Tommy ( album ) - wikipedia Tommy ( album ) This article is about the original 1969 concept album by The Who. For the related orchestral and soundtrack albums, as well as unrelated albums of the same name, see Tommy ( disambiguation ) § Music. Tommy Studio album by The Who Released 23 May 1969 ( 1969 - 05 - 23 ) Recorded 19 September 1968 -- 7 March 1969 Studio IBC Studios, London, England Genre Hard rock rock Length 75 : 15 Label Decca / MCA Producer Kit Lambert The Who chronology Direct Hits ( 1968 ) Direct Hits 1968 Tommy ( 1969 ) Live at Leeds ( 1970 ) Live at Leeds 1970 Singles from Tommy `` Pinball Wizard '' / `` Dogs ( Part Two ) '' Released : 7 March 1969 `` I 'm Free '' / `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' Released : July 1969 `` See Me, Feel Me '' / `` Overture from Tommy '' Released : October 1970 The Who Rock operas Tommy ( 1969 ) Lifehouse ( 1971 ) Quadrophenia ( 1973 ) The Boy Who Heard Music ( 2006 ) Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who, a double album first released in May 1969. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend as a rock opera that tells the story about a `` deaf, dumb and blind '' boy, including his experiences with life and his relationship with his family. Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of Meher Baba, and attempted to translate Baba 's teachings into music. Recording on the album began in September 1968, but took six months to complete as material needed to be arranged and re-recorded in the studio. Tommy was acclaimed upon its release by critics, who hailed it as the Who 's breakthrough. Its critical standing diminished slightly in later years ; nonetheless, several writers view it as an important and influential album in the history of rock music. The Who promoted the album 's release with an extensive tour, including a live version of Tommy, which lasted throughout 1969 and 1970. Key gigs from the tour included appearances at Woodstock, the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival, the University of Leeds, the Metropolitan Opera House and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. The live performances of Tommy drew critical praise and rejuvenated the band 's career. Subsequently, the rock opera developed into other media, including a Seattle Opera production in 1971, an orchestral version by Lou Reizner in 1972, a film in 1975, and a Broadway musical in 1992. The original album has sold 20 million copies and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It has been reissued several times on CD, including a remix by Jon Astley in 1996, a deluxe Super Audio CD in 2003, and a super deluxe box set in 2013, including previously unreleased demos and live material. Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Background 3 Recording 4 Release 5 Critical reception 6 Editions and cover art 6.1 Original edition 6.2 Reissues 7 Live performances 8 Other incarnations 8.1 1970 Les Grands Ballets Canadiens 8.2 1971 Seattle Opera production 8.3 London Symphony Orchestra version 8.4 1975 film 8.5 Broadway musical 8.6 Bluegrass 9 Track listing 9.1 Deluxe editions 10 Personnel 11 Charts 12 Certifications 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links Synopsis Tommy has never had a definitive plot, but the following synopsis was published following the original album 's release. British Army Captain Walker goes missing during an expedition and is believed dead ( `` Overture '' ). His widow, Mrs. Walker, gives birth to their son, Tommy ( `` It 's a Boy '' ). Years later, Captain Walker returns home and discovers that his wife has found a new lover. They murder the Captain in an altercation as Tommy watches. Tommy 's mother convinces him that he did not see or hear the incident and must never tell anyone about it ; as a result, he becomes deaf, dumb, and blind to the outside world ( `` 1921 '' ). Tommy now relies on his sense of touch and imagination, developing a fascinating inner psyche ( `` Amazing Journey / Sparks '' ). A quack claims his wife can cure Tommy ( `` The Hawker '' ), while Tommy 's parents are increasingly frustrated that he will never find religion in the midst of his isolation ( `` Christmas '' ). They begin to neglect him, leaving him to be tortured by his sadistic `` Cousin Kevin '' and molested by his uncle Ernie ( `` Fiddle About '' ). The Hawker 's drug addicted wife, `` The Acid Queen '', gives Tommy a dose of LSD, causing a hallucinogenic experience that is expressed musically ( `` Underture '' ). As Tommy grows older, he discovers that he can feel vibrations sufficiently well to become an expert pinball player ( `` Pinball Wizard '' ). His parents take him to a respected doctor ( `` There 's a Doctor '' ), who determines that the boy 's disabilities are psychosomatic rather than physical. Tommy is told by the Doctor to `` Go to the Mirror ! '', and his parents notice he can stare at his reflection. After seeing Tommy spend extended periods staring at a mirror in the house, his mother smashes it out of frustration ( `` Smash the Mirror '' ). This removes Tommy 's mental block, and he recovers his senses, realising he can become a powerful leader ( `` Sensation '' ). He starts a religious movement ( `` I 'm Free '' ), which generates fervor among its adherents ( `` Sally Simpson '' ) and expands into a holiday camp ( `` Welcome '' / `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' ). However, Tommy 's followers ultimately reject his teachings and leave the camp ( `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' ). Tommy retreats inward again ( `` See Me, Feel Me '' ) with his `` continuing statement of wonder at that which encompasses him ''. Background Townshend had been looking at ways of progressing beyond the standard three minute pop single format since 1966. Co-manager Kit Lambert shared Townshend 's views and encouraged him to develop musical ideas, coming up with the term `` rock opera ''. The first use of the term was applied to a suite called `` Quads '', set in a future where parents could choose the sex of their children. A couple want four girls but instead receive three girls and a boy, raising him as a girl anyway. The opera was abandoned after writing a single song, the hit single, `` I 'm a Boy ''. When the Who 's second album, A Quick One ran short of material during recording, Lambert suggested that Townshend should write a `` mini-opera '' to fill the gap. Townshend initially objected, but eventually agreed to do so, coming up with `` A Quick One, While He 's Away '', which joined short pieces of music together into a continuous narrative. During 1967, Townshend learned how to play the piano and began writing songs on it, taking his work more seriously. That year 's The Who Sell Out included a mini-opera in the last track, `` Rael '', which like `` A Quick One... '' was a suite of musical segments joined together. A portion of `` Rael '' is the basis of the Tommy instrumental track `` Sparks ''. The package I hope is going to be called `` Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy. '' It 's a story about a kid that 's born deaf, dumb and blind and what happens to him throughout his life... But what it 's really all about is the fact that... he 's seeing things basically as vibrations which we translate as music. That 's really what we want to do : create this feeling that when you listen to the music you can