- Substitute (The Who song)
Single infobox |
Name = Substitute
Artist =The Who
Released =4 March 1966 (UK)April 5 ,1966 (US)
B-side ="Circles" (Instant Party) (UK)
"Waltz for a Pig " (USA)
Format =Vinyl record (7")
Recorded =12 February 1966 at Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:47
Label =Reaction 591 001 (UK)
Atco 45 6409 (US)
Producer =Pete Townshend
Reviews =
Last single = "My Generation"1965
This single = "Substitute"1966
Next single = "A Legal Matter "1966 "Substitute" is a song byThe Who written byPete Townshend . It was released as a single in March1966 , when it reached #5 in the UK, and was later included on the compilation album "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy " in 1971. It became a UK top ten hit again when re-issued in 1976, reaching #7.The concept for the song was supposedly originally inspired by Townshend’s idea The Who were a “substitute” for the
Rolling Stones (Townshend had been particularly impressed by The Stones' hit "Satisfaction" and was determined to come up with a memorable riff in response), though it was later described as a comment about the blurring between image and reality. The title was also inspired by Townshend's admiration ofThe Miracles ' 1965 song, "The Tracks of My Tears ", in particular, writerSmokey Robinson 's use of the word "substitute" in one of the verses. The song is notable not just for the clever lyrics, but also the intense bass ofJohn Entwistle (reportedly Entwistle turned his bass as high as possible for the recording, without the band's knowledge). The song was a fan favorite and was played at almost every concert that The Who performed - this, "I Can't Explain ," and "Heaven and Hell," in varying orders, have served as The Who's opening numbers for over forty years. It appears on theLive at Leeds album as well asLive at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 . Also in a BBC radio appearance Pete Townshend stated that Substitute simply "was about nothing" and it "had no hidden meaning".On the album
Live at Leeds ,Pete Townshend comments about the song by saying:Keith Moon's memory of recording the song was forever clouded, as he recalled in an interview shown on an episode of
VH1 's "Behind the Music": "I don't remember playing 'Substitute' at all, I was too stoned, and when it came out, I accused the other members of the group of getting another drummer in!"For the American release of the single, the “controversial” lyric “I look all white but my dad was black” was changed to “I try going forward but my feet walk back”.
Punk rock group The Ramones covered the song on their "Acid Eaters "album , and it was also released as a single by theSex Pistols . English rock band Blur also covered this song in a1994 tribute album toThe Who calledWho Covers Who? A snippet of this song can be heard in the movie
School of Rock .It was also covered by metal band
Great White .The song is currently being played as a collaboration between
Silverchair andPowderfinger at the end of their concerts on theAcross the Great Divide Tour .A memorial
plaque forKeith Moon atGolders Green Crematorium reads "There is no substitute", a possible reference to the song.
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