The Punk And The Godfather Lyrics
You only became what we made you.
Thought you were chasing a destiny calling
You only earned what we gave you.
You fell and cried as our people were starving,
Now you know that we blame you.
You tried to walk on the trail we were carving,
Now you know that we framed you.
I'm the guy in the sky
Flying high Flashing eyes
No surprise I told lies
I'm the punk in the gutter
I'm the new president
But I grew and I bent
Don't you know? don't it show?
I'm the punk with the stutter.
My my my my my mmmm my my my.
We tried to speak between lines of oration
You could only repeat what we told you.
Your axe belongs to a dying nation,
They don't know that we own you.
You're watching movies trying to find the feelers,
You only see what we show you.
We're the slaves of the phony leaders
Breathe the air we have blown you.
I'm the guy [etc.]
I can't pretend that I can teach,
And yet I've lived your future out
By pounding stages like a clown.
And on the dance floor broken glass,
The bloody faces slowly pass,
The numbered seats in empty rows,
It all belongs to me you know.
You declared [etc.]
This is one of my favorite songs on the album, and I just learned that the the guy using synthisizers to talk is saying "my generation" from their song in the debut album. Thanks lyrics people, you saved me.
Jimmy goes to cheer himself up at a Who gig, but becomes disillusioned when he realizes that the "godfathers" are just a bunch of phonies.
This song is some what of a confession on Townshend's part, he is the Godfather (the 70s arena rocker) and he used to be a punk (the mod kid), he feels guilty about abandoning the mods. Basically, he turned into the very thing he wanted to put an end to when he was younger.
the punk is the godfather, and vice versa.
Quadrophenia came out in 1973 some years, some years before the punk rock movement took off. Although "punk rock" was in use in some music magazines to refer to underground music scenes, the term 'punk' would normally mean a low-life or a rebel.
Despite this, the song really does feel like some sort of confrontation between a late-70's punk rocker and either Townshend or Daltrey. However, in the context of the Quadrophenia rock opera, it's about Jimmy meeting the Who. He meets his musical idols and they don't live up to his expectations - or get on with him. He tries to catch them at the stage door and they are rude to him. It's one of the many things that makes Jimmy disillusioned with the 'mod' lifestyle.
The song is sung from two POVs. The 'punk' sings the verses. The 'godfather' sings the chorus ("I'm the guy in the sky...") and the bridge. What's slightly confusing is that the godfather is claiming to be "the punk with the stutter".
The punk complains that the godfather isn't living up to what he claims to be. He accuses him of being out of touch with and ungrateful towards his fans. He bitterly suggestions the godfather is on the way out, as part of a "dying nation". It's an angry rant from a younger generation to the old, just like the song 'My Generation' - which is referenced. It's hard to hear, but the words "M-m-m-my g-g-g-generation" are heard in the breakdowns, processed heavily by a synthesiser.
The godfather replies by saying that he might "tell lies" and be a bit out of touch, due to all the fame and status of being "the new president". But he still insists he's a rebel at heart, which is why he reminds that he is "the punk with the stutter" (i.e. the famous stuttering vocals of 'My Generation'). In the bridge he's then more open and modest. He tells the punk that "I've lived your future out" and that he's had a wild and destructive lifestyle of his own, and it's not quite over.
This song, to me, means that there is a split between the generations. The Punk is the young person, the godfather the old person. the Godfather tries to tell the Punk that he made it possible for the Punk to do whatever he wants, while the Punk believes that the Godfather is holding him back. Excellent song, one of my favorites.
I agree with you guys, this song is amazing.
Pete Townsend said that part of the songs meaning was a conversation between a first generation mod and a second generation mod. he used the example of a conversation between himself and paul weller from the jam (the leader of a mod band during the punk era). his description was along the lines of... PT: well, we made you. PW: yes, but now you have this to deal with.
Obviously the context of the song in relation to the rock opera is diferent. however it could be seen as a way of PT talking about the who's image being made more mod-like. as in, the who were partialy responsible for the explosion of mod culture, but are then stuck with the epitaff of being a mod band, which they werent as such. Roger Daltery was particularly resentful of the image being forced on him and described himself as a rocker in mods clothing.
You have to understand the lyrics in the context of the plot of "Quadrophenia." Jimmy goes to see a concert (supposedly the Who themselves, according to the liner notes). He sneaks backstage to see the band after the performance, but is disappointed by the rude manner in which he is treated by the band. I assumed that the lyrics were the band talking down to Jimmy, and not being grateful for his support as a fan. This scene is one of many in which Jimmy is disappointed and disillusioned by something in society (rock music/the mod scene, school, parents, girls, etc).
Basically the songs explains The Godfather is god like bc of “The Punk” (AKA the fans) The Punk really hold all the power. You are only worth what we tell you your worth. The Godfather, is trying to explain, but I’m nothing special, you hold me too high, I’m just a punk like you, I even stutter lol