Why should I care
If I have to cut my hair?
I've got to move with the fashion
Or be outcast
I know I should fight
But my old man he's really alright
And I'm still living at home
Even though it won't last

Zoot suit, white jacket with side vents
Five inches long
I'm out on the street again
And I'm leaping along
I'm dressed right for a beach fight
But I just can't explain
Why that uncertain feeling is still
Here in my brain

The kids at school
Have parents that seem so cool
And though I don't want to hurt them
Mine want me their way
I clean my room and my shoes
But my mother found a box of blues
And there doesn't seem much hope
They'll let me stay

Zoot suit, white jacket with side vents
Five inches long
I'm out on the street again
And I'm leaping along
I'm dressed right for a beach fight
But I just can't explain
Why that uncertain feeling is still
Here in my brain

Why do I have to be different to them?
Just to earn the respect of a dance hall friend
We have the same old row, again and again
Why do I have to move with a crowd
Of kids that hardly notice I'm around
I work myself to death just to fit in

I'm coming down
Got home on the very first train from town
My dad just left for work
He wasn't talking
It's all a game
And inside I'm just the same
My fried egg makes me sick
First thing in the morning


Lyrics submitted by Chris_Gough, edited by Prisonmike

Cut My Hair Lyrics as written by Peter Dennis Blandfor Townshend

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Abkco Music Inc.

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Cut My Hair song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Are you fuckin kdding? quadrophenia is about english working classes, not some crap about LA and america cos- you know- sometimes films portray something other than america- a zoot suit was the suits worn by MODs in the 60's

    anyway...this song is perfect- every teenager can relate to it- you spend your time with friends who annoy you that you have to try to fit in to be shouted out by your parents for never being in- lose lose-

    AKARebelon June 09, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Although Jimmy's not happy with the way his life is going, there is a sense of stability in this song; he has a home, he can co-exist with his parents and he feels part of a group.

    What I find interesting are the lines "Why do I have to be different to them? Just to earn the respect of a dance hall friend" It's as if Mods are forcing him to be different to his parents against his will.

    Regos the Saneon June 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is my very favourite Who song, I think the ideas of 'working myself to death just to fit in' is pretty universal and I love it for that reason. Reminds me of High School actually.

    cromartyon November 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love all the songs from Quadrophenia, it's my favorite Who album. I think this one is mostly about trying to fit in, and no matter what awesome clothes, etc. you get, you'll never be popular. Like me.

    whofreak777on November 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Good point about the zoot suiters Soldier. It all stemmed from war rations acts in (I believe) the first WW. Since it took more fabric to make the baggy suits, there were actually banned. To wear a zoot suit was really sticking it to "the man", hence you see NYC gangsters start to wear them.

    eskimoslimon May 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is about Jimmy getting sick of being a mod. He has to keep being mod to have friends and his life is getting torn apart. He is also arguing with himself whether or not to go to the beach fight.

    • Zoot Suit was the B-side of The Who's first single: I'm the Face. This single was recorded in 1964 when the Who were called the High Numbers. By adding this line, Pete was refering to the Who's mod days.
    babathespider515on July 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    As far as the zoot suit thing goes, you're all correct. But Pete is not referencing any Mexican-Americans or New York City gangsters, it was an outfit some mods used to wear and like babathespider says, is also a reference to The Who's past. Which ya know, is what the whole album is about.

    Flinchy17on October 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this shit is about being a mod mods were all about fashion and to fit in your suit had to be just right and so did your hair when he refers to "leaping along" he means leapers, which are what mods called amphetamines the beach is where they fought with the rockers the whole album is about mods

    givinwhatforon June 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This reminds me of anxiety... different than being anti-social. It's always being an excitable mood, and this guy's drug use: "I clean my room and my shoes But my mother found a box of blues" and (I think) "I'm coming down Got home on the very first train from town." (Coming down off his meds.)

    hockyjockyon September 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    The confusion by posters here is the "Zoot Suit" reference. The original zoot suit, associated with tando hats, "a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, reet pleats and shoulders padded like a lunatic's cell" was the US Latino and African-American pachuco culture's uniform in the 1940's, who were obsessed by their clothing. Early 1960's British Mods strove to create their own fashion sense from Italian and Ivy League influences. "Zoot suit" or jacket was a snappy style reference to their own suited fashion style, which was of slim cut jacket and trousers, often of mohair and usually three button jacket with short side- or centre-vents. When hats were worn (not so often), they were usually Jamaican pork-pie style.

    Lachlan12on July 15, 2012   Link

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