The Who by Numbers

Infobox Album
Name = The Who by Numbers
Type = studio
Artist = The Who


Released = 3 October 1975 (UK)
25 October 1975 (U.S.)
Recorded = April–12 June 1975 on the Shepperton Studios' soundstage using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio.
Genre = Rock
Length = 37:19
Label = Polydor Records (UK)
MCA Records (U.S.)
Producer = Glyn Johns, Chris Charlesworth, Bill Curbishley, Robert Rosenberg
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A0lozefbkhgf1 link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=the+who link]
*"Rolling Stone" (no rating) [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/321543 link]
Last album = "Odds and Sods"
(1974)
This album = "The Who by Numbers"
(1975)
Next album = "Who Are You"
(1978)

"The Who By Numbers" is the seventh album by the English rock band The Who, released in 1975. It was named the tenth best album of the year in "The Village Voice" Pazz & Jop critics poll. [ [http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres75.php Robert Christgau: Pazz & Jop 1975: Critics Poll ] ]

History

Without the massive structure and ambition of the band's better known works "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia", Pete Townshend's songwriting stands on its own in the sparse and dark "The Who by Numbers". Gone are the synthesizers and the massive layers of overdubs. In their places are descriptions of Townshend's alcoholism, lust, and self-loathing, as well as the dark side of creeping middle-age and the fear of irrelevance. On "They Are All In Love," Townshend laments: "Hey goodbye all you punks, stay young and stay high / Hand me my chequebook while I crawl off to die." These themes extend from the hopeless refrain of "However Much I Booze" (sung by Townshend, as Daltrey thought it too personal to sing), "There ain't no way out", to the disillusioned question, "How many friends have I really got?"

A few tracks stand in contrast, including the playfulness of the top ten hit "Squeeze Box" and "Blue, Red and Grey's" claim that "I like every minute of the day." But John Entwistle's contribution, "Success Story", returns to display nearly as despairing and cynical a view of stardom as the rest of the record. "In a Hand or a Face" revisits both lyrical and musical themes of Who songs dating back to the previous decade and offers an unexpectedly fiery ending to the album.

The cover was drawn by John Entwistle as he was drawing a cartoon history of The Who.

"The Who By Numbers" peaked at the number 7 position on the UK album chart and number 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States.

Track listing

All songs written by Pete Townshend unless stated otherwise.

#"Slip Kid" – 4:32
#"However Much I Booze" – 5:03
#"Squeeze Box" – 2:42
#"Dreaming From the Waist" – 4:09
#"Imagine a Man" – 4:04
#"Success Story" (Entwistle) – 3:24
#"They Are All in Love" – 3:03
#"Blue, Red and Grey" – 2:50
#"How Many Friends" – 4:07
#"In a Hand or a Face" – 3:25

1996 reissue bonus tracks

The bonus tracks on the 1996 reissue were recorded live at Swansea Football Ground on 12 June 1976. These particular recordings appear on many The Who bootlegs.

#

"Squeeze Box" – 3:13
#"Behind Blue Eyes (live)" – 4:39
#"Dreaming From the Waist" – 4:57

Charts

Album

ingles

Personnel

*Roger Daltrey – lead vocals, harmonica
*Pete Townshend – guitar, keyboards, ukulele, accordion, banjo, vocals (lead vocals on "However Much I Booze", "Blue, Red, and Grey" and bridge of "Success Story")
*John Entwistle – bass guitar, 8-string bass, brass, keyboards, vocals (lead vocals on bridge in "Success Story")
*Keith Moon – drums, percussion

Additional Personnel

*Nicky Hopkins – piano, keyboards
*Dave Arbus – violin

Production

*Chris Charlesworth – executive producer
*Bill Curbishley – executive producer
*John Entwisle – album art
*Richard Evans – remaster album art direction, design
*Glyn Johns – producer
*Jon Astley – remixing
*Bob Ludwig – remastering
*Robert Rosenberg – executive producer
*John Swenson – liner notes
*Chris Walter – photography

References

External links

* [http://thewho.net/whotabs/wbn.htm Guitar tablature]
* [http://thewho.net/discography/albums/Bynumbers.html Lyrics]
* [http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/ByNumbers.htm The Who By Numbers liner notes - Song-by-song liner notes for the album]