Dangerous Great intro. The perfect way to blend The Who with the 80s. I do like thy overall lyric... a clever twist from John. Rather than simply writing about the city being dangerous, he reflects how the environment makes us dangerous... to ourselves. If the city doesn't do us in, we'll do it to our selves! Roger is a marvelous, powerful vocalist. He has proven himself capable of great delicacy and subtlety, but still has a tendency to over rely on the powerhouse side of his delivery and I think he overdoes it a bit here... kinda' like the musical equivalent of Shatner overacting a Captain Kirk part to the point he becomes a parody of himself. A mixed bag for me, but not necessarily a skip.
When I was a teen I found the "jungle city in confusion...." verse kinda tuff and cool. It doesn't hold up that well as an adult. The loser of John's trio, one of that very rare small pile of "Who songs that just aren't good songs."
They played this at their Chicago shows. I kind of got the feeling they only cracked out that one there. But would be interested in other's knowledge. So, kudos for that indicating they ought to still think about special situations in the set list depending on where they are performing. Cry If You Want was pretty good, but to me it was for a time. It doesn't apply to me at all anymore, but seemed relevant to my life at the age of 22. Always took the lyrics, "well ins stook", to mean you are old now. As in too old to think of becoming a rock star. That kind of thing. That's one of the problems in listening to artists that are almost as old as your father!
I think "Dangerous" is terrible; it's incredible to me that the three weakest songs (along with CC and, IYT, I think) all appear on the first side, and I think it contributes to this album's unfair (IMO) legacy. -E
Dangerous I agree with Orino. This sounds like eighties Genesis. And in my book that is NOT a compliment. Come on guys, this is supposed to be the ****ing Who.
I fully agree that there really isn't much to explore here, but one of the many silly Who-games I've played over the years was The Wisdom of P. B. Townshend, ranking all of the the 17 (!) statements/claims in "It's Hard" from best to worst, and also giving them 5 to 0 stars. 1. (3) "Any wimp can weep, few can cry." 2. (3) "Any man can claim, few can find." 3. (3) "Any kid can fly, few can land." 4. (3) "Anyone can promise, few can raise." 5. (3) "Anyone can try, but a few can stay." 6. (2) "Anyone can do anything if they hold the right card." 7. (2) "Anyone can stop, few can wait." 8. (2) "Any tough can fight, few can play." 9. (1) "Any gang can scatter, few can form." 10. (1) "Any fool can fall, few can lay." 11. (1) "Any brain can hide, few can stand." 12. (0) "Everyone complains, few can state." 13. (0) "Any soul can sleep, few can die." 14. (0) "Any kid can chatter, few can inform." 15. (0) "Any stud can reproduce, few can please." 16. (0) "Any girl can blink, few can lie." 17. (0) "Anyone can pay, few can lease." Man, no wonder that Roger delivered some of those lines with the conviction and excitement of a telemarketer on his last day of work.
I think it's in Richard Barnes' Maximum R&B book, but I remember reading about an almighty band dust up at one point, maybe this era, where John puts his cards on the table and states to Pete and Rog that he's a far more important musician in The Who than he ever gets the credit for.
Those are the credits for the Michael Jackson song "Dangerous", oddly transposed onto John's song. In a weird way it's sort of oddly appropriate, though, because Entwistle's Dangerous sounds a lot like one of those generic 80s songs created by committee. You know how in the 80s a lot of established bands fell on hard times commercially, and were forced to co-write with hacks like Holly Knight and Desmond Child in order to have hits? Dangerous sounds like that. Bland and generic, and very 80s... Gorman's synthesizer riff even seems a little reminiscent of Laura Branigan's "Gloria." Upon reflection, one thing I do have to give Pete credit for is that he didn't fall victim to this sort of deliberate pandering in his writing. His stuff is influenced by what was going on musically, but you don't get the sense he's deliberately trying to copy what was in the top ten, in the way that Dangerous or some stuff written by peers like the Stones or McCartney did. You only make more money off a song if it's released as a single though, or is the b-side of a hit single. John didn't need to make his songs more "commercial" if they were only going to be album tracks or b-sides, which was almost always the case. In general, how much songwriting royalty money he made was contingent upon how the album did or how the song on the a-side did, which was down to Pete's writing rather than his. I don't know if he harbored fantasies that he would write the perfect generic hit song that would be so irresistible that the band would have to make it the a-side and it would become a bit hit? That's a pretty unlikely idea, but maybe that's what he was hoping.
Very good points! I agree: - "Popular" is much better than "It's Hard", in both delivery and how the chorus flows. - The solo is great, albeit it sounds like flown in - I mean, it sounds like lifted off from another song with a completely different vibe. It fits, but I think of it as a "happy accident". Reminds me slightly of The Beatles' "Rain", but that's just saying.. - The lyrics reflect Roger's and Pete's mentalities in a nutshell, indeed. Funny!
I don't think the lyrics had anything to do with Roger's delivery on that song. You can hear how Pete wanted the song to sound.......a repeating bassline that was simple (almost march like) and a vocal that was in narrative glossarial form to fit the lyrics. Over the top vocals, bass or drums and even guitar, IMO would not have worked in that song. IMO, Roger's vocals fit the cadence of the lyrics.
