![]() ![]() "The kid is having terrible things done to him, because that's life as it is," he said. When the "sick" charge began affecting record sales, Townshend responded. DJ Tony Blackburn and others labeled it "sick" and banned it briefly. The opening strumming chords are a recurring musical theme on the album.Įarlier Who songs "Rael" and "Glow Girl" contained early variations of Tommy themes.Īt the time, the BBC misinterpreted the song as a mocking of handicapped people. It's about a deaf, dumb and blind boy who magically becomes a pinball star and impresses local kids in London. The album's storyline is famously convoluted, but "Pinball Wizard" is easy to follow. Stewart has also included versions on My Favourite Songs, Sing it Again, Rod, and Storyteller. Rod Stewart performed the song with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir in 1973. ![]() His version is also included on his albums Caribou, Greatest Hits Vol. But they don't."Įlton John performed the song in the 1975 movie and on the soundtrack. People could also be divine if they would listen to him. He starts off being nothing and ends up being something - divine. Townshend said, "We made Tommy deaf, dumb and blind so we could give him in the opera everything he hadn't. When miraculously cured, he subjects his disciples to the same entombment he endured, luring them to a camp where they are ordered to practice pinball wearing dark glasses and earplugs. Goldman's summary of "Pinball Wizard" and its context in the rock opera: "Preserving only his sense of touch (the chief inlet of soul in this age?), Tommy triumphs by becoming a pinball wizard, the idol of a youth cult. The late Albert Goldman, later vilified for writing controversial biographies about Elvis Presley and John Lennon, wrote in Life magazine in 1969: "Considered as music, Tommy is magnificent, the final crystallization of the hard-rock style in an art as dry, hard, lucid, as unashamedly conventional and finely impersonal as the music of the most severe classicist." Some critics scoffed, but most were enthusiastic. Tommy, still the Who's best-known work, was singer-guitarist Pete Townshend's attempt at fusing rock-and-roll with more serious, established musical culture. 2017."Pinball Wizard" was the first single from the rock opera Tommy. “Townshend On ‘Tommy’: Behind the Who’s Rock Opera.” Rolling Stone, 12 July 1969. Tommy’s secrecy, seduction, and “Sensation,” coupled with interpersonal trauma, loss, and, ultimately, triumph remain relevant today because, as Townshend said, “it is life.”2 The Pinball Wizard’s journey to himself begins with acceptance and awareness of the world around him.ġ “Brief Meher Baba Biography | Meher Spiritual Center.” Brief Meher Baba Biography | Meher Spiritual Center. On a basic working level, songs like ‘I’m Free,’ ‘Pinball Wizard’ and a couple of others are very much Baba.”2 In The Who’s Tommy, Tommy gains his celebrity status as a “Pinball Wizard” and amazes everyone at his skills despite his disabilities, gaining a cult following which ultimately leaves him as he struggles to reclaim his life as his own. ![]() He gained a celebrity following when he traveled to the West.1 Townshend was inspired by Baba’s journey, stating to Rolling Stone Magazine, “the process of writing was controlled by my direct involvement with Baba. Grappling with his own celebrity, Townshend became an avid follower of Meher Baba, a religious leader from India who was mute and only communicated through letters or hand signals. With success comes celebrity, and during the 1960s and ’70s, stars were treated as untouchable gods. There is no pretense, just exploration of real emotions. This production exhibits the raw traits that make this show so appealing to many. Music of earlier decades was considered sugar-coated and mellow, while the social commentary of new acts like The Rolling Stones and The Who influenced listeners to stop and take notice of issues, and to react and rebel, as rock and roll swept the globe. In 1969, when guitarist Pete Townshend’s rock album, which informed The Who’s Tommy, was released, the world of music had reached an age of great rock bands. These artists were pushing musical boundaries and taking daring risks like never before. The Pinball Wizard of The Who’s Tommy experiences the glories of rock and roll and the dangers of celebrity worship as he searches for self and home. It is a challenging musical for many reasons actors must infuse every moment with energy worthy not only of immortal rock stars, but also of vulnerable humans. The Who’s Tommy reaches deep and leaves no element of heartbreak unexplored in its tale of self-discovery and familial reconciliation. The Legend of the Pinball Wizard A Dramaturgical Look into 'The Who's Tommy' ![]()
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