actually become aware of the boy, and aware of what he is all about, because we are creating him as we play. '' Pete Townshend talking to Jann Wenner, August 1968 By 1968, Townshend was unsure about how the Who should progress musically. The group were no longer teenagers, but he wanted their music to remain relevant. His friend, International Times art director Mike McInnerney, told him about the Indian spiritual mentor Meher Baba, and Townshend became fascinated with Baba 's values of compassion, love and introspection. The Who 's commercial success was on the wane after the single `` Dogs '' failed to make the top 20, and there was a genuine risk of the band breaking up. Live performances remained strong, and the group spent most of the spring and summer touring the US and Canada but their stage act relied on Townshend smashing his guitar or Moon demolishing his drums, which kept the group in debt. Townshend and Lambert realised they needed a larger vehicle for their music than hit singles, and a new stage show, and Townshend hoped to incorporate his love of Baba into this concept. He decided that the Who should record a series of songs that stood well in isolation, but formed a cohesive whole on the album. He also wanted the material performed in concert, to counteract the trend of bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys, whose studio output was not designed for live performance. In August 1968, in an interview to Rolling Stone, Townsend talked about a new rock opera, which had the working title of Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy, and described the entire plot in great detail, which ran to 11 pages. Who biographer Dave Marsh subsequently said the interview described the narrative better than the finished album. Townshend later regretted publishing so much detail, as he felt it forced him to write the album according to that blueprint. The rest of the Who, however, were enthusiastic about the idea, and let him have artistic control over the project. Recording The Who started recording the album at IBC Studios on 19 September 1968. There was no firm title at this point, which was variously referred to as Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy, Amazing Journey, Journey into Space, The Brain Opera and Omnibus. Townshend eventually settled on Tommy because it was a common British name, and a nickname for soldiers in World War I. Lambert took charge of the production, with Damon Lyon - Shaw as engineer. Sessions were block booked from 2pm -- 10pm, but recording often spilled over into the early morning. The album was recorded onto eight track tape, which allowed various instruments to be overdubbed. Townshend used several guitars in the studio, but made particular use of the Gibson J - 200 acoustic and the Gibson SG. As well as their usual instruments, Townshend played piano and organ and bassist John Entwistle doubled on french horn. Keith Moon used a new double bass drum kit owned by roadie Tony Haslam, after Premier had refused to loan him any more equipment due to continual abuse. Though Townshend wrote the majority of the material, the arrangements came from the entire band. Singer Roger Daltrey later said that Townshend often came in with a half - finished demo recording, adding `` we probably did as much talking as we did recording, sorting out arrangements and things. '' Townshend asked Entwistle to write two songs ( `` Cousin Kevin '' and `` Fiddle About '' ) that covered the darker themes of bullying and abuse. `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' was Moon 's suggestion of what religious movement Tommy could lead. Moon got the songwriting credit for suggesting the idea, though the music was composed and played by Townshend. A significant amount of material had a lighter style than earlier recordings, with greater prominence put on the vocals. Moon later said, `` It was, at the time, very un-Wholike. A lot of the songs were soft. We never played like that. '' Some of the material had already been written for other projects. `` Sensation '' was written about a girl Townshend had met on the Who 's tour of Australia in early 1968, `` Welcome '' and `` I 'm Free '' were about peace found through Meher Baba and `` Sally Simpson '' was based on a gig with the Doors which was marred by violence. Other songs had been previously recorded by the Who and were recycled ; `` It 's A Boy '' was derived from `` Glow Girl '', an out - take from The Who Sell Out, while `` Sparks '' and `` Underture '' re-used and expanded one of the instrumental themes in `` Rael ''. `` Amazing Journey '' was, according to Townshend, `` the absolute beginning '' of the opera and summarised the entire plot. `` The Hawker '' was a cover of Mose Allison 's `` Eyesight to the Blind ''. A cover of Mercy Dee Walton 's `` One Room Country Shack '' was also recorded but was scrapped from the final track listing as Townshend could not figure out a way to incorporate it in the plot. Recording at IBC was slow, due to a lack of a full plot and a full selection of songs. The group hoped that the album would be ready by Christmas, but sessions dragged on. Melody Maker 's Chris Welch visited IBC studios in November and while he was impressed with the working environment and the material, the project still did not have a title and there was no coherent plotline. The Who 's US record company got so impatient waiting for new product that they released the compilation album Magic Bus : The Who on Tour which received a scathing review from Greil Marcus in Rolling Stone over its poor selection of material and misleading name ( as the album contained studio recordings and was not live ). The Who took a break from recording at the end of 1968 to tour, including a well received appearance at The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus on 10 December. They resumed sessions at IBC in January 1969, block booking Monday to Thursday, but had to do gigs every weekend to stop going further into debt. A major tour was booked for the end of April, and the group 's management insisted that the album would have to be finished by then, as it had been well over a year since The Who Sell Out. Lambert wrote a script, Tommy ( 1914 -- 1984 ) which he professionally printed, and gave copies to the band, which helped them focus the storyline, and also decide to make the album a double. The group were still coming up with new material ; Lambert insisted that the piece should have a proper overture, while Townshend wrote `` Pinball Wizard '' so that Nik Cohn, a pinball fan, would give the album a favourable review in the New York Times. Lambert wanted an orchestra to appear on the album, but Townshend was strongly against the idea, and time and budget constraints meant it could not happen anyway. By March 1969, some songs had been recorded several times, yet Townshend still thought there were missing pieces. Entwistle had become fed up with recording, later saying `` we had to keep going back and rejuvenating the numbers... it just started to drive us mad. '' The final recording session took place on 7 March, the same day that `` Pinball Wizard '' was released as a single. The group started tour rehearsals and promotional activities for the single and Lambert went on holiday in Cairo. The mixing was left to Lyon - Shaw and assistant engineer Ted Sharp, who did not think IBC was well suited for the