Roger Daltrey's vocals in this song is legendary. Pete Townshend's lyrics really epitomize someone with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde feelings, then you get Keith Moon going nuts on the drums. Also, "Who's Next" is one of the greatest albums in rock history, front to back every track is astounding.
Agree totally with you, However, if you think about the year this was released, 1971.. it was really 1 of countless iconic albums released that year that live on in time in rock and roll history, including: Sticky Fingers, Led Zeppelin IV, Tapestry (Carole King), L.A.Woman, Fragile, Aqualong, Blue (Joni Mitchell), Every Picture Tells A Story, Ram, Pearl (Janis Joplin swan song), & tons more others can list.. in just an amazing year for rock..
The Who were so different from the other great British Supergroups, in that they werent really friends...in fact the hated each other mostly especially bully Daltry
"Behind Blue Eyes" was originally meant to be the theme song of a villain in Pete Townshend's abandoned concept album "Lifehouse". The villain, believed he was a good person and doing right. "But my dreams, they aren't as empty / As my conscience seems to be," and he sings, suggesting that he is more than he's perceived to be, a man with hopes, dreams, and perhaps even a conscience.
You're all funny! You're all esplaininh your own explanations of the lyrics! From your own life perspective! Which is cool, but, don't try to say what those guys wanted to say! 😂 Pete Townshend, even doesn't got blue eyes! 😂Yes, the Lifehouse concept never came out, but they finally did something called Tommy! Why, are all the peoples, trying to talk like if it was themselfs, who created that, and wrote the lyrics! We, all, never been in Pete Townsend, or Roger Daltrey's head! It's cool, to talk about things together, but, don't be so sure, about what you're talking about please..... ✌️
makes sense, since i recall hearing a lot of villian songs like that in other things from the era in concept albums and musicals as far as plays and movies.. the ol point of view of the villian song
@@longfootbuddy yes! But, I don't understand, why all those peoples are trying to explain this song! OK, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S PEYE TOWNSEND WHO WROTE THE LYRICS! OK! BUT, HE DIDN'T GOT BLUE EYES! WHY ARE ALL THOSE IDIOTS THINKING, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF? HEYYYYYYY, GUYS! WHO GOT BLOND HAIR, AND BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, IN THAT BAND ? WHO LOOKS LIKE AN ANGEL, BUT, PROBABLY, ACTED LIKE A BAD GUY, LIKE ALL THE ROCK STARS OF THAT ERA? 😂HELLO! HOLA! IDIOTS! PEYE, WAS TALKING ABOUT ROGER DALTREY OF COURSE! IT'S CERTAIN! IT'S COMPLICATE, TO LOOK LIKE AN ANGEL, AND BEING FORCED TO ACT LIKE A GOOD, PERFECT, KIND PERSON! NOBODY'S PERFECT! BEHIND THE BLUE PERFECT EYES, LOOKING LIKE A PERFECT PERSON, YOU, STILL, CAN ACT LIKE A BASTARD! BECAUSE, WE ALL, MEANING, WE HUMAN BEINGS, WE ARE ALL ANGEL AND DEMONS, AT THE SAME TIME OK! 50/50! THE GOOD AND THE BAD! Stop, all trying to explain everything, like, if you were the own persons, who wrote the song OK! You get the right, to have your own explanation, of course! That's why, ROCK'N'ROLL, is so different of the other kind of music's open minded, free, but, don't try to act, like if you knew exactly what they wanted to say OK! It's, really arrogant! I hate that! If, you met PETE TOWNSEND, AND HE EXPLAINED YOU, EXACTLY, WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY, THEN, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL US! IF NOT, DON'T ACT LIKE IF YOU KNEW, OK ! ✌️
@@julienmarquet8612 I don't see anyone saying the lyrics represent Townsend himself; quite the opposite. At least, nor in Chaotic Neutral's comment or those responding to it. Chaotic Neutral is 100% correct.
This song was written by Pete Townsend, and was to be a part of a rock opera that he was writing (the working title for the opera was Lifehouse.) He later abandoned the project, but several of the tunes he wrote for it were used on later Who albums. The song is a bit different from "the norm," in that it's written from the perspective of the main villain of this rock opera - it was basically supposed to be his theme.
This song is from the legendary Who's Next album, considered to be their best album and one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The album was actually a salvage job on a failed rock opera that Pete Townshend had composed called Lifehouse, which had an incredibly complicated concept to it that I won't even try to summarize. Behind Blue Eyes was meant to be sung by the villain in the rock opera.
I've always associated the lyrics of this song with the lonliness, alienation, and depression I find all through Pete Townsend's lyrics over many song and years.
A lot of Who songs are about the frustrated teenager. I always felt the person of this song somehow got hooked up with the wrong crowd, or grew up in a tough family (maybe a crime family). He is a bad guy because that is all he has ever been taught to be - it is his home. So, the subject in this song is pegged as a bad guy, but in his heart he understands what good is, and dreams of a different existence.
Here's the explanation, straight from the horse's mouth. It also adds new meaning to lines like "let me wear your coat" and "if I swallow anything evil" - remembering that it was conceived during the cold war. ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
I recently read that Roger Daltrey considers this his favorite song by The Who. The lyrics portray a man conflicted internally - tempted, but not giving in.
