The Who, Love, Reign O’er Me - A Classical Musician’s In-Depth Analysis
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Here is the second half of my first ‘The Who’ experience. Love Reign O’er Me has a lot of Blues musical influences in it and it’s been fun to get familiar with the song. Join me in exploring some of the musical and stylistic elements and enjoying the atmosphere of the piece!
Link to the original song by The Who:
• The Who - Love, Reign ...
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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
Hi everyone! Please drop under this comment your questions ONLY! I will do my best to answer them all!
You have knowledge about Jazz, Gospel, Blues, folk and of course classical so I wonder what other “genres” of music you know or just like ?
Come back after listening to the rest of it. Particularly, The Real Me and I'm One. Townshend's genius lyrics about teen angst.
(& greetings from East TN. Feeling like Fall here this morning)
Do you think this song can be viewed as a kind of modal music?
I hope you will allow me to ask 2 (connected) questions - given that 'She's Leaving Home' could be described as Pop rather than Rock, I wonder how far into the world of Pop music your definition of Rock will go? e.g. would it include Michael Jackson? If so, do you have some experience of listening to Pop music at all?
@Raiteix! There is a rock/metal band called "Blind Guardian" that is already around for some 35y or so. They have a song called "The Bard's Song - In the forrest" with over 10 mio views on youtube, it is a pretty old song. However, they also have a song on the album, right after that one, which is also called "The Bard's Song" but with the appendix "-The Hobbit". I always wondered how these 2 songs are connected musically. My question would be if you would like to analyse this 2 songs, hearing them right after each other. As a hobby musician, that does not really know too much about musical theory I always wondered why these two songs have the same name (and I can also make out some similarities) even though the "Forrest" song is only accoustic and the "Hobbit" song is very rock/metal like. My question would be if you would have fun analysing that. Cheers!
Fun Fact. Moon didn't know how to end the song so Townshend told him to "hit everything". At the end where the guitar comes crashing in and there's sort of a "Ta-Da" moment, if you listen through the music, you can hear Moon's entire drum kit come crashing to the floor. Great drummer. Nobody could play like that guy.
One of the secrets to the Who's success: They had a lead singer, lead guitar, lead bass, and lead drums (Keith Moon tended to drum the melody).
Nicked straight from Pete Townshend himself, neatly done though. 😉.
I've thought that same thing! "Lead Drums." 👍
Interesting that you make the connection between this song and gospel music. When The Who were honored at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors, soul singer Bettye LaVette sang "Love, Reign O’er Me" with a very soul / gospel feel, and it stands as one of the greatest covers I've ever heard.
Thanks for posting this. I just watched the performance and loved it!
THANK YOU! I did not know about this…..I watched it and it was great. I could see how moved Townsend and Daltry were too. Much like Plant was watching Stairway performed by Heart and Jason Bonham….
Thanks, great suggestion, love it!
"were"?
th-cam.com/video/EJi6maTueSc/w-d-xo.html
Great set of videos on a Pete Townsend masterpiece which became a lifesaver to me to listen to during the lockdowns in England. And also as a resident of Brighton myself for the last few years, I can personally state that the summer rain storms you get here around the beach (one going on just as I type this in late July), though obviously not as humid and heavy as the ones you describe so accurately in the American south, can still be pretty intense, ESPECIALLY if you are a tourist to the seaside town for the day, like Jimmy the character in the song clearly is. Pete Townsend's music to me reflects this as well as the cathartic psychological effect it has on his character in saving himself from isolated suicide in the waves (in the instrumental long track, 'The Rock' before, which collects motifs from across the whole album) by 'praying' for 'love' beyond himself, in whatever capacity that takes, the final crashing 'storm' at the climax, and the climax of the album too, being the 'answer'.
All these years I've been watching TH-cam (pretty much from the start) I've resisted making my own channel. No channel, no commenting. I've been okay with that until now.
