Rarities Volume I & Volume II

Infobox Album
Name = Rarities Volume I & Volume II
Type = compilation
Artist = The Who


Released = 14 August 1983
Recorded = 1964–1973
Genre = Rock
Length =
Label = Track, Polydor (UK)
Decca, MCA (U.S.)
Universal Japan (Japan)
Last album = "Who's Greatest Hits"
(1983)
This album = "Rarities Volume I & Volume II"
(1983)
Next album = "Who's Last"
(1984)

Rarities Vol. I (1966-68) and Vol. II (1970-1973)

In the early Eighties, after the announcement of the "Who's Last" Tour, Polydor compiled two albums of otherwise unavailable Who tracks – mostly obscure B-Sides – on Rarities Vol 1 and Vol 2. Between these two albums and "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy", there were only 4 Who songs unavailable in LP form: Shout And Shimmy, Bald Headed Woman, Dogs Pt. II, and Daddy Rolling Stone.Fact|date=September 2008

"Rarities Vol 2" had been previously released in 1982 as "Join Together".

The Individual Songs Rarities Volume I

*"Circles" - This is the Who produced version, which is a completely different recording to the one by Shel Talmy (b-side to "Substitute").

*"Disguises", "Batman", "Barbara Ann", "Bucket T" - All of these songs were originally released on “Ready, Steady Who” EP, an EP that had all rare tracks.

*"In the City" - This is a John Enwistle and Kieth Moon original, that appeared as the “b” side of "I'm a Boy".

*"I’ve Been Away" - is a who song written by John Entwistle, it is notably one of the few Who songs to be written in the meter of three, as opposed to four or two.

*"Doctor, Doctor" - This song was written by John Entwistle in 1967. It was released the same year on April 22, as the “b” side to “Pictures of Lily,” which was the first single to appear under the Track Records music label.

*"The Last Time", "Under My Thumb" - Are both Rolling Stones original written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The songs were reportedly to show support for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who were being detained in England for alleged drug possession. The day the single was released, however, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were released from prison. A true stereo version of the Who’s rendition of “Under My Thumb” was released on the reissue of "Odds & Sods". However, it mistakenly was an unfinished mix, without the lead guitar. This version sounds much better, as it's complete.

*"Someone’s Coming" - This was first released as the “b” side of "I Can See for Miles" in Britain then as the “b” side of "Magic Bus" in America. Someone’s Coming is a John Entwistle song, that is notable for being the first time Roger sang lead vocals on one of Entwistle's compositions.

*"Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand" - This version of the song, three in all, was originally released as the USA "b" side of “I Can See For Miles”, this version has the "quivering" vocal that was mixed out of the more common stereo mix on the reissue of “Odds & Sods”.

*"Dogs", "Call Me Lightning" - released as a single in June 1968

*"Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - This John Entwistle original, the first of two different released versions, was first released as the UK "b" side to “Magic Bus.” This mix contains the drums, and various sound effects, which were mixed out of the second mix . This mix turns up John Entwistle's bass a bit. The second version was released as the American b-side to “Call Me Lightning.”

The Individual Songs Rarities Volume II

*"Join Together" - is a track from the unreleased "Lifehouse" written solely by Pete Townshend, it was the second of three non-album singles released following "Who's Next". Features Daltrey on a jaw harp, Townshend on a chord harmonica and synthesizer and Entwistle on a bass harmonica.

*"I Don’t Even Know Myself" - was the first in a series of 12 songs intended for the “Lifehouse Project” that didn’t make it onto "Who's Next", that was officially released. It appeared as the B-side to "Won't Get Fooled Again" in 1971; the others being (in order of release) “Lets See Action” (10/15/71 single), “Join Together” (6/17/72 single), “Relay” (12/23/72 single), “Pure And Easy”, “Put The Money Down”, and “Too Much Of Anything”, all of which appeared on "Odds & Sods" (1974) (“Time is Passing” would see release on the 1998 CD re-issue), “Slip Kid” (which appeared on "The Who By Numbers" LP in 1975), and “Sister Disco” and the title track of the 1978 album "Who Are You".
*"Heaven and Hell" - Originally released as the B-side of "Summertime Blues". The original single versions contained the sound of "broken glass" at the end of the recording, which seemed to be faded too quickly in later reissue versions. Unfortunately, this song was never mixed into stereo, as the mono mix quickly fades Keith Moon's fantastic drumming shortly after the start of the song. It was written by John Entwistle, the band liked the song, but were never enamered with the studio version. John Entwistle re-recorded a slower version of the same song for his first solo album "Smash Your Head Against the Wall".

*"When I Was a Boy" - A song written by John Entwistle in 1971, it originally released as the B-side to “Let's See Action.”

*"Let's See Action" - is a track from the unreleased “Lifehouse Project” written solely by Pete Townshend, it the first of three non-album singles released following "Who's Next".

*"Relay" - is a track from the unreleased “Lifehouse Project” written solely by Pete Townshend, it was the third of three non-album singles released following "Who's Next".

*"Waspman" - This song was written by Keith Moon in 1970, originally appearing as the B-side to “Relay.”

*"Here for More" - Roger Daltrey wrote this song (one of the few times he was credited with the writing of a song). Recorded in late 1969 or early 1970 at IBC Studios in London, this track was originally released as the B-side to “The Seeker” on 3/21/70.

*"Water" - was an extended stage Jam, about water, written by Pete Townshend in late 1969 or early 1970, recorded in the Summer of 1970 at Twickenham Studios, London; produced by Kit Lambert. Not released until September 1973 as the B-side of the "Quadrophenia" track "". Both the A-side and the B-side of this single appeared in shortened forms from their original versions.

*"Baby Don't You Do It (Live)" - Recorded live at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, on 12/13/71, it is an old cover from their early days as a band. “Baby Don’t You Do It" was originally released as the B-side to "Join Together."

Rarities I

All songs written by Pete Townshend unless specified.

#"Circles"
#"Disguises"
#"Batman" (Berry, Altfeld, Weider) (Jan and Dean's tribute to "Batman" the TV series)
# "Bucket T" (Atrield/Christian/Torrence)
# "Barbara Ann" (Fred Fassert)
# "In the City" (Moon/Entwistle)
# "I've Been Away" (Entwistle)
# "Doctor, Doctor" (Entwistle)
#"The Last Time" (Jagger/Richards)
#"Under My Thumb" (Jagger/Richards)
#"Someone's Coming" (Entwistle)
#"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand"
#"Dogs"
#"Call Me Lightning"
#"Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (Entwistle)

Rarities II

#"Join Together"
#"I Don’t Even Know Myself"
#"Heaven And Hell" (Entwistle)
#"When I Was A Boy" (Entwistle)
#"Let’s See Action"
#"The Relay"
#"Waspman" (Moon)
#"Here For More" (Daltrey)
#"Water"
#"Baby Don't You Do It" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)

Personnel

*Roger Daltrey – lead vocals, harmonica
*Pete Townshend – guitar, harmonica, keyboards, vocals
*John Entwistle – bass guitar, harmonica, brass, vocals
*Keith Moon – drums, percussion

Aditional musicians

*Nicky Hopkins – keyboards