This was the song I identified with, when I was in high school. It came out just before my sophomore year, and back then I was the skinny geek with glasses, the social outcast science nerd, with blue eyes.
An utter classic, this song still gets me after half a century. Roger Daltrey is a beast on vocals, his power, projecting Pete Townsend's lyrics, is a force of nature. The original WHO were about as good as it gets, to see them in an amazing jam, try the My Generation suite off of Live at Leeds. 15 minutes of them in full flight and uncompromising fury. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
I can never resist singing along with this song. It's one of my favorite The Who songs. I saw them in concert in Tampa back in the 90s. They just blew the whole stadium away!!!😊😊😊
"The Real Me" is an excellent Who song from Quadrophenia. Outstanding bass from Entwhistle. It's another Townsend song about alienation and depression.
Great reaction and a top 5 song of their many hits! I believe it’s the use of a metaphor to explain the assist of a finger down his throat to cough up anything evil that might come his way!
Spot on. At the super bowl, Roger and Pete were interviewed, and Roger said Behind blue eyes was his favorite and Pete said his was Reign O'er me. BTW I own a signed copy of Who's Next signed by all four, Roger, Pete Keith John. For me it's, Sea and Sand and The Song is Over. Stay safe!!
I was watching the live stream when you reacted to this -and i was very happy - because i love this song. Great reaction from both of you. Another great one from the Who to put into your subconscious - The Bargain - I hope you react to it sometime.
@@13_13k You are correct. It was Limp Bizkit that tried to cover this. Never liked it. I would equate it to Vanilla Ice trying to cover Stairway to Heaven. (hope he doesn't see this and think it's a good idea 🤣) Some songs shouldn't be touched. This is one of them.
My second favorite drummer, in any genre is Neil Peart. My favorite drummer is Mr. Moon. His drumming is nutso-epic and just keeps going. I will say that Neil is a "better" drummer. But the ear likes what the ear likes. And it likes Keith Moon.
Brad & Lex, you'll love their "5:15"!!! edit- the singer Roger Daltrey has blue eyes, but song written by the guitarist Pete Townshend who also has blue eyes.
But the song is about neither of them. It's about a fictional double agent - here's the explanation straight from the horse's mouth: ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
Pete Townsend has said “Behind Blue Eyes” is a self look into himself. Pete has also commented that when Rodger Daltrey sings the song, that it’s a Love Song and when Pete sings the song, it’s about his anger. Great song either way.
Brad, I think your take on this is spot on. A criminal, feeling sorry for himself, wanting to be better! But in the bridge, he reveals how he wants others to be responsible for him, to meet his needs and comforts for him…or he’ll just take what he wants. For a 3 something minute song, it’s a pretty brilliant piece of psychology. And it’s beautiful, and it rocks.
The Who has been my favorite band since junior high once I saw the kids are alright that was it Tomm and Quadrophenia and The Who by numbers Who’s next all perfect albums you have the best drummer and bassist in one band and Daltreys Vocals and Townshends guitar
The Who was known for doing songs tha had a message of angst and uncertainty in being young. Everything from "my generation" (stupid pride) to Tommy" (disfunctional ) to "Behind Blue Eyes" (disillusioned) spoke to the seeming hopelessness of life and diminished meaning. That's my review.
This song was written by the Who. They were original group that recorded this classic on the 1971 Who’s Next album. It can out the same time as Led Zeppelin IV Stairway to Heaven. Heavy lyrics back then full of mysticism and wonder.
There was a period in my life during High School, where The Who rose to the top. Ahead of the Stones and Led Zep. This song was out, at that time. We relished the crazy lyrics. We didn't search for the meaning. We just enjoyed each line, in small groups of clever, poetic sentences. These types of lyrics would make us yell and laugh, and push each other into the bushes. The Who was a combination of bombastic, clownish punks, that created feel good, POWER Rock. They also basically invented rock opera. They also were the first to destroy their instruments at the end of a performance. And used pyro technics. Their Album cover was a picture of them after urinating on a wall, and walking away. or, in a bathtub full of Pork n' Beans.
My 9th grade chorus teacher let us do this song at the Christmas concert. She grew up loving it. I think the parents were surprised, but it was from their generation so they didn't complain lol.
The song was actually part of an abandoned WHO project abut a lighthouse keeper. The main is powerful and the center of attention (as he controls the ebb and flow of ships in a busy harbor) but he is lonely. He wants someone to help him live. When he says "if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat ... and then"if I smile tell me some bad news", it is because he wants to be on an emotionless even keel. Never too happy and never too sad. Not too kind, not too evil.
There's an awesome version of this tune live with Roger Daltry (singer from the Who) with the Chieftains (A traditional Irish Band) with bagpipes and bulrahn drums, etc.
I've always loved this song and this whole album, Who's Next. This song, to me, always seemed like a young man just out of his teens who was a street kid always in trouble and fighting and getting too drunk and too high because he had issues like most teens but he found someone who loves him and he's afraid that he may hurt her or scare her away with his temper and violent streak. So he asks that she take care of him during these spells and to help him get through the episode by basically exorcising his demons, because inside he wants to be good and lovable and he's just a young man behind blue eyes. That's my thoughts on a song I have been listening to since I was about six or seven when this album was released and my older sister bought it in 1971 or '72 she was about twelve or thirteen
It's the feelings of someone that people dislike, or designated a "Bad person." The song seems to be saying "even bad people can have their feelings hurt, and need love as much as anyone else. It's the villian's perspective, from his point of view.
