Tommy (soundtrack)

Tommy is a soundtrack album by The Who with contributions from numerous artists. The soundtrack was used in the 1975 Tommy film that was based on the original album that was released by The Who in 1969. Pete Townshend oversaw the production of this double-LP recording that returned the music to its rock roots, and on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements he had envisaged for the original Tommy LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser.

Tommy
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedMarch 1975
RecordedJanuary–March 1974
StudioRamport and Eel Pie, London
GenreRock
Length90:35
LabelPolydor
ProducerThe Who
The Who chronology
Odds & Sods
(1974)
Tommy
(1975)
The Who by Numbers
(1975)
Singles from Tommy soundtrack
  1. "Pinball Wizard"
    Released: 12 March 1976

The soundtrack LP also employed many leading sessions musicians including Caleb Quaye, Phil Chen and Nicky Hopkins (who also receives a "Special Thanks" in the album credits for help with the arrangements) as well as members of The Faces' Ronnie Wood and future Keith Moon replacement Kenney Jones. The song "Pinball Wizard", performed by Elton John, was a major hit when released as a single.[1] Although the music for this song is performed by "The Elton John Band", as he was calling his musical team, the film depicts John being backed by The Who (dressed in pound-note suits). Townshend performs additional synthesizer and/or guitar on all tracks. Credits to "The Who" indicate performances by Townshend, John Entwistle and Moon jointly, regardless of vocalist.

Track listing

All songs are written and composed by Pete Townshend, except where noted. (For narrative, see Tommy (1975 film).)

Bonus track on CD reissues (CD 1)
No.TitlePerformerLength
1."Overture from Tommy"Pete Townshend5:01
LP side one (cassette side 1, CD 1)
No.Title...Length
1."Prologue - 1945"Pete Townshend and John Entwistle2:55
2."Captain Walker/It's a Boy"Pete Townshend, Margo Newman and Vicki Brown2:38
3."Bernie's Holiday Camp"Oliver Reed, Alison Dowling and Ann-Margret3:42
4."1921/What about the Boy?"Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed2:49
5."Amazing Journey"Pete Townshend3:19
6."Christmas"Ann-Margret, Alison Dowling and Oliver Reed3:59
7."Eyesight to the Blind" (Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson)Eric Clapton3:21
LP side two (cassette side 1, CD 1)
No.Title...Length
1."The Acid Queen"Tina Turner3:47
2."Do You Think It's Alright? (1)"Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed0:57
3."Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle)Paul Nicholas3:07
4."Do You Think It's Alright? (2)"Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed0:46
5."Fiddle About" (John Entwistle)Keith Moon1:40
6."Do You Think It's Alright? (3)"Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed0:29
7."Sparks"Instrumental3:07
8."Extra, Extra, Extra"Simon Townshend0:37
9."Pinball Wizard"Elton John5:22
LP side three (cassette side 2, CD 2)
No.Title...Length
1."Champagne"Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey4:43
2."There's a Doctor"Oliver Reed and Ann-Margret0:29
3."Go to the Mirror"Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret[2]3:49
4."Tommy, Can You Hear Me?"Ann-Margret0:55
5."Smash the Mirror!"Ann-Margret1:22
6."I'm Free"Roger Daltrey2:36
7."Mother and Son"Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey2:36
8."Sensation" (on the LP and 8-track; the cassette and CD feature a lead-in verse sung by Pete Townshend and a guitar solo, making it 4:37)Roger Daltrey2:49
LP side four (cassette side 2, CD 2)
No.Title...Length
1."Miracle Cure"Simon Townshend0:23
2."Sally Simpson"Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey5:38
3."Welcome"Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed4:15
4."T.V. Studio"Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed1:14
5."Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon)Keith Moon1:29
6."We're Not Gonna Take It"Roger Daltrey with the vocal chorus4:46[2]
7."See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You[2]"Roger Daltrey with the vocal chorus4:19[2]

Personnel

The Who comprises the skeleton band for most of the songs. All instrumentation (both credited and uncredited) on each song is by them, except for additional or alternate musicians indicated below for individual songs in which the lineup is wholly or partially different.[3] Six tracks have The Who as their explicit instrumental credits. Lead vocals are as indicated in track listing above.

