Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by English rock band The Who. Released on 19 October 1973 by Track and Polydor in the United Kingdom, and Track and MCA in the United States, it is a double album, and the group's second rock opera. Its story involves social, musical and psychological happenings from an English teenage perspective, set in London and Brighton in 1965.
The name is a variation on the popular usage of the medical diagnostic term schizophrenia as dissociative identity disorder, to reflect the four distinct personalities of Jimmy, the opera's protagonist – each said to represent the personality of one member of The Who. At the same time, the title is a play on the term quadraphonic sound, then a recent invention. Composer Pete Townshend has said: "The whole conception of Quadrophenia was geared to quadraphonic, but in a creative sort of way. I mean I wanted themes to sort of emerge from corners. So you start to get the sense of the fourness being literally speaker for speaker."
Musical structure:
Moon in one of his few lead vocal roles, singing "Bell Boy" in Quadrophenia
Townshend noted in 2009 that, rather than Jimmy’s personalities representing a Who member, he chose the personalities of each member to illustrate each of Jimmy’s four personalities, or "personality extremes" or mood swings.
The liner notes illustrate this concept as follows (names added):
A tough guy, a helpless dancer. ("Helpless Dancer" – Roger Daltrey)
A romantic, is it me for a moment? ("Is It Me?" – John Entwistle)
A bloody lunatic, I'll even carry your bags. ("Bell Boy" – Keith Moon)
A beggar, a hypocrite, love reign o'er me. ("Love Reign O'er Me" – Pete Townshend)
In addition to describing a personality/band member, the four descriptions refer to four musical themes that portray Jimmy's personalities in the opera: "Helpless Dancer", "Is It Me?", "Bell Boy", and "Love Reign O'er Me". The four themes (or "leitmotifs" as described by Townshend) are mixed together in both the title track (bridging "The Real Me" and "Cut My Hair"), and the penultimate track, "The Rock" (bridging "Doctor Jimmy" and "Love, Reign O'er Me"). The two pieces were the most musically complex pieces that Townshend ever wrote for The Who, combining all four themes into two six-minute instrumental medleys. The two pieces have neither a definite beginning nor end, as they begin with a fade-in from the previous track, starting with the theme of "Bell Boy" (Moon's theme). This is followed by the themes of "Is It Me?" (Entwistle's theme), "Helpless Dancer" (Daltrey's theme), and "Love, Reign O'er Me" (Townshend's theme). "Quadrophenia" fades into rain sound effects after the "Love Reign O'er Me" theme. "The Rock" however ends with a combination of the four different themes, using the "Bell Boy" theme as the chord sequence, the "Helpless Dancer" theme as the melody, the "Is It Me?" theme as a lead (played on guitar and synthesiser), and the keyboard part to "Love Reign O'er Me" as a countermelody. The whole song abruptly ends on a downbeat layered with the sound of thunder and descends into "Love Reign O'er Me" proper.
The four themes also surface on many other songs throughout the album; the most subtle example being when the "Helpless Dancer" theme appears on "Bell Boy" (the main song) played on synthesiser as a brief interlude. Some themes from other songs also make "surprise" reappearances here and there. These leitmotifs help give the work an impression of a cohesive unity.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrophenia
Personnel:
The Who:
-Roger Daltrey – lead vocals, percussion
-Pete Townshend – 6 and 12-string acoustic and electric lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, synthesisers, piano, banjo, percussion, sound effects, co-lead vocals on "Cut My Hair", "The Punk and the Godfather", "I've Had Enough", "5:15", and "Sea and Sand", lead vocals on "I'm One", pre-production, special effects
-John Entwistle – bass guitar, horns, backing vocals, partial vocals on "Is It in My Head?"
