The Who » Tracks » 5:15

The Who – 5:15 (4:51)

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About This Track

“5:15” is a song written by Pete Townshend of British rock band The Who from their second rock opera, Quadrophenia (1973). The song reached number twenty on the UK Singles Chart, while the 1979 re-release (along the film and soundtrack album) reached number seventy-nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

Role in the plot of Quadrophenia
In the song, the main character Jimmy has taken the titular train to Brighton, consumed a lot of drugs, recollecting his life with the Mods, the cultural movement to which he belongs (even if he has dropped out for now), and their duels with the Rockers. Jimmy’s memories are extremely disjointed, consisting mainly of anger, confusion, violence, sexual frustration, and rootlessness.

“5.15”, like many of the songs from Quadrophenia is self-referential - “M-m-m-maaah generation” is a line - and thus represents an angrily self-centered, teenage disconnection with society, family and the opposite sex. ‘Jimmy’ was “born in the war”, that is, World War II and its aftermath, does not understand why he should care about it (or anything) in the context of his extravagant, Mod values.

Style and variations
The studio recording shows off the originality of Keith Moon, whose drumming toward the end of the song mimics the rhythm of a train, slowing down as it enters a station. The simple power and drive of this song made it an extremely popular concert staple. The live performances of the song from 1996 to early 2002 were highlighted by an extended bass solo from John Entwistle that would push the song either toward or past the ten-minute mark (the version on Live at the Royal Albert Hall album clocks in at 11:40).
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Albums featuring this track

  • My Generation - The Very Best Of The Who
    The Who Play
    Buy
  • Quadrophenia (disc 2)
    The Who Play
    Buy
  • Quadrophenia
    The Who Play
    Buy
  • Who's Greatest Hits
    The Who Play
    Buy
See all 25 albums

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  • Rubberbandman16

    awesum classic

    17 days ago

  • flickothewrist

    Fabulous song from one of the rock world's greatest ever bands, the brass interjection on this one sends trembles of pleasure all over, out of this world

    last month

  • thetimeiisnow

    genial

    March 2012

  • Drazba

    what an album that Quadrophenia is-if "whos next" wasnt so great i think it would be the whos best album-

    January 2012

  • SerpentLazarus

    prominence_la: Well, the compilations helped it become more noticeable, but relative to their more well-known tracks, I always thought this one trumped most of them yet didn't get quite the recognition it so deserved (at least that's how I saw it).

    November 2011

  • pteronophobic

    I love how the euphoric nature of the music contrasts the monotony that the title implies.

    November 2011

  • panconhuevo

    Magia.

    October 2011

  • prominence_la

    @SerpentLazarus - Not overlooked, thanks to compilations. This used to be one of the only tracks I knew off Quadrophenia.

    September 2011

  • rwffl

    Why should I care?

    August 2011

  • pteronophobic

    It's 5:15, time to listen to this song again.

    July 2011

  • SonOfThirteen

    The ox usually kills it live, but his wankery live at the royal albert hall wasn't upto his usual impeccable standards i feel :/

    May 2011

  • SerpentLazarus

    Great, overlooked track for the band. One of my favorites from their latter period.

    April 2011

  • NorbertTaunus

    The who: was sonst!

    April 2011

  • Moxxxu

    best of who

    April 2011

  • huxr

    Got only silence when Last.fm played this song...

    December 2010

  • MCFC_Blue

    Where have I been? Out of my brain on the 5:15 Out of my brain on a train. awsome

    November 2010

  • kikikirsche

    out of my brain on a train

    October 2010

  • milkas_pl

    :D

    October 2010

  • Wiillian

    música perfeita :D

    September 2010

  • mikesimpson

    Pretty girls, diggin,prettier women, is what I like to think about too :)

    August 2010
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