The Who by Numbers

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The Who By Numbers
Studio album by The Who
Released	October 1975
Recorded	April - May 1975 on the Shepperton Studios' soundstage using Ronnie Lane's mobile studio
Genre	Rock
Length	37:10
Label	Polydor Records (UK) MCA Records (U.S.)
Producer(s)	Glyn Johns, Chris Charlesworth, Bill Curbishley, Robert Rosenberg
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone (no rating) link
The Who chronology
Odds and Sods (1974)	The Who By Numbers (1975)	Who Are You (1978)

The Who By Numbers is an album by British rock band The Who, released in 1975.

Contents 1 History 2 Track listing 2.1 1996 reissue 3 Personnel 4 Personnel - Production 5 External links

[edit] History

Without the massive structure and ambition of the band's better known works Tommy and Quadrophenia, Pete Townshend's songwriting stands on its own in the sparse and dark Who By Numbers. Gone are the synthesizers and the massive layers of overdubs. In their places are descriptions of Townshend's alcoholism, lust, and self-loathing, as well as the dark side of creeping middle-age and the fear of irrelevance. On "They Are All In Love," Townshend laments: "Hey goodbye all you punks, stay young and stay high / Hand me my checkbook while I crawl off to die." These themes extend from the hopeless refrain of "However Much I Booze" (sung by Townshend himself as Daltrey thought it too personal for himself to sing it), "There ain't no way out", to the paranoid question, "How many friends have I really got?"

A few tracks stand in contrast, including the playfulness of the modest hit "Squeeze Box" and "Blue, Red and Grey"'s claim that "I like every minute of the day." But John Entwistle's contribution, "Success Story", returns to display nearly as despairing and cynical a view of stardom as the rest of the record.

The Who By Numbers peaked at the number 7 position on the UK album charts and number 8 on the Billboard 200 album charts in the United States.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Pete Townshend unless stated otherwise.

1. "Slip Kid" – 4:31
2. "However Much I Booze" – 5:02
3. "Squeeze Box" – 2:42
4. "Dreaming From the Waist" – 4:07
5. "Imagine a Man" – 4:04
6. "Success Story" (Entwistle) – 3:22
7. "They Are All in Love" – 3:02
8. "Blue, Red and Grey" – 2:49
9. "How Many Friends" – 4:06
10. "In a Hand or a Face" – 3:25

[edit] 1996 reissue

The bonus tracks on the 1996 reissue were recorded live at Swansea Football Ground on June 16, 1976. These particular recordings appear on many Who bootlegs.

1. "Squeeze Box" – 3:13
2. "Behind Blue Eyes" – 4:39
3. "Dreaming From the Waist" – 4:57

[edit] Personnel

• Roger Daltrey - Vocals, harmonica
• Pete Townshend - Guitar, keyboards, Ukulele, vocals
• John Entwistle - Bass guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Keith Moon - Drums
• Nicky Hopkins - Piano, keyboards
• Dave Arbus: Violin

[edit] Personnel - Production

• Chris Charlesworth - Executive producer
• Bill Curbishley - Executive producer
• John Entwisle - Album art
• Richard Evans - Remaster Album art direction, design
• Glyn Johns - Producer
• Jon Astley - Remixing
• Bob Ludwig - Remastering
• Robert Rosenberg - Executive producer
• John Swenson - Liner notes
• Chris Walter - Photography

[edit] External links

• Guitar tablature
• Lyrics
• Fan reviews
• Keno's review of The Who By Numbers

The Who
Roger Daltrey | Pete Townshend | John Entwistle | Keith Moon
Kenney Jones - John "Rabbit" Bundrick - Pino Palladino - Zak Starkey Simon Townshend - Jon Carin - Simon Phillips - Doug Sandom - Colin Dawson
Listings
Personnel - Discography - Filmography - The Who in popular culture
Other related people
Peter Meaden - Kit Lambert - Chris Stamp