This isn't directly related to this week's content (I'll leave one about this week's music later on) but I thought it'd be an interesting discussion: On SNL last night, Phoebe Bridgers smashed her guitar after her performance, and garnered a lot of mixed reviews on Twitter. Some people liked it, arguing that because her song was about the end of the world, it made sense. Most people thought it was wasteful and unnecessary. However, we know the Who is quite well respected nowadays, despite that being a very pronounced part of their career. As a general discussion question, do you think guitar-smashing still holds up in 2021?
Here's the link to the SNL video if anyone wants to see it :) https://youtu.be/9LE5tafaayc
I saw that online and pointed out to someone that it was reminiscent of The Who, lots of others noticed it too. Funny enough, Crosby said she was pathetic! I think people will always been mad about it in the present and lack back at it later more positively.
Haha, that's hilarious. She wasn't terribly convincing -- it was an ugly guitar, and maybe too big for her (though Wikipedia tells me she plays a "baritone electric guitar," which I'd never heard of, but it must be larger than a normal guitar). I think the feedback in the set was artificial -- it only started after she was done breaking the guitar. The press is making a big deal about how she's a female, the others were "dudes," but I already showed you Patti Smith's feedback guitar solo. Here she is ripping the strings off of her guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfosQb-ucbQ
The lyrics of Rael Pt.s 1&2 sound like a fear mongering anthem about defending "holy" rael from red chinned invaders. The happy sounding parts of the song almost sound like they're invoking the national anthem of Rael while the rhythmic parts bring back in that message of warring against the "invaders".
In a quick one we see that mixing of lyrical "folk" harmonizing and rock, paralleling that heard a bit in Rael.
Great to show how the who transforms existing pieces and tropes for their own purposes
I think I mentioned this in a previous week, but every time I listen to A Quick One While He's Away, it reminds me of the movements of a symphony, or something like that. There are multiple different sections that all have different expressions, but they all relate to the main story. I definitely think it adds something to the performance, because they're like chapters in a book. In the simplest thoughts, the girl is sad that her man is gone, then she meets Iver the Engine Driver, finds comfort in him, and then her man comes back and she's guilty. I think it makes for a very unique song.
Also slightly unrelated, but I think it's kind of funny that in the video performance, all the members look like they're dressed for different occasions. Roger Daltrey looks like he's coming back from the 60s idea of a rodeo, Pete Townshend looks like he came straight out from the roller disco, Keith Moon looks like an ice skater, and John Entwistle looks like a punk rocker. I don't know if it's just me, but I thought that was really funny!
The story behind “A Quick One” is told in several parts that make up a whole song and a whole story, despite only having less than ten minutes. The plot that I picked up on from listening is that there is a girl whose lover is away somewhere (perhaps at war) and she cheers herself up by sleeping with Ivor the engine driver. When her lover returns, she tells him of her infidelity and he forgives her. I think that the lyrics to this song created a clear beginning, middle, and end to this mini-story and I really enjoyed the experience. It was a very short narrative, but it was still complete. I read somewhere that this song introduces the parents of Tommy, who is the main character in The Who’s later rock opera with the same name. The story in “Rael” was a little more challenging for me to pick up on, but it seems to be about Israel being invaded by some type of crusader. I am not a huge history person so there are probably a lot of historical details in the lyrics that would explain the plot better, but I was not able to figure them out. As far as this song being considered a “mini-opera” goes, I think “A Quick One” feels more like an opera than “Rael.” This could be because “A Quick One” feels like it is divided up into chapters whereas “Rael” is less broken up and more cohesive. Then again, this could just be because I am clueless about the historical context of the song and the plot was harder for me to comprehend.
