The Who – Going Mobile

There is probably not a song on Who’s Next that hasn’t been played to death…but I dont’ hear this one as much as some of the others.

One of my favorite Keith Moon drum tracks… It’s not the most noticeable part he played but no other drummer would have played it this way. I included an isolated drum track of this song at the bottom.

Pete Townshend wrote this and sang it… it was part of his “Lifehouse” project, which was a film script featuring The Who in a future world where rock ‘n’ roll saves the masses. The Who scrapped plans for the concept double album and released most of the songs on Who’s Next…pretty much agreed their best album and one of the best in rock.

The song was the B side to Behind Blue Eyes in 1971.

From Songfacts

This is about taking a vacation by riding around in a car with no particular destination. It was something Pete Townshend liked to do.

 This was much lighter and more simplified than the other songs on the album.

For the solo, Townshend ran his guitar through a device called an Envelope Follower. It was a type of synthesizer distortion that made it sound like he was playing under water.

Keith Moon’s isolated drums on Going Mobile

Going Mobile

I’m going home
And when I want to go home, I’m going mobile
Well I’m gonna find a home on wheels, see how it feels,
Goin’ mobile
Keep me moving

I can pull up by the curb,
I can make it on the road,
Goin’ mobile
I can stop in any street
And talk with people that we meet
Goin’ mobile
Keep me moving, mmm

Out in the woods
Or in the city
It’s all the same to me
When I’m driving free
The world’s my home
When I’m mobile, ey woo, beep beep

Play the tape machine
Make the toast and tea
When I’m mobile
Well, I can lay in bed with only highway ahead
When I’m mobile
Keep me moving

Keep me moving
Over fifty
Keep me groovin’
Just a hippie gypsy
Come on move now
Movin’
Keep me movin’ yeah

Keep me movin’, movin’, movin’, yeah
Movin’ yeah
Mobile, mobile, mobile, mobile, mobile, mobile, mobile

I don’t care about pollution
I’m an air-conditioned gypsy
That’s my solution
Watch the police and the taxman miss me!
I’m mobile! Oh yeah he he
Mobile, mobile, mobile, yeah

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

12 thoughts on “The Who – Going Mobile”

    1. Yes it does fit him solo… I’ve played that drum track to drummers..they just shake their head because of the way that he played….in good…”No one else” would play it that way…way

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. This album was released and Led Zeppelin 4 within a month or so of each other. Those two albums help build classic radio in a lot of ways.

      Like

      Reply

    1. We don’t get it here as much…about the only one off this album they don’t play as much.. lol..

      One of a kind.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Rock 92 92.3 in Asheboro & Classic Rock 100.7 in Wake Forest cover a LOT of Who and anything else ‘classic rock’ you can think of.

        I miss the oldies stations that used to play 50s, 60s & 70s gold. They disappeared about 15 years ago. Now, everything is either Classic Rock, Top 40, Talkradio or BobFM/Simon ‘we play everything’ stations. I can only get unheard stuff on satellite.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes 50s is hard to find now. 60s you hear the giant groups but ot the small ones…some AM may play them. ig
        Satellite Radio plays everything but splits it up into categories.

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment