THE WHO

"TOMMY"

MUSIC FROM THE SOUNDTRACK OF

THE FILM BY KEN RUSSELL

UNPLAYED!!!!

1975 1st UK PRESSING

Released in March 1975

POLYDOR LABEL

2657014

(No.s 2335093/4)

A1/B1 & A2/B2

1st Pressing Matrix Numbers

CAST.......

• Oliver Reed as Frank Hobbs
• Ann-Margret as Nora Walker-Hobbs
• Roger Daltrey as Tommy Walker
• Tina Turner as The Acid Queen
• Eric Clapton as The Preacher
• John Entwistle as Himself
• Keith Moon as Uncle Ernie/Himself
• Paul Nicholas as Cousin Kevin
• Jack Nicholson as The Specialist
• Robert Powell as Group Captain Walker
• Pete Townshend as Himself
• Arthur Brown as The Priest
• Elton John as The Pinball Wizard
• Victoria Russell as Sally Simpson
• Ben Aris as Reverend Arthur Simpson
• Ken Russell (uncredited) as Cripple
• Mary Holland as Mrs. Simpson
• Gary Rich as Rock Musician
• Dick Allan as President Black Angels
• Barry Winch as Young Tommy
• Eddie Stacey as Bovver Boy

There are a number of significant changes from the original 1969 Tommy LP….

One such change is the date in which the story happened. The movie takes place in the post World War II era as the album takes place in post World War I. For example, in the song "1921" where on the album the line is, "got a feelin' 21 is gonna be a good year." The movie changes it to "got a feelin' 51 is gonna be a good year"' This allowed Ken Russell (Director) to use more contemporary images for later scenes.

In the album, Group Captain Walker returns to find his wife with a new lover and proceeds to murder the lover. In the film it is flipped around; the lover kills Group Captain Walker. This is perhaps (though not necessarily) the cause for a different treatment of the title character. In the film, Tommy's fame as pinball champion is exploited by his mother and Hobbs, who use it to give themselves a much more lavish lifestyle.

Unlike other films of rock operas (such as that of Pink Floyd's The Wall) the album is never dubbed over the film; the different actors - including Nicholson and Reed, neither of whom were known for their vocal prowess - sing the songs instead of The Who (with the exception of where the song is a narration instead of a monologue). Because of this, all the songs are rerecorded and some shuffled around. A large number of songs have new lyrics and instrumentation. Notably:

·         "The Amazing Journey" has almost completely different lyrics, and the "guide" from the album is shown as being Tommy's murdered father.

·         "1921" was changed to "1951".

·         "Pinball Wizard" has a few extra lyrics.

·         References to pinball are removed from "Christmas".

·         In Sally Simpson, the album version mentions her fathers Rolls-Royce as blue, whereas the movie changes the lyrics to black. The Rolls-Royce in the film is also black.

·         Several new songs were written, including "Prologue 1945", "Bernie's Holiday Camp", "Champagne", "Mother and Son", and "T.V. Studio." "Underture" is not present; Only a few brief segments of "Overture" can be heard.

Soundtrack album

Townshend oversaw the production of this double-LP on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements (he had envisaged for the original Tommy LP) were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser. The soundtrack LP also employed many leading sessions musicians including Caleb Quaye and longtime Who associate John "Rabbit" Bundrick. The song "Pinball Wizard" was a major hit when released as a single. Curiously, although the music for this song is performed entirely by Elton John and his band, the film depicts Elton being backed by The Who (dressed in pound-note suits).

1.        "Overture from Tommy" (performed by the Who) – 4:59

2.        "Prologue" - 1945 (performed by Pete Townshend and John Entwistle) – 3:00

3.        "Captain Walker/It's a Boy" (performed by Pete Townshend, Margo Newman and Vicki Brown) – 2:38

4.        "Bernie's Holiday Camp" (performed by the Who, with vocals by Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret and Alison Dowling) – 3:42

5.        "1951/What about the Boy?" (performed by Mott the Hoople, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 2:49

6.        "Amazing Journey" (performed by Pete Townshend) – 3:19

7.        "Christmas" (performed by the Who and the vocal chorus, with lead vocals by Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and Alison Dowling) – 3:59

8.        "Eyesight to the Blind" (performed by Eric Clapton) – 3:21

1.        "Acid Queen" (performed by Tina Turner) – 3:47

2.        "Do You Think It's Alright?" (1) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:57

3.        "Cousin Kevin" (performed by Paul Nicholas) – 3:07

4.        "Do You Think It's Alright?" (2) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:46

5.        "Fiddle About" (performed by the Who, with lead vocals by Keith Moon) – 1:40

6.        "Do You Think It's Alright?" (3) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:29

7.        "Sparks" (performed by the Who) – 3:07

8.        "Extra, Extra, Extra" (performed by Simon Townshend) – 0:37

9.        "Pinball Wizard" (performed by Elton John) – 5:22

1.        "Champagne" (performed by the Who, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey) – 4:43

2.        "There's a Doctor" (performed by Oliver Reed and Ann-Margret) – 0:29

3.        "Go to the Mirror" (performed by Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret) – 3:49

4.        "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" (performed by Ann-Margret) – 0:55

5.        "Smash the Mirror!" (performed by Ann-Margret) – 1:22

6.        "I'm Free" (performed by Roger Daltrey) – 2:36

7.        "Mother and Son" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey) – 2:36

8.        "Sensation" (performed by Roger Daltrey) – 2:49 

1.        "Miracle Cure" (performed by Simon Townshend) – 0:23

2.        "Sally Simpson" (performed by Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey) – 5:38

3.        "Welcome" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals performed by Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 4:15

4.        "T.V. Studio" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 1:14

5.        "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (performed by Keith Moon) – 1:29

6.        "We're Not Gonna Take It!" (performed by Roger Daltrey and the vocal chorus) – 4:46

7.        "Listening to You/See Me, Feel Me" (performed by the Who and the vocal chorus, with lead vocals by Roger Daltrey) – 4:19

COVER: Howards Printers (Slough) Ltd gatefold unlaminated sleeve is MINT. Has been kept in a plastic cover since new.

PHOTO/LYRIC INNER SLEEVES: MINT.

VINYL: MINT - UNPLAYED AFTER 33 YEARS!! The records were removed from the card inner sleeves when purchased and put in poly-lined sleeves to stop any feathering. The result is stunning. This is probably the best version of this LP ever to appear on ebay. This belonged to my sister (a huge WHO collector) who used to buy 2 copies of each album from new - she would then play one but leave the other untouched. 

LABELS: MINT. 

Postage £5 (UK) £8 (EUROPE) & £10 (REST OF THE WORLD) -which includes compulsory insurance because I do not want this beauty being damaged in transit.

Mint - The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality.

Excellent - The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality.

Very Good - The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch.

Good - The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches.

Fair - The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise, it may even jump.

Poor - The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc

Bad - The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection filler.