Mick Jagger Makes Sure the Who Won't Get Fooled Again

->on the track at Mick Jagger's Star Grove residence in
The album 'Who's Next' provided fans with some ofEngland. The biggest change between the original
the most cherished songs ever written by the band.track and that which would emerge from their work at
Rising from the smoldering remains of PeteStargrove was the decision to again use parts of the
Townshend's emotional breakdown and thwartedsynthesizer demo that Townshend had recorded
artistic vision, the band was able to cherry pick fromearlier in the year. Juxtaposed with the rising and falling
the reams of compositions that Townshend had lyingorgan part during the solo break in the middle of the
around unused from previous projects. For The Whosong, this new edit would make its way onto the final
Won't Get Fooled Again, the epic eight and a halfrecord.
minute track that closed the album, would becomeGiven the lyrical content of the track, it is unsurprising
their anthem, a stunning tour de force that railedthat many political movements and pundits have
against the dangers of false revolution.appropriated the track to represent their particular
The Who weren't enamored with the song when theycause and champion the overthrow of the status quo.
first laid it down in 1971. Originally recorded in NewAccording to The Who Won't Get Fooled Again
York, the band felt that the track could stand somepartially represented their backlash against the
revision, and so they employed the services of thepressure they felt from radical revolutionaries to give
Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, a great recording studiotheir music over entirely to whatever movement
on wheels that was popular amongst bands of thehappened to come calling. The lyrics had their root in
day who wanted to record their albums in off the wallthe plot of Townshend's failed 'Lifehouse' rock opera,
places. These usually ended up being enormous,in which the villain attempts to convince the hero that
empty mansions isolated from fans and possessingthey are almost the same people - to which the hero
unique acoustic properties. In the case of The Who,sings this stunning rebuttal.
they kept the Mobile Studio close to home and worked