As Townshend’s experimentation leads to him linking shorter songs into larger wholes, this allows him to create grander songs that can follow a narrative and tell a story. For instance, the two “mini-operas,” “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” and “Rael” are each able to tell a story, though the story in “Rael” seems to have grown in lyrical and narrative complexity from “A Quick One.” For instance, in “A Quick One,” the lyrics of the song are easier to interpret, as The Who starts off with the verse “Her man was gone/.../But he ain’t here,” setting up the story as being about a long distance relationship and the difficulties that are to come from it. It is interesting how the tempo of the song often changes with different parts of the story, and repetition is also used in an interesting way, in which particular phrases like “you are forgiven” are repeated within particular verses, honing in the message of the song even further, while the verses themselves are repeated less. Meanwhile, what distinguishes “Rael” is that it’s lyrics encompass a story that is much grander and more “epic,” leading to the language being more dramatic and figurative (like the line “My roots are torn and cornered”). Something interesting about “Rael” that I noticed was that, at times, the drums sounded like waves crashing, and towards the end of the song, there were sounds that reminded me of some sort of firing or the beginning of the warfare. In that way, I think that these sounds, and how the music was incorporated, helped to support the narrative about an invasion and the following war to preserve the holy land of Rael.
Lyrically, “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” and “Rael” are quite different. “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” flows more like a story-song, as the events mostly appear to happen chronologically. It tells a story of a woman feeling alone since her man is gone and committing adultery to feel good about herself until he comes back. The song doesn't say where he went, but given the history if the time, it could have been about a soldier.
More obviously, "Rael" is about a country being threatened by outsiders. I assumed that the "Red Chins" referenced are communists because of the western fear of communism at the time. Overall, "Rael" seems less optimistic and the music transitions into different mini-sons within the opera more easily than "A Quick One" with its obvious transitions.
Both "A Quick One (While He's Away)" and "Rael" show a clear transition in Townshend's songwriting. At this point, the band has moved away from shorter, poppier songs, and more abstract and long-form narrative pieces. But although these songs both signify that change, they are very different in their own right, and even between these two songs Townshend is shown to be constantly changing his lyrical style. "A Quick One (While He's Away)" tells a very simple, easily understood, and somewhat relatable story: husband is away for too long, wife cheats on husband, husband comes back and forgives wife. In contrast, "Rael" parts 1 and 2 are very abstract, and if I'm honest, I wasn't even sure what they were talking about. I understood something about a ship and a captain and maybe some kind of battle to fend off some foreign offender? But other than that, I was pretty much clueless, and I don't think the song is really meant to be taken too literally either. It's not a narrative like "A Quick One" where there is a clear and easy to follow story, but rather a more abstract one that is just supposed to conjure images in the mind of the audience and therefore evoke some new and strange feelings.
A Quick one is really a full experience, going all over the place in terms of sound and breaking up the song into fairly different sections to tell a much longer story than any one song previously might have. It's like a self contained concept album, but in these cases more coherent and smaller in scope in a way that focuses on the story. I frankly had trouble following Rael at all, but A Quick One had a lot of areas that went all over the place but still made sense with the whole story like the introduction of dirty old Iver the Engine Driver, and forgiveness after the husband finally comes home despite being thought to have abandoned them.
I loved listening to both of the assigned songs for this week because the storytelling was very unique and unlike anything I've heard in other songs. A Quick One reminded me more of a modern song, being much more generally relatable to life and less based in fantasy world. However, the length of the song and the way the story developed through each verse made it very captivating to listen to, and seeing the live performance was even better because the band clearly has such a fun time performing. Rael 1 went even further into it, and with this one I had a lot of trouble following the plot because it was so abstract. However, after listening to it a few times, it was really interesting to visualize the themes of crusades and the ship and captain that are discussed in the song, and I would love to learn more about it in class so I can learn more about how literally or metaphorical the song is meant to be taken.
I feel as though the long form of the songs are reminiscent of films. You don't watch a film and see only one kind of shot, one background, one dialogue style or inflection - you see many and they all attempt to serve the overall purpose/message/idea/etc. of the film. Personally, I felt this much more from A Quick One rather than from Rael (however, I did also see aspects in Rael). I think that there is a compelling story within A Quick One which is reflected through overall changes in timbre of voice and instruments, musical style and genre and overall groove. In my head, I could picture the emotions (hesitation, guilt, etc.) as well as the story itself, all told through The Who's musical stylings.
A personal note about the more long-form song close to my heart that I was reminded of through this listening exercise was how much these songs reminded me of Grateful Dead songs in that they try to use length, storytelling and timbrel/rhythmic changes to give the listener an idea of what it means to be the character in the song, to put yourself into their shoes.
