This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Surrounded by his friends
He sits so silently
And unaware of anything
Playing poxy pinball,
Picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything
I believe in love
But how can men who've never seen
Light be enlightened
Only if he's cured
Will his spirits future level ever heighten
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you, can you, can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Surrounded by his friends
He sits so silently
And unaware of anything
Playing poxy pinball,
Picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything
I believe in love
But how can men who've never seen
Light be enlightened
Only if he's cured
Will his spirits future level ever heighten
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you, can you, can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
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And yet if you listen to Amazing Journey, it's all okay to Tommy since he's in his musical world.
Heh.
I think this points out something that is a question one would start to wonder though... how can he be saved?
Some could say Townshend is making fun of Christianity and religion in general (it seems obvious throughout the movie), though I don't see that so much in this song.. my friend is convinced he's questioning God's power to save people - but I don't really see it that way.