like 4/4 or 2/4 ( a.k.a. Cut time). It is not very easy to play To illustrate...count off 1..2..3 like they do in waltzes. Now try to count off 1-6 in that same time frame. Plus the fact that Moonies skills were starting to decline by then and he was weaning himself off booze after being a heavy drinker for years. Now Kenny Jones i think could handle that song because Kenny is a very good technique drummer. Moonie has handled 6/8 time signature successfully before (Slip Kid on The Who By Numbers was written in 6/8), but he could no longer because of his wild living.

[@pcno2832]

Good choices! It would be hard to get tired of most of "Won't Get Fooled Again", but that opening Chinese-sounding keyboard thing is grating. "Who are you?" has always been my least favorite Who song.

[@theonewhoknows2]

Try the kids are alright version, the singing is higher pitched and it sounds alot better in my opinion but i agree with that, studio version of the song im not a fan of.

[@tsitracommunications2884]

whats the difference twixt American and Brit studios?

[@johnsurrey7426]

Squeezebox was and is appalling. It might be ok as a throwaway album track, but as the A side of a single it’s dreadful. Let’s See Action is a decent song ruined by all Nicky Hopkins’ piano (not his fault). It’s as if Roger’s powerful vocal had been put on top of a backing track for an Elton John record. It also reminds me of the Imagine documentary where Yoko suggests (quite rightly) that NH shuts up for a while as he plays the backing to Jealous Guy. Less is more!

[@markshulusky6680]

Only two? Hasn't he been listening?

[@someguy42093]

There are no drums on music must change.

[@relativeparadox9567]

I make millions playing the same song every night, woe is me.

[@MikeHunt90731]

Keep crying 😅

[@MrDubyadee1]

The Who invented the power chord? WTF? Somebody was born in 1964 and never listened to anything released earlier than that. Give Link Wray a listen.

[@cc352]

Don't think it was to be taken literally. Much like most casual rock music listeners would think Eddie Van Halen invented finger tapping even though he didn't.

[@MrDubyadee1]

@@cc352 The irony is that Pete Townsend himself credited Link Wray and said he was his inspiration for taking up guitar. He wrote the liner notes for one of Link Wray’s LPs.

[@allbottledup9513]

Yep, funny part is out of the British Invasion bands, the Kinks are usually the ones credited with “inventing” the power chord. Which would still be wrong in and of itself, but it makes the attributing to The Who double wrong lol. I don’t know if Dave Davies ever listened to Link Wray and it’s possible Mr Wray himself heard it from another guitarist. I think often when a guitarist discovered something in those days, they thought “Holy shit, I just invented this new sound!”

[@michaelrochester48]

Actually you could say the kinks did with you really got me

[@MrDubyadee1]

@@michaelrochester48 That was 6 years after Link Wray did Rumble. Link also go his distortion effect by jabbing holes in the speaker like Dave Davies claimed to have done. Rumble was released in 1958.

[@TooSkinnyKenny]

I'm not fond of "By Numbers" or "Who Are You" in their entirety.

[@judgejefferies]

Only two!!!

[@skipper4126]

funny that question at the start, if it doesn't make the charts is it a bad song.. picture of Ed Sherran. Proof that you can throw out mostly garbage, that isn't really that artistic and still get number 1's. It ain't about the Art any more it's about the product the record companies can push.

[@williamr3840]

Boris... The Spider? :0/

[@davidwaterhouse2552]

I can't believe I spent 4.27 watching this!zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[@MusicMongoose]

Thanks glad you loved it xx

[@19trebor53]

Squeeze Box sucks out loud.

[@xxcelr8rs]

Boob jokes are always fun.

[@steveshattah]

You're just cranky because you didn't get any sleep since they were playing all night and the music's all right.

[@chrisbyrne5358]

I love it

[@peterscholes5864]

Yes

[@lib556]

I gave this a thumbs up only because it involves the Who - the greatest live act in the history of rock. However, it is a bit of click bait. Neither one of those are considered 'worst songs'. Roger is a bit weary of Fooled. Okay. He's been doing it for 50 years so... Also, the big scream at the end is probably hard on his throat. He believes Music Must Change is cursed. Fair enough. Doesn't mean it's 'the worst'.

[@randyhimburg7915]

The worst Who song is" Don't let go of the coat"

[@samkitty5894]

I'm not watching the entire video for answers.

[@rushshukla4636]

Who cares. He's just the singer and didn't write either of them. They're both staple Who classics. Ask Pete what he thinks. He's the author!.