Both songs this week were fascinating and really showcased Townshend's improved and complex songwriting. A Quick One was one song but made up of little vignettes with different themes and feels. Each one felt so different and helped build the story they were creating. Rael, on the other hand, was less obvious in it's story telling and more strange, too. It feels like they were seeing how far they could push a song and it's story without the audience losing engagement or interest. Clearly their confidence was not shaken as they would later create Tommy.
By connecting multiple shorter songs into longer songs, to me, the songs make less sense overall. In particular with “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” there seems to be general themes or stories that were focused on throughout portions of the song, but I was unable to figure out if all of the little stories were interconnected, or if they were truly separate. The little stories allowed me to remain engaged with the song, even if I was unsure of the stories’ overall connection to one another. Although some of the stories seemed sad, the overall nature of the song seemed quite upbeat to me. In “Rael Parts 1 & 2” the song felt more fluidly connected, but the theme seemed more difficult to grasp. Many of the words seem to represent more distant metaphors, than just telling a story on the surface. To me, on the surface it seems that this song explains the feelings of someone that is grappling between two worlds. They plan to leave one place and never return, but there is a possibility that they will return. This idea is explained as a sort of discussion that this individual has with an individual who is curious of his intentions in terms of where he will be living. It seems that there must be a deeper meaning to this song, however. This song definitely was more of an experience than “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” due to its metaphorical focus and some of the more spiritual musical techniques that were utilized. Overall, it seems that in both songs there was a sort of story that was being told. Although in “Rael Parts 1 & 2” the story was more hidden, I feel like the various elements were at least somewhat easier to connect. “A Quick One (While He’s Away) seems very disconnected to me lyrically, although the song itself is well connected musically. It seems that in both songs the lyrics may need to have told us more in order for us to truly understand the situations that Pete Townsend wanted to represent with the songs. Both of these songs definitely support the idea that Townsend began to develop more complex songs as he progressed as an artist. The two songs seemed very different to me overall, but it was interesting to look at them together.
I really enjoyed listening to both "A Quick One (While He's Away) and Rael (Pt.1 & Pt. 2); both still clearly tell their own stories, one the story of a husband, wife, and adultery, and the other of war and invasion. Townshend uses these shorter songs linked into a longer whole to portray a more full range of emotion and a more distinct progression in his storytelling; to me, they seemed to provide an experience slightly more akin to a musical than a regular song, as, in each, they were able to portray a serious, gloomy topic in a whimsical, upbeat way that made you want to actually listen and sing along, and most importantly, think. I found that the fast-paced nature of the collection of miniature songs made it easier to stay tuned to the lyrics and notice the change in tone and phase of the story, as the songs kept a distinct sound and feeling despite Townshend still providing a smooth transition from one to the next to make the song in its entirety cohesive, again seemingly similar to a musical or short concept album. Both songs, while maintaining story clarity, keep a range of sounds that create a novelty and variety that allows people many options to choose a favorite part for themselves, as well as strong signaling of the highs and lows within the story in the transitions in the music, providing audiences an emotive experience they can attach their own feelings and stories to and ride along with as they listen.
Both A Quick One and Rael have lyrics that tell real stories. A Quick One has an interesting tie in with Ivor, the engine driver. The video for A Quick One also portrays the song in a more storytelling manner. The song does get a bit confusing before the Ivor section, just because there is so much going on. Rael at around 4:20, the mayhem is quite satisfying, as the song splits from 1 to 2. Rael seems to be a war anthem, and the beginning of A Quick One randomly seems to match the mood of Rael, with the same-beat drumming that is reminiscent of a drummer boy in a war.
