The Who isn’t exactly known for traditional Christmas tunes, but they do have a song that fits the season.
This song is on the album Tommy about the deaf, dumb, and blind kid. This is not a Christmas song you will hear on the radio at this time of year…it’s just part of the story of Tommy. It’s one of my favorite songs on the album along with Sally Simpson.
Tommy’s father has concerns about his son on Christmas morning. Tommy is deaf, dumb, and blind, and doesn’t appear to have much of a future, but that Christmas, he gets a game of pinball and his life changes when he becomes the Pinball Wizard. This was written by Pete Townshend and it fits perfectly on that album.
It’s the backup vocals that always catch my attention. Also the drums by Mr. Moon plus Townshend’s slashing guitar. They also go into the refrain of “Tommy Can You Hear Me” and “See Me Feel Me.” The song is powerful and also very catchy. I always listen to it around Christmas.
I don’t think any band in rock could have touched them during this time live. On the tour of Tommy is where Live At Leeds came from and it is the tightest I’ve heard a rock band.
Tommy peaked at #2 in the UK, #4 on the Billboard 100, and #6 in Canada in 1969.
Christmas
Did you ever see the faces of children
They get so excited.
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun’s ignited.
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heavens generosity.
Peeping round the door
to see what parcels are for free
In curiosity.
And Tommy doesn’t know what day it is.
Doesn’t know who Jesus was or what praying is.
How can he be saved?
From the eternal grave.
Surrounded by his friends he sits so silently,
And unaware of everything.
Playing poxy pin ball
picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything.
I believe in love
but how can men who’ve never seen
Light be enlightened.
Only if he’s cured
will his spirits future level ever heighten.
And Tommy doesn’t know what day it is.
Doesn’t know who Jesus was or what praying is.
How can he be saved?
>From the eternal grave.
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
[Tommy:]
See me, feel me
Touch me, heal me.
See me, feel me
Touch me, heal me!
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
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Merry Christmas 🎅
Merry Christmas!
Imagine if the Who back then played a show with a Xmas tree onstage set up besides Moons drums? lol…
And then Moon sets the tree on fire lol.
and drives into a pool
Thats it!
I was totally thinking of that like when he exploded his bass drum and blew out Pete’s ears haha
LOL…I would love to see Keith in the modern world…he would shake some people up
Lol…niiiiice…I like it Max!
The world had certainly never seen a Christmas song like that before!
No…but I love the backups…
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…
If I don’t talk to you before Christmas…have a good one!
Thank you…I wish you the same!
Oh, I always loved Pinball Wizard! I bought two small pinball machines for our twin 8 year old granddaughters for Christmas in fact! Can’t wait to see how they like them!
Oh I love pinball machines….I want a real one one day
Totally weird Christmas song, but I like it.
that’s a new one to me! Pretty rockin’ but thanks to Deke, only the second most rockin’ Christmas video I’ve seen today, LOL
LOL…yea I love that video he had.
One of the best live band’s ever….that I never got to see.
I got to see them twice…but not with Moon
A friend of mine and I used to jam to the music from “Tommy”.
I love the album…I just never liked the thin sound of it and they fixed that on the next album…
I love the photograph of them. I’ve seen it elsewhere before, but it’s great. This is one of my favorites from the album too. As for “Sally Simpson”, I think the group was not as fond of it. Just from things I’ve read, it seems as if every time they needed to omit something from Tommy, that song was the first to go.
For me…I was around 12 when I got the album in 79…Sally Simpson and this one…were the favorites at first. Yea I’ read where they didn’t like it as much either.
Yeah, they were right at their peak around this time, at least for me.
On a bit of a Who/Townshend run. Had a good workout to the Extended Live At Leeds yesterday. Agree with much of your take. The live cut you posted has to be from the same time as Leeds.
You have heard me say it before…I think they were untouchable as a rock band during that time. No one I’ve heard, rock bands that is, were that tight. The Allmans were something else…they all were in their prime.
Moon’s drumming was at it’s peak. Man was he good.
I’m breaking my blogging hiatus, at least for today. I didn’t recall this song based on its title but recognized it right away when I played the clip. I agree it’s a great song. To me, the “Tommy” album oftentimes sounds like not quite finished – on some songs I find it’s more obvious than on others – but that does give it a certain charm.
The sound of that album is what I have a problem with…it sounds thin to me…
Very cool Max! 😎
Love the first video. The feelings come through here. The Who isn’t a band I’m real familiar with but when I take the time to give them a listen the magic of their music comes through.
They are powerful…
Max, they give me that feeling I get when I read certain poems.
I can see that…the same with lyrics for me.