Yep, definitely a feeling of a villain who has a sympathetic side to him. I think someone explained it in more detail below. And also the line about the finger down the throat is actually pretty cool, he is singing or rather it's a group sing at that point: and if I swallow something evil, put your finger down my throat. Which is what they used to teach us to do if somebody is dying of poison. Make them vomit. I think they pretty much say the opposite nowadays though.
They are dazzled by his blue eyes and impute righteousness and other virtuous qualities, but behind those blue eyes lurks the empty shell of a human being that feels nothing. He is now merely a reflection of a lifetime of pain and hurt and unresolved issues. He projects those feelings on others, and they become the object of his retribution. Great song! Could have easily been a Pink Floyd song in my opinion.
It's actually about a double agent who's starting to realise he's betraying everyone around him. He has feelings, and as the song says, has to bite back hard on them to avoid giving himself away. ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
I always thought this song was about the life of a secret hit man, behind blue eyes is just another way of saying nobody knows and he can’t talk about it, he does not like his life and wants out, and in the up tempo lyrics at the end he is saying please save me from myself. 🥁
When the guitar started,momentarily,I got confused and started thinking it's the cover of the song,by Limp Bizkit.As my heart was rapidly sinking I,suddenly,heard the voice of Roger Daltrey and I knew all would be well and the smile in my mind returned,no one else can do this song real justice.
The song is partly autobiographical. It was written after Roger Daltrey refused the advances of a groupie after a concert, and subsequently returned to his hotel room alone. The song is about the conflict between what society expects a person to be and that person's true self. It's about the pressures and expectations put on people to be someone they aren't. Personally, the song speaks to me of loneliness, isolation, and being misunderstood. We have all felt at some point in our lives that no one understands us, or that no one is listening to us. We feel pressured by friends, family and peers to put on a mask that hides our true selves and our true feelings from others in order to be who they want us to be, though we all long for someone who accepts us for the person we truly are, "behind blue eyes."
This song has many many interpretation possible, worsen by the fact that it is part of an existing story with its own character. But as any song, the best interpretations are the one that resonate with oneself as a listener. Maybe the easiest one, regardless of the original story, is that the personage in the song is labelled as bad and evil, but the fact is that he is only human. One can tell if one interpret that "crazy" section with lyrics such as: - being violent and loosing its cool, asking someone to help him calm himself - being an arrogant fool that just need a little reality check, - swallowing evil and needing the help of other to take him out of its obsession - sharing other's coat when things are not so good, that is, just needing a little human kindness In the end it is a song about how easy it is to judge others, that we have nothing to do with, by their external behaviour and label them as alien things/monsters, when in the end we all are just human beings with our own history and our own pain and woes. As for the song title, the blue eyes could be supposed to mean the cold and unsympathetic eyes of the "main character". But you could also argument that those eyes are from those who judge with ignorance and lack of empathy the "bad apples" in our human society.
Punk rock roots here. Early anti-establishment sourness. Don't dare laugh, don't show your emotion, all the time struggling to not fit in. At any cost. Hilarious! Rock and Roll at it's best. I love everything about this era of music during which I cut my teeth.
"Put your finger down my throat" is just asking to save him if he's choking on something - it's together with other lyrics that are just asking for kindness, in spite of his faults. "Tell me some bad news" - he's afraid of getting happy because that would make him vulnerable (e.g. "before I laugh and act like a fool"). Sounds like one of those people who always wears a mask of cynicism (I say as if I'm not one of them 😂) I think it could be summed up as "even unlikeable people have feelings".
To me,it's this: England is a heavy "class" society, which means that to a large extent you're a prisoner of your birth. There's a lot of "underclass' rage, and the Who was full of it. I always thank these guys for turning into artists and shaping that rage into something positive rather than going out and doing bad stuff. The "telling only lies" is because you can get in a lot of trouble telling the truth - especially when you're pissed off about injustice. The other thing is the heartbreaking poignancy of the sort of "call for help': "If I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat, etc.". If I try to kill myself, don't let me do it; it's not really what I want to do...I just hate living like THIS.
Pretty good synopsis, they were the generation born at the end of the war, they were expected to grow up and shut up, people had nothing, the country was rebuilding, we still had rationing, the mail role models were not there, either killed missing or had real bother fitting back in to society. Young fellas growing up had to look elsewhere for fun and inspiration. Roger said of Petes writing, at the time, everybody in the music industry was writing songs to fall in love to, Pete was writing songs that made you want to fight to, kind of says a lot about his experiences.
The song is about a man wrestling with his aggression. On the one hand is and wants to be a just a guy with blue eyes, who also has dreams. On the other hand he suffers outbursts of aggression and asks for help in dealing with them. His conflicted mind is reflected in the music that goes from calm, soothing, sad to aggressive.
The blue eyes is actually sad eyes. As the black sheep of my family I was always put down and thought of to never become anything in life. I fell into drinking and drugs and nobody ever really knew who I was inside. My thoughts or dreams they never knew because they never cared to ask me. My love was vengeance because I never had anyone to share it with or give it to. I had to resort to lies to hide myself for protection. I had many many defenses and walls built around me. Yet most the time I was asking for help in all the wrong ways. The lines if I shiver please give me a blanket and if I swallow anything evil put your finger down my throat are cries for help that nobody can hear because there is nobody to care. At least that is how I always related to this song and it was very comforting when I spent several years going through treatment to get my life back.
