Tommy (soundtrack)
Tommy is a soundtrack album by The Who with contributions from numerous artists. The soundtrack was used in the 1975 Tommy film that was based on the original album that was released by The Who in 1969. Pete Townshend oversaw the production of this double-LP recording that returned the music to its rock roots, and on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements he had envisaged for the original Tommy LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser.
| Tommy | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | March 1975 | |||
| Recorded | January–March 1974 | |||
| Studio | Ramport and Eel Pie, London | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 90:35 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | The Who | |||
| The Who chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Tommy soundtrack | ||||
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The soundtrack LP also employed many leading sessions musicians including Caleb Quaye, Phil Chen and Nicky Hopkins (who also receives a "Special Thanks" in the album credits for help with the arrangements) as well as members of The Faces' Ronnie Wood and future Keith Moon replacement Kenney Jones. The song "Pinball Wizard", performed by Elton John, was a major hit when released as a single.[1] Although the music for this song is performed by "The Elton John Band", as he was calling his musical team, the film depicts John being backed by The Who (dressed in pound-note suits). Townshend performs additional synthesizer and/or guitar on all tracks. Credits to "The Who" indicate performances by Townshend, John Entwistle and Moon jointly, regardless of vocalist.
Track listing
All songs are written and composed by Pete Townshend, except where noted. (For narrative, see Tommy (1975 film).)
| No. | Title | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Overture from Tommy" | Pete Townshend | 5:01 |
| No. | Title | ... | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Prologue - 1945" | Pete Townshend and John Entwistle | 2:55 |
| 2. | "Captain Walker/It's a Boy" | Pete Townshend, Margo Newman and Vicki Brown | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Bernie's Holiday Camp" | Oliver Reed, Alison Dowling and Ann-Margret | 3:42 |
| 4. | "1921/What about the Boy?" | Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 2:49 |
| 5. | "Amazing Journey" | Pete Townshend | 3:19 |
| 6. | "Christmas" | Ann-Margret, Alison Dowling and Oliver Reed | 3:59 |
| 7. | "Eyesight to the Blind" (Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson) | Eric Clapton | 3:21 |
| No. | Title | ... | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Acid Queen" | Tina Turner | 3:47 |
| 2. | "Do You Think It's Alright? (1)" | Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 0:57 |
| 3. | "Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle) | Paul Nicholas | 3:07 |
| 4. | "Do You Think It's Alright? (2)" | Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 0:46 |
| 5. | "Fiddle About" (John Entwistle) | Keith Moon | 1:40 |
| 6. | "Do You Think It's Alright? (3)" | Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 0:29 |
| 7. | "Sparks" | Instrumental | 3:07 |
| 8. | "Extra, Extra, Extra" | Simon Townshend | 0:37 |
| 9. | "Pinball Wizard" | Elton John | 5:22 |
| No. | Title | ... | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Champagne" | Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey | 4:43 |
| 2. | "There's a Doctor" | Oliver Reed and Ann-Margret | 0:29 |
| 3. | "Go to the Mirror" | Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret[2] | 3:49 |
| 4. | "Tommy, Can You Hear Me?" | Ann-Margret | 0:55 |
| 5. | "Smash the Mirror!" | Ann-Margret | 1:22 |
| 6. | "I'm Free" | Roger Daltrey | 2:36 |
| 7. | "Mother and Son" | Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey | 2:36 |
| 8. | "Sensation" (on the LP and 8-track; the cassette and CD feature a lead-in verse sung by Pete Townshend and a guitar solo, making it 4:37) | Roger Daltrey | 2:49 |
| No. | Title | ... | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Miracle Cure" | Simon Townshend | 0:23 |
| 2. | "Sally Simpson" | Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey | 5:38 |
| 3. | "Welcome" | Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 4:15 |
| 4. | "T.V. Studio" | Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed | 1:14 |
| 5. | "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon) | Keith Moon | 1:29 |
| 6. | "We're Not Gonna Take It" | Roger Daltrey with the vocal chorus | 4:46[2] |
| 7. | "See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You[2]" | Roger Daltrey with the vocal chorus | 4:19[2] |
Personnel
The Who comprises the skeleton band for most of the songs. All instrumentation (both credited and uncredited) on each song is by them, except for additional or alternate musicians indicated below for individual songs in which the lineup is wholly or partially different.[3] Six tracks have The Who as their explicit instrumental credits. Lead vocals are as indicated in track listing above.
