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'Won't Get Fooled Again' by The Who
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A defiant scream pierces through one of rock's most famous synthesizer riffs, marking what many consider the greatest moment in The Who's legendary catalog. "Won't Get Fooled Again" stands as both a masterpiece of musical innovation and a cynical commentary on the futility of political revolution.
The song emerged from Pete Townshend's ambitious "Lifehouse" project—a futuristic rock opera about a dystopian world where music becomes the salvation of an enslaved population. While the project was ultimately abandoned, it produced some of The Who's most enduring music.
In a surprising twist of musical innovation, Townshend created the song's iconic synthesizer part by connecting a Lowrey organ to an EMS VCS 3 filter. This groundbreaking approach to electronic music came from his fascination with Universal Sufism founder Inayat Khan's writings about the spiritual power of sound.
The recording process itself tells an interesting tale. After an unsuccessful attempt in New York (featuring Mountain's Leslie West on guitar), the band recorded the definitive version at Mick Jagger's country estate, Stargroves, using the Rolling Stones' mobile studio. What started as a demo became the final version because it simply sounded too good to re-record.
Roger Daltrey's famous scream near the song's end was so convincing that other band members, eating lunch nearby during recording, thought he was in a physical fight with the sound engineer. This primal howl has become one of rock's most recognized moments.
The song's inspiration came from an unlikely source: Woodstock. While most artists wrote peaceful anthems about the festival, Townshend's experience was quite different. After having to chase activist Abbie Hoffman off stage during their performance, he wrote the song as a cynical response to what he saw as naive optimism about social change.
The famous line "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" has become a cultural touchstone, referenced everywhere from political speeches to television shows. It encapsulates the song's central message about the cyclical nature of power and corruption.
At over eight minutes long in its album version, the song pushed commercial boundaries. When released as a single, it was cut down to 3:35—a decision that frustrated Daltrey so much that it influenced the band's future approach to singles.
The song has found new life in various contexts: as the theme for CSI: Miami, in post-9/11 concerts, and even at Super Bowl performances. Its message continues to resonate across generations and political divides.
The track's innovative use of synthesizers influenced countless artists, proving that electronic instruments could be successfully integrated into hard rock without compromising its power.
Keith Moon's masterful drumming on the track required him to wear headphones and follow a click track to stay in sync with the synthesizer—a relatively new concept at the time. Poignantly, this would be the last song Moon ever performed live with the band before his death in 1978.
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