In an interview, Pete Townsend said when he wrote the song meant one thing for him, but when Roger Daltrey sings it, it takes on a different meaning fitting Rodger's life.
re listen to this song and when the drums come in. there is no drums for HALF the song but when the DRUMS come in they really come in like nothing you will ever hear. this is Keith Moon and he has a style all his own. so much is great about this song. the lyrics the singing but to me the Drums thats what puts it over the top!
We used to do this song in the garage band I was in back in the day. My interpretation is that he's tired of being demonized by the left-stream media. And I know what that's like! LoL! Thanks, cats.
I always thought that line was, "I have hours only loaned me," (not lonely) meaning that our time is not our own. This is one of my favorite songs by The Who; Pete Townsend at his best. To me, he was saying that nobody knows what it's like to be anybody else, and that we all need to take care of each other.
Just scrolling thru RUclips and saw this channel, at first glance I thought Halle Berry was listening to the Who. I clicked on the channel because of this Who song. Okay its not HB but a younger and cuter woman. Brad and Lex, I dig your show. Keep playing cool stuff. I subscribed.
Your pink floyd song is from an album about roger waters life. His dad died in ww2 The whole album is about him finding out his dad has died during the war and him becoming a manager controled rock star!
Even newer: "Beads On One String" released in 2019 by The Who on their album "WHO". Roger's voice sounds so great on this one! I love the "Endless Wire" album, but "WHO" is better, in my opinion.
Brad was on point on this one. also about the vocals sounding like aninstrument. Roger Daltry was a great singer. and i know i'm not the first here to say Kieth Moon on the drums is tearing it up.
Roger Daltrey's vocals in this song is legendary. Pete Townshend's lyrics really epitomize someone with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde feelings, then you get Keith Moon going nuts on the drums.
Also, "Who's Next" is one of the greatest albums in rock history, front to back every track is astounding.
Agree totally with you, However, if you think about the year this was released, 1971.. it was really 1 of countless iconic albums released that year that live on in time in rock and roll history, including: Sticky Fingers, Led Zeppelin IV, Tapestry (Carole King), L.A.Woman, Fragile, Aqualong, Blue (Joni Mitchell), Every Picture Tells A Story, Ram, Pearl (Janis Joplin swan song), & tons more others can list.. in just an amazing year for rock..
And John's epic bass . Excellent song summary Cardinho.
@@easyrolling Yes, I agree with your mentions. I have most of them on vinyl as well as cd. Great taste easy _ rolling
Totally agree
The Who were so different from the other great British Supergroups, in that they werent really friends...in fact the hated each other mostly especially bully Daltry
On the very short list of greatest rock and roll songs. No filler, no weak spots. Pretty perfect.
Replace the word "songs" with "albums" and your statement is equally as true. Who's Next is one of the greatest albums ever, no doubt.
I think it's actually a pretty long list. Lots of great rock songs!
From their masterpiece "Who's Next". You could take just about any song from it as they are all great.
Their best album, IMO. ...and that's sayin' something.
Top 10 album of the last 50+ years, was the day it was released, WOW!
Who’s Next is one of the best rock albums ever, and prob their best IMO. 💥
Yes, I agree. I got this album when it first came out and this as well as Live at Leeds have always been my favorites.
@@OutnBacker Yeah,that is saying something,the truth. Live at Leeds too .
"Behind Blue Eyes" was originally meant to be the theme song of a villain in Pete Townshend's abandoned concept album "Lifehouse". The villain, believed he was a good person and doing right. "But my dreams, they aren't as empty / As my conscience seems to be," and he sings, suggesting that he is more than he's perceived to be, a man with hopes, dreams, and perhaps even a conscience.
