pete townshend

Description

© UMG Lyrics: Only love, Can make it rain, The way the beach is kissed by the sea Only love, Can make it rain, Like the sweat of lovers laying in the fields Love, reign o'er me Love, reign o'er me, reign o'er me, reign o'er me Only love, Can bring the rain, That makes you yearn to the sky Only love, Can bring the rain, That falls like tears from on high Love, reign o'er me, reign o'er me, reign o'er me Love, reign o'er me, reign o'er me, reign o'er me On the dry and dusty road, The nights we spend apart alone I need to get back home to cool, cool rain I can't sleep and I lay and I think, The night is hot and black as ink Woo, oh God, I need a drink of cool, cool rain (Guitar Solo) Love, reign o'er me, reign o'er me, o'er me, o'er me, whoa! Love, reign o'er me, (whoa), o'er me Love... "The Rock/Love, Reign O'er Me" Pete 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 4 personalities, (or personality extremes) or mood swings. The liner notes illustrate this concept as follows: 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 4 descriptions refer to 4 musical themes that portray Jimmy's personalities in the opera: "Helpless Dancer", "Is It Me?", "Bell Boy", and "Love Reign O'er Me". The 4 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 2 pieces were the most musically complex pieces that Townshend ever wrote for The Who, combining all 4 themes into 2 six minute instrumental medleys. The 2 pieces have neither a definite beginning or 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 4 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 synthesizer), and the keyboard part to "Love Reign O'er Me" as a counter melody. The whole song abruptly ends on a downbeat layered with the sound of thunder and descends into "Love Reign O'er Me" proper. The 4 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 synthesizer 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. Roger Daltrey ~ Lead Vocals John Entwistle ~ Bass guitar, Brass Pete Townshend ~ Lead Guitar, Piano, Synth Keith Moon ~ Drums