Your post made me remember something else about the solo regarding "flown in". I think this is a case where Pete may have changed keys in order to accommodate how he wanted the solo to sound. The solo uses the open high E and B strings so Pete had to change the key of the break to E for it to fit.
"Gloria" - that's what it reminds me of too! I knew I was familiar to it in a less generic, but concrete way - thanks! I wrote "hit" and meant exactly that - a (or the album's) hit single. I agree Pete had the more adequate chops for that job, but as others also mentioned, John seemed to have thought otherwise...
I could kind of hear "Dangerous" being a contemporaneous Foreigner song, almost? In its synthy lumber. Can almost hear Lou G delivering some of the lines well.
Fair points, and you could be right about that. I guess I just have a (very, very, very, very) hard time connecting to the song in general.
To quote Evelyn Beatrice Hall, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
Dangerous: 6/10 Yes, it's generic early 80ties rock - I guess I have a soft spot for it! After a start reminiscing (again) old Quadrophenia days, there's a "promising" verse, but unfortunately it leads into a totally faceless chorus... Its chord changes make for a more than solid foundation, but the vocals totally fail to build up on that... But what's worst to me are the lyrics. I wouldn't call them generic, but pale and stale. The topic is approached in a clichéd/superficial way, and too many lines try too hard to sound cool - "generic" would have been a step up from this! Musically, I think it's rather good (hence my rating), but the subpar vocal melody in the chorus holds it back from taking off... The worst Entwistle song on "It's Hard"? Well, "It's Your Turn" is at least more fun to listen to. Interesting how the two lyrically worst songs are sequenced one after the other, sort of "eyes shut and go for it"! One more thing: No matter how mediocre or faceless John's songwriting qualities might be, I'm always exceptionally delighted by how extremely tasteful his bass playing is - on his own or Pete's songs, his lines are always highly memorable and totally in the groove - "Dancing Master" indeed!
IMO Pete in his mind and his lyrical topics were beyond his years dating back to early stuff..."Legal Matter"/"The Kids Are Alright" etc. That said, how we define old for rock musicians has changed a lot since 1982. Nowadays if a reputable performer can get his/her wheelchair on to a stage to eek something out, azzez tend to be in seats. This IMO mostly a good thing, but also an indictment on the industry's inability to market new acts.
Good points about Dangerous. The comments about Genesis as well are relevant. In fact, the chords and how they fit with the bassline is Genesis influenced with the bass not changing to the root. Pete's chords as well are unusual inversions. Good point with The Gloria connection. The same use of the appoggiatura at the word Gloria in the LB song as with the word Dangerous and as you said the synth riff. A band I was in in the 80's had two female lead vocals and they loved singing that song....Gloria that is.
“Synthy lumber” is a perfect way to describe the overall mood of the track, and also a great band name.
"Eminence Front" Cover of the canceled U.K. single Single by The Who from the album It's Hard B-side "One at a Time"[1] Released 25 December 1982 Recorded 1982 Genre Funk rock Length 5:39 Label Polydor (UK) Warner Bros. (US) Songwriter(s) Pete Townshend Producer(s) Glyn Johns "Eminence Front" is a song written and sung by Pete Townshend of the Who. It appears as the sixth track on the group's 1982 studio album, It's Hard. The single reached number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Lead singer Roger Daltrey, vocally critical of the album, described "Eminence Front" as the only song on it that he felt was worthy of being released.[2] In the song, Townshend sings about the delusions and drug use of the wealthy and hedonistic. The lyrics describe a party in which people hide from their problems behind a façade. Townshend has introduced the song in live performances with: "This song is about what happens when you take too much white powder; it's called 'Eminence Front'".[3] In an interview, Townshend explained: 'Eminence Front' was written around a chord progression I discovered on my faithful Yamaha E70 organ. I hesitate to try to explain what it was about. It's clearly about the absurdity of drug-fueled grandiosity, but whether I was pointing the finger at myself or at the cocaine dealers of Miami Beach is hard to recall.[4] In the originally released version, there is a timing flaw or a syncopation in the first chorus, where Townshend sings "behind an eminence front" at the same time Daltrey sings "it's an eminence front," with Townshend one syllable behind. A more linear-sounding remixed version appears on the 1997 re-release of It's Hard (a live version, recorded on the band's final stop on their 1982 tour in Toronto, appears as a bonus track on the re-release). Additionally, the remix has Townshend's vocals panned centrally rather than hard right in the stereo field. The song is in the key of F minor. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sun shines And people forget The spray flies as the speedboat glides And people forget Forget they're hiding The girls smile And people forget The snow packs as the skier tracks People forget Forget they're hiding Behind an eminence front Eminence front, it's a put on It's an eminence front It's an eminence front, it's a put on An eminence front Eminence front, it's a put on Eminence front It's an eminence front It's an eminence front, it's a put on It's a put on, it's a put on, it's a put on Come and join the party Dress to kill Won't you come and join the party Dress to kill, dress to kill Drinks flow People forget That big wheel spins, the hair thins People forget Forget they're hiding The news slows People forget Their shares crash, hopes are dashed People forget Forget they're hiding Behind an eminence front An eminence front, it's a put on It's just an eminence front An eminence front, it's a put on An