The Who Sell Out
	Produced by Kit Lambert
	Released on December 1967
	UK CHART POSITION #13 . . . US CHART POSITION #48
	Find it at GEMM
MCAD-31332 cover [high resolution scan]

T he Who Sell Out is something else, a kinked-out collection of swell songs wrapped in a radio commercial concept that was, ironically, a pretty uncommercial approach. How do I describe the wonder this album inspires? Let me count the days. MONDAY: I revel in the acquisition of a cornerstone classic, “I Can See For Miles,” a relentless rocker that won’t quit. TUESDAY: “Our Love Was, Is” arrives in a torrent of emotion, love’s revelatory powers unleashed. WEDNESDAY: “Armenia City In The Sky” comes crashing out of the speakers as if Famine, Pestilence and their mates had traded in their old horses for shiny new psychedelic motorbikes. THURSDAY: And then I suddenly seen “Mary-Anne With The Shaky Hands.” Can’t believe this didn’t floor me on the first go ‘round. Like “Sunset Afternoon,” there’s just no shaking its sunlight. FRIDAY: The disc that keeps on giving! “Tattoo” is an achingly sweet remembrance of youth, a paean to the impetuous acts of innocents (at least that’s how I’m explaining mine). SATURDAY: “I Can’t Reach You” finally does, its plea to be loved heard at last. SUNDAY: I set sail with “Rael” from a warm surf, letting the song bring me home even as half of me lingers on its lost island. Thus ends the tour of Sell Out’s seven wonders, noting as I write this that there really isn’t a “week” song in the show. The commercials are clever, sometimes fleshed out into actual songs (“Odorono,” “Medac”), sometimes uncredited segues between songs (such as the fake radio ID spots). It’s a remarkably ambitious record in scope and sound, a rare case where The Who embraced the styles of other bands (Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, The Kinks). A Quick One quickly found itself back on the shelves, but The Who Sell Out remains in regular rotation on my internal radio right along with Who’s Next and Who Are You.

MCAD-31332 picture sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. ARMENIA CITY IN THE SKY    (John Keene)    /    HEINZ BAKED BEANS    (John Entwistle)    4:48
2. MARY-ANNE WITH THE SHAKY HANDS    2:33
3. ODORONO    2:34
4. TATTOO    2:53
5. OUR LOVE WAS, IS    3:24
6. I CAN SEE FOR MILES    4:05
7. I CAN'T REACH YOU    3:03
8. MEDAC    (John Entwistle)    0:56
9. RELAX    2:37
10. SILAS STINGY    (John Entwistle)    3:02
11. SUNRISE    3:02
12. RAEL    6:00
    
    CD reissue bonus tracks
    
13. GLITTERING GIRL
14. MELANCHOLIA
15. SOMEONE'S COMING
16. JAGUAR
17. EARLY MORNING COLD TAXI
18. HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING
19. GIRL'S EYES
20. MARY-ANNE WITH THE SHAKY HANDS
21. two more...
    
    All songs written by Peter Townshend unless noted

CREDITS

ROGER DALTREY -- lead vocals
JOHN ENTWISTLE -- bass, vocals
KEITH MOON -- drums
PETER TOWNSHEND -- guitar, vocals
Chris Stamp -- executive producer

return to THE WHO discography

For more discographies visit...

© 2004 Connolly & Company. All rights reserved.