145. The Who | Tommy (1969)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Overture
2. It's a Boy
3. 1921
4. Amazing Journey
5. Sparks
6. Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)
7. Christmas
8. Cousin Kevin
9. The Acid Queen
10. Underture
11. Do You Think It's Alright?
12. Fiddle About
13. Pinball Wizard
14. There's a Doctor
15. Go to the Mirror!
16. Tommy Can You Hear Me?
17. Smash the Mirror
18. Sensation
19. Miracle Cure
20. Sally Simpson
21. I'm Free
22. Welcome
23. Tommy's Holiday Camp
24. We're Not Gonna Take It

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Tommy is a disappointing album. It starts out with a bang and then ends with a whimper. The first ten songs sound great. After that, there's only a handful of interesting songs among the last fourteen.

The story is odd. At first it makes some sense. Tommy sees someone get killed and is told he didn't see it or hear it and that he shouldn't even talk about it. From that Tommy becomes a blind and deaf mute. Obviously, it's a psychological condition. People try to cure him with sex and drugs, but a doctor recognizes that his condition is psychosomatic. Eventually, he is cured, but it is suggested that a miracle cured him. So, then he becomes a messiah figure and suggests his followers make themselves blind and deaf mutes to become enlightened.

If the story were just that it'd be better. There are some threads that just don't seem important and could have or should have been cut out. Although, some good music would have been lost.

Questioning Tommy's not being Christian on Christmas goes nowhere, but could've been important when Tommy becomes a messiah. Cousin Kevin bullies and tortures Tommy on Cousin Kevin is pointless and cruel.

Uncle Ernie molesting Tommy on Fiddle About and molesting other kids on Tommy's Holiday Camp are inconsequential. The former could have been good foreshadowing if the latter had any purpose. In fact, it seems Uncle Ernie gets away with his behavior and that seems to be the wrong message to send. Tommy's pinball prowess on Pinball Wizard goes nowhere. Sally Simpson getting cut on Sally Simpson also seem irrelevant. Couldn't Tommy have healed Sally or could he have been seen as a fraud for not being able to heal her.

I recommend the first half and only for the music. For the second half, you proceed at your own risk both musically and story-wise. Ultimately, I think The Pretty Things did a better job with S.F. Sorrow than The Who with Tommy. Tommy would have promise if it were shortened, streamlined and more emphasis was placed on Tommy after he became a messiah.

The stand out songs are Overture, It's a Boy, 1921, Amazing Journey, Sparks, Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker), Christmas, Cousin Kevin, The Acid Queen, Underture, Pinball Wizard and I'm Free.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