task. The album overshot its April deadline, as stereo mastering continued into the end of the month. Release Tommy was finally released on 17 May 1969 in the US, and 23 May in the UK, because of delays with the cover. The original double album was configured with sides 1 and 4 on one disc, and sides 2 and 3 on the other, to accommodate record changers. The album was commercially successful, reaching No. 2 in the UK album charts, and No. 4 in the US. It sold 200,000 copies in the first two weeks in the US alone, and was awarded a gold record for sales of 500,000 on August 18. `` Pinball Wizard '', `` I 'm Free '' and `` See Me, Feel Me '' were released as singles and received airplay on the radio. `` Pinball Wizard '' reached the top 20 in the US and the top five in the UK. `` See Me, Feel Me '' reached the top 20 in the US and `` I 'm Free '' reached the top 40. An EP of selections from the album was planned to be released in the UK in November 1970, but was withdrawn. As of 2012, Tommy has sold 20 million copies worldwide. When it was released, critics were split between those who thought the album was a masterpiece, the beginnings of a new genre, and those that felt it was exploitative. The album had a hostile reception with the BBC and certain US radio stations, with Tony Blackburn describing `` Pinball Wizard '' as `` distasteful ''. Nevertheless, BBC Radio 1 received an advance copy of the album at the start of May and gave the material its first airplay on Pete Drummond 's show on 3 May. Townshend promoted the album 's release with interviews in which he attempted to explain the plotline. Unfortunately, because it fundamentally dealt with the abstract concept of Baba 's spiritual precepts, the interviews often gave confusing and contradicting details. Critical reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic MusicHound Rock 4 / 5 Q Rolling Stone The Rolling Stone Album Guide Uncut The initial critical reaction to Tommy was positive. Chris Welch, writing for Melody Maker, went to the press launch show at Ronnie Scott 's and although the volume left his ears ringing for 20 hours, he concluded `` we wanted more. '' Disc and Music Echo ran a front - page headline saying `` Who 's Tommy : A Masterpiece ''. Critics and fans were confused by the storyline, but Lambert pointed out this made Tommy no less confusing than the operas of Richard Wagner or Giacomo Puccini a century earlier. In a 1969 column for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau said that, apart from The Mothers of Invention 's We 're Only in It for the Money, Tommy is the first successful `` extended work '' in rock music, but Townshend 's parodic side is more `` profound and equivocal '' than Frank Zappa. He praised Townshend for deliberately constructing the album so that each song can be enjoyed individually and felt that he is determined to `` give his audience what it wants without burying his own peculiarity ''. Albert Goldman, writing in Life magazine, said that The Who play through `` all the kinky complications '' of the narrative in a hard rock style that is the antithesis of most contemporary `` serious '' rock. Goldman asserted that, based on innovation, performance, and `` sheer power '', Tommy surpasses anything else in studio - recorded rock. Christgau named Tommy the best album of 1969 in his year - end list for Jazz & Pop magazine. According to music journalist Richie Unterberger, Tommy was hailed by contemporary critics as the Who 's breakthrough, but its critical standing diminished slightly in the subsequent decades, because of its occasionally pretentious concept and flimsy songs that functioned as devices to `` advance the rather sketchy plot. '' Christgau wrote in 1983, `` Tommy 's operatic pretensions were so transparent that for years it seemed safe to guess that Townshend 's musical ideas would never catch up with his lyrics. '' In his review for AllMusic, Unterberger said that, despite its slight flaws, the album has `` many excellent songs '' permeated with `` a suitably powerful grace '', while Townshend 's ability to devise a lengthy narrative introduced `` new possibilities to rock music. '' Uncut wrote that the album `` does n't quite realise its ambitions, though it achieves a lot on the way '', and felt it was not as well developed as their later album, Quadrophenia. Mark Kemp, writing in The Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 2004 ), felt that `` in retrospect, Tommy is n't quite the masterpiece it was originally hyped to be '', suggesting The Who Sell Out was better, though because of Townshend, it produced several `` bona fide classic songs ''. In 1998, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for `` historical, artistic and significant value ''. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Tommy number 96 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album is one of several by the Who to appear in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. According to music critic Martha Bayles, Tommy did not mix rock with classical music, as its `` rock opera '' title may have suggested, but instead was `` dominated by the Who 's mature style : ponderous, rhythmically monotonous hard rock ''. Bayles argued that it was more acceptable to audiences than the art rock `` concoctions '' of the time because of the cultural climate during the late 1960s : `` Tommy was considered more authentic, precisely because it consists of hard rock, rather than doctored - up Mussorgsky... and avoids the typical pseudoromantic themes of art rock ( fairy - tale bliss and apocalyptic angst ) in favor of the more up - to - date subject of popular culture itself. '' High Fidelity magazine also characterized the Who 's album as a `` reasonably hard - rock version '' of the opera. Marsh thought the problem with the album 's narrative is that there is n't enough transitional material provided by the lyrics. There are no stage directions, no cast, and narration is restricted to key phrases ( such as `` Tommy can you hear me ? '' ) Key problems included an unclear explanation of what Tommy did n't hear or see in `` 1921 '', how or why he plays pinball, why `` Smash the Mirror '' leads into `` I overwhelm as I approach you '' ( the opening line in `` Sensation '' ), why Tommy tells his followers in `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' they can not drink or smoke but can play pinball, and what the `` you '' is in `` Listening to you, I get the music ''. Editions and cover art Original Edition Tommy was originally released as a two - LP set with artwork designed by McInnerney, which included a booklet including lyrics and images to illustrate parts of the story. The cover is presented as part of a triptych - style fold - out cover, and the booklet contained abstract artwork that outlined the story. Although the album included lyrics to all the songs, indicating individual characters, it did not outline the plot, which led to a concert programme being prepared for shows, that carried a detailed synopsis. Townshend thought McInnerney, a fellow follower of Baba, would be a suitable choice to do the cover. As recording was near completion, McInnerney received a number of cassettes with completed songs and a brief outline for the story, which he immediately recognised as being based on Baba 's teachings. He wanted to try and convey the world of a deaf, dumb and blind boy, and decided to `` depict a kind of breaking out of a certain restricted plane into freedom. '' The finished cover contained a blue and white web of clouds, a fist punching into the black void to the left of it. The inner triptych, meanwhile, showed a hand reaching out to light and a light shining in a dark void. Townshend was too busy finishing the recording to properly approve the artwork, but Lambert strongly approved of it, and said it would work. The final step was for record company approval, who decided the cover was more sensible than The Who Sell Out, though making one concession that pictures of the band should appear on the cover. These were added to the web on the front. Reissues Tommy was first released on CD in 1984 as a two disc set. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab subsequently released a special single - disc edition of the album in 1990, featuring an alternate take of `` Eyesight to the Blind '' and a low volume extensive break on the glass in `` Smash The Mirror ''. It was also remastered by Erick Labson for single disc release in 1993. MCA released a newly remastered version on single disc in 1996, which had been remixed by Jon Astley. Astley was able to access the original 8 track tapes and bring out instruments that had been buried, such as the guitar in `` Christmas '', the French Horn in `` Sparks '', the cymbals in `` The Acid Queen '' and the organ in `` We 're Not Gonna Take it ''. This release came with McInnerney 's complete artwork and a written introduction by Richard Barnes. For this edition, the cover was revised to remove the Who 's faces, which were originally placed at the request of the record label. In 2003 Tommy was made available as a deluxe two - disc hybrid Super Audio CD with a 5.1 multi-channel mix. The remastering was done under the supervision of Townshend and also includes related material not on the original album, including `` Dogs - Part 2 '' ( the B - Side to `` Pinball Wizard '' ), `` Cousin Kevin Model Child '' and `` Young Man Blues '', plus demos for the album and other unreleased songs that were dropped from the final running order. In 2013, a super deluxe version of Tommy was released as a 3 - CD / Blu - ray disc box set. As well as the original album, the package includes additional demos, and a live performance mostly taken from the Who 's show at the Capital Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on 15 October 1969. The live disc was significant, as it debunked a long - standing myth that the tapes for the tour were burned in preference for the Leeds University show in February 1970 that made up Live at Leeds. Live performances Main articles : The Who Tour 1969 and The Who Tour 1970 The Who had planned to perform Tommy live since starting the project. The group spent April 1969 rehearsing a live version of the show at the Hanwell Community Centre in Ealing including a final run down of the entire stage piece on 23 April. The running order was changed, and four songs ( `` Cousin Kevin '', `` Underture '', `` Sensation '' and `` Welcome '' ) were dropped entirely. Townshend later said the group `` did the whole thing from start to finish and that was when we first realized we had something cohesive and playable. '' Daltrey 's voice had improved substantially since the group 's early tours, and they realised their new live act could completely change their career. After a few warm up gigs towards the end of April, the group gave a preview concert to the press at Ronnie Scotts, London on 1 May. Realising the opera 's narrative was difficult to understand, Townshend explained a synopsis of the story, before the Who played Tommy all the way through at full stage volume. The next day, the group flew out to New York to start the US tour, with the first gig on 9 May at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit. At the end of May, the group played four nights at the Kinetic Playground, Chicago, and they noticed the audience would all stand up at the same time, and stay standing. This indicated that live performances of Tommy had a significant positive response. The group continued to play large halls in the US, organised by tour promoter Frank Barsalona, and generally avoided festivals, but made an important exception with the Woodstock Festival on 16 August. After spending all night arguing with Barsalona, the band agreed to perform at Woodstock for $12,500. The festival ran late and the Who did not take to the stage until the early morning of 17 August. During `` Pinball Wizard '', Abbie Hoffman took to the stage to protest about the imprisonment of John Sinclair before being kicked offstage by Townshend, while during `` See Me, Feel Me '', the sun rose, almost as if on cue. Two weeks later, the group played the second Isle of Wight Festival, using one of the largest live PAs available. Though media attention was on Bob Dylan playing his first major live concert since 1966, the Who stole the show. Townshend later said, `` We know that the stage act we had, with Tommy in it, would work under any circumstances, because it had worked many times on tour. '' By 1970, Tommy had achieved sufficient critical acclaim to be performed live in the Metropolitan Opera House. Tommy remained in the Who 's live set through the rest of the year and into 1970. In October 1969, The Who played six shows at the Fillmore East, where Leonard Bernstein praised them for their new music. The group 's show on 14 December at the Coliseum Theatre, London, was filmed for a possible future Tommy feature. Lambert was keen for Tommy to be taken seriously and wanted the Who to perform at opera houses. In June 1970, the group performed two shows at the Metropolitan Opera House, which was the first time Townshend announced the show as being the `` last Tommy ever ''. The group made a second trip to the Isle of Wight, appearing at the 1970 festival on 29 August, before an audience of 600,000. The last live performance for 1970 was at The Roundhouse, London on 20 December. Townshend said `` This is the very last time we 'll play Tommy on stage '', to which Moon promptly cried, `` Thank Christ for that ! '' Public reaction to the Who 's concerts that included Tommy was overwhelmingly positive. The touring helped keep the album in the public eye, and cleared the band 's debts. Several live recordings of Tommy from the Who 's 1969 -- 70 tours have been released. A complete performance is available on the 2002 Deluxe Edition of the live album Live at Leeds, recorded on 14 February 1970. The second Isle of Wight performance is available on Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, released in 1996. The Coliseum Theatre gig is available on the 2007 video release At Kilburn 1977 + Live at the Coliseum. Portions of the Woodstock performance of Tommy were released on the Woodstock film and later on The Kids Are Alright. The complete show was recorded, but has never been officially released. The Who continued to play a smaller selection of Tommy live in subsequent tours throughout the 1970s. They revived Tommy as a whole for its twentieth anniversary during their 1989 reunion tour, reinstating the previously overlooked `` Cousin Kevin '' and `` Sensation '' but still omitting `` Underture '' and `` Welcome ''. Recordings from this tour can be found on the Join Together live album and the Tommy and Quadrophenia Live DVD. The Los Angeles version of this show featured Phil Collins as Uncle Ernie, Patti LaBelle as the Acid Queen, Steve Winwood as the Hawker, Elton John as the Pinball Wizard and Billy Idol as Cousin Kevin. Other incarnations 1970 Les Grands Ballets Canadiens In 1970 Ferdinand Nault of the Montreal ballet group Les Grands Ballets Canadiens created the first dance - based adaptation of Tommy. The ballet performance toured New York in April 1971, which included a light show and accompanying films by the Quebec Film Bureau. 