Any good songwriter would tell you that you need an idea before you begin writing, and then you need the inspiration and the dedication (perspiration) to finish it. Regardless of how hard you try, though, it’s all for naught if you don’t start with a good idea.

For Pete Townshend, that wasn’t enough. After writing a few pop songs for the Who’s earliest albums, Townshend started to think that ideas were not enough to get him hjump-started. He needed concepts – big, broad, juicy concepts that were often so convoluted that it could take longer to explain them than it took to play the resultant music.

After a few stabs at ‘trial run’ projects (“I’m a Boy” was to be the lead single of a conceptual storyboard based around parents choosing their children by sex, and “A Quick One” was a mini-mini-opera written to fill out space on their relatively weak second album) “Tommy” was Townshend’s first genuine attempt/achievement at making a grand statement.

I could discuss all of the conceptual nonsense that has been bantered around about this album and go on for the next three hours, or I could simply play the album. I’m sure we’d both prefer if I did the latter, so here is part two of The Who’s Tommy”.

Featured tracks include;

Do You Think It’s Alright”

Fiddle About

Pinball Wizard

There’s a Doctor

Go to the Mirror

Tommy Can You Hear Me?

Smash the Mirror

Sensation

Miracle Cure

Sally Simpson

I’m Free

Welcome

Tommy’s Holiday Camp

We’re Not Gonna Take It