From head to heart
The Who's My Generation

Following our retroscope series going on for several years, here we go again. Yes, for one more year! Here's Speakers' corner's cousin; From head to heart. Luna Kafé's focused eye on great events, fantastic happenings, absolute milestones, or other curious incidents from the historic shelves'n'vaults of pop'n'rock. Blowing our ears and our head, punching our chest and shaking our heart, or simply tapping our shoulder. Making us go sentimental, but not slaphappy. This moonth we present - hey! - a 50-year-old platter. An iconic seven inch, holding an iconic song for a genereation. Well, in fact, for the next generation(s) as well. It is one of the coolest and toughest rock songs ever. This is the distilled sound of teen spirit, of teenage angst, teen attitude, teen power, teenage lust for life. Teen everything.'People try to put us d-down / Just because we get around / Things they do look awful c-c-cold / I hope I die before I get old....' Why don't you all f-f-f-fade away...

The Who
My Generation b/w Shout & Shimmy
Brunswick Records/Decca Records

The 1960s wasn't all about peace, love, harmony and good vibrations. It was also about rebellion. Not only articulated by students against racism, war, armament of nuclear arms and old rigid routines at the universities. It could also be drums and guitar mayhem with feedback, short bass solo interludes and stutters against the angst of growing up and conformity of the older generations.

People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

Talkin' 'bout my generation
My generation
Talkin' 'bout my generation
My generation

The greatest rock rebellion song of all time? Why don't you all ... f-f-fuck off!!?

In the USA the main song was backed with "Out In The Street" instead of "Shout And Shimmy", more ordinary blues based stuff both of them. They saying goes that The Who was about to break up due to inner tensions at the time the single was released. Roger hated the pop songs (he called them) written by Pete. He wanted to sing rough blues songs, probably closer to the above mentioned B-sides. And everyone in the band pretty much hated each other and the other three hated Roger in particular. They agreed to wait and stay together to promote the single and see if it was a success. 50 years later and the two members of the band who didn't die before they got old still keep The Who alive and even released a new song "Be Lucky" only last year! But I hope they don't play "My Generation" live anymore. It doesn't quite suit gentlemen well into their 70s...

Copyright © 2015 JP