A few times or even once in a music decade, a song is released that transcends its era and becomes a timeless anthem that serves a particular purpose. When the English rock band, The Who, released “Won’t Get Fooled Again” in June 1971, it was the short version people heard. Still, it reached the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The band later released the eight-and-a-half-minute version of the song as the last track on their album, Who’s Next, in August.
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Despite its popularity, not everyone knows the fundamental message of the song. Hence, we’ll go through the lyrics to expose the meaning behind each verse of the classic piece.
The Meaning of the Song
The title somehow explains the basis of the song, although the title never shows in the lyrics, rather, the recurring phrase in the lyrics is We don’t get fooled again.
We’ll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song
The lines paint a picture of societal unrest and conflict. The mention of “fighting in the streets” suggests a state of turmoil. After which the very individuals who began the fight are now positioned as judges of what is right or wrong—they’re now the decision-makers.
I’ll tip my hat to the new Constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
In the chorus, the song talks about accepting the new order, smiling at the change that has occurred, while returning to old familiar routines. Someday, he’ll get on his knees to pray they don’t repeat past mistakes.
Change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fold, that’s all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain’t changed
‘Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war
Slowly, the people are starting to realize that they were only released from the clutches of the past leaders just to see that nothing has changed.
I’ll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half-alive
I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie
Do you?
He implies that if he and his family survived the revolution, he’d get the necessary documentation and pretend to be happy. “The hypnotized” in this case are people who blindly follow the new leaders.
Yeah
There’s nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are effaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight
Still maintaining that nothing has changed, he sees that the slogans that were used in the revolution don’t hold any meaning again. Allegiances have changed and their physical appearance is different.
Yeah
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss”
The iconic phrase at the end of the song summarizes the whole track. The new leaders are no different from the old ones they fought to remove.
The Writer of the Song
Pete Townshend, the second lead vocalist and resident songwriter of The Who wrote “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Like all great ideas borne in an unusual living space, Townshend wrote the song while living on Eel Pie Island, London, where there was a commune that inspired some parts of the song.
In the book, Townshend: A Career Biography, he explained that he wrote the song as a form of expressing anti-establishment beliefs while showing that revolution changes nothing in the long run. Townshend initially wrote the song as a part of his unfinished sci-fi rock opera project—Lifehouse. When he could not get enough sponsorship to finish the project, he released it for the album, Who’s Next.
According to Far Out Magazine, Townsend cited another inspiration for the song’s composition—The Woodstock Music Festival. On the 2nd day of the festival, while The Who played, activist Abbie Hoffman commandeered the microphone during a short break in their set, and Townshend had to chase him off the stage. He explained that revolution could be “unpredictable,” and in the long run, the people leading it would become just as “corrupt” as those they outed in the first place.
Fun Facts About the Song
The synthesizer in the song also represents the revolution theme. The sounds build at the beginning, reaching a swelling climax, before going soft when it’s implied that nothing has changed.
In 2004, when Michael Moore was making his anti-George Bush documentary, he wanted to use the song, especially the closing phrase, to depict George Bush. Townshend didn’t permit him because he believed Moore was a left-wing bully (Songfacts).
Another fun fact about the song is that Nissan used it as the theme song for their 2000 Nissan Maxima commercial, while The Who made a significant amount of money from the deal.
Impact of the Song
As an anthem against phony revolutions, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” remains relevant decades after its release. When DJs are parting with a radio station because of a tyrannical boss, one of the songs they play on their last set is “Won’t Get Fooled Again” because of the closing phrase. The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Van Halen.
Final Thoughts
Altogether, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is a lasting anthem that makes a mark across generations, offering a sobering reminder of the need to critically assess change, question authority, and strive for true transformation that breaks free from the constraints of regular revolution. Through its lyrics, the song prompts its listeners to reflect on the nature of progress, the complexities of revolutions, and the aspiration for meaningful change that transcends the repetitive patterns of the past.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