The Who:

Roger Daltrey – vocals for (grown up) "Tommy" ("Young Tommy" by Alison Dowling)

John Entwistle – bass, brass overdubs

Keith Moon – drums, vocals for "Uncle Ernie"

Pete Townshend – guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, drums, vocals for "Narrator"

"Overture from Tommy"

The Who

"Prologue - 1945"

John Entwistle – brass overdubs

Pete Townshend – all other instruments

"Captain Walker/It's a Boy"

Pete Townshend – all instruments

"Bernie's Holiday Camp"

The Who

"1951/What about the Boy?"

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Mike Kellie – drums

Mick Ralphs, Caleb Quaye – guitar

Chris Stainton – organ

"Amazing Journey"

Phil Chen – bass

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Tony Newman – drums

"Christmas"

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Vocal chorus – backing vocals

"Eyesight to the Blind"

Eric Clapton – vocals and guitar

Kenney Jones – drums

Arthur Brown—vocals

"Acid Queen"

Kenney Jones – drums

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Ronnie Wood – guitar

"Do You Think It's Alright?" (1, 2, and 3)

Phil Chen – bass

Graham Deakin – drums

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

"Cousin Kevin"

Tony Newman – drums

Dave Wintour – bass

"Fiddle About"

The Who

"Sparks"

The Who

"Extra, Extra, Extra"

Kenney Jones – drums

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

Tony Stevens – bass

"Pinball Wizard"

Elton John – lead vocals and piano

Davey Johnstone – guitar

Dee Murray – bass

Nigel Olsson – drums

Ray Cooper – percussion

"Champagne"

The Who

"There's a Doctor"

Kenney Jones – drums

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

Chris Stainton – piano

Ronnie Wood – guitar

"Go to the Mirror"

Richard Bailey – drums

Phil Chen – bass

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Caleb Quaye – guitar

"Tommy, Can You Hear Me?"

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Alan Ross, Chris Stainton – acoustic guitar

"Smash the Mirror!"

Kenney Jones – drums

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

"I'm Free"

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Kenney Jones – drums

"Mother and Son"

Pete Townshend – all instruments

"Sensation"

Phil Chen – bass

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

"Miracle Cure"

Kenney Jones – drums

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

Tony Stevens – bass

"Sally Simpson"

Phil Chen – bass

Eric Clapton – guitar

Graham Deakin – drums

Nicky Hopkins – piano

"Welcome"

Pete Townshend – all instruments

"T.V. Studio"

Pete Townshend – all instruments

"Tommy's Holiday Camp"

Gerald Shaw – organ

"We're Not Gonna Take It"

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Mike Kelly – drums

Alan Ross – acoustic guitar

Fuzzy Samuels – bass

Chris Stainton – organ

Caleb Quaye – guitar

Vocal chorus – backing vocals

"See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You"

The Who, plus:

Nicky Hopkins – piano

Chris Stainton – organ

Vocal chorus – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1975) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 6
Billboard Pop Albums 2
UK Chart Albums 21

Year-end charts

Chart (1975) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 22

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[7] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. "The Who - Official Site of The Who, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey". The Who.
  2. Notes:
    1. The soundtrack album's liner notes give Oliver Reed a vocal credit for "Go To The Mirror" even though his vocals are only on the film version of the song—not the soundtrack-album version. The song book for the soundtrack album, however, correctly attributes the concluding verses' vocals soley to "Mother" (Ann-Margret).
    2. "See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You" is the name given in the song book for the soundtrack album; the soundtrack album itself, counterintutively, calls it "Listening To You/See Me, Feel Me". Also, the CD version, curiously, splits the last two tracks at the onset of the "Listening To You" movement, leaving the "See Me, Feel Me" movement with "We're Not Gonna Take It". Times given here, however, represent the correct split between the two songs.
  3. Tommy the movie: Original Soundtrack Recording, CD liner notes. Many of Pete Townshend's guitar and keyboard contributions, and all of his ARP synthesizer contributions, are not explicitly credited on a song-by-song basis, but are instead mentioned holistically in the "Musicians" list.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 282. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Canadian album certifications – Soundtrack – Tommy". Music Canada.
  7. "Who: Tommy". British Phonographic Industry.
  8. "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Tommy". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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