Tommy (1975 Film) [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

The Who (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 17, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: Universal
• ASIN: B000001FR6
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,630 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Overture From Tommy - The Who

2. Prologue 1945 - Pete Townshend/John Entwhistle

3. Captain Walker/It's A Boy - Pete Townshend

4. Bernie's Holiday Camp - The Who

5. 1951/What About The Boy? - Ann-Margaret/Oliver Reed

6. Amazing Journey - Pete Townshend

7. Christmas - Ann-Margaret/Oliver Reed/Alison Dowling

8. Eyesight To The Blind - Eric Clapton

9. Acid Queen - Tina Turner

10. Do You Think It's Alright (I) - Ann-Margaret/Oliver Reed

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Champagne - The Who/Ann-Margaret/Roger Daltrey

2. There's A Doctor - Ann-Margaret/Oliver Reed

3. Go To The Mirror - Ann-Margaret/Oliver Reed/Jack Nicholson/Roger Daltrey

4. Tommy Can You Hear Me? - Ann-Margaret

5. Smash The Mirror - Ann-Margaret

6. I'm Free - Roger Daltrey

7. Mother And Son - Pete Townshend

8. Sensation - Roger Daltrey

9. Miracle Cure - Simon Townshend

10. Sally Simpson - Pete Townshend/Roger Daltrey

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

During a 1971 concert performance, a seemingly relieved Pete Townshend announced that the event would mark the last performance of the Who's landmark rock opera Tommy. To paraphrase Adam West: "Poor, deluded boy." Over the ensuing decades, the mushrooming popularity of the Who's tour de force would inspire an all-stars-meet-the-London Symphony album (1972), a star-studded Ken Russell film epic/soundtrack (1975), a Broadway show (1992)--and become an enduring millstone around Townshend and the band's collective necks. But it was over-the-top auteur Russell who would give the morality tale of the deaf, dumb, and blind boy-cum-reluctant-messiah some of its most indelible pop-cultural iconography: Eric Clapton as High Priest; Acid Queen Tina Turner; Elton John in sky-high stack soles as the Pinball Wizard. The accompanying album is dutifully sprawling, a monument to Me Decade excess studded with loopy star turns (including the, er, "operatic" charms of Ann Margaret and Jack Nicholson), swelling choirs, and blustery synth fills. As he would later do to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, executive producer Robert Stigwood manages to turn one of rock's seminal achievements into something more artistically akin to the World Wrestling Federation, and every bit as musically subtle. It's no mean feat to virtually overwhelm the Who on their own record; Stigwood makes it sound like a vendetta. Still, it's an album so ambitiously bad it's but one William Shatner performance away from being a kitsch masterpiece. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

CD > POPULAR MUSIC > MOVIE SOUNDTRACK

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remember, this IS a Movie Soundtrack!, November 10, 2003

By 

Kevin Stafford (Warwick, RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tommy (1975 Film) (Audio CD)

Not to at all be confused with The 1969 masterpeice album by The Who "Tommy". Speaking of this soundtrack, I would have to reflect on the movie itself, since basically, the entire movie is here on this CD with the inclusion of the single only release of "Overture From Tommy", which in like many cases in this soundtrack, has The Who playing most if not all instrumentation.

Ok, that aside, I as a young 10 year old Who/ Elton John fan went to the cinema over and over to see this grandioso Rock opera come to life before my eyes. Even today watching the film on DVD brings back the original excitement. It was up to the casting director to chose who took each role and would sing each part. Ken Russell was a genius in my opinion on his choices. I always wondered what Pete thinks today of this movie.

Elton John's great version of "Pinball Wizard" (with a bit of "I Can't Explain" thrown in at the end) is worth half the 5 stars I listed. What I also love are the new renditions of the Tommy tunes that The Who actual do like "Amazing Journey", "I'm Free", "Sensation", "Listening To You/See Me, Feel Me" & "Sally Simpson" to name a few. If you are a Who nut like me, this collection is a must! The hard rocking version of "I'm Free" I always loved better than the original laid back version.

