20,000 vinyl LP 215: The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)

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The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP front cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®

On March 19, 1975, the movie version of Tommy, based on the rock opera by The Who, opened in New York City.                         

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP front cover
photo by Styrous®

The movie was directed by Ken Russell. Russel is responsible for some pretty amazing and surreal films; Tommy is right up there at the top of them.              

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP back cover
photo by Styrous®

The music world people in the film is outstanding: Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, all Who members, of course, as well as, Caleb Quaye, Phil Chen, Eric Clapton, Arthur Brown, Nicky Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Tina Turner, Ronnie Wood, Elton John and many others.         

                                  

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP gatefold cover interior
photo by Styrous®

The Theater and film world was well represented by amazing talent as well: Oliver Reed, Jack Nicholson, Robert Powell, Paul Nicholas and Ben Aris.           

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®

Russell admitted he did not like the music - he disliked rock music in general - but he loved the theme of the film, being about a messiah. Russell and Townshend worked on the film together for a year. Russell had been working on a script called The Angels which was to star Mia Farrow about a pop star called Poppy Day who becomes a messianic figure, and reworked some of that script's sequences for Tommy. He also used scenes from another unfilmed script of his, Music Music Music about a composer who writes music for TV commercials (this turned into what became known as the "baked beans" scene with Ann Margret (link below).       

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®

Mick Jagger was reportedly offered the role of The Acid Queen but insisted on singing three of his own songs so the role was given to Tina Turner. What a fantastic stroke of fortune. Turner's perfomance absolutey MADE the film stunning. Of course, Elton John as the Pin Board Wizard was an extraordinary stroke of luck. Russell says Pete Townshend wanted Tiny Tim to play Pinball Wizard but Stigwood overruled him. Elton John initially turned down the role of the Pinball Wizard and among those considered to replace him was David Essex, who recorded a test audio version of the Pinball Wizard song. However, producer Robert Stigwood held out until John agreed to take the part, reportedly on condition that he could keep the gigantic Dr. Martens boots he wore in the scene. 

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP record sleeve
detail photo by Styrous®

Tommy was written in 1968 and recorded by The Who in 1969. Three years later a version of the opera was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. The two albums sold ten million copies between them.          

       

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1     Prologue - 1945 - 3:00
A2     Captain Walker/ It's A Boy - 2:37
A3     Bernie's Holiday Camp - 3:43
A4     1951/ What About The Boy? - 2:49
A5     Amazing Journey - 3:19
A6     Christmas - 3:39
A7     Eyesight To The Blind, written by Sonny Boy Williamson - 3:21

Side 2:

B1     Acid Queen - 3:47
B2     Do You Think It's Alright - 0:56
B3     Cousin Kevin, written by John Entwistle - 3:07
B4     Do You Think It's Alright - 0:45
B5     Fiddle About, written by John Entwistle - 1:40
B6     Do You Think It's Alright - 0:30
B7     Sparks - 3:05
B8     Extra, Extra, Extra - 0:45
B9     Pinball Wizard, Producer – Gus Dudgeon - 5:14
C1     Champagne - 4:42
C2     There's A Doctor - 0:22
C3     Go To The Mirror - 3:57
C4     Tommy Can You Hear Me? - 0:56
C5     Smash The Mirror - 1:22
C6     I'm Free - 2:36
C7     Mother And Son - 3:26
C8     Sensation - 2:49
D1     Miracle Cure - 0:23
D2     Sally Simpson - 5:13
D3     Welcome - 4:15
D4     T.V. Studio - 1:15
D5     Tommy's Holiday Camp, arranged by Martyn FordOrgan – Gerald Shaw, written by Keith Moon - 1:30
D6     We're Not Gonna Take It - 5:47
D7     Listening To You / See Me, Feel Me - 3:13

Companies, etc.

    Manufactured By – Polydor Incorporated
    Phonographic Copyright (p) – Polydor Incorporated
    Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
    Published By – Track Music, Inc.

Credits:

    Acoustic Guitar – Alan Ross (2) (tracks: A5, B2, B4, B6, B8, C2, C4 to C5, C8 to D1, D6), Chris Stainton (tracks: C4)
    Arranged By – Nicky Hopkins
    Arranged By [Assistant] – Nicky Hopkins
    Bass – Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels (tracks: D6), David Wintour* (tracks: B3), Dee Murray (tracks: B9), John Entwistle (tracks: A6 to B1, C5), Phil Chen (tracks: A5, B2, B4, B6, C3, C8, D2), Tony Stevens (tracks: B8, D1)
    Brass – John Entwistle (tracks: A1, B5, C6)
    Co-producer – Ken Russell (tracks: A1 to B8, C1 to D7), Pete Townshend (tracks: A1 to B8, C1 to D7)
    Drums – Graham Deakin (tracks: B2, B4, B6, D2), Keith Moon (tracks: A6), Kenny Jones (tracks: A7 to B1, B8, C2, C5 to C6, D1), Mike Kelly (tracks: A4, D6), Nigel Olsson (tracks: B9), Richard Bailey (tracks: C3), Tony Newman (tracks: A5, B3, C8)
    Featuring – Pete Townshend (tracks: A1 to A2, C7, D3 to D4), The Who (tracks: A3, B5, B7, C1, D7)
    Guitar – Caleb Quaye (tracks: A4, C3, D6), Davey Johnstone (tracks: B9), Eric Clapton (tracks: A7, D2), Mick Ralphs (tracks: A4), Ronnie Wood* (tracks: B1, C2)
    Horns – John Entwistle (tracks: C8, D6 to D7)
    Keyboards – Pete Townshend
    Organ – Chris Stainton (tracks: A4, D6 to D7)
    Percussion – Ray Thomas (tracks: B9)
    Piano – Chris Stainton (tracks: C2), Elton John (tracks: B9), Nicky Hopkins (tracks: A4 to A6, B1 to B2, B4, B6, C3 to C4, C6, C8, D2, D6 to D7), Pete Townshend (tracks: B8, D1)
    Producer – Kit Lambert
    Synthesizer [Arp] – Pete Townshend
    Vocals – Alison Dowling (tracks: A3, A6), Ann Margret (tracks: A3 to A4, A6, B2, B4, B6, C1, C3 to C5, D3 to D4), Elton John (tracks: B9), Eric Clapton (tracks: A7), Jack Nicholson (tracks: C3), Keith Moon (tracks: B5, D5), Margo Newman (tracks: A2), Oliver Reed (tracks: A3 to A4, A6, B2, B4, B6, C2 to C3, D3 to D4), Paul Nicholas (tracks: B3), Pete Townshend (tracks: A2, A5, D2), Roger Daltrey (tracks: C1, C3, C6 to C8, D2 to D3, D6 to D7), Simon Townshend (tracks: B8, D1), Tina Turner (tracks: B1), Vicki Brown (tracks: A2)
    Vocals [Choral] – Alison Dowling (tracks: D6 to D7), Billy Nicholls (tracks: D6 to D7), Helen Shappell (tracks: D6 to D7), Jess Roden (tracks: D6 to D7), John Entwistle (tracks: D6 to D7), Kit Trevor (tracks: D6 to D7), Liza Strike (tracks: D6 to D7), Margo Newman (tracks: D6 to D7), Mylon La Fevre* (tracks: D6 to D7), Paul Gurvitz (tracks: D6 to D7), Pete Townshend (tracks: D6 to D7), Sarah McIntosh (tracks: D6 to D7), Simon Townshend (tracks: D6 to D7), Vicki Brown (tracks: D6 to D7)
    Written-By – Pete Townshend (tracks: A1 to A6, B1 to B2, B4, B6 to D4, D6 to D7)

Notes:

Very similare to Monarch Pressing Various - Tommy (Original Soundtrack Recording) but with a "R" on the label which notes a different pressing plant.

Gatefold cover with color inner sleeves with lyrics.
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A ): PD2-9502-1 TML-M #88
    Matrix / Runout (Side B ): PD2-9502-1 TML-M #JP
    Matrix / Runout (Side C ): PD2-9502-3 TML-S #8b
    Matrix / Runout (Side D ): PD2-9502-4 TML-S #3
    Pressing Plant ID (Printed on labels): R

Various ‎– Tommy (Original Soundtrack Recording)
Label: Polydor ‎– PD 2-9502
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Rock, Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Classic Rock, Mod

       

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP record sides 1 & 2
detail photo by Styrous®

The Who ~ Tommy (the soundtrack)
vinyl LP record sides 3 & 4
detail photo by Styrous®

     

Viewfinder links:    

     
Eric Clapton        
Roger Daltrey            
David Essex          
Mick Jagger        
Elton John          
Jack Nicholson       
Tommy: 50 years on        
Tina Turner       
The Who       

        

Net links:    

        

Rolling Stone ~ Tommy (Original Soundtrack Recording)     

The Who website         

       

YouTube links:    

       

Elton John ~ Pinball Wizard      
Ann Margret - Tommy (Smash the mirror)            

Tina Turner ~ The Acid Queen (good audio)     
Tina Turner ~ The Acid Queen (bad audio. gppd video)     

          

       

     

       

          

        

          

         

Styrous® ~ Thursday, March 19, 2020       
        

        

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