You're all funny! You're all esplaininh your own explanations of the lyrics! From your own life perspective! Which is cool, but, don't try to say what those guys wanted to say! 😂 Pete Townshend, even doesn't got blue eyes! 😂Yes, the Lifehouse concept never came out, but they finally did something called Tommy! Why, are all the peoples, trying to talk like if it was themselfs, who created that, and wrote the lyrics! We, all, never been in Pete Townsend, or Roger Daltrey's head! It's cool, to talk about things together, but, don't be so sure, about what you're talking about please..... ✌️
makes sense, since i recall hearing a lot of villian songs like that in other things from the era in concept albums and musicals as far as plays and movies.. the ol point of view of the villian song
@@longfootbuddy yes! But, I don't understand, why all those peoples are trying to explain this song! OK, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S PEYE TOWNSEND WHO WROTE THE LYRICS! OK! BUT, HE DIDN'T GOT BLUE EYES! WHY ARE ALL THOSE IDIOTS THINKING, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF? HEYYYYYYY, GUYS! WHO GOT BLOND HAIR, AND BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, IN THAT BAND ? WHO LOOKS LIKE AN ANGEL, BUT, PROBABLY, ACTED LIKE A BAD GUY, LIKE ALL THE ROCK STARS OF THAT ERA? 😂HELLO! HOLA! IDIOTS! PEYE, WAS TALKING ABOUT ROGER DALTREY OF COURSE! IT'S CERTAIN! IT'S COMPLICATE, TO LOOK LIKE AN ANGEL, AND BEING FORCED TO ACT LIKE A GOOD, PERFECT, KIND PERSON! NOBODY'S PERFECT! BEHIND THE BLUE PERFECT EYES, LOOKING LIKE A PERFECT PERSON, YOU, STILL, CAN ACT LIKE A BASTARD! BECAUSE, WE ALL, MEANING, WE HUMAN BEINGS, WE ARE ALL ANGEL AND DEMONS, AT THE SAME TIME OK! 50/50! THE GOOD AND THE BAD! Stop, all trying to explain everything, like, if you were the own persons, who wrote the song OK! You get the right, to have your own explanation, of course! That's why, ROCK'N'ROLL, is so different of the other kind of music's open minded, free, but, don't try to act, like if you knew exactly what they wanted to say OK! It's, really arrogant! I hate that! If, you met PETE TOWNSEND, AND HE EXPLAINED YOU, EXACTLY, WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY, THEN, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL US! IF NOT, DON'T ACT LIKE IF YOU KNEW, OK ! ✌️
@@julienmarquet8612 I don't see anyone saying the lyrics represent Townsend himself; quite the opposite. At least, nor in Chaotic Neutral's comment or those responding to it. Chaotic Neutral is 100% correct.
@@julienmarquet8612 that's quite literally the origin of this song though...
This song was written by Pete Townsend, and was to be a part of a rock opera that he was writing (the working title for the opera was Lifehouse.) He later abandoned the project, but several of the tunes he wrote for it were used on later Who albums. The song is a bit different from "the norm," in that it's written from the perspective of the main villain of this rock opera - it was basically supposed to be his theme.
Baba O’Reilley was another song lifted from the Lighthouse project.
This song is from the legendary Who's Next album, considered to be their best album and one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The album was actually a salvage job on a failed rock opera that Pete Townshend had composed called Lifehouse, which had an incredibly complicated concept to it that I won't even try to summarize. Behind Blue Eyes was meant to be sung by the villain in the rock opera.
Lex's interpretations are always great. She has such a great feel for music. 🎶🎵
I've always associated the lyrics of this song with the lonliness, alienation, and depression I find all through Pete Townsend's lyrics over many song and years.
“People get Ready “ Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart ruclips.net/video/yC_j_dzkaVE/видео.html
The theme song of my youth
Short and sweet. The Who showing off their insanely good dynamics- from a whisper to a scream and back again. 🎸💥
A lot of Who songs are about the frustrated teenager. I always felt the person of this song somehow got hooked up with the wrong crowd, or grew up in a tough family (maybe a crime family). He is a bad guy because that is all he has ever been taught to be - it is his home. So, the subject in this song is pegged as a bad guy, but in his heart he understands what good is, and dreams of a different existence.
Here's the explanation, straight from the horse's mouth. It also adds new meaning to lines like "let me wear your coat" and "if I swallow anything evil" - remembering that it was conceived during the cold war. ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
The music teacher on THAT'S 70 SHOW,was Rodger Daltrey, lead singer for The Who.
I recently read that Roger Daltrey considers this his favorite song by The Who. The lyrics portray a man conflicted internally - tempted, but not giving in.
This was the song I identified with, when I was in high school. It came out just before my sophomore year, and back then I was the skinny geek with glasses, the social outcast science nerd, with blue eyes.
An utter classic, this song still gets me after half a century. Roger Daltrey is a beast on vocals, his power, projecting Pete Townsend's lyrics, is a force of nature. The original WHO were about as good as it gets, to see them in an amazing jam, try the My Generation suite off of Live at Leeds. 15 minutes of them in full flight and uncompromising fury. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
I have tried to get that song done it is truly a masterpiece
@@1bigrowdy You bet, no reactor I know has tried it, who will be the first to be amazed?
I can never resist singing along with this song. It's one of my favorite The Who songs. I saw them in concert in Tampa back in the 90s. They just blew the whole stadium away!!!😊😊😊
I would recommend hearing a original version of a song before a cover or a live version.
With very few exceptions, yes.
"The Real Me" is an excellent Who song from Quadrophenia. Outstanding bass from Entwhistle. It's another Townsend song about alienation and depression.
Great reaction and a top 5 song of their many hits! I believe it’s the use of a metaphor to explain the assist of a finger down his throat to cough up anything evil that might come his way!
Top 5 greatest albums ever! Every song is nearly perfect. My first album and still without a scratch on it! Thanks
My first album as well but I wore it out.
I've always thought this was about the high school class nerd. Mocked and bullied by all, this is my . . . um, his interior monologue
I think this is about a man who appears to be on top, but struggles with anger and addiction, and is asking his friends to save him from himself.
One of their two greatest songs, side by side with LOVE, REIGN O'ER ME.
Spot on. At the super bowl, Roger and Pete were interviewed, and Roger said Behind blue eyes was his favorite and Pete said his was Reign O'er me. BTW I own a signed copy of Who's Next signed by all four, Roger, Pete Keith John. For me it's, Sea and Sand and The Song is Over. Stay safe!!
he isn't crazy, he is emotional. I think you got it Brad. peace and love from Canada
Yes Liz,you got it
you know you put a finger down your own or someone else's throat to make them throw up, like when someone swallows something bad for them.
