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“Pinball Wizard” is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band The Who, and featured on their 1969 rock opera Tommy. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached #4 in the UK charts.
The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called “Local Lad” in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera’s eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: “That deaf, dumb, blind kid sure plays a mean pinball”, and “I thought I was the hobby table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him.”
Townshend once called it “the most clumsy piece of writing [he’d] ever done”[1]; nevertheless, the song was a gigantic commercial success and one of the most recognized tunes from the opera. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity.
The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called “Local Lad” in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera’s eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: “That deaf, dumb, blind kid sure plays a mean pinball”, and “I thought I was the hobby table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him.”
Townshend once called it “the most clumsy piece of writing [he’d] ever done”[1]; nevertheless, the song was a gigantic commercial success and one of the most recognized tunes from the opera. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity.
Video
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The video of one of the most famous scenes of the movie "Tommy". With Elton John
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Shouts
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Lituus wrote:
Love the guitar but the drumming in this song totally sux.
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njoy60 wrote:
CLASSIC
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kemming wrote:
as a young boy i spent all my money at the pinball machines
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Braveshell wrote:
Classic song... saw them in '81 fabulous gig!
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Piledriver72 wrote:
Awesome song! My favourite track from "Tommy" album. :)
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AnotherNINfan wrote:
The Who sure plays some amazing music don't they? : )
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tomritter wrote:
The Best BAND! B)
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nny_nny wrote:
... there has to be a twist ... (c:
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ale_critelli wrote:
Q gwuandissimi the Who
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txufu wrote:
where`s the party?
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BritPopMyLife wrote:
We are the mods...mods. =)
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decadentartist wrote:
great band!!
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pit22263 wrote:
GREAT!!!
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gallaghermania wrote:
Clássico do rock!!!!!!
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spacefaceinfurs wrote:
fuck yeah!
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irockedthe80s wrote:
I dropped many a coin in those pinball machines. Never won any crowns though?
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jxferguson wrote:
im sure "he plays a mean pinball" love the fuckin tune man, rock on lads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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jxferguson wrote:
rodger daltrey is the dawgs baws, that goes withouy saying
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MothTouch wrote:
Daltrey wtf... way better than Elton
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Emily-Gee wrote:
love it ! :-)
The Who
Pinball Wizard
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