1971 Seattle opera production In 1971, the Seattle Opera under director Richard Pearlman produced the first ever fully staged professional production of Tommy at Seattle 's Moore Theatre. The production included Bette Midler playing the role of the Acid Queen and Mrs. Walker, and music by the Syracuse, New York band Comstock, Ltd. London Symphony orchestra version Main article : Tommy ( London Symphony Orchestra album ) On 9 December 1972, entrepreneur Lou Reizner presented a concert version of Tommy at the Rainbow Theatre, London. There were two performances that took place on the same evening. The concerts featured the Who, plus a guest cast, backed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Measham. The concerts were held to promote the release of Reizner 's new studio recording of this symphonic version of Tommy. The album and concerts featured an all - star cast, including Graham Bell ( as The Lover ), Maggie Bell ( as The Mother ), Sandy Denny ( as The Nurse ), Steve Winwood ( as The Father ), Rod Stewart ( as The Local Lad ), Richie Havens ( as The Hawker ), Merry Clayton ( as The Acid Queen ) and Ringo Starr ( as Uncle Ernie ). Townshend played some guitar, but otherwise the music was predominantly orchestral. Richard Harris played the role of the specialist on the record, but he was replaced by Peter Sellers for the stage production. The stage show had a second run on 13 and 14 December 1973 with a different cast including David Essex, Elkie Brooks, Marsha Hunt, Vivian Stanshall, Roy Wood, and Jon Pertwee. The orchestral version was also performed twice in Australia on 31 March 1973 at Melbourne 's Myer Music Bowl and on 1 April at Sydney 's Randwick Racecourse. Moon appeared as Uncle Ernie ( in Melbourne only ), Graham Bell as the Narrator, with local stars Daryl Braithwaite ( as Tommy ), Billy Thorpe, Doug Parkinson, Wendy Saddington, Jim Keays, Broderick Smith, Colleen Hewett, Linda George, Ross Wilson, Bobby Bright, Ian Meldrum ( as Uncle Ernie in Sydney ), and a full orchestra. The Melbourne concert was videotaped, then televised by Channel 7 on 13 April 1973. 1975 film Main article : Tommy ( 1975 film ) In 1975 Tommy was adapted as a film, produced by expatriate Australian entrepreneur Robert Stigwood and directed by British auteur Ken Russell. The movie version starred Daltrey as Tommy, and featured the other members of the Who, plus a supporting cast that included Ann - Margret as Tommy 's mother, Oliver Reed as `` the Lover '', with appearances by Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Arthur Brown, and Jack Nicholson. Russell insisted on having a known cast, though Townshend wanted people who could sing the material, and was particularly disappointed at not being allowed to cast Stevie Wonder as the Pinball Wizard. In several cinemas, the film supported a multi-track soundtrack billed as quintaphonic sound, which placed speaker banks in the four quadrants of the house and directly behind the centre of the screen. Townshend also oversaw the production of a soundtrack album, on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements Lambert had envisaged for the original Tommy LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesizer. He started work on the soundtrack album immediately after the Who 's 1973 US tour in December, and worked on it almost continuously for the next four months. As well as the Who, the film 's music track and the original soundtrack LP also employed several session musicians including Caleb Quaye, Ronnie Wood, Nicky Hopkins, Chris Stainton, and longtime Who associate John `` Rabbit '' Bundrick. Due to Moon 's commitments with the filming of Stardust, Kenney Jones ( who would take over as the Who 's drummer after Moon 's death in 1978 ) played drums on much of the soundtrack album. `` Pinball Wizard '' was a major hit when released as a single. This sequence in the film depicts Elton being backed by the Who ( dressed in pound - note suits ) ; the band portrayed the Pinball Wizard 's band for filming, but on the music track and soundtrack album, the music was performed entirely by him and his regular touring band. Most of the extras were students at Portsmouth Polytechnic and were paid with tickets to a Who concert after filming wrapped. The film and its soundtrack album featured six new songs, all written by Townshend, and an alteration to the running order compared to the original album. The CD reissue of the film soundtrack also included an additional Overture. Broadway musical Main article : The Who 's Tommy In 1991, Townshend broke his wrist in a cycling accident and could not play guitar. Looking for alternative work while recuperating, he responded to a request from the PACE Theatrical Group for the rights to a Broadway musical adaptation of Tommy. The group introduced him to La Jolla Playhouse director Des McAnuff, and the pair began to develop the musical together. It opened at La Jolla in summer 1992, and was an immediate commercial success. Townshend wrote a new song, `` I Believe My Own Eyes '', to explain the relationship between Tommy 's parents, but otherwise tried to be faithful to the music on the original album. The musical had a mixed response from critics, while Daltrey and Entwistle thought the show was too passive. Anthony DeCurtis, writing in Rolling Stone, said the orchestra drummer had `` the thankless task of having to reproduce Keith Moon 's parts ''. Townshend and McAnuff rewrote parts of the musical when it moved from La Jolla to Broadway, to show a darker side for the title character. McAnuff won a Tony Award in 1993 for Best Director, while Wayne Cilento won the award for Best Choreographer. The Broadway run lasted from 1993 to 1995. McAnuff revisited Tommy during the 2013 season of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Bluegrass In 2015, bluegrass band The Hillbenders released a cover of the album, arranged by Jim Rea and produced by Louis Jay Meyers. The group have informed Townshend and Daltrey in order to get official blessing. The performance of the bluegrass version has been critically praised, with Rolling Stone marking the Hillbenders appearance at South by Southwest one of the `` 50 Best Things We Saw At SXSW 2015 ''. Townshend met with the group after the band 's May 2015 performance in Nashville. Track listing Track names and timings vary across editions ; some editions have two tracks merged into one and vice versa. `` See Me, Feel Me '', for example, is the second half of `` We 're not Gonna Take It '', but is its own track as a single and on the 2003 deluxe edition. All tracks written by Pete Townshend, except where noted. Side one No. Title Lead vocals Length 1. `` Overture '' Townshend 3 : 50 2. `` It 's a Boy '' Townshend 2 : 07 3. `` 1921 '' Townshend, Roger Daltrey on chorus 3 : 14 4. `` Amazing Journey '' Daltrey 3 : 25 5. `` Sparks '' Instrumental 3 : 45 6. `` The Hawker '' ( Sonny Boy