Music

Tommy: Original Soundtrack

DISC 1

  • OVERTURE FROM TOMMY
  • PROLOGUE
  • CAPTAIN WALKER / IT’S A BOY
  • BERNIE’S HOLIDAY CAMP
  • 1951 / WHAT ABOUT THE BOY?
  • AMAZING JOURNEY
  • CHRISTMAS
  • EYESIGHT TO THE BLIND
  • THE ACID QUEEN
  • DO YOU THINK IT’S ALRIGHT? (I)
  • COUSIN KEVIN
  • DO YOU THINK IT’S ALRIGHT? (II)
  • FIDDLE ABOUT
  • DO YOU THINK IT’S ALRIGHT? (III)
  • SPARKS
  • EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA
  • PINBALL WIZARD

 

DISC 2

  1. CHAMPAGNE
  2. THERE’S A DOCTOR
  3. GO TO THE MIRROR!
  4. TOMMY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
  5. SMASH THE MIRROR
  6. I’M FREE
  7. MOTHER AND SON
  8. SENSATION
  9. MIRACLE CURE
  10. SALLY SIMPSON
  11. WELCOME
  12. TV STUDIO
  13. TOMMY’S HOLIDAY CAMP
  14. WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT
  15. SEE ME, FEEL ME / LISTENING TO YOU

 

BACKGROUND

Original UK issue: Polydor 2657 014, released March 1975; UK CD: Polydor 841 121-2, remastered Polydor 841 121-2, 2001 US: Polydor PD2-9505 released March 1975; CD: Polydor 841 121-2, remastered Polydor 422 841 121-2, 2001.

Not strictly a Who album, though all four members of The Who are featured on the reworked versions of Tommy songs as they appeared in the movie. Theres an interesting selection of vocalists, including Oliver Reed, Jack Nicholson, Tina Turner, Ann-Margret and Elton John, whose spin through ‘Pinball Wizard’ with his own stage band is the albums highlight and which became a hit single in 1975. By and large, the songs all feature an abundance of Pete’s synthesizer work and elaborate choral arrangements by backing vocalists brought in to offset the vocal shortcomings of actors. Several songs are radically re-worked by the all-star band (which, ironically, included Kenney Jones drumming on many of the tracks since Keith was absent), and there are a couple of completely new songs in ‘Champagne’ and ‘Mother And Son’. John does most of the bass work as well as playing all the horn parts. Pete played the synthesizers and also produced the musical score.

Reissue design by Richard Evans. Photographs by Richard Barnes.