The Who's Tommy: Original Cast Recording (1992 Broadway Revival) [Cast Recording]

The Who (Composer), Joseph Church (Conductor), Michael Arnold (Performer), Lee Morgan (Performer), Michael McElroy (Performer), Tracy Chapman (Performer), Alice Ripley (Performer), Norm Lewis (Performer), Cheryl Freeman (Performer), Anthony Barrile (Performer), Bill Buell (Performer), Maria Calabrese (Performer), Victoria Lecta Cave (Performer), Michael Cerveris (Performer), Paul Dobie (Performer), Jonathan Dokuchitz (Performer), Tom Flynn (Performer), Jody Gelb (Performer), Christian Hoff (Performer), Todd Hunter (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Michael Arnold, Lee Morgan, Michael McElroy, Tracy Chapman, Alice Ripley, et al.
• Conductor: Joseph Church
• Composer: The Who
• Audio CD (July 13, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: RCA Victor Broadway
• ASIN: B000003FLC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,075 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #15 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Revivals

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listening to this, you get the music..., February 16, 2002

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Who's Tommy: Original Cast Recording (1992 Broadway Revival) (Audio CD)

The evolution of the rock opera "Tommy" from album to film to Broadway musical has been about as wild a trip as what happens to Tommy and the Walkers. For me it was always the Ken Russell film version that was the big mistake, while I find this musical version to be superb. First, I think the narrative device of having the four-year old and adult versions of Tommy able to confront one another does a fantastic job of unlocking the story and making a lot of the symbolism work. Second, I love the harmonies that exist in this version. Just compare the various versions of "Go to the Mirror" or "Sally Simpson" with what we have here. I think all of my really favorite parts on this album involve Marcia Mitzman as Mrs. Walker harmonizing with someone else. It reminds me of listening to Peter, Paul & Mary sing Bob Dylan and realizing how good his songs were musically despite that vocal affectation. For my money, "Tommy" has never been sung any better than what is preserved on this original cast album.

I think a lot of the credit for how great this "Tommy" sounds goes to producer George Martin, as Townsend himself points out in his liner notes. To quote the man: "this 'Tommy' is a bridge between the old, respected and beloved traditions of music theater and the relatively new and experimental world of rock-and-roll." That might be the rub, because the number of people who are truly comfortable in both spheres is certainly a minor subset of those who love each of those two art forms respectively. Yes, there is a fundamental magnificence to the original double-album of "Tommy" by the Who, represented by the sheer audacity of telling an entire music story sung by Roger Daltrey and the obvious attempt to strive for greatness by Pete Townsend. But this musical version represents this pivotal piece of rock and roll history in full flower.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Townshend's TOMMY!, February 4, 2002

By 

Robert (Adelaide, South Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Who's Tommy: Original Cast Recording (1992 Broadway Revival) (Audio CD)

Some say that the Broadway production lost the intention of the rock opera and butchered it to pieces. I say this is just one more recording / interpretation of TOMMY and part of a creative process.

To think it started initially as a concept recoring, then a film (another bold and different interpretation) then a concert in the UK. Finally the show made it to the LaJolla Playhouse in California, USA where Des McAnuff created a new technicolor playground for Tommy. That production made its way to Broadway, to acclaim from all types of media, MTV did a feature on the musical a rare occurence for a Broadway show.

That production is the one that has been recorded brilliantly on a two disc set which contains the full score.What is most astonishing is the sheer talent of Mr. Townshend as a composer and lyricist. This may be labelled as "The Who's TOMMY" but in all honesty it is truly the brillance of Pete Townsend.

His additions to the score earned him a Tony Award for best score, and well deserved. The most surprising addition to the score is the song "I Believe My Own Eyes" written as a duet to show the strain of the marriage between Tommy's parents. Townsend himself was surprised how "Broadway" sounding it was.

This recording I believe to be the definitive version, though you may not agree with me. I think now the amazing journey is complete.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey, I actually saw the show..., April 30, 2001

By 

Mel (Cal-i-forn-i-a) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Who's Tommy: Original Cast Recording (1992 Broadway Revival) (Audio CD)

I was younger then, about teenager age and I saw the promo for The Who's Tommy on the 1993 Tony Awards... granted my dad has the Who's original: it's a masterpiece.... BUT you can't judge a show's soundtrack without having seen the show... they are two very completely different things. Being an avid musical/show fan myself... Tommy is one of my favorite musicals and wish it would come back... okay, maybe some people think that the Broadway show or the recording of it butchered the Who's original Tommy but without having seen the show, no one can say that it sucks because the live music and the pure technicolor of the Broadway show is unbelievable... it is still the Who's music and how many other rock stars have (seriously) put on a rock opera on Broadway, other than Elton John, and Tommy has been big hits in Canada, Los Angeles, Germany, etc. The soundtrack is beautiful once you see the show that's when the music and the show connect, visually and mentally.