4:11 Keith Moon plugging all the holes with drums
I love how Keith Moon goes ham on those drums
Saw them in 77. My son discovered this priceless gem in 2004. And now you guys.❤❤❤❤
I rented a house from Roger Daltrey once upon a time. Good singer. Grumpy human being is the truth.
I was watching the live stream when you reacted to this -and i was very happy - because i love this song. Great reaction from both of you. Another great one from the Who to put into your subconscious - The Bargain - I hope you react to it sometime.
This was one of my favorite songs.
Love the who figuring out lyrics is a full time occupation.
All other versions are vastly inferior because they don’t have Moon on drums, Entwistle on bass, Pete on lead guitar and roger on vocals!
In other words the Who is the definitive version.
Absolutely
This is by far my favorite The Who song and maybe my favorite song of all time.
Thanks for reviewing it. 😊
I forgot who covered this but no way could anyone come close to The Who's version...love this song...the whole Who's Next album is perfect
I think it was Limp Bizket that attempted to do a cover of this a few years back
screw limp dick kiss that shite is an insult to the original
@@13_13k You are correct. It was Limp Bizkit that tried to cover this. Never liked it. I would equate it to Vanilla Ice trying to cover Stairway to Heaven. (hope he doesn't see this and think it's a good idea 🤣) Some songs shouldn't be touched. This is one of them.
@@brettkenschaft4239 I swear if Vanilla Ice covers Stairway, you will be held responsible 😂
My second favorite drummer, in any genre is Neil Peart. My favorite drummer is Mr. Moon. His drumming is nutso-epic and just keeps going. I will say that Neil is a "better" drummer. But the ear likes what the ear likes. And it likes Keith Moon.
Yeah,Moonie was fantastic
Oohh. Another fake Whatsapp account!
@@kentl7228 it was reported.
Very impressed with the timing of Brad’s stopping at just the right time before the tempo pickup.
Why ?
@@thomassamburgh5904 his timing always seems to be off when he stops the music.
@@tomgorman748 Yes Tom, I agree
I was wondering if he would do that and he did
@@tomgorman748 😀
This song makes me think of people that have the same kind of mentality as the characters have in Fight Club
Good analogy.
Compared to people today ,
He's not
Crazy.
😄
Brad & Lex, you'll love their "5:15"!!!
edit- the singer Roger Daltrey has blue eyes, but song written by the guitarist Pete Townshend who also has blue eyes.
But the song is about neither of them. It's about a fictional double agent - here's the explanation straight from the horse's mouth:
ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
Another classic that I'm jumping to immediately. The Who are one of my favourite bands and this one is too good to resist. 👍❤🤘
Putting a finger down someone’s throat induces the gag reflex. That way they’ll throw up whatever evil thing they swallowed.
Pete Townsend has said “Behind Blue Eyes” is a self look into himself. Pete has also commented that when Rodger Daltrey sings the song, that it’s a Love Song and when Pete sings the song, it’s about his anger. Great song either way.
Brad, I think your take on this is spot on. A criminal, feeling sorry for himself, wanting to be better! But in the bridge, he reveals how he wants others to be responsible for him, to meet his needs and comforts for him…or he’ll just take what he wants. For a 3 something minute song, it’s a pretty brilliant piece of psychology. And it’s beautiful, and it rocks.
Great song great band I've listened over a thousand times and will continue to. Thanks for reviewing, Brad you were very close to it's meaning.
This Song is ALL ABOUT overwhelming Emotions.
The Who has been my favorite band since junior high once I saw the kids are alright that was it Tomm and Quadrophenia and The Who by numbers Who’s next all perfect albums you have the best drummer and bassist in one band and Daltreys Vocals and Townshends guitar
The Who was known for doing songs tha had a message of angst and uncertainty in being young. Everything from "my generation" (stupid pride) to Tommy" (disfunctional ) to "Behind Blue Eyes" (disillusioned) spoke to the seeming hopelessness of life and diminished meaning.
That's my review.
I love listening to Keith Moon on drums.
This song was written by the Who. They were original group that recorded this classic on the 1971 Who’s Next album. It can out the same time as Led Zeppelin IV Stairway to Heaven. Heavy lyrics back then full of mysticism and wonder.
There was a period in my life during High School, where The Who rose to the top. Ahead of the Stones and Led Zep. This song was out, at that time.
We relished the crazy lyrics. We didn't search for the meaning. We just enjoyed each line, in small groups of clever, poetic sentences.
These types of lyrics would make us yell and laugh, and push each other into the bushes.
The Who was a combination of bombastic, clownish punks, that created feel good, POWER Rock.
They also basically invented rock opera.
They also were the first to destroy their instruments at the end of a performance. And used pyro technics.
Their Album cover was a picture of them after urinating on a wall, and walking away.
or, in a bathtub full of Pork n' Beans.
My 9th grade chorus teacher let us do this song at the Christmas concert. She grew up loving it. I think the parents were surprised, but it was from their generation so they didn't complain lol.
Hard to go wrong with THE WHO !!!