I'm so in love with this channel that I can't keep quiet. It is so amazing how you can make an "old" song fresh again with your brilliant insights. I always thought I was fairly knowledgeable about all types of music, but you've shown me how much I still have to learn. Even at the age of 55, I'm a willing student. Please never change your honest approach!
This is the best group of commenters on TH-cam.
I absolutely adore this person. Her open and honest style, her intelligence, her quiet wisdom. An absolute gem
I was born in 1957 and grew up listening to this music. I understand this music and know how it affected me in the moment. I can still feel it as if it was 55 years ago. In my opinion that proves the music is iconic.
There's a saying:
"Blues and jazz had a baby and we call it rock and roll"
The heart of classic rock is the blues.
She's done her homework on The Who... I'm impressed...
The Who, in their earliest days, billed themselves as "Maximum R&B."
Also note, the "string" pattern of "Love, Reign O'er Me," also evokes the motion of the sea over which Jimmy has rowed his boat, and the waves crashing around the isolated "rock" on which he ultimately stands.
This song is a description of what it is to experience a storm by being out in it and what it does to your perspective. Each instrument plays out indvidual elments of the experience, piano is the rain, drums the thunder cymbals the lightning, strings the wind, guitar and the vocals the inner thoughts and emotins of the witness.
I’m 55 years old and I just want to say that Watching you give this type of in-depth analysis of my favorite rock songs is absolutely delightful…. Thank you so much.
Pete Townshend always thought Rock could be more than it was currently. He pioneered rock opera. I don't want to tell you what to do, but if you are interested in that genre, in my opinion you should listen to Quadrophenia in its entirety. Do it when you won't be distracted or interupted. Quadrophenia came out at a time when people thought schizophrenia was multiple personality syndrome (which it is not), and quadrophonic sound was in its infancy. He combined those words into Quadrophenia as wordplay. He wrote a story about a boy with four different and distinct aspects to his personality and wrote a musical theme for each personality. Incidentally, there were four original members of The Who and each of the personalities he wrote for the album reflected the personalities of the members of the band. In at least one song on the album, he interweaves the four themes. Each of the regular songs on the album reflect one of the personalities of the band/Jimmy. Quadrophenia may be the most musically complex offering in all of rock music. When you are done with Quadrophenia, try out Pink Floyd's The Wall, which I consider to be the second greatest rock opera in history.
One of the best songs of the 20th century!
On the language: Know what's amazing? The accent of the American South has its origins in England. Wealthy plantation owners in the US were mimicking the language and inflections of the English aristocracy, then over time it became more an elongated drawl in some areas, like Tennessee. I think you can hear it best in Northern Georgia, possibly New England too. We have very dipthongy regions lol
16:38 that's one of the reasons a well done guitar solo can feel like a vocal solo. Hadn't thought about that til now.
Your classical musician's take on this song was very interesting and informative. Thank you for it and keep up the good work.
Amy actually has studied Jazz, too. She has in-depth knowledge of Blues and Gospel. So I think she gave us this very valuable input from her background in Jazz studies.
This one of my favorite "The Who" albums. I was in High school when this came out. A solid rock opera.
I love your take on the soul/gospel vocal influence. Singer Roger Daltrey idolized and emulated James Brown from The Who’s earliest days. They were in fact billed as “maximum R&B” in the beginning, and covered many James Brown, Motown and Soul songs before Pete’s songwriting blossomed. Brown, of course, was not only The Godfather of Soul, but his roots were in Gospel (as evidenced by his fantastic role as a preacher in The Blues Brothers movie 🤣🔥). So yes, even though they were a British band The Who had done their homework on music from the South, and it infused everything they did and all of Roger’s singing. Pete had also grown up on trad jazz and classical music, and had learned so much about opera and composition from manager Kit Lambert, which all led to Tommy and ultimately Quadrophenia, which I consider to be their masterpiece. Pete’s vision and storytelling took rock to a whole new level. 🎸🔥
You are beyond endearing. I have, for the first time in 50 years, listened to this song properly. Thank you!
