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Baba O'Riley Lyrics
Out here in the fields
I fight for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
Sally, take my hand
We'll travel south 'cross land
Put out the fire, don't look past my shoulder
The exodus is here
The happy ones are near
Let's get together before we get much older
Teenage wasteland
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland
Oh yeah
Teenage wasteland
They're all wasted!
ive read/seen several interviews with pete where he either implies or flat out says that this song is about vietnam, but ive never heard why. the way i see it is that the song is from the point of view of a refugee from communist north vietnam. he doesnt want to be involved in the war ("i dont need to fight to prove im right"), he just wants to live normally and he can only doing that by escaping to south vietnam ("travel south crossland"). i think the chorus comes from the fact that the war devestated vietnam both economically and enviromentally (the "wasteland"), and that when pete wrote this song in 1971, americans had been occupying vietnam for well over a decade (and so, "teenage").
the title comes from 2 names: meher baba, petes mentor, and terry o'riley, a minimalist composer who inspired pete. pete set up a way to program information about people into a synthesizer so that every person would have a unique melody. he programmed in information about meher baba, such as his birthdate and his height, and came up with the background melody of baba oriley. the original loop was over 9 minutes long, but it was shortened for the song. people dont realize how revolutionary the whos synthesizer use was. now, every other song you hear has a synth loop, but in 1971, basically the only people experimenting with them in their music were the who and stevie wonder.
very informative! thanks :)
very informative! thanks :)
The explanation I heard also had to do with Vietnam, but I heard a different explanation for the chorus. Basically, the explanation I heard is a much more literal interpretation of the term "Teenage Wasteland"...all these young men being sent to war to fight and die. In other words a literal wasteland of human beings.
The explanation I heard also had to do with Vietnam, but I heard a different explanation for the chorus. Basically, the explanation I heard is a much more literal interpretation of the term "Teenage Wasteland"...all these young men being sent to war to fight and die. In other words a literal wasteland of human beings.
Actually, Edgar Winter created "Frankenstein" during this same time frame. I thought this song was about Pete's disillusionment w/ Woodstock, but I'm usually wrong about what songs mean, which I why I often come here.
Actually, Edgar Winter created "Frankenstein" during this same time frame. I thought this song was about Pete's disillusionment w/ Woodstock, but I'm usually wrong about what songs mean, which I why I often come here.
Actually, Edgar Winter created "Frankenstein" during this same time frame. I thought this song was about Pete's disillusionment w/ Woodstock, but I'm usually wrong about what songs mean, which I why I often come here.
Actually, Edgar Winter created "Frankenstein" during this same time frame. I thought this song was about Pete's disillusionment w/ Woodstock, but I'm usually wrong about what songs mean, which I why I often come here.
@PJ10 awesome explanation, thanks.
@PJ10 awesome explanation, thanks.
@PJ10 What is that synthesizer called. The one that creates a loop based on personal information.
@PJ10 What is that synthesizer called. The one that creates a loop based on personal information.
@PJ10
@PJ10
I don't know. The UK as a nation were not even involved in Vietnam militarily or in any regard. It was a much larger consciousness in the US obviously.
I don't know. The UK as a nation were not even involved in Vietnam militarily or in any regard. It was a much larger consciousness in the US obviously.
First verse seems to be sarcasm by young working people towards their more rebellious counterparts who have to 'fight' to prove themselves , who are wrong and then have be 'forgiven'
First verse seems to be sarcasm by young working people towards their more rebellious counterparts who have to 'fight' to prove themselves , who are wrong and then have be 'forgiven'
2nd verse sounds like the exodus of youth to Brighton 'getting together before they get much older'. Put out the fire may just mean moving on after stopping and camping
2nd verse sounds like the exodus of youth to Brighton 'getting together before they get much older'. Put out the fire may just mean moving on after stopping and camping
Teenage wasteland seems to be about all the energy wasted...
Teenage wasteland seems to be about all the energy wasted by youth revolt at the time. Sounds like a jab at the hippies and anti establishment
@PJ10
@PJ10
jgm4661:
jgm4661:
sorry dude, people like you irritate me to no end. If the songwriter himself says "it's aabout vietnam", then there's a pretty good bet it's about vietnam. I can't stand people who "know" what the songwriter meant better than the songwriter.
sorry dude, people like you irritate me to no end. If the songwriter himself says "it's aabout vietnam", then there's a pretty good bet it's about vietnam. I can't stand people who "know" what the songwriter meant better than the songwriter.
and you need to look into history a bit. prior to the US being involved in southeast asia, france had occupied it. I'm sure the british had some involvement in that area whether officially or unofficially and could have predicted that a "police action" would not accomplish much.
and you need to look into history a bit. prior to the US being involved in southeast asia, france had occupied it. I'm sure the british had some involvement in that area whether officially or unofficially and could have predicted that a "police action" would not accomplish much.
other than a...
other than a "teenage wasteland" drug out over far too many years.