"A Quick One (While He's Away)" and "Rael" show The Who further developing their songwriting. They used to write shorter, pop songs but are moving towards abstract narratives. Shorter songs link these together which is similar to the concept album we talked about last time. Their songs address serious topics, that aren't necessarily cheerful, but listeners still tune in. Listeners can choose to listen to the lyrics or just focus on the tune which creates an interesting listening experience. Side Note: I really liked listening to "A Quick One (While He's Away)" it is becoming one of my favorite who songs. - Julia Alanis
I really liked listening to this week’s songs, and I think they gave me a deeper insight into The Who’s music. A Quick One (While He’s Away) tells a story about the relationship between a woman, her husband, and an engine driver. Townshend starts with a short introduction – which is sort of a song of its own – before going into the first part of the song. He then transitions from one part of the song into another. There are multiple parts, and each sounds different from the others. I thought these transitions were really unique, and it almost made it sound like multiple songs in one, like different parts of the same story. In Rael (Pt. 1 and 2), Townshend does a similar thing, as this song has 2 distinct parts. Between them as a transition, Townshend sings “Rael, Rael, Rael” for about half a minute. The song then changes pace, instrumentals, and tone, making two songs in one. The Who’s linking of songs into one showcases the band’s creativity and diversity of talents. It provides listeners a deeper experience and gives more meaning to the songs, creating a story of sorts.
A Quick One (While He's Away) is still stuck in my head! My favorite part of the song though is the very beginning. Their funny deep voices remind me of the Beatles when they incorporate weird voices and accents and characters of sorts into their song intros or outros. I really love the live performance at the Rock N Roll Circus but i'm going to have to disagree with Professor Stefans that The Who's performance overshadowed The Stones. I think The Rolling Stones live performance of Sympathy for the Devil is totally mesmerizing (also John Lennons performance! ugh swoon!). The idea of the mini opera in rock music is really interesting to me and its fun to listen to songs like that every once in a while but I think in general it's not very practical for selling records. I think you really have to be a die hard Who fan to listen to the whole of A Quick One or Real over and over. I think its funny that Rael is on The Who Sells Out, because its a song that's not easily marketable -in my opinion. Id love to know what the band thought of this song, and if they made it for themselves, or their fans.
This isn't directly related to this week's content (I'll leave one about this week's music later on) but I thought it'd be an interesting discussion: On SNL last night, Phoebe Bridgers smashed her guitar after her performance, and garnered a lot of mixed reviews on Twitter. Some people liked it, arguing that because her song was about the end of the world, it made sense. Most people thought it was wasteful and unnecessary. However, we know the Who is quite well respected nowadays, despite that being a very pronounced part of their career. As a general discussion question, do you think guitar-smashing still holds up in 2021?
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the SNL video if anyone wants to see it :)
https://youtu.be/9LE5tafaayc
I saw that online and pointed out to someone that it was reminiscent of The Who, lots of others noticed it too. Funny enough, Crosby said she was pathetic! I think people will always been mad about it in the present and lack back at it later more positively.
DeleteHaha, that's hilarious. She wasn't terribly convincing -- it was an ugly guitar, and maybe too big for her (though Wikipedia tells me she plays a "baritone electric guitar," which I'd never heard of, but it must be larger than a normal guitar). I think the feedback in the set was artificial -- it only started after she was done breaking the guitar. The press is making a big deal about how she's a female, the others were "dudes," but I already showed you Patti Smith's feedback guitar solo. Here she is ripping the strings off of her guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfosQb-ucbQ
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics of Rael Pt.s 1&2 sound like a fear mongering anthem about defending "holy" rael from red chinned invaders. The happy sounding parts of the song almost sound like they're invoking the national anthem of Rael while the rhythmic parts bring back in that message of warring against the "invaders".
ReplyDeleteIn a quick one we see that mixing of lyrical "folk" harmonizing and rock, paralleling that heard a bit in Rael.
Great to show how the who transforms existing pieces and tropes for their own purposes
-Kara
we see the juxtaposition of bright sound and darker lyrics (war and cheating, respectively)
DeleteI think I mentioned this in a previous week, but every time I listen to A Quick One While He's Away, it reminds me of the movements of a symphony, or something like that. There are multiple different sections that all have different expressions, but they all relate to the main story. I definitely think it adds something to the performance, because they're like chapters in a book. In the simplest thoughts, the girl is sad that her man is gone, then she meets Iver the Engine Driver, finds comfort in him, and then her man comes back and she's guilty. I think it makes for a very unique song.
