The Mighty Musical Observations Thread

[Heston]

So today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

[Dr. Medulla]

So today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

[101Walterton]

So today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

[Dr. Medulla]

So today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

[101Walterton]

So today I learnt that Who Are You is about a chance meeting between Townsend, Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

[Silent Majority]

I'd heard that story. What makes me cringe about the song is where Roger shouts "Who the fuck are you!" You can tell he's trying to be 'punk' and it just comes across as forced.

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

[101Walterton]

Roger's got a great voice but it is in no way a punk voice, so, yeah, I agree.

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.

[Silent Majority]

But then he is telling a true story in the first person although the person it relates to is standing next to him.

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.

Nothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.

[Dr. Medulla]

As Heston suggests, there's a certain superficial nod to punk defiance in that line, but it doesn't work because Roger doesn't have the right voice for it.

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.

Nothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.

It's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.

[Silent Majority]

I’d suggest the line directly ties in to the story so is relevant to the overall song.

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.

Nothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.

It's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.

I imagine him dragging himself out of the Soho doorway, past the Who fan policeman, and catching glimpses of himself in shop windows and reflections on cars, and asking himself the question of the title. That this uncertainty is expressed by the very certain medium of a still vital rock band allows some ambivalence to the message.

[101Walterton]

I wonder if it's a Townshend line, or a Daltrey twist. It doesn't fit the mood of the lyrics, which are about existentially powerful hangover guilt and loss of identity.

No it is Townsend’s line and isn’t about loss of identity quite the opposite. “Who are you” was a drunk Townsend putting down others around him. He gets more and more morose the drunker he gets.

Nothing in the lyrics to support my theory, but aggressively asking himself who he is keeps a lot more to the general themes in his writing.

It's really hard not to look at Pete's lyrics, once he became a self-conscious serious artist, as part of his internal interrogation/therapy.

I imagine him dragging himself out of the Soho doorway, past the Who fan policeman, and catching glimpses of himself in shop windows and reflections on cars, and asking himself the question of the title. That this uncertainty is expressed by the very certain medium of a still vital rock band allows some ambivalence to the message.

The story is that Townsend was on a drinking bender in a Soho pub. He was being his most obnoxious self and kept saying “who are you” to everyone around him or who approached him. It was meant as a put down I.e. I’m Pete Townsend (big star) who are you? (a nobody). He was getting more and more aggressive and abusive.
Steve Jones and Paul Cook were in the pub and saw this and got it from Townsend until he realised who they were. Townsend was a Pistols fan so then sat down and spoke to Jones and Cook.
I don’t know whether the “who the fuck are you” was their retort to Townshend (likely from Jones who although was a fan wasn’t shy coming forward) or whether that was just Townshend’s escalation of abuse at the other customers as he got more and more aggressive (drunk).
I agree that in the lyric there could be double meaning of telling the story as it happened as well as his response in reflection to himself.

I remember throwin' punches around
And preachin' from my chair
Well, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who?)

[Silent Majority]

I believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.

[101Walterton]

I believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.

I’d rather chat to Cooky

[Heston]

I believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.

I’d rather chat to Cooky

Totally. Can't stand Lydon as a person for a good few years now.

[Dr. Medulla]

I believe Townshend mistook Paul Cook for Lydon and expected a better conversation.

I’d rather chat to Cooky

Totally. Can't stand Lydon as a person for a good few years now.

He's actually become more annoying now that he's all media friendly and adopted some kind of elder statesman role. And, like, being cool with W., Thatcher, and the royal family.