THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
306-The Who-Pinball Wizard.
1969-Number 4 single.
Best Bit-At 0.24.It’s highly unlikely a deaf dumb and blind kid could play pinball because he wouldn’t be able to find the slot to put the 50p in.
By 1968 Pete Townshend(see also best songs 926 and 891) felt that The Who’s shelf life was coming to an end and if he didn’t take them in a different direction they may split.For the bands forth Album,’Tommy,’ Townshend wrote a concept rock opera that tells the story about a ‘deaf,dumb and blind boy,’his life experiences and his relationship with his family.
Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of the Indian spiritual leader Meher Baba(1894-1969) and attempted to translate Baba’s teachings into music.
‘Tommy’ was performed in a 1971 production by Washington based ‘Seattle Opera.’It was made into a film in 1975 and a Broadway musical in 1992.
In the 1975 film Elton John sang Pinball Wizard,it was subsequently released as a single reaching Number 7 in the UK, the only time a cover of a Who song has ever reached the top 10.
‘I thought I was the Bally table king but I just handed my pinball crown to him.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.