The song was actually part of an abandoned WHO project abut a lighthouse keeper. The main is powerful and the center of attention (as he controls the ebb and flow of ships in a busy harbor) but he is lonely. He wants someone to help him live. When he says "if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat ... and then"if I smile tell me some bad news", it is because he wants to be on an emotionless even keel. Never too happy and never too sad. Not too kind, not too evil.
There's an awesome version of this tune live with Roger Daltry (singer from the Who) with the Chieftains (A traditional Irish Band) with bagpipes and bulrahn drums, etc.
I seen the who in the early years.. I remember jumping like a gazelle.. a tortoise could jump higher now.. where have the years gone 😭😭
I always interpreted it as being about anger, frustration and misunderstanding.
It’s a Pete Townshend song and he’s just full of anger at this point in his career.
I have sad it before and will say it again and again, Pete Townsend is a songwriter extraordinaire! Handily, one of the best!
I've always loved this song and this whole album, Who's Next.
This song, to me, always seemed like a young man just out of his teens who was a street kid always in trouble and fighting and getting too drunk and too high because he had issues like most teens but he found someone who loves him and he's afraid that he may hurt her or scare her away with his temper and violent streak. So he asks that she take care of him during these spells and to help him get through the episode by basically exorcising his demons, because inside he wants to be good and lovable and he's just a young man behind blue eyes.
That's my thoughts on a song I have been listening to since I was about six or seven when this album was released and my older sister bought it in 1971 or '72 she was about twelve or thirteen
It's the feelings of someone that people dislike, or designated a "Bad person." The song seems to be saying "even bad people can have their feelings hurt, and need love as much as anyone else. It's the villian's perspective, from his point of view.
Yep, definitely a feeling of a villain who has a sympathetic side to him. I think someone explained it in more detail below. And also the line about the finger down the throat is actually pretty cool, he is singing or rather it's a group sing at that point: and if I swallow something evil, put your finger down my throat. Which is what they used to teach us to do if somebody is dying of poison. Make them vomit. I think they pretty much say the opposite nowadays though.
They are dazzled by his blue eyes and impute righteousness and other virtuous qualities, but behind those blue eyes lurks the empty shell of a human being that feels nothing. He is now merely a reflection of a lifetime of pain and hurt and unresolved issues. He projects those feelings on others, and they become the object of his retribution. Great song! Could have easily been a Pink Floyd song in my opinion.
It's actually about a double agent who's starting to realise he's betraying everyone around him. He has feelings, and as the song says, has to bite back hard on them to avoid giving himself away. ruclips.net/video/_v4F_XHdz6o/видео.html
But glad it wasn't.
This album,” Who’s Next,is like a Greatest Hits album with an album cover that is golden…..
My Eli sang that song when he had to go to his room! The first part!! Lol!
I always thought this song was about the life of a secret hit man, behind blue eyes is just another way of saying nobody knows and he can’t talk about it, he does not like his life and wants out, and in the up tempo lyrics at the end he is saying please save me from myself. 🥁
It make sense. Great song!!!!
When the guitar started,momentarily,I got confused and started thinking it's the cover of the song,by Limp Bizkit.As my heart was rapidly sinking I,suddenly,heard the voice of Roger Daltrey and I knew all would be well and the smile in my mind returned,no one else can do this song real justice.
quite possibly my favorite song
I am convinced that Lady Gaga wrote Bad Romance after hearing this as a reply to him.
The song is partly autobiographical. It was written after Roger Daltrey refused the advances of a groupie after a concert, and subsequently returned to his hotel room alone. The song is about the conflict between what society expects a person to be and that person's true self. It's about the pressures and expectations put on people to be someone they aren't.
Personally, the song speaks to me of loneliness, isolation, and being misunderstood. We have all felt at some point in our lives that no one understands us, or that no one is listening to us. We feel pressured by friends, family and peers to put on a mask that hides our true selves and our true feelings from others in order to be who they want us to be, though we all long for someone who accepts us for the person we truly are, "behind blue eyes."
Damn, Brad. That's an insightful read. You should look into the story. Intended for a larger work, "Lifehouse," it IS the villain's piece.
One of my favorites too bad generation z thinks limp biskit wrote this. Like Fred Durst can write this good.
Hahahaha I only knew the limp bizkit version until a few years ago but I know Fred didn't write this... It's too far removed from his writing style
Fred is a great lyricist
@@andrej177 didn't he rhyme here with here?
Well Fred "did it all for the nookie"
*Gen-Z?* You know *Limp Bizkit* is *Generation-X* right? *Limp Bizkit's* cover is better *IMO* but this gets more points for being original
This song has many many interpretation possible, worsen by the fact that it is part of an existing story with its own character.
But as any song, the best interpretations are the one that resonate with oneself as a listener.
Maybe the easiest one, regardless of the original story, is that the personage in the song is labelled as bad and evil, but the fact is that he is only human. One can tell if one interpret that "crazy" section with lyrics such as:
- being violent and loosing its cool, asking someone to help him calm himself
- being an arrogant fool that just need a little reality check,
- swallowing evil and needing the help of other to take him out of its obsession
- sharing other's coat when things are not so good, that is, just needing a little human kindness
In the end it is a song about how easy it is to judge others, that we have nothing to do with, by their external behaviour and label them as alien things/monsters, when in the end we all are just human beings with our own history and our own pain and woes.
As for the song title, the blue eyes could be supposed to mean the cold and unsympathetic eyes of the "main character".