The Who:
Roger Daltrey – vocals for (grown up) "Tommy" ("Young Tommy" by Alison Dowling)
John Entwistle – bass, brass overdubs
Keith Moon – drums, vocals for "Uncle Ernie"
Pete Townshend – guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, drums, vocals for "Narrator"
"Overture from Tommy"
The Who
"Prologue - 1945"
John Entwistle – brass overdubs
Pete Townshend – all other instruments
"Captain Walker/It's a Boy"
Pete Townshend – all instruments
"Bernie's Holiday Camp"
The Who
"1951/What about the Boy?"
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Mike Kellie – drums
Mick Ralphs, Caleb Quaye – guitar
Chris Stainton – organ
"Christmas"
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Vocal chorus – backing vocals
"Do You Think It's Alright?" (1, 2, and 3)
Phil Chen – bass
Graham Deakin – drums
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
"Fiddle About"
The Who
"Sparks"
The Who
"Pinball Wizard"
Elton John – lead vocals and piano
Davey Johnstone – guitar
Dee Murray – bass
Nigel Olsson – drums
Ray Cooper – percussion
"Champagne"
The Who
"There's a Doctor"
Kenney Jones – drums
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
Chris Stainton – piano
Ronnie Wood – guitar
"Go to the Mirror"
Richard Bailey – drums
Phil Chen – bass
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Caleb Quaye – guitar
"Tommy, Can You Hear Me?"
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Alan Ross, Chris Stainton – acoustic guitar
"Smash the Mirror!"
Kenney Jones – drums
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
"I'm Free"
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Kenney Jones – drums
"Mother and Son"
Pete Townshend – all instruments
"Sensation"
Phil Chen – bass
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
"Miracle Cure"
Kenney Jones – drums
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
Tony Stevens – bass
"Welcome"
Pete Townshend – all instruments
"T.V. Studio"
Pete Townshend – all instruments
"Tommy's Holiday Camp"
Gerald Shaw – organ
"We're Not Gonna Take It"
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Mike Kelly – drums
Alan Ross – acoustic guitar
Fuzzy Samuels – bass
Chris Stainton – organ
Caleb Quaye – guitar
Vocal chorus – backing vocals
"See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You"
The Who, plus:
Nicky Hopkins – piano
Chris Stainton – organ
Vocal chorus – backing vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1975) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 6 |
| Billboard Pop Albums | 2 |
| UK Chart Albums | 21 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 22 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[6] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[7] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- "The Who - Official Site of The Who, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey". The Who.
- Notes:
- The soundtrack album's liner notes give Oliver Reed a vocal credit for "Go To The Mirror" even though his vocals are only on the film version of the song—not the soundtrack-album version. The song book for the soundtrack album, however, correctly attributes the concluding verses' vocals soley to "Mother" (Ann-Margret).
- "See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You" is the name given in the song book for the soundtrack album; the soundtrack album itself, counterintutively, calls it "Listening To You/See Me, Feel Me". Also, the CD version, curiously, splits the last two tracks at the onset of the "Listening To You" movement, leaving the "See Me, Feel Me" movement with "We're Not Gonna Take It". Times given here, however, represent the correct split between the two songs.
- Tommy the movie: Original Soundtrack Recording, CD liner notes. Many of Pete Townshend's guitar and keyboard contributions, and all of his ARP synthesizer contributions, are not explicitly credited on a song-by-song basis, but are instead mentioned holistically in the "Musicians" list.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 282. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Canadian album certifications – Soundtrack – Tommy". Music Canada.
- "Who: Tommy". British Phonographic Industry.
- "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Tommy". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
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