ReplyDeleteAlso slightly unrelated, but I think it's kind of funny that in the video performance, all the members look like they're dressed for different occasions. Roger Daltrey looks like he's coming back from the 60s idea of a rodeo, Pete Townshend looks like he came straight out from the roller disco, Keith Moon looks like an ice skater, and John Entwistle looks like a punk rocker. I don't know if it's just me, but I thought that was really funny!
~Sara Lim
Haha, yeah, good point. I think Entwistle is wearing his skeleton one piece.
DeleteThe story behind “A Quick One” is told in several parts that make up a whole song and a whole story, despite only having less than ten minutes. The plot that I picked up on from listening is that there is a girl whose lover is away somewhere (perhaps at war) and she cheers herself up by sleeping with Ivor the engine driver. When her lover returns, she tells him of her infidelity and he forgives her. I think that the lyrics to this song created a clear beginning, middle, and end to this mini-story and I really enjoyed the experience. It was a very short narrative, but it was still complete. I read somewhere that this song introduces the parents of Tommy, who is the main character in The Who’s later rock opera with the same name.
ReplyDeleteThe story in “Rael” was a little more challenging for me to pick up on, but it seems to be about Israel being invaded by some type of crusader. I am not a huge history person so there are probably a lot of historical details in the lyrics that would explain the plot better, but I was not able to figure them out. As far as this song being considered a “mini-opera” goes, I think “A Quick One” feels more like an opera than “Rael.” This could be because “A Quick One” feels like it is divided up into chapters whereas “Rael” is less broken up and more cohesive. Then again, this could just be because I am clueless about the historical context of the song and the plot was harder for me to comprehend.
As Townshend’s experimentation leads to him linking shorter songs into larger wholes, this allows him to create grander songs that can follow a narrative and tell a story. For instance, the two “mini-operas,” “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” and “Rael” are each able to tell a story, though the story in “Rael” seems to have grown in lyrical and narrative complexity from “A Quick One.” For instance, in “A Quick One,” the lyrics of the song are easier to interpret, as The Who starts off with the verse “Her man was gone/.../But he ain’t here,” setting up the story as being about a long distance relationship and the difficulties that are to come from it. It is interesting how the tempo of the song often changes with different parts of the story, and repetition is also used in an interesting way, in which particular phrases like “you are forgiven” are repeated within particular verses, honing in the message of the song even further, while the verses themselves are repeated less. Meanwhile, what distinguishes “Rael” is that it’s lyrics encompass a story that is much grander and more “epic,” leading to the language being more dramatic and figurative (like the line “My roots are torn and cornered”). Something interesting about “Rael” that I noticed was that, at times, the drums sounded like waves crashing, and towards the end of the song, there were sounds that reminded me of some sort of firing or the beginning of the warfare. In that way, I think that these sounds, and how the music was incorporated, helped to support the narrative about an invasion and the following war to preserve the holy land of Rael.
ReplyDeleteLyrically, “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” and “Rael” are quite different. “A Quick One (While He’s Away)” flows more like a story-song, as the events mostly appear to happen chronologically. It tells a story of a woman feeling alone since her man is gone and committing adultery to feel good about herself until he comes back. The song doesn't say where he went, but given the history if the time, it could have been about a soldier.
ReplyDeleteMore obviously, "Rael" is about a country being threatened by outsiders. I assumed that the "Red Chins" referenced are communists because of the western fear of communism at the time. Overall, "Rael" seems less optimistic and the music transitions into different mini-sons within the opera more easily than "A Quick One" with its obvious transitions.
Both "A Quick One (While He's Away)" and "Rael" show a clear transition in Townshend's songwriting. At this point, the band has moved away from shorter, poppier songs, and more abstract and long-form narrative pieces. But although these songs both signify that change, they are very different in their own right, and even between these two songs Townshend is shown to be constantly changing his lyrical style. "A Quick One (While He's Away)" tells a very simple, easily understood, and somewhat relatable story: husband is away for too long, wife cheats on husband, husband comes back and forgives wife. In contrast, "Rael" parts 1 and 2 are very abstract, and if I'm honest, I wasn't even sure what they were talking about. I understood something about a ship and a captain and maybe some kind of battle to fend off some foreign offender? But other than that, I was pretty much clueless, and I don't think the song is really meant to be taken too literally either. It's not a narrative like "A Quick One" where there is a clear and easy to follow story, but rather a more abstract one that is just supposed to conjure images in the mind of the audience and therefore evoke some new and strange feelings.