Williamson ) Daltrey 2 : 15 Total length : 18 : 36 Side two No. Title Lead vocals Length 1. `` Christmas '' Daltrey, Townshend in middle eight 5 : 30 2. `` Cousin Kevin '' ( John Entwistle ) Entwistle and Townshend 4 : 03 3. `` The Acid Queen '' Townshend 3 : 31 4. `` Underture '' Instrumental 9 : 55 Total length : 22 : 59 Side three No. Title Lead vocals Length 1. `` Do You Think It 's Alright ? '' Daltrey and Townshend 0 : 24 2. `` Fiddle About '' ( Entwistle ) Entwistle 1 : 26 3. `` Pinball Wizard '' Daltrey, Townshend on bridge 3 : 01 4. `` There 's a Doctor '' Townshend, with Daltrey and Entwistle 0 : 25 5. `` Go to the Mirror ! '' Daltrey and Townshend 3 : 50 6. `` Tommy Can You Hear Me ? '' Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle 1 : 35 7. `` Smash the Mirror '' Daltrey 1 : 20 8. `` Sensation '' Townshend 2 : 32 Total length : 14 : 33 Side four No. Title Lead vocals Length 1. `` Miracle Cure '' Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle 0 : 10 2. `` Sally Simpson '' Daltrey 4 : 10 3. `` I 'm Free '' Daltrey 2 : 40 4. `` Welcome '' Daltrey, Townshend ( `` more at the door '' ) and Entwistle ( spoken part ) 4 : 30 5. `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' ( Keith Moon ) Townshend 0 : 57 6. `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' Daltrey, Townshend and Entwistle 6 : 45 Total length : 19 : 12 Deluxe editions 2003 bonus disc : Demos and outtakes This is a CD / SACD hybrid disc containing 5.1 mixes of all but the last five of these tracks `` I Was '' -- 0 : 17 `` Christmas '' ( Outtake 3 ) -- 4 : 43 `` Cousin Kevin Model Child '' -- 1 : 25 `` Young Man Blues '' ( Version one ) ( Allison ) -- 2 : 51 `` Tommy Can You Hear Me ? '' ( Alternate version ) -- 1 : 59 `` Trying to Get Through '' -- 2 : 51 `` Sally Simpson '' ( Outtake ) -- 4 : 09 `` Miss Simpson '' -- 4 : 18 `` Welcome '' ( Take two ) -- 3 : 44 `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' ( Band 's version ) -- 1 : 07 `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' ( Alternate version ) -- 6 : 08 `` Dogs ( Part Two ) '' ( Moon ) -- 2 : 26 `` It 's a Boy '' -- 0 : 43 `` Amazing Journey '' -- 3 : 41 `` Christmas '' -- 1 : 55 `` Do You Think It 's Alright '' -- 0 : 28 `` Pinball Wizard '' -- 3 : 46 2013 live disc All tracks are from the Capitol Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 15 October 1969, except for `` I 'm Free '', `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '', `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' and `` See Me, Feel Me '' which are from Swansea City Football Club, 12 June 1976. `` Overture '' ( Including Introduction ) -- 7 : 00 `` It 's A Boy '' -- 0 : 39 `` 1921 '' -- 2 : 29 `` Amazing Journey '' -- 5 : 07 `` Sparks '' -- 2 : 49 `` The Hawker ( Eyesight To The Blind ) '' -- 1 : 54 `` Christmas '' -- 3 : 11 `` The Acid Queen '' -- 3 : 30 `` Pinball Wizard '' -- 2 : 47 `` Do You Think It 's Alright ? '' -- 0 : 21 `` Fiddle About '' -- 1 : 12 `` Tommy, Can You Hear Me ? '' -- 0 : 55 `` There 's A Doctor '' -- 0 : 24 `` Go To The Mirror ! '' -- 3 : 12 `` Smash The Mirror '' -- 1 : 10 `` Miracle Cure '' -- 0 : 12 `` Sally Simpson '' -- 4 : 01 `` I 'm Free '' -- 2 : 12 `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' -- 0 : 48 `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' -- 3 : 28 `` See Me, Feel Me '' -- 7 : 51 Personnel The Who Roger Daltrey -- vocals, harmonica Pete Townshend -- vocals, guitar, keyboards, banjo John Entwistle -- bass, french horn, vocals Keith Moon -- drums Charts Album Year Chart Peak position 1969 Billboard Pop Albums 1969 Cash Box Album Charts 5 1969 Record World Album Charts 1969 UK Chart Albums UK Chart Albums 37 Singles Year Single Chart Peak position 1969 `` Pinball Wizard '' Billboard Pop Singles 19 1969 `` Pinball Wizard '' UK Singles Charts 1969 `` Pinball Wizard '' Dutch Singles Charts 12 1969 `` I 'm Free '' Billboard Pop Singles 37 1969 `` I 'm Free '' Dutch Singles Charts 20 1970 `` See Me, Feel Me '' Billboard Pop Singles 12 1970 `` See Me, Feel Me '' Dutch Singles Charts Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales France ( SNEP ) Gold 174,300 Italy ( FIMI ) Gold 50,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Awarded to the soundtrack to the film too Gold 100,000 United States ( RIAA ) 2 × Platinum 2,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone References Citations ^ Jump up to : Atkins 2000, p. 121. ^ Jump up to : Atkins 2000, pp. 121 -- 122. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 214. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 215. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 217. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 227. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 283. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, pp. 282, 283. Jump up ^ The Who Sell Out, 1967 Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, pp. 313,314. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, pp. 293 -- 294. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 294. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 296. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 308. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 190. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 309. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 310. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, pp. 313 -- 316. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 316. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 191. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 192. ^ Jump up to : Neill & Kent 2002, p. 210. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 317. ^ Jump up to : Drozdowski, Ted ( 3 May 2012 ). `` Pinball Wizard : Pete Townshend Finds His Signature Guitar Sound ''. Gibson Guitars. Retrieved 9 June 2012. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 219. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 323. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 220. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, pp. 316, 318. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 318. Jump up ^ Atkins 2000, p. 114. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 321. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 319,320. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 216. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 324. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 325. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 221. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 327. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, pp. 227, 228. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 228. ^ Jump up to : Neill & Kent 2002, p. 230. ^ Jump up to : Neill & Kent 2002, p. 232. ^ Jump up to : Neill & Kent 2002, p. 231. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 340. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 421. ^ Jump up to : Perry, Andrew ( 22 June 2006 ). `` Hope I do n't have a heart attack ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 25 May 2010. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 330. ^ Jump up to : Unterberger, Richie. `` Tommy -- The Who ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 3 July 2013. Jump up ^ Graff & Durchholz 1999, p. 1227. Jump up ^ `` Review : Tommy ''. Q. London : 116 -- 7. March 2004. Jump up ^ Randall, Mac ( 22 January 2004 ). `` Tommy Deluxe Edition ''. Rolling Stone. New York. Retrieved 3 July 2013. Jump up ^ Kemp 2004, p. 871. ^ Jump up to : `` Review : Tommy ''. Uncut. London : 110. March 2004. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 329. Jump up ^ Christgau, Robert ( 12 June 1969 ). `` Whooopee ! ''. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 3 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` A Grand Opera in Rock ''. Life Magazine : 20. 17 October 1969. Retrieved 3 July 2013. Jump up ^ Christgau, Robert ( 1969 ). `` Robert Christgau 's 1969 Jazz & Pop Ballot ''. Jazz & Pop. Retrieved April 17, 2014. Jump up ^ Christgau, Robert ( 25 January 1983 ). `` Consumer Guide ''. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 3 July 2013. Jump up ^ Kemp 2004, p. 872. Jump up ^ `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ''. Rolling Stone. New York : 118. 11 December 2013. Jump up ^ Dimery, Robert ; Lydon, Michael ( 2011 ). 1001 Albums : You Must Hear Before You Die. Hachette UK. p. 455. ISBN 978 - 1 - 84403 - 714 - 8. ^ Jump up to : Bayles, Martha ( 1994 ). Hole in Our Soul : The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music. University of Chicago Press. p. 224. ISBN 0 - 226 - 03959 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Tommy ''. High Fidelity. 23 ( 6 ) : 418. June 1973. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 332. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 336. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 337. ^ Jump up to : Tommy ( Media notes ). The Who. Polydor. 531 -- 043 -- 2. Jump up ^ `` Tommy ( Mobile Fidelty ) ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 18 August 2014. ^ Jump up to : Atkins 2000, p. 282. Jump up ^ Tommy ( Media notes ). The Who. MCA. MCAD - 10801. Jump up ^ Atkins 2000, pp. 120,121. Jump up ^ JoneUnterbergers, Richie ( 15 August 2014 ). `` Tommy ( Deluxe Edition ) ''. AllMusic. Jump up ^ `` The Who to release Super Deluxe Box Set and Deluxe Edition ''. The Who ( official website ). 11 November 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014. ^ Jump up to : Atkins 2000, p. 136. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 339. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 343. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 346. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 348. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 350. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, pp. 239. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 240. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, pp. 241 -- 242. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 243. Jump up ^ Graham, Bill ; greenfield, Robert ( 1922 ). Bill Graham Presents : My Life Inside Rock and Out. Da Capo Press. p. 321. ISBN 978 - 0 - 306 - 81349 - 8. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 353. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 271. Jump up ^ Atkins 2000, p. 137. Jump up ^ Atkins 2000, pp. 127 -- 128. Jump up ^ Atkins 2000, p. 128. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 391. Jump up ^ `` Live : Featuring Rock Opera Tommy ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Join Together -- The Who ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal ''. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10 October 2014. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 199. Jump up ^ Kisselgoff, Anna ( 9 February 1981 ). `` Fance : Ballets Canadiens ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2014. Jump up ^ Bargreen, Melinda ( 22 July 2005 ). `` Glynn Ross, 90, turned Seattle into opera destination ''. Seattle Times. Retrieved 13 April 2011. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, pp. 313 -- 314. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 400. Jump up ^ Eder, Bruce. `` Tommy -- As Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 18 August 2014. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 340. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, pp. 325,326. Jump up ^ `` Tommy Australian concert production 1973 ''. Milesago.com. Retrieved 13 April 2011. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 326. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 440. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 369. Jump up ^ Marsh 1983, p. 442. ^ Jump up to : Marsh 1983, p. 441. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 344. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 350. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 353. Jump up ^ `` Tommy ( Original Soundtrack ) ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 15 August 2014. Jump up ^ Wollman 2006, p. 161. ^ Jump up to : Wollman 2006, p. 165. Jump up ^ Wollman 2006, p. 168. Jump up ^ Wollman 2006, p. 169. Jump up ^ Wollman 2006, p. 166. Jump up ^ Hurwitz, Nathan ( 2014 ). A History of the American Musical Theatre : No Business Like It. Routledge. p. 225. ISBN 978 - 1 - 317 - 91205 - 7. Jump up ^ Washburne, Christopher ; Derno, Maiken, eds. ( 2013 ). Bad Music : The Music We Love to Hate. Routledge. p. 314. ISBN 978 - 1 - 135 - 38547 - 7. Jump up ^ `` Tommy ''. Stratford Festival. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013. CS1 maint : Unfit url ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Exclusive : Watch The HillBenders Put a Bluegrass Spin on The Who 's ' Tommy ' ''. Billboard. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Rock Legend Pete Townshend Meets The Hillbenders ! ''. Prescription Bluegrass. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 241. Jump up ^ Neill & Kent 2002, p. 387. Jump up ^ `` Artist Chart History -- The Who ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 25 November 2009. Jump up ^ `` The Official Charts Company -- Tommy by The Who Search ''. The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` The Who Billboard singles ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` Pinball Wizard ''. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 28 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` I 'm Free ''. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 28 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Hot 100 ''. Billboard Magazine. 5 December 1970. p. 75. Retrieved 28 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` See Me, Feel Me ''. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 28 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` French album certifications -- The Who -- Tommy '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Select THE WHO and click OK Jump up ^ `` Les Albums Or : '' ( in French ). Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2012. Jump up ^ `` Italian album certifications -- The Who -- Tommy '' ( in Italian ). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 21 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` British album certifications -- Original Soundtrack -- Tommy OST ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 August 2012. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Enter Tommy OST in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` American album certifications -- The Who -- Tommy ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 August 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH Bibliography Atkins, John ( 2000 ). The Who on Record : A Critical History, 1963 -- 1998. McFarland. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 0609 - 8. Graff, Gary ; Durchholz, Daniel ( eds ) ( 1999 ). MusicHound Rock : The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, Michigan : Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1 - 57859 - 061 - 2. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Marsh, Dave ( 1983 ). Before I Get Old : The Story of The Who. Plexus. ISBN 978 - 0 - 85965 - 083 - 0. Neill, Andy ; Kent, Matt ( 2002 ). Anywhere Anyhow Anywhere : The Complete Chronicle of The Who. Virgin Books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7535 - 1217 - 3. Kemp, Mark ( 2004 ). Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian, eds. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7432 - 0169 - 8. Wollman, Elizabeth ( 2006 ). The Theater Will Rock : A History of the Rock Musical, from Hair to Hedwig. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 472 - 11576 - 1. Further reading Barnes, Richard and Townshend, Pete ( 1977 ). The Story of Tommy. Eel Pie Publishing. 128 pp. Cawthorne, Nigel ( 2005 ). The Who and the making of Tommy. Unanimous Ltd ( Vinyl Frontier 5 ). 224 pp. ISBN 1 - 903318 - 76 - 9 Townshend, Pete ( 1993 ). Tommy : The Musical. Pantheon. 173 pp. + a CD w / the song I Ca n't Believe My Own Eyes. ISBN 0 - 679 - 43066 - 0. Also titled The Who 's Tommy : The Musical. Townshend, Pete ( 1996 ). Tommy : The Interactive Adventure Then and Now. Eel Pie Publishing. Kardana & Interplay Productions. Cdrom for PC ( CD - MCR - 263 - 0 / CD - C95 - 263 - 0 ) or for Mac ( CD - MCD − 263 - UK ) External links Tommy at Discogs ( list of releases ) Lyrics A number of interviews where Pete Townshend has commented on the concept and meaning of Tommy : a 1968 Rolling Stone Interview ( by Jann Wenner ), Pete and Tommy, among others by Rick Sanders & David Dalton -- Rolling Stone ( no. 37 12 July 1969 ) Interview with Pete Townshend at Manchester Arena, England, 12 December 1996, by Stephen Gallagher ( British Youth & Popular Culture Editor, Ubu ). Tommy notes -- Song - by - song notes Tommy Songs Side one `` Overture '' `` It 's a Boy '' `` 1921 '' `` Amazing Journey '' `` Sparks '' `` Eyesight to the Blind ( The Hawker ) '' Side two `` Christmas '' `` Cousin Kevin '' `` The Acid Queen '' `` Underture '' Side three `` Do You Think It 's Alright ? '' `` Fiddle About '' `` Pinball Wizard '' `` There 's a Doctor '' `` Go to the Mirror ! '' `` Tommy Can You Hear Me ? '' `` Smash the Mirror '' `` Sensation '' Side four `` Miracle Cure '' `` Sally Simpson '' `` I 'm Free '' `` Welcome '' `` Tommy 's Holiday Camp '' `` We 're Not Gonna Take It '' `` See Me, Feel Me '' Adaptations Tommy ( 1975 film ) The Who 's Tommy ( 1992 musical ) Live albums w / majority of Tommy Tommy and Quadrophenia Live Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 Live at Leeds Tours supporting Tommy The Who Tour 1969 The Who Tour 1970 1989 reunion tour Tribute albums The Smithereens Play Tommy Other The Who 's Tommy Pinball Wizard Two 's Missing Tommy ( 1975 soundtrack ) Tommy The Roots of Tommy My Generation A Quick One The Who Sell Out Tommy Who 's Next Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It 's Hard Endless Wire The Who Roger Daltrey Pete Townshend Former members John Entwistle Keith Moon Doug Sandom Kenney Jones Touring members Zak Starkey Pino Palladino Simon Townshend Loren Gold Frank Simes John Corey Studio albums My Generation A Quick One The Who Sell Out Tommy Who 's Next Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It 's Hard Endless Wire Extended plays Ready Steady Who Wo n't Get Fooled Again Wire & Glass Live albums Live at Leeds Who 's Last Join Together Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 BBC Sessions Blues to the Bush Live at the Royal Albert Hall Live from Toronto View from a Backstage Pass Greatest Hits Live Live at Hull 1970 Quadrophenia Live in London Compilations Magic Bus : The Who on Tour Direct Hits Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy Odds & Sods The Story of The Who Phases Hooligans Who 's Greatest Hits Rarities Volume I & Volume II The Singles The Who Collection Who 's Missing Two 's Missing Who 's Better, Who 's Best Thirty Years of Maximum R&B My Generation : The Very Best of The Who Encore Series The Ultimate Collection Then and Now The 1st Singles Box Greatest Hits The Who Hits 50 ! Soundtracks Tommy The Kids Are Alright Quadrophenia Amazing Journey : The Story of The Who Filmography Tommy The Kids Are Alright Quadrophenia Who 's Better, Who 's Best Thirty Years of Maximum R&B Live Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 The Who & Special Guests : Live at the Royal Albert Hall The Who Special Edition EP Live in Boston Tommy and Quadrophenia Live The Vegas Job Amazing Journey : The Story of The Who The Who at Kilburn : 1977 Quadrophenia Live in London Lambert & Stamp Discographies The Who discography Roger Daltrey discography Pete Townshend discography John Entwistle discography Keith Moon discography Performances 1962 -- 1963 performances 1964 performances 1965 tour 1966 tour 1967 tour 1968 tour 1969 tour 1970 tour 1971 tour 1972 tour 1973 tour 1974 tour 1975 tour 1976 tour 1977 -- 1978 performances 1979 tour 1980 tour 1981 tour 1982 tour 1985 and 1988 reunions 1989 tour 1996 -- 1997 tour 1999 performances 2000 tour 2001 The Concert for New York City appearance 2002 tour 2003 The 46664 Concert appearance 2004 tour The Who 2005 performances 2006 -- 2007 tour 2008 -- 2009 tour 2010 performances 2011 performances Quadrophenia and More The Who Hits 50 ! Back to the Who Tour 51 ! 2017 Tommy & More The Who Tour 2017 Members Doug Sandom Mitch Mitchell Dave Golding Julian Covey Chris Townson Scot Halpin John `` Rabbit '' Bundrick Tim Gorman Steve `` Boltz '' Bolton Simon Phillips Jon Carin Damon Minchella Steve White Brian Kehew J.J. Blair Danny Thompson Jon Button Loren Gold Frank Simes J. Greg Miller Reggie Grisham Morgan Nicholls Chris Stainton Scott Devours Associated places Ashdown House, Oxfordshire Chapel House, Twickenham Holmshurst Manor Quarwood Ramport Studios Shepperton Studios Tara, Chertsey The Wick Related articles The Boy Who Heard Music Lifehouse The Who 's Tommy Rock Is Dead -- Long Live Rock ! The Who 's Tommy Pinball Wizard Who Covers Who ? `` A Tale of Two Springfields '' Awards and nominations Musical equipment Double O The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus No Plan B Kim McLagan Richard Barnes Dougal Butler Chris Charlesworth Songs Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommy_(album)&oldid=851056068 '' Categories : Tommy ( rock opera ) 1969 albums Concept albums Decca Records albums MCA Records albums Polydor Records albums Rock operas The Who albums Track Records albums Albums produced by Kit Lambert Albums recorded at IBC Studios Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Unfit url CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Good articles Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for Italy Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Use British English from August 2010 Use dmy dates from July 2013 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Română Русский Suomi Svenska Українська 14 more Edit links This page was last edited on 19 July 2018, at 19 : 21 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who released the rock opera inspired country album tommy bluegrass opera
Answer: The Hillbenders