Me, too.
It really is quite an experience, listening through Quadrophenia and Jimmy's personal journey over the course of the album, and then all of Jimmy's experiences and struggles come to a head in this incredible, powerful, emotional for the finale.
I have been a Who fan for over 45 years . My favorite rock band and Love Reign o'er me is one of my top favorites. I have never heard a more brilliant analysis of this song or any song. Bravo
Hats off to you for using your classical musical knowledge to step WAY outside of your comfort zone, explore an entirely new genre, in terms of the music you've grown up with, and performed. A lot of respect to you to do this and put this out there publicly. I'm sure it takes some courage to get this ball rolling.
To add to what you say about the piano in the verses, there's an often overlooked element of this song is John Entwistle's unusual choice to play power chords on the bass, doubling the piano in the calmer verses, reverting to the more usual single note playing in the more powerful choruses. This is a fantastic way to build and sustain the tension.
Concept albums sadly have almost totally disappeared from rock music. The 60’s, 70’s and 80’s had numerous albums that must be listened to from beginning to end to capture the whole story being told. I enjoy your 2 video reviews of these songs. Your initial take and then following that up with a deeper analysis of the music are a very unique take that I find not only entertaining but educational as well. Thank you Amy.
@D-Fusit Meet Neal Morse.
Green Day did two brilliant ones (American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown) back to back about 10 years ago or so. Eventually they ended up melded in a Broadway show.
In order to have a concept album you have to have someone who can write lyrics at the level of Roger Waters and Pete Townshend. No one in rock music today is anywhere near that level. Scratch that, no one in music today is anywhere near that level. It's almost impossible to find anyone capable of writing one song with thoughtful lyrics, never mind an entire album of them.
You are wrong, about the continuing creation of 'concept albums' today. You just have to look outside the traditional 'rock' formats to find them in the alternative wings instead, most particularly prog, hard rock, and metal. I would posit Porcupine Tree, Tool, The Mars Volta, and Coheed and Cambria as groups to explore whose career has been largely based on concept albums over the last twenty years, the latter who part from one album, EVERY album they produce is even part of the SAME concept album cycle!
The final song on an incredibly advanced early Prog Rock concept album.
Quite magnificent
The Who, in their very early years, were a rhythm and blues band. They cut their teeth to this style of music. No matter what they did in later years, rhythm and blues was still lurking underneath it all.
Incredibly interesting to here a classical musician's take on music I've taken for granted all my life (63) that she's not familiar with and explains her experience it brings her , love this woman. Thank you
Excellent explanation.
Love your look and outfits.
I just wanted to say, Amy, that listening to your review of this classic was a joy. Honestly, The Who has never been a favorite of mine, but I do respect the talent and creativity of the members. In retrospect, I would say that they were “punk” in their vibe before punk was even a gleam on the horizon of music
But I digress. Being someone who has studied linguistics and been fascinated by language in general and all the “flavors” that English presents in particular, I was fascinated by your connecting the cadence and lilt of southern American speech with the blues and gospel scales. I had never put that together…,
To the British lads who soaked up American blues in the late 50’s and early 60’s , these scales and pronunciations became part of their musical DNA. Honestly, I still find it quite remarkable that it took these Brits to “introduce” so many of us to an art form that, like jazz, is quintessentially American. A major irony of popular music of the last 60 years
It will be interesting to see, if your trajectory goes that way, what you think of some of the acknowledged best blues performances of some of these classic British bands. Famous example would be Since I’ve Been Loving You by Zeppelin. And a “gospel” track by them would be In My Time of Dying. I would love to see how close you think they get to the real deal.
Again, I was mesmerized by your breakdown of this song. I’m so grateful to you for doing this series. Thank you for the gift of your knowledge, your enthusiasm and your time
Great comment.
@@Hartlor_Tayley thank you!
Interesting post Helene. As a "long in the tooth" fan of the The Who... "punk" is a bit of a stretch. However, when it comes to punk rock, I think that Iggy Pop and the Stooges are the godfathers of punk rather than the over rated Ramones.