@davidrharris72 Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (everyone forgets that the Vietnam conflict was not exclusively fought in one nation) were all predominantly part of French Indo-China until the mid-1950s, when they withdrew as part of the European retreat from Empire, thus the capitalism vs. communism conflict took over. The only real involvement Britain had in southeast Asia following the Partition of India in 1947 was a working agreement with Siam/Thailand and ownership of Malaya. Certainly, Britain had interests in that area, and they were keen to contain communism and prevent it spreading through Asia long before the United States started paying...
@davidrharris72 Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (everyone forgets that the Vietnam conflict was not exclusively fought in one nation) were all predominantly part of French Indo-China until the mid-1950s, when they withdrew as part of the European retreat from Empire, thus the capitalism vs. communism conflict took over. The only real involvement Britain had in southeast Asia following the Partition of India in 1947 was a working agreement with Siam/Thailand and ownership of Malaya. Certainly, Britain had interests in that area, and they were keen to contain communism and prevent it spreading through Asia long before the United States started paying any attention. However, for two reasons, Britain never had any involvement in the Vietnam War and even generally refused to support U.S. action in the region: the first reason was the public outcry against the war, which the British government - unlike its U.S. counterpart - was wise enough to heed, and the second was that Britain was almost bankrupt following the Second World War and was in the process of withdrawing all forces from 'east of Suez' in order to shrink the vast military budget.
@ Queenfan 1991
@ Queenfan 1991
look. history class is next door. and don't assume ignorance where there is none. I realize "vietnam" was not just fought in vietnam. Please work on your reading comprehension.
look. history class is next door. and don't assume ignorance where there is none. I realize "vietnam" was not just fought in vietnam. Please work on your reading comprehension.
What i said was that if the songwriter himself made a statement about the origin of the song, then chances are pretty good it's accurate.
What i said was that if the songwriter himself made a statement about the origin of the song, then chances are pretty good it's accurate.
Besides: "vietnam" was not just a "war". It was a time throughout the world when teens and young adults were beginning to realize there was more going on than they were being told through official channels. It was an era...
Besides: "vietnam" was not just a "war". It was a time throughout the world when teens and young adults were beginning to realize there was more going on than they were being told through official channels. It was an era of turmoil, uncertainty and angst.
pete said "this whole notion of teenage wasteland, it's not about getting wasted, it's about waste...i take full responsibility for the fact that my generation complained aobut the state of the world, and did absolutely nothing to change it"
i hate how so many people call this song just 'teenage wasteland' well i suppose not HATE, but it sure does irritate me.
Same here.
Same here.
@nicole No reason to be irritated. The song should have been called "Teenage Wasteland" obviously. Calling it by a name that has no obvious link to the lyrics is just asking for confusion. Considering the number of songs we hear in a lifetime, we shouldn't have to expend so much energy to learn the name of a song just because of the song writer's whimsy. It's a trick name!
@nicole No reason to be irritated. The song should have been called "Teenage Wasteland" obviously. Calling it by a name that has no obvious link to the lyrics is just asking for confusion. Considering the number of songs we hear in a lifetime, we shouldn't have to expend so much energy to learn the name of a song just because of the song writer's whimsy. It's a trick name!
I always kinda looked on this song as my life. I live on a farm town and i work my ass off at our farm with hay, laying corn down, maintaining all kinds of animals and working so much, then I go to school and always see all these preppy chicks, jocks and "punks" always not doing shit in there lifes except go to parties get wasted and fuck. then they critize people like me who work and rather jam with some friends and just hang out rather then go out and get wasted and label us "hicks" and shit. Its only a teenage waasteland. their all wasted.
@Staticburn89 where are you from?
@Staticburn89 where are you from?
i think this song might have been written about telling someone to come with you to woodstock
The Who's Next was originally going to be part of a huge extravanganza project with involving film, technology, and live rock n roll. The complexity of it all caused the project to just implode upon itself from the beginning so the best songs were brought together for The Who's Next. The song Baba O'Riley is about the dystopian world that the characters of Lifehouse would've been set in. The song's title came from the Townshend's twin inspirations, Meher Baba and Terry Riley. Baba O'Riley was merely a prelude to the story of Lifehouse.