[@pedrorocha9722]

Are all your clips made of teasers? Jeeeezzzz......

[@nicokarsen6131]

I see why you have 700 subs...

[@Schteve59]

The Who's worst song is on Endless Wire. Just pick one, any one.

[@simonholyoak8869]

Endless Wire is a good album

[@lawrencefeldman7744]

Decent stuff on it.

[@jeffcoat1959]

The fake film scratch effects placed on much of this video are very distracting.

[@michaellauletti6552]

So Roger,I love you but disagree with you

[@christopherhahn6728]

The two John Entwistle songs on Tommy are the worst. Girl’s Eyes by Keith Moon is pretty lame. Some of their early covers like Bald Headed Woman are pretty poor. Worst Pete Townshend Who song? That one on Endless Wire that he sings like Tom Waits.

[@terrytt5067]

I quit this video after 2.22 minutes cos it WAFFLING!

[@MusicMongoose]

Better than 0:01 😘

[@randyzeitman1354]

It's easy to define the worst song of any artist. Beatles: What Goes On. The Who: Now I'm a Farmer. Music Must Change isn't great but Now I'm a Farmer has never been played and never should and never will.

[@kevinmcc3147]

Revolution number 9 is the worst Beatles song.

[@elementrypenguin3116]

You are totally wrong with What Goes on. It’s got cool guitar fills. The harmonies are solid, Paul has a good bass line and Ringo’s drumming is spot on! WRONG!

[@edd2771]

Hold me tight is the worst, period

[@elementrypenguin3116]

@@edd2771 WRONG!!!!

[@edd2771]

@@elementrypenguin3116 name another Beatles song where the beat (unintentionally) speeds up and slows down and McCartney sings out of tune

[@davemathews7890]

One band that Dave Mathews hates.

[@apollomemories7399]

Is Dave Matthews even worth mentioning? He's an absolute no-mark nobody.

[@davemathews7890]

@@apollomemories7399 I'm not Dave Matthews.

[@apollomemories7399]

@@davemathews7890 Who?

[@davemathews7890]

@@apollomemories7399 Yes, you're right. I hate The Who.

[@apollomemories7399]

@@davemathews7890 As an American, it's much easier for you to hate what you can't understand.

[@paolocoletti1574]

I just can't stomach "Behind Blue Eyes", and I've heard various disparate explanations from PT on what it's supposedly about. Just shup up with the blue eyes blues already 😄

[@saifonlawrence2044]

I thought Roger would say Band On The Run or Bohemian Rhapsody.

[@livinaftermidnight9651]

had to stop watching, the lights flashing so much nearly caused me to seizure!

[@MusclesHockeymask]

god, I get bored with a lot of the material on Who's Next because the damn thing is so overplayed on classic rock stations. Yeah, it's a great album yet I still slot it firmly in the "not my favorite" folder.

[@wardka]

Sorry, Roger, but "Squeeze Box" is the absolute worst Who song ever. I can't even express how much I loathe it.

[@kensmith8152]

Boris the Spider- yeeech!

[@genedejong5513]

Why, this video seems just like an old Nickelodeon complete with 'extra scratchy' film and unsteady light levels.... very annoying!

[@johnsims6323]

Music must change the song was a poor side closer never liked that one guitar and pen wasn't a good song

[@davidmoorhead]

This song is about 5:25 too long. How boring.

[@JDCUSA]

“Boris the Spider” is so awful that it’s fun to listen to and admire it’s wonderfully cringey awfulness.

[@joonya66]

One song from this mob MY Generation moon was effin goose Townsend well leave it at that

[@apollomemories7399]

I'm so glad that your comment makes complete sense.

[@joonya66]

@@apollomemories7399 obviously you Don't know much about the Who

[@apollomemories7399]

@@joonya66 Oh I do. Very much in fact. I have the highest rated Amazon review entries and a history of articles in Generations and Naked Eye fanzines. You won't know anything about them as they're long before your time. And by the way, his name is spelled Townshend - NOT Towsend. Duh.

[@joonya66]

@@apollomemories7399 wow you da man I was born in 1950 probably heard my generation before you ever even knew who they where by the way Townsend is spelt Pedo duu

[@joonya66]

Just me again I was into TheWho long before Amazon and that other shit your talking about My Generation, Happy Jack Pictures of Lily Substitute probably their finest song loved them all Live at Leeds but once the P word was dropped that was the end of the Who for me Anyway good luck with that shit you are going on about just remember Who are You.