Here’s wishing a heartfelt Happy Birthday to The Who’s Pete Townshend, who turned 80 years old on May 19. Pretty much since the iconic British band’s inception, the guitarist has been the group’s creative mastermind and primary songwriter.
Pete wrote and conceptualized most of The Who’s classic 1969 rock opera Tommy and all of the band’s 1973 concept album Quadrophenia. Among the many classic Who tunes composed by Townshend are “My Generation,” “I Can See for Miles,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Join Together,” “Love, Reign o’er Me,” “Who Are You,” and “You Better You Bet.”
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[RELATED: 5 Who Songs Featuring Memorable Pete Townshend Vocal Interludes]
Townshend also launched a solo career that saw its biggest successes during the 1980s.
Founding Who frontman Roger Daltrey, of course, has always been the band’s main lead vocalist, although Townshend also has sung quite a few of the group’s tunes.
In honor of Pete’s milestone birthday, here’s look a four cool Who deep cuts featuring Townshend singing lead:
“A Legal Matter” (1965)
“A Legal Matter” was a song that appeared on The Who’s 1965 debut album, My Generation (titled The Who Sings My Generation in the U.S.). The driving, catchy pop-rock tune was the first Who song to feature Townshend on lead vocals.
The song’s lyrics offer up some dark, tongue-in-cheek humor, sung from the perspective of a guy who’s apparently skipping out on marriage because he doesn’t want to be tied down. The track features lauded session musician Nicky Hopkins on piano.
“A Legal Matter” was released as a single in the U.K., and peaked at No. 32 there. In the U.S., it was issued as the B-side of “The Kids Are Alright.”
“Sunrise” (1967)
“Sunrise” is a delicate acoustic ballad that appeared on The Who’s 1967 concept album The Who Sell Out. The track features only Pete’s vocals and fingerpicked acoustic 12-string guitar.
In a 1980 interview with Sound International magazine, Townshend explained that he’d written the song years earlier while he was studying jazz chords and techniques.
“I wrote it for my mother to show her that I could write real music,” he noted.
“Sensation” (1969)
“Sensation” is a song from Tommy. Townshend sings the tune from the perspective of the main character, Tommy, who expresses his excitement about sharing his spiritual message to the disciples who begin following him after he regains his ability to see, hear, and speak.
According to SongFacts, Pete original wrote “Sensation” about a woman he met in Australia, but later adjusted it to fit in with the 1969 rock opera’s concept.
In the 1975 film adaption of Tommy, “Sensation” was sung by Daltrey, who portrayed the lead character in the movie.
“Blue Red and Grey” (1975)
“Blue Red and Grey” was an acoustic ditty featured on The Who’s 1975 album, The Who by Numbers. The song was recorded by Townshend as a demo featuring just his vocals and a ukulele.
The tune features an optimistic message about keeping a positive attitude in the face of life’s trials and tribulations.
In an article posted in Rolling Stone, Townshend explained that “Blue Red and Grey” didn’t fit in with most of the material on The Who by Numbers, which he wrote at a time when he was feeling extremely down.
Pete admitted that he was surprised when producer Glyn Johns insisted that the song be included on the album.
“I said, ‘What? That f—ing thing?’” Townshend recalled. “‘Here’s me wanting to commit suicide, and you’re going to put that thing on the record?’”