@BrainDamage you are so very right. now the cat's finally out of the bag!
@BrainDamage you are so very right. now the cat's finally out of the bag!
Taken from
thewho.net/articles/townshen/life.htm
From Townshend's narration at the beginning of the BBC Lifehouse special, we learn that the Lifehouse film would have opened with this song -- opening credits would roll, the camera following the movements of a beat-up vehicle making its way across the wasteland. In the vehicle is Ray, Sally and their kids (apparently, they're from Scotland, where the air is still clean), on their way to try and secure, possibly via black-market, a chart-reading for a new, personalized Grid program. (There appears to be a shortage of novel Grid programs being provided by the government). The kids are whining that they want to go back home 'to Scotland' and Ray reassures them that they will be going home -- where they can see friends Dave and Mary -- just as soon as they get the chart done. The very fact that Sally and Ray have ventured out -- endangering themselves -- shows how discontented they are with their current Grid-lives. They show the same scepticism and apprehension towards the 'outside' that Mary and Dave initially have, but are ahead of the latter couple in being fed-up earlier on. Sally and Ray seem to gravitate towards Bobby's project before Mary eventually does.
As the opening song, "Baba O'Riley" provides the basic setting of a desolate, "teenage wasteland". "Sally, take my hand," Ray says, "we'll travel south crossland". There is a vague rumbling in the outskirts, a movement with individuals feeling compelled to gather and coalesce in hopes of the chance (or promise?) at 'spiritual revolution'. Biblical terminology is used throughout Lifehouse and occurs in this song when Ray tells Sally "The exodus is here, The happy ones are near…" (The "happy ones" likely referring to the Musos, a marginalized cult-like group that still practice the past art of "rock and roll music").
In one interview, Townshend described the outsiders as follows: "There are regular people, but they're the scum off the surface; there's a few farmers there, that's where the thing from 'Baba O'Riley' comes in. It's mainly young people who are either farmer's kids whose parents can't afford to buy them experience suits; then there's just scum, like these two geezers who ride around in a battered-up old Cadillac limousine and they play old Who records on the tape deck... I call them Track fans." (Pete Townshend, as quoted in The Who by John Swenson).
The profound influence of Sufi musician and philosopher Inayat Khan on Townshend's own thought is perhaps best conveyed in this song, with its mixing of hypnotic modal raga with the powerful I-V-IV chord progressions typical of Townshendian rock and roll. (As a sect of Islam, Sufism invokes more explicit mystical beliefs. Rather than focusing on the 'Five Pillars of Islam', Sufis seek ultimate religious experience through mystic trances or altered states often induced through twirling dances or the "whirling dervish"). Although Townshend seems to have scheduled "Baba O'Riley" at the beginning of Lifehouse, the song's trance-like, "whirling dervish" ending would have been most appropriate for Lifehouse's ending, when the crowd and the music reach a heightened emotional (and metaphysical) state, culminating in an explosive moment upon which they reach Nirvana and "disappear". (It is for this reason that I believe one of the Psychoderelict instrumental tracks, such as "Baba O'Riley (Demo)", should finish the Lifehouse song sequence, after "The Song is Over".
this song is about having a pet armadillo
@vipergt196 I think it's about having a pet armadillo that has severe arthritis and how difficult that is to deal with as an armadillo owner when there's no approved arthritis medications for armadillo's to be prescribed legally. Hopefully there is now, I'm not sure.
@vipergt196 I think it's about having a pet armadillo that has severe arthritis and how difficult that is to deal with as an armadillo owner when there's no approved arthritis medications for armadillo's to be prescribed legally. Hopefully there is now, I'm not sure.
It's basically a song written to Pete Townsend's Indian mystic teacher, telling him not to worry about the state of youth in the world, that it'll all be okay. This is bar-none my favorite song ever on my favorite album ever...I learned how to use a stereo so I could listen to this song.
What a great way to start off with one of the best albums ever released...though actually I'm kinda thankful Lifehouse didnt work ou... it would have been a disaster... but hey we got Whos Next didnt we... oh and Teenage Wasteland... what a ghastly way to refer to this classic...so in my humble opinion whos Next is better than Led Zeppelin IV... so who agrees with me? Of course... i dont need to fight to prove i'm right...