But you could also argument that those eyes are from those who judge with ignorance and lack of empathy the "bad apples" in our human society.
Rolling Stones “Far away eyes”. You won’t be disappointed.
Punk rock roots here. Early anti-establishment sourness. Don't dare laugh, don't show your emotion, all the time struggling to not fit in. At any cost. Hilarious! Rock and Roll at it's best. I love everything about this era of music during which I cut my teeth.
"Put your finger down my throat" is just asking to save him if he's choking on something - it's together with other lyrics that are just asking for kindness, in spite of his faults.
"Tell me some bad news" - he's afraid of getting happy because that would make him vulnerable (e.g. "before I laugh and act like a fool"). Sounds like one of those people who always wears a mask of cynicism (I say as if I'm not one of them 😂)
I think it could be summed up as "even unlikeable people have feelings".
One of my favorite who songs
A song I can so so relate to. Could be my theme tune.
Thanks for the warning
All about you, right Barry!
A song a lot of us can relate too!
To me,it's this: England is a heavy "class" society, which means that to a large extent you're a prisoner of your birth. There's a lot of "underclass' rage, and the Who was full of it. I always thank these guys for turning into artists and shaping that rage into something positive rather than going out and doing bad stuff. The "telling only lies" is because you can get in a lot of trouble telling the truth - especially when you're pissed off about injustice. The other thing is the heartbreaking poignancy of the sort of "call for help': "If I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat, etc.". If I try to kill myself, don't let me do it; it's not really what I want to do...I just hate living like THIS.
Pretty good synopsis, they were the generation born at the end of the war, they were expected to grow up and shut up, people had nothing, the country was rebuilding, we still had rationing, the mail role models were not there, either killed missing or had real bother fitting back in to society. Young fellas growing up had to look elsewhere for fun and inspiration. Roger said of Petes writing, at the time, everybody in the music industry was writing songs to fall in love to, Pete was writing songs that made you want to fight to, kind of says a lot about his experiences.
The only reason limp biscuits covered this was for a movie soundtrack that caught on so it was added to the album
Such great drums in this.
Baba O’Reilley was another song lifted from the Lifehouse project.
Best bass sound ever.
A song between Pete and Rodger asking for forgiveness for how they used to treat each other….well that’s how I’ve always heard it.
I got this behind blue eyes thats me behind blue eyes🙃Always had a place In my heart for this one ❣
The song is about a man wrestling with his aggression. On the one hand is and wants to be a just a guy with blue eyes, who also has dreams. On the other hand he suffers outbursts of aggression and asks for help in dealing with them. His conflicted mind is reflected in the music that goes from calm, soothing, sad to aggressive.
The blue eyes is actually sad eyes. As the black sheep of my family I was always put down and thought of to never become anything in life. I fell into drinking and drugs and nobody ever really knew who I was inside. My thoughts or dreams they never knew because they never cared to ask me. My love was vengeance because I never had anyone to share it with or give it to. I had to resort to lies to hide myself for protection. I had many many defenses and walls built around me. Yet most the time I was asking for help in all the wrong ways. The lines if I shiver please give me a blanket and if I swallow anything evil put your finger down my throat are cries for help that nobody can hear because there is nobody to care. At least that is how I always related to this song and it was very comforting when I spent several years going through treatment to get my life back.
That's what I always thought it meant too. Blue isn't his actual eye color they're blue as in sad and or depressed.
In an interview, Pete Townsend said when he wrote the song meant one thing for him, but when Roger Daltrey sings it, it takes on a different meaning fitting Rodger's life.
re listen to this song and when the drums come in. there is no drums for HALF the song but when the DRUMS come in they really come in like nothing you will ever hear. this is Keith Moon and he has a style all his own. so much is great about this song. the lyrics the singing but to me the Drums thats what puts it over the top!
We used to do this song in the garage band I was in back in the day. My interpretation is that he's tired of being demonized by the left-stream media. And I know what that's like! LoL! Thanks, cats.
This song reminds me of when the Vietnam veterans were returning from the war. I was just a kid then but those were dark times
❤ You Two!
I always thought that line was, "I have hours only loaned me," (not lonely) meaning that our time is not our own. This is one of my favorite songs by The Who; Pete Townsend at his best. To me, he was saying that nobody knows what it's like to be anybody else, and that we all need to take care of each other.
WHAT A TUNE!
The harmonies in this song kill me.
Just scrolling thru RUclips and saw this channel, at first glance I thought Halle Berry was listening to the Who. I clicked on the channel because of this Who song. Okay its not HB but a younger and cuter woman. Brad and Lex, I dig your show. Keep playing cool stuff. I subscribed.
Your pink floyd song is from an album about roger waters life.
His dad died in ww2
The whole album is about him finding out his dad has died during the war and him becoming a manager controled rock star!
A great tune.
If you want a great newer release by The Who, really suggest you check out "A Man in a Purple Dress" released in 2006
Even newer: "Beads On One String" released in 2019 by The Who on their album "WHO". Roger's voice sounds so great on this one! I love the "Endless Wire" album, but "WHO" is better, in my opinion.
Brad was on point on this one.
also about the vocals sounding like aninstrument. Roger Daltry was a great singer. and i know i'm not the first here to say Kieth Moon on the drums is tearing it up.