Tommy
This is the soundtrack to the 1975 Tommy film, a double LP that revisits the Who's 1969 rock opera with a cast of guests alongside the band. Released on 19 March 1975 by Polydor, it sits apart from the group's studio albums, coming between Quadrophenia and The Who by Numbers.
Pete Townshend oversaw the production and steered the music back towards its rock roots. He also finally gave the orchestral arrangements he had imagined for the original record a proper airing, using synthesiser extensively to do it. The versions here are shorter than the fuller arrangements heard in the film. Session players such as Caleb Quaye, Phil Chen and Nicky Hopkins joined in, along with Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones of the Faces. Elton John's "Pinball Wizard" was actually recorded by his own band with producer Gus Dudgeon, which makes it a curiosity worth hearing.
Tommy: tracklist, credits and charts
31 tracks · 1:24:03Tracklist
- Disc 1
- 1Prologue – 1945Pete Townshend3:00
- 2Captain Walker / It’s a BoyPete Townshend2:37
- 3Bernie’s Holiday CampPete Townshend3:43
- 41951 / What About the Boy?Pete Townshend2:49
- 5Amazing JourneyPete Townshend3:19
- 6ChristmasPete Townshend3:39
- 7Eyesight to the BlindSonny Boy Williamson3:21
- 8Acid QueenPete Townshend3:47
- 9Do You Think It's Alright (1)Pete Townshend0:56
- 10Cousin KevinJohn Entwistle3:07
- 11Do You Think It's Alright (2)Pete Townshend0:45
- 12Fiddle AboutJohn Entwistle1:40
- 13Do You Think It's Alright (3)Pete Townshend0:30
- 14SparksPete Townshend3:05
- 15Extra, Extra, Extra0:45
- 16Pinball WizardPete Townshend5:14
- Disc 2
- 1ChampagnePete Townshend4:42
- 2There’s a DoctorPete Townshend0:22
- 3Go to the MirrorPete Townshend3:57
- 4Tommy Can You Hear Me?Pete Townshend0:56
- 5Smash the MirrorPete Townshend1:22
- 6I’m FreePete Townshend2:36
- 7Mother and SonPete Townshend3:26
- 8Sensation2:49
- 9Miracle CurePete Townshend0:23
- 10Sally SimpsonPete Townshend5:13
- 11WelcomePete Townshend4:15
- 12T.V. StudioPete Townshend1:15
- 13Tommy’s Holiday CampKeith Moon1:30
- 14We’re Not Gonna Take ItPete Townshend5:47
- 15Listening to You / See Me, Feel MePete Townshend3:13
- Produced by
- Ken Russell, Pete Townshend, Denny Diante, Spencer Proffer, Gus Dudgeon, The Who (except "Pinball Wizard, " produced by Gus Dudgeon)
- Recorded at
- Eel Pie Studios, Ramport Studios, Caribou Ranch Recording Studio, Ramport and Eel Pie, London
- Recorded
- January–March 1974
- Engineered by
- Ron Nevison
- Label
- Polydor
- Length
- 1:24:03
Line-up
- John Entwistle · brass, bass · guest
- Pete Townshend · vocals, piano
- Vicki Brown · vocals · guest
- Margo Newman · vocals · guest
- The Who · guest
- Ann‐Margret · vocals
- Alison Dowling · vocals · guest
- Oliver Reed · vocals
- Nicky Hopkins · piano
- Mike Kelly · drums (drum set) · guest
- Caleb Quaye · guitar · guest
- Mick Ralphs · guitar · guest
- Chris Stainton · organ, piano, acoustic guitar · guest
- Phil Chen · bass · guest
- Tony Newman · drums (drum set) · guest
- Alan Ross · acoustic guitar
- Keith Moon · drums (drum set), vocals · guest
- Eric Clapton · guitar, vocals · guest
- Kenney Jones · drums (drum set) · guest
- Ronnie Wood · guitar · guest
- Tina Turner · vocals, lead vocals · guest
- Graham Deakin · drums (drum set) · guest
- Dave Wintour · bass · guest
- Paul Nicholas · vocals · guest
- Ray Cooper · congas, tambourine, percussion · guest
- Elton John · piano, lead vocals, vocals · guest
- Davey Johnstone · guitar, background vocals · guest
- Dee Murray · bass guitar, bass, background vocals · guest
- Nigel Olsson · membranophone, drums (drum set), background vocals · guest
- Roger Daltrey · vocals · guest
- Richard Bailey · drums (drum set) · guest
- Jack Nicholson · vocals · guest
- Tony Stevens · bass · guest
- Simon Townshend · vocals · guest
- Gerald Shaw · organ · guest
Singles
- “Pinball Wizard” · 12 March 1976
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 1975 | 2 |
| UK Albums Chart · 1975 | 21 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1975 | 2 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1975 | 5 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1975 | 6 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi) · 1975 | 7 |
| Dutch Albums · 1975 | 11 |
| Norwegian Albums · 1975 | 15 |
| Spanish Albums · 2007 | 91 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada · 1975 | Gold |
| United Kingdom · 1975 | Gold |
| United States · 1975 | Gold |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 19 March
Every year →More from The Who
Full discography →The best of 1975
All of 1975 →More on Polydor
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia only
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | March 1975 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 19 March 1975 | |
| Wikidata | March 1975 | |
| US release | 1975 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | March 1975 | earliest UK or European date |
9 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XE | Polydor | 042284112123 | other |
| 1975 | US | Polydor | other | |
| March 1975 | GB | Polydor | original | |
| 1993 | DE | Polydor | 042284112123 | other |
| 1993 | CA | Polydor | 042284112123 | other |
| 1993 | US | Polydor | 042284112123 | other |
| 2000 | US | Polydor | 042284112123 | other |
| 2 February 2001 | XE | Polydor | 042284112123 | remaster |
| 21 December 2011 | JP | Polydor | 4988005690784 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 600×599 | upscaled |