ReplyDelete^ Preston Patam
DeleteA Quick one is really a full experience, going all over the place in terms of sound and breaking up the song into fairly different sections to tell a much longer story than any one song previously might have. It's like a self contained concept album, but in these cases more coherent and smaller in scope in a way that focuses on the story. I frankly had trouble following Rael at all, but A Quick One had a lot of areas that went all over the place but still made sense with the whole story like the introduction of dirty old Iver the Engine Driver, and forgiveness after the husband finally comes home despite being thought to have abandoned them.
ReplyDeleteI loved listening to both of the assigned songs for this week because the storytelling was very unique and unlike anything I've heard in other songs. A Quick One reminded me more of a modern song, being much more generally relatable to life and less based in fantasy world. However, the length of the song and the way the story developed through each verse made it very captivating to listen to, and seeing the live performance was even better because the band clearly has such a fun time performing. Rael 1 went even further into it, and with this one I had a lot of trouble following the plot because it was so abstract. However, after listening to it a few times, it was really interesting to visualize the themes of crusades and the ship and captain that are discussed in the song, and I would love to learn more about it in class so I can learn more about how literally or metaphorical the song is meant to be taken.
ReplyDelete-Violet Bretz
I feel as though the long form of the songs are reminiscent of films. You don't watch a film and see only one kind of shot, one background, one dialogue style or inflection - you see many and they all attempt to serve the overall purpose/message/idea/etc. of the film. Personally, I felt this much more from A Quick One rather than from Rael (however, I did also see aspects in Rael). I think that there is a compelling story within A Quick One which is reflected through overall changes in timbre of voice and instruments, musical style and genre and overall groove. In my head, I could picture the emotions (hesitation, guilt, etc.) as well as the story itself, all told through The Who's musical stylings.
ReplyDeleteA personal note about the more long-form song close to my heart that I was reminded of through this listening exercise was how much these songs reminded me of Grateful Dead songs in that they try to use length, storytelling and timbrel/rhythmic changes to give the listener an idea of what it means to be the character in the song, to put yourself into their shoes.
- charlie (^:
DeleteBoth songs this week were fascinating and really showcased Townshend's improved and complex songwriting. A Quick One was one song but made up of little vignettes with different themes and feels. Each one felt so different and helped build the story they were creating. Rael, on the other hand, was less obvious in it's story telling and more strange, too. It feels like they were seeing how far they could push a song and it's story without the audience losing engagement or interest. Clearly their confidence was not shaken as they would later create Tommy.
ReplyDelete-Ben
DeleteBy connecting multiple shorter songs into longer songs, to me, the songs make less sense overall. In particular with “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” there seems to be general themes or stories that were focused on throughout portions of the song, but I was unable to figure out if all of the little stories were interconnected, or if they were truly separate. The little stories allowed me to remain engaged with the song, even if I was unsure of the stories’ overall connection to one another. Although some of the stories seemed sad, the overall nature of the song seemed quite upbeat to me. In “Rael Parts 1 & 2” the song felt more fluidly connected, but the theme seemed more difficult to grasp. Many of the words seem to represent more distant metaphors, than just telling a story on the surface. To me, on the surface it seems that this song explains the feelings of someone that is grappling between two worlds. They plan to leave one place and never return, but there is a possibility that they will return. This idea is explained as a sort of discussion that this individual has with an individual who is curious of his intentions in terms of where he will be living. It seems that there must be a deeper meaning to this song, however. This song definitely was more of an experience than “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” due to its metaphorical focus and some of the more spiritual musical techniques that were utilized. Overall, it seems that in both songs there was a sort of story that was being told. Although in “Rael Parts 1 & 2” the story was more hidden, I feel like the various elements were at least somewhat easier to connect. “A Quick One (While He’s Away) seems very disconnected to me lyrically, although the song itself is well connected musically. It seems that in both songs the lyrics may need to have told us more in order for us to truly understand the situations that Pete Townsend wanted to represent with the songs. Both of these songs definitely support the idea that Townsend began to develop more complex songs as he progressed as an artist. The two songs seemed very different to me overall, but it was interesting to look at them together.