The Who By Numbers appreciation thread

I want to hear "New Song" live. Great song

 

I love WHO BY NUMBERS.

 

you did!

 

It is pretty amazing that in 2017, the band has still not released a live set from their 1973 multitracks. Allegedly Townshend forced the cancellation of a 1973 live set in 1998, and the omission of live material on the Quadrophenia box set is still a curious decision. Maybe someday.

 

If they ever do officially release Philly '73, I sure hope they do a better job of mastering it than what they did on the 3 tracks they included on the 'View From A Backstage Pass' cd set.

 

Cannot find it at the moment so sorry I'm not crediting the poster, but someone earlier stated somewhere that Who Are You plays better if one begins with Side 2 first and end it Side 1. Interesting point.

That reminds me of what I find so pleasing about The Who By Numbers. Sure the individual band members all sound top notch. They however blended together in the studio seemlessly. Furthermore, the songs are smart and thoughtful. Moreover, the tunes hang together nicely from start to finish.

Its not a perfect album by any stretch of the imagination. I find however, taken as a whole, the album's strength is the sum of its parts. Yes it doesn't have the "Who anthem", it doesn't require it. It does however require the listener to afford the time to play the album.

The outstanding performances individually never detract from everything else going on in the music. The music is solid as it flows effortlessly from the musicians. That's the magic, there is nothing simple or effortless here. Everything gels into a unified musical production.

The Who By Numbers is as clever and cohesive as its iconic album cover art is. No need to connect the dots.

 

Don't count on it.

 

The versions of that Philadelphia show that are floating around on the net vary in content.
This is the most complete that I have found. Does anyone know if this is the full show?

CD 1
1. Introduction
2. I Can’t Explain
3. Summertime Blues
4. My Wife
5. My Generation
6. Quadrophenia Introduction
7. I Am The Sea
8. The Real Me
9. The Punk And The Godfather
10. I’m One
11. 5:15
12. Sea And Sand
13. Drowned

CD 2
1. Bell Boy
2. Doctor Jimmy
3. Won’t Get Fooled Again
4. Pinball Wizard
5. See Me, Feel Me
6. Naked Eye.

 

Fwiw I wasn't referring to anyone in particular and I don't know who you are referring to either. It's gone way OT now so I won't add anymore to what I already posted.

 

As to "Who by numbers"... I just take it as a document of where Townshend was up to at that point in his life.
Some truly great personal songs on there.
It's very rare that you see someone reach inside themselves like that and pull all of that out.
Squeeze box must have been light relief.

 

from MSG 3/11/76

 

IIRC, Pete in one of the SCOOP liner notes says re: Squeeze that he himself consider it a mere trifle and was a bit surprised the band even wanted to do it. As I wrote above, think of it as in the style of some of their weird/funny singles from the first three years and maybe it works better than in the midst of the anthemic or deep and serious 70s Who.

 

Fwiw, I like the edited Slip Kid 'Single' (45)

 

It's very rare that you see someone reach inside themselves like that and pull all of that out.
Squeeze box must have been light relief.

There's some kind of pun and twist in what you wrote there and as it applies to Squeeze Box lol! I don't think it was intentional! lol. Well said though...

 

Squeeze box was certainly light relief from the gloom and introspection and self-loathing of some of the songs.
He may have been playing triumphal and trademark power chords here and there, but the songs show a man looking at himself and his situation and just despairing. Brutal honesty and not easy listening. Blue red and grey was obviously the other oddity that was there for the same reason. Without those two tracks and the Entwistle contribution, it's a pretty stark and depressing scenario.

 

For sure the lp as a whole is better experience without it being all like Dreaming and Booze and How Many Friends and Hand or Face, even if those are ultimately the "strongest" tracks.

 

Is the 96 cd known to be somewhat crummy, by the way? Is there a recognized best digital experience for this one?

 

I don't think so. The 1990's remixes are generally maligned, but the '96 reissue sounds fine. The subsequent 2011 SHM release contains the original mix. I don't recall if Who By Numbers was reissued in its original mix as a download in 2014 along with some of the band's other titles.

 

I have crummy equipment anyway, but in comparison with say the QUAD and WAY I listen to most, WBN sounds a bit thick and muddled, not as clear and vivid and punchy as I'd like. (To use vague handwaving language that those of us not masters of frequency range and db talk have to use....)

 

Who by numbers is an album in its own right. Many people try to compare it with Quadrophenia or Who's Next, because those albums are like a bible, they are big albums. But there's no point in compare Who by Numbers with any album because is a break, is a rest inside The Who's career. I know that the lyrics are about Pete frustrations and a suicide note but the music is relaxing, is fresh, is pure. No synths, no big concept, not too ambitious. Is The Who doing an album of songs without any plan. I like that, it gives diversity to The Who's discography. I need that album in The Who's discography. It would not be the same without that album. Some people say that is bad without even thinking. There's work in this album, there's craft. Is beautiful. Blue, Red and Grey is probably the best Who ballad, or Imagine a Man or They are in Love. Wow, 3 amazing songs. A really beautiful album without nothing to proove. Townshend, Daltrey, Entwistle, Moon. What else can you ask?

And by the way, Squeeze Box is a great pop song and single, it reminds me of their Mod era.

 

The only thing missing is 'Love Reign O'er Me' which has never been available from this source for reasons I can't remember. There is a poor audience recording.

 

It's possible that "Love Reign O're Me" was played as well. Never found confirmation anywhere.

 

In my top 3 Who albums with Who's Next & Quadrophenia featuring some of the prettiest songs the band ever recorded. The melodies in However Much I Booze, Imagine A Man, How Many Friends and Blue Red and Grey absolutely killed me when I first heard the album as a teenager and continue to through this day.

 

LROM was definitely played as it's on the circulating audience recording.

 

The best sounding version of this show is the "Live In Philadelphia 1973" bootleg cd on the Wardour label. It's the WV version, remastered.