-Keith Moon – drums, percussion, co-lead vocals on "Bell Boy"
Additional musicians:
-John Curle – newsreader voice
-Chris Stainton – piano on "The Dirty Jobs", "5:15", and "Drowned"
The Who - Quadrophenia Album:
I am the Sea / The Real Me:
Quadrophenia, Cut My Hair:
The Punk & the Godfather, I'm One:
The Dirty Jobs, Helpless Dancer:
Is It In My Head? I've Had Enough:
5:15, Sea and Sand :
Drowned, Bell Boy:
Doctor Jimmy:
The Rock:
Love, Reign O'er Me:
Quadrophenia: The Original LP track listing:
All songs written and composed by Pete Townshend.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "I Am the Sea" 2:08
2. "The Real Me" 3:20
3. "Quadrophenia" 6:13
4. "Cut My Hair" 3:44
5. "The Punk and the Godfather" 5:10
Side two
No. Title Length
6. "I'm One" 2:37
7. "The Dirty Jobs" 4:28
8. "Helpless Dancer" (Roger's theme) 2:33
9. "Is It in My Head?" 3:43
10. "I've Had Enough" 6:14
Side three
No. Title Length
11. "5:15" 5:00
12. "Sea and Sand" 5:01
13. "Drowned" 5:26
14. "Bell Boy" (Keith's theme) 4:55
Side four
No. Title Length
15. "Doctor Jimmy (containing "Is It Me?")" (John's theme) 8:36
16. "The Rock" 6:37
17. "Love, Reign o'er Me" (Pete's theme) 5:48
Quadrophenia: The Director's Cut track listing
On 15 November 2011, a deluxe edition of Quadrophenia was released. The release was also available on Double vinyl, Mini-Deluxe Digi-Pak edition, and as a digital release.
Disc One: Original LP 1
No. Title
1. "I Am The Sea" 2:08
2. "The Real Me" 3:20
3. "Quadrophenia" 6:13
4. "Cut My Hair" 3:44
5. "The Punk and the Godfather" 5:10
6. "I'm One" 2:37
7. "The Dirty Jobs" 4:28
8. "Helpless Dancer (Roger's theme)" 2:33
9. "Is It In My Head?" 3:43
10. "I've Had Enough" 6:14
Disc Two: Original LP 2
No. Title
11. "5.15" 5:00
12. "Sea and Sand" 5:01
13. "Drowned" 5:26
14. "Bell Boy (Keith's theme)" 4:55
15. "Doctor Jimmy (John's theme)" 8:36
16. "The Rock" 6:37
17. "Love, Reign O'er Me (Pete's theme)" 5:48
Disc Three: The Demos
No. Title Recording date
1. "The Real Me" written and recorded in October 1972
2. "Quadrophenia – Four Overtures" in 1973
3. "Cut My Hair" written in June 1972
4. "Fill No. 1 – Get Out and Stay Out" 12 November 1972
5. "Quadrophenic – Four Faces" in July 1972
6. "We Close Tonight" in July 1972
7. "You Came Back" in July 1972
8. "Get Inside" written in April 1972
9. "Joker James" in July 1972
10. "Ambition" (track supposedly available on Q-Cloud but finally omitted) written early in 1972
11. "Punk" 18 November 1972
12. "I'm One" 15 November 1972
13. "Dirty Jobs" 25 July 1972
14. "Helpless Dancer" in 1973
Disc Four: The Demos
No. Title Recording date
1. "Is It In My Head?" 30 April 1972
2. "Anymore" listed as recorded on 10 November 1971, but probably a misprint; actual year would have been 1972
3. "I've Had Enough" written and recorded on 17 December 1972
4. "Fill No. 2" 12 November 1972
5. "Wizardry" in August 1972
6. "Sea And Sand" written and recorded on 1 November 1972
7. "Drowned" in March 1970
8. "Is It Me?" 20 March 1973
9. "Bell Boy" 3 March 1973
10. "Doctor Jimmy" 27 July 1972
11. "Finale – The Rock" between 25 March and 1 May 1973
12. "Love Reign O'er Me" 10 May 1972
Disc Five: DVD Quadrophenia 5.1
No. Title
1. "I Am The Sea"
2. "The Real Me"
3. "Quadrophenia"
4. "I've Had Enough"
5. "5:15"
6. "Dr Jimmy"
7. "The Rock"
8. "Love Reign O'er Me""
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