Pinball Wizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Pinball Wizard" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by The Who | ||
| from the album Tommy | ||
| B-side(s) | Dogs, Part Two | |
| Released | March 7, 1969 | |
| Recorded | February 7, 1969 at Morgan Studios, London, UK | |
| Genre | Rock music | |
| Length | 3:01 | |
| Label | Polydor | |
| Producer(s) | Kit Lambert | |
| The Who singles chronology | ||
| "Magic Bus" (1968) |
"Pinball Wizard" (1969) |
"Go to the Mirror!" (1969) |
"Pinball Wizard" is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band The Who, and featured on their 1969 rock opera Tommy. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached #4 in the UK charts.
Contents |
[edit] Story
The lyrics are written from the perspective of a local pinball champion astounded by the skills of the opera's eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: "That deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball", and "I thought I was the Bally table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him."
Townshend, who is known for making contradictory statements about his work[citation needed], once called it "the most clumsy piece of writing [he'd] ever done"[1]. The song was however a gigantic commercial success and one of the most recognized tunes from the opera. It was a perpetual concert favorite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity.
[edit] Distinction
The song is well known for its distinctive instrumental opening section, which mimics the sounds of a mechanical pinball machine on acoustic and electric guitar. The rhythm of that section serves as one of the opera's leitmotifs, with similar patterns also played on acoustic guitar at the end of the songs "Overture" and "I'm Free". Townshend has said that the section draws some influence from English Baroque composer Henry Purcell.
[edit] Position on the album
The song was introduced into Tommy as an afterthought[citation needed]. In late 1968 or early 1969, when The Who played a rough assembly of their new album to critic Nik Cohn, Cohn gave a lukewarm reaction. Following this, Townshend, as Tommy's principal composer, discussed the album with Cohn and concluded that, to lighten the load of the rock opera's heavy spiritual overtones (Townshend had recently become deeply interested in the teachings of Meher Baba), the title character, a "deaf, dumb, and blind" boy, should also be particularly good at a certain game. Knowing Cohn was an avid pinball fan, Townshend suggested that Tommy would play pinball, and Cohn immediately declared Tommy to be a masterpiece[citation needed]. The song "Pinball Wizard" was written and recorded almost immediately.
[edit] Covers
The song was featured in a medley with another song from Tommy ("See Me, Feel Me") in a recording by the British easy-listening pop group The New Seekers in 1973. This version reached #16 on the UK charts.
The song was performed by musician Elton John in Ken Russell's 1975 theatrical adaptation of Tommy. This version was released as a single in 1976 and reached #7 in the UK. Elton John's version uses a piano in the place of the acoustic guitar in the original, and features additional lyrics specially written for the movie by Townshend, as well as a short sample of The Who's earlier "I Can't Explain". John continues to perform the song in his Las Vegas Red Piano Show and on tour. To date, it is the only cover of a Who song to reach the top ten.
Rod Stewart performed the song for the 1972 orchestral version of Tommy, and it is included on several of Stewart's greatest hits compilations.
The song was also performed by Tenacious D as the closing song at shows on their 2006-2007 tour, usually as part of a medley of Tommy songs.
[edit] Trivia
This is one of Karl Pilkington's favourite songs as he only likes a 'song with a story'. Pinball Wizard was featured on the Ricky Gervais radio show on XFM, although, he doesn't see how a 'deaf, dumb and blind kid' plays pinball. He says he wouldn't even know he was playing pinball. Why put money in the machine? [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Remaster Liner Notes to Tommy "Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy" by Richard Barnes
- ^ The Ricky Gervais Show, XFM London, 18 June 2005: http://www.pilkipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=18_June_2005