eminence front An eminence front, it's a put on Eminence front It's an eminence front, it's a put on It's a put on, it's a put on, it's a put on Come on join the party Dress to Come on join the party Dress to Come on join the party Dress to Come on join the party Dress to kill Dress yourself, dressed to kill Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Peter Dennis Blandfor Townshend Eminence Front lyrics © Spirit Music Group, BMG Rights Management Eminence - fame or recognized superiority, especially within a particular sphere or profession. There is a lot to look at with this song. We have a very good set of lyrics, although still not quite as direct as they might have been. The wiki quote from Pete up there sort of gives this a more direct meaning to me. I knew he was having a go at someone, but I wasn't exactly sure who. Also with the live version I know, and Pete's insertion of "bullsh!t, bullsh!t" it seems obvious he was quite attached to the message. If the song is about the coke fiends of the late seventies and early eighties, it is particularly understandable, as he was trying to go through recovery, and anyone that has been in any situation where they were trying to kick a bad habit, it is particularly difficult when surrounded by people still deeply into the scene. We also have a bit of a dig at the fact that a lot of these folks are aging, and the implication is they are participating as some kind of way to try and denounce the thinning hair, and the failing stardom and such. It would be very interesting to know how the people this song was directed at reacted to it really, because it is quite pointed and quite poignant. Based in the things we have seen so far across the Who catalog, I wonder why Roger didn't sing it. It seems he really liked the song, and it seems more often than not, if he didn't sing a Pete song, it was because he didn't really like it.... So I assume that Pete just wanted to sing this, because it was of personal importance to him. Hopefully some of our Who experts can chip in and let us know more clearly what the reasoning was here. Please don't think that I think Pete doesn't do a good job, I think he does an excellent job, but it just seems slightly odd than Roger doesn't sing it. Musically this song has probably a better groove than the band ever laid down before of after. We open with this samba? type keyboard style beat.... Then we get the keys laying a rhythm of their own, with a nice subtle melody in there also. The drums when the come in, are perfect. Perhaps not the most amazing drums ever recorded, but in context with this track, they, bring us in perfectly. The repetitive guitar lick, is again, just perfect for the feel we are going for here. For the most part the bass is fairly understated, and I think that is part of the reason why the groove works so well. We also have a nice little guitar tacet, that is another part of the building groove that this song creates. We open with a nice, fairly, clean lead guitar, and it is a really nice piece of work from Pete. The vocal phrasing, again, is just perfect for the song. Pete delivers this really well, and the rhythmic structure of the vocal just really brings the song out and makes it almost unavoidably excellent. At the end of the first chorus, we get the first change of any description that just works as a re-emphasis point, and rolls back into the groove really well. Underneath all that we have this nice counterpoint keyboard. These layers work together so well, that the song manages to create an almost hypnotic effect, and lift what is essentially a fairly simple song up above itself. When I first heard this, I had heard an awful lot of very strong statements about how good it was, and to be honest, on the first listen I was a little disappointed, because it wasn't quite what I was expecting. In the year or so that I have been familiar with it, it has grown in stature, an awful lot, and I hold it up among the Who's best tracks these days. Certainly it is a very different type of Who song, but top class nonetheless. Anyway. Please give us your input about this song, the lyrics, and whatever else you feel drawn to mention about this track. Cheers Mark
Eminence Front I have a feeling this will be the favorite song on the album by thread participants, and understandably, it's a fantastic track. My 3rd favorite on the album and I'm pretty sure anybody could guess what my top choices are. Groove indeed. Got a lot of radio play.
Did John only get two A sides in The Who? The only ones coming to mind are "Postcard" and "Had Enough," which was a double A side with "Who Are You."
"Eminence Front" is a stone cold classic and an incredible achievement for a band at this stage in their career. For a band nearing the end of its second decade together to release a song so unlike their signature sound, and absolutely kill with it, is extraordinary. The synth is the one thing that ties this to what is associated with The Who sound. Everything else comes from somewhere else. And let's talk about that synth. Like "Baba O'Riley," "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Relay," et al, this is not a loop, it appears to be played and changes throughout. Pete's guitar playing is brilliant. Live performances have become such a highlight of The Who's shows over the years. Pete's extemporaneous playing means no two versions are alike. Creativity in action. The lyrics are evocative and memorable and fit the mood of the song. "The snow packs as the skier tracks, people forget, forget they're hiding... behind an eminence front." Now that's some imagery coupled with the enigmatic, just like the guitar line coupled with the synth line. The drums have a gorgeous snap to them. John's bass lays back in the first half with a deep, menacing two note figure and then takes off in the second half with his marvelously nimble virtuosity. Tim Gorman's electric organ embellishments add the perfect amount of color to the synth line. That brief instrumental bridge comes out of nowhere, raises goosebumps, and then the song gets right back into the groove. The song is a masterpiece and one of The Who's towering achievements.