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I really enjoyed listening to both "A Quick One (While He's Away) and Rael (Pt.1 & Pt. 2); both still clearly tell their own stories, one the story of a husband, wife, and adultery, and the other of war and invasion. Townshend uses these shorter songs linked into a longer whole to portray a more full range of emotion and a more distinct progression in his storytelling; to me, they seemed to provide an experience slightly more akin to a musical than a regular song, as, in each, they were able to portray a serious, gloomy topic in a whimsical, upbeat way that made you want to actually listen and sing along, and most importantly, think. I found that the fast-paced nature of the collection of miniature songs made it easier to stay tuned to the lyrics and notice the change in tone and phase of the story, as the songs kept a distinct sound and feeling despite Townshend still providing a smooth transition from one to the next to make the song in its entirety cohesive, again seemingly similar to a musical or short concept album. Both songs, while maintaining story clarity, keep a range of sounds that create a novelty and variety that allows people many options to choose a favorite part for themselves, as well as strong signaling of the highs and lows within the story in the transitions in the music, providing audiences an emotive experience they can attach their own feelings and stories to and ride along with as they listen.
ReplyDelete-Constanza Montemayor
Both A Quick One and Rael have lyrics that tell real stories. A Quick One has an interesting tie in with Ivor, the engine driver. The video for A Quick One also portrays the song in a more storytelling manner. The song does get a bit confusing before the Ivor section, just because there is so much going on. Rael at around 4:20, the mayhem is quite satisfying, as the song splits from 1 to 2. Rael seems to be a war anthem, and the beginning of A Quick One randomly seems to match the mood of Rael, with the same-beat drumming that is reminiscent of a drummer boy in a war.
ReplyDelete"A Quick One (While He's Away)" and "Rael" show The Who further developing their songwriting. They used to write shorter, pop songs but are moving towards abstract narratives. Shorter songs link these together which is similar to the concept album we talked about last time. Their songs address serious topics, that aren't necessarily cheerful, but listeners still tune in. Listeners can choose to listen to the lyrics or just focus on the tune which creates an interesting listening experience. Side Note: I really liked listening to "A Quick One (While He's Away)" it is becoming one of my favorite who songs.
ReplyDelete- Julia Alanis
I really liked listening to this week’s songs, and I think they gave me a deeper insight into The Who’s music. A Quick One (While He’s Away) tells a story about the relationship between a woman, her husband, and an engine driver. Townshend starts with a short introduction – which is sort of a song of its own – before going into the first part of the song. He then transitions from one part of the song into another. There are multiple parts, and each sounds different from the others. I thought these transitions were really unique, and it almost made it sound like multiple songs in one, like different parts of the same story. In Rael (Pt. 1 and 2), Townshend does a similar thing, as this song has 2 distinct parts. Between them as a transition, Townshend sings “Rael, Rael, Rael” for about half a minute. The song then changes pace, instrumentals, and tone, making two songs in one. The Who’s linking of songs into one showcases the band’s creativity and diversity of talents. It provides listeners a deeper experience and gives more meaning to the songs, creating a story of sorts.
ReplyDelete- Kate Latham
A Quick One (While He's Away) is still stuck in my head! My favorite part of the song though is the very beginning. Their funny deep voices remind me of the Beatles when they incorporate weird voices and accents and characters of sorts into their song intros or outros. I really love the live performance at the Rock N Roll Circus but i'm going to have to disagree with Professor Stefans that The Who's performance overshadowed The Stones. I think The Rolling Stones live performance of Sympathy for the Devil is totally mesmerizing (also John Lennons performance! ugh swoon!).
ReplyDeleteThe idea of the mini opera in rock music is really interesting to me and its fun to listen to songs like that every once in a while but I think in general it's not very practical for selling records. I think you really have to be a die hard Who fan to listen to the whole of A Quick One or Real over and over. I think its funny that Rael is on The Who Sells Out, because its a song that's not easily marketable -in my opinion. Id love to know what the band thought of this song, and if they made it for themselves, or their fans.