Then again, if you are a Who completest like myself, you have this already! The soundtrack to one of the greatest musicals of my time!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars `Gotta disagree with you critics, this recording rocks!, April 6, 2007

By 

Steven K. Rody "srody" (Knox, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tommy (1975 Film) (Audio CD)

I purchased the original movie soundtrack LP recording by Polydor in the `75/'76 time frame, before I actually saw the movie. (I still have this album.) Then, a few years ago, I purchased the CD when it was finally available. There are some differences in the two. There is more content to the CD (the Overture, some short transition songs, and some extensions of the songs, as they were presented in the movie), possibly due to the time limitations associated with vinyl recording technology.

As I recall, being a Who fan, I was initially somewhat disappointed by the fact that many of the songs are not actually performed by The Who and sung by Roger Daltrey. Guest artists and musicians (studio and band) appear frequently, w/ or w/o members of The Who. However, they do, for the most part, their own great job of interpreting the music from the Tommy rock opera. There is a lot to like here if you can get past the fact that The Who did not perform in much of this recording.

I must admit, I do not own a copy of the original Who recording of Tommy. Though, I have heard many of the songs played on radio. With exception of possibly the live performances of Tommy (e.g. at Woodstock), in nearly all cases, the original movie soundtrack recording surpasses the original album release. As noted by others below, there is a lack of energy and a laid back approach (forgive me, mellowed out) in The Who version of Tommy and a fair amount of harmonization of vocals by the band. In contrast, in the movie soundtrack, the song arrangements have all been improved and embellished with additional instrumentation (keyboards & brass), synthesizers, energy, and emotion.

Daltrey's voice is powerful, clean, and he holds notes better than ever before. In my opinion, his vocals in this recording are some of his best work. The guest artists all add their own magic to the music. Enough so that Elton John had a major hit w/ "Pinball Wizard" and he will forever be known as the same. Although less famous, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, and Paul Nicholas also give wonderful performances. Apparently some of the other reviewers do not know that Ann-Margret was an accomplished singer long before this movie. Regardless of their comments, she gives great vocal performances in this movie soundtrack as well. Even Jack Nicholson holds his own in this recording. However, their comments w/r to Oliver Reed's singing are pretty much on the money.

There are three songs from the soundtrack that I have loved since I first heard them. They are, "Amazing Journey", "Sparks", and "Pinball Wizard". You cannot get any better than these for power and energy. With the windows up in your car (or conversely at home, use headphones), crank the stereo volume up with one of these on and you'll understand. My other favorites include, "1951/What About the Boy?", "Eyesight to the Blind" (not a Who composition, but an electrified, old, bluesy, rock song played masterfully by Clapton and the boys), "Champagne", "I'm Free", "I'm a Sensation", "Sally Simpson", "See Me, Feel Me", and "Listening to You".

The bottom line here is that if you liked The Who's work before the death of Moon and are not a Who purest, you might just like this recording a lot. After all, it is The Who's music, just remixed and jazzed up a bit by Townshend and the other artists. It is a helluva lot better than the milk-toast recording just put out by The "New" Who.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but don't tape over the film!, August 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tommy (1975 Film) (Audio CD)

I was delighted to find this on CD when I first got it. A more or less exact replica of Tommy the film, which is what I wanted, saved me getting out the video, putting it in rewinding all over the place, and needing a telly whenever I wanted to listen to it.

However, Tommy the Soundtrack was a bit of a dissappointment. There are a few minor discrepancies, like a strange error in Captain Walker, which sounds like the CD is skipping, and yet the timer proceeds as normal, and a few mixing problems in things like Eyesight to The Blind and Cousin Kevin.

But the most unforgivable crime on the whole album, and for this I am losing it two stars, is that for some reason some of the songs were cut short - Eyesight To The Blind and Acid Queen are the main offenders. I especially love the instrumental part in the middle of Acid Queen, and was disappointed to learn that it was gone. I don't see the reason for it, there was plenty of time on the CD - the two best songs on the album were ruined!

Keep the film after you buy this.