The Who: Who's For Tennis?

Well, those were cases of re-recording a vocal for a track that had already been finished and discarded, not recording an initial vocal for an unused, incomplete backing track. I guess that's the distinction I was thinking of. And both of those instances were done several years later for one specific archival project, so I don't know how indicative they are of the band's general approach. In 1970, it seems more likely they'd just rerecord the track, as they did the following year with "I Don't Even Know Myself." But I'm just spitballing here. I've got no plausible explanation for your point about the drums not being in stereo.

 

For what it's worth, my initial excitement has been substantially tempered, but I'm not having any epiphanies one way or another. It's pretty strange that the drums would be mono if the track had been totally re-cut at Eel Pie, but they also don't really sound like the drums on the Advision tracks either, unless maybe they were heavily EQ'd and compressed. But even then I have doubts. Other than not being in stereo the drums do seem to sound more like the other Eel Pie tracks.

As far as returning to previously recorded tracks goes, how often did they return to previously scrapped *songs*? They did re-record the Lifehouse tracks from the Record Plant in the UK, but if Pete is to be believed that was because Glyn Johns convinced him that he could get a better sound if they started over; it isn't inconceivable that I Don't Even Know Myself would also fall into that group. It would interesting to know how complete Is It In My Head? and Love Reign O'er Me were prior to the start of Quadrophenia proper.

 

For what it's worth (I know, not much) here is the tracklisting I listen to -

SIDE ONE :

1. Fortune Teller (original '68 mix from Japanese CD)
2. Call Me Lightning
3. Politician
4. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
5. I Always Say (apparently written in '68)
6. The Magic Bus (Meaty Beaty version)

SIDE TWO :

1. Melancholia (original '68 mix from Japanese CD)
2. Glow Girl (I know it was supposed to start the LP but I like it better here)
3. Little Billy
4. Faith In Something Bigger
5. Goin' Fishin'
6. Dogs

I am sure that the singles most likely wouldn't have been on the LP but in the absence of any recordings of "Now I'm A Farmer", "Joys" or "Facts Of Life" this will have to do!

One thing that amazed me - the difference in sound/feel of the two separate mixes of "Melancholia". It never sounded like a '68 recording to me until I heard the original mix for the first time last year. Suddenly it made sense - the double tracked vocals and the clearer backing vocals help place it more in the frame of the time, IMO.

Now we've had releases of two original '68 mixes in Japan ("Fortune Teller" and "Melancholia") are there any others out there?

I absolutely LOVE "Faith In Something Bigger" and would love to hear a proper '68 mix!

 

Let's see... they re-recorded "Heatwave" a year after not releasing their original version. In that case they likely couldn't have used the Talmy version on AQO if they'd wanted to, but I bet they would have re-recorded it anyway. They also re-recorded "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" but of course that was in the span of only a few months, not a year or more in between the versions. That's all I can think of.

 

No, No, No! The Who played at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in 1971, not at Flushing Meadows (where the Singer Bowl was located). The US Open tennis tournament moved from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows in the late 70's.

 

Well there you have it, dual quad decoders where needed to decipher the riddle!

"The Who For Tennis- Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium '71"

*listed as Forest Hills in Concert File.
*both stadiums are a mere few miles apart

 

Just something else to add, since it appears we've reached a roadblock with dating the "Farmer" session(s). I've always been a fan of the song "Ted End" from SYHATW, and remembered the demo that came out on the CD reissue. To me it always seemed to have a very '68 kind of vibe to it. If you compare John's vocal to the later studio version, it sounds like his voice has aged quite a bit in the interim. The only input I've ever seen regarding the date of the demo was from a random YouTuber in the comments section who says it's from '68. (Extremely reliable info, I'm aware.)

Anyway, here's the "Ted End" demo. It seems like the song would have fit nicely amongst the other Tennis-era tracks. The simplicity of this demo (just vocals, bass and horns) compared more involved "No. 29" demo found on the SYHATW reissue might be another clue.

 

But wait, there's more to the Tennis connection. The Who did play at The Singer Bowl in Aug. '68

 

Isn't it Keith? I figure the "GOURDS!" alone makes it pretty clear.

 

No, I personally don't think it sounds anything like Keith. Although I know what Keith voice your referring to. I think it 100% sounds like Roger the whole time, there's even a chuckle on the longer mix (which I think is the remix ... after "gourds" ... it might even be a 2nd gourds) and I think that sounds like Roger too.

 

Agree 100% on this. I remember always assuming it was Pete or something, but never thinking about it or really caring. And one day, many many years ago, I was listening to the song very intently, with headphones and kind of dissecting everything in it. And I thought "Wow! That's Roger!" And every time I've heard it since, I have always believed that. I've asked several friends who know the Who as well as I do who agree. That is why I posed it as a question above (totally passing up Czeskleba's post at the time.) - The thing is, we've heard Pete, John & Keith do that sort of voice often enough, the only time Roger has done anything close to that is his blues singing. It really sounds nothing like Pete, John or Keith to me at all. And though it doesn't sound like what we're used to hearing Roger do, it still has his inflictions.

 

Ok, I was going to chime in and say that the drums on "Now I'm a Farmer" sound like 1968 more than 1970 to me too, but my opinion should be counted for JACK SQUAT because I was 100% sure that whole "Potatas, Tomatas" bit at the end of "Now I'm a Farmer" was quite obviously Pete.

And ... um... I thought that WAS Keith singing the opening "Everything they've seen you have seen" bit in Jaguar.

So clearly, I know nothing.

 

Opening for The Doors, I believe?

 

I see what ya did there, The Who closed doors on other bands.


Here's some footage- no sound

 

Hah! Good one

 

Fwiw, I agree with you. Sounds like Pete with especially 'eggplants?' too. Sounds to me maybe like 'ah ha' as much as 'ha ha' but maybe Roger put one over on us. The inflection in the tone of voice and the accent leads me to believe it is Pete in those two instances. Regardless, it's wacky fun with The WHO in 1968 and working the land in 1970 and cutouts captured for '74. Ah, pineapples!! But they grow on trees. .

 

Nope!

 

Lol. I have to tell a friend of mine about this one. He and his wife will just shake their heads at me but not in a good way. Coconuts! .