Sally Simpson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Sally Simpson"
Image:Tommyalbumcover.jpg
Song by The Who
From the album Tommy
Album released 23 May 1969
Recorded September 19 1968 to March 7, 1969
Genre Rock
Song Length 4:12
Record label Polydor
Producer Kit Lambert
Tommy Album Listing
Miracle Cure Sally Simpson I'm Free


"Sally Simpson" is a song written by Pete Townshend of The Who. It appears as the twentieth track on the group's first rock opera, Tommy (1969). The song is written through the perspective of a young girl named Sally Simpson. Sally comes from a wealthy family, yet desires more, so she sneaks out of the house against her father's will to see one of Tommy's sermons, where she plans to jump on stage and touch him.
At the sermon (themed "Come unto me, love will find a way"), Sally attempts to jump onto the stage to touch Tommy, but her plans are foiled by a security guard, who throws her onto the floor, causing her to sustain a cut on the cheek that requires stitches.
After being carried away in an ambulance, Sally returns home, gets married to a rock star in California, but always remembers Tommy.
The storyline resembles that of Mark 5 25-34, in which an ill woman touches Jesus' robe. It is unknown if this was intended.
In the book 'Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend' by Stephen Davis, it is mentioned that Pete Townshend loosely based the song on a concert he saw. The Doors were playing and he saw Jim Morrison's stage antics and penned this song.

[edit] External links