@@stephenmorse342 never got into punk so can’t agree or disagree. I was referring mainly to the “attitude” of The Who… the wildness of Moon, Townsend destroying guitars onstage…the general “bull in a china shop” vibe.
Also, their rhythms were usually on the fast side..as was much of punk. I prefer more slow, hypnotic beats with a really powerful low end. The Who were usually more frenetic than I liked. Like punk
But hell..I was 30’ish woman when punk hit. No way was I their target demographic! 😏😁
@@helenespaulding7562 Thanks for taking time to reply. I think if you listen to Quadrophenia (start to finish) you will see a different side of The Who. I was 11 when Quadrophenia was released and 21 when I actually listened to it properly. I am 60 now and it is still my number one album... even though I love punk and new romantics.. :)
What a great analysis! I love your sharing the knowledge of the e flat minor chord and adding a 7th and 9th. What a great chord. I love them minor chords. Thanks so very much. You are a great teacher and a lover of music. So is Vlad
It would be interesting if Pete Townshend became aware of your review and felt inspired to respond to your interpretation and understanding of his influences whilst writing this excellent song.
I definitely agree!
Pete would be so into this!
"Liberation". In the first part you questioned what it is you felt when you heard it, my guess is liberation. I can SEE your musical world is opening up (actually, you were talking about the violin string sound was recognizable and pulling you somewhere). Glad to see Classical Musicians doing these interpretations! Though I have only seen three of your videos, so far. I think Vlad possibly SAW this, as well and MIGHT be why he suggested you create this channel. Rock/Heavy Metal sometimes gets a bad reputation and has scared too many away, from this part of music history. I am glad to SEE younger people boldly exploring and discovering these classics, today! Thanks!
Thank you for another great music master appreciation. The Who is a great rock band and Pete Townshend is a very skilled guitarist and composer.
I wanted to echo those who suggested that you listen to Betty LaVette's performance of this song at the Kennedy Center Honors the Who, available on YT. It's interesting to note that Barbra Streisand was also being honored that evening, and I don't think she was much impressed by the Who, or had ever heard them. However, she was mesmerized by Ms. LaVette's performance, at the end she leaned over to Pete Townshend and asked him, admiringly, "You wrote this?"...
That's hilarious!
Interesting isn't it, that even musicians exist in their own particular vacuums. Music is an immense universe that continually morphs into fresh shapes and expressions
You’re observation on the southern blues & gospel is brilliant. The Who started, basically, as an R&B cover band.
I’d like to see your reaction to any of the following:
1) Who Are You
2) Won’t Get Fooled Again
3) Baba O’Riley
What a lovely review. I have to suggest Pete Townshend’s “The Sea Refuses No River” as a kind of sequel or coda to “Reign O’er Me.”
Years ago I was struck by some of the lyrical similarities between this song by the Who, and a song masterfully interpreted by Frank Sinatra on his iconic album from 1958, Only the Lonely. That song is called "Ebb Tide" :
First the tide rushes in
Plants a kiss on the shore
Then rolls out to sea
And the sea is very still once more
So I rush to your side
Like the oncoming tide
With one burning thought
Will your arms open wide
At last we're face to face
And as we kiss through an embrace
I can tell, I, I can feel
You are love, you are real
Really mine in the rain
In the dark, in the sun
Like the tide at its ebb
I'm at peace in the web of your arms
I hear that too. Sinatra and Jazz is all over and through classic rock.
Excellent analysis. I was very impressed with how quickly you picked up on the blues and gospel influences during your 1st listen. Personally I didn't associate this song with having a strong blues feel, like you find in a lot of other blues rock songs where it is very obvious in the rhythms, song structure and vocals. But you were able to see these influences right away without these more obvious in your face blues characteristics. I also really liked your reference to how the timelessness of certain pieces makes them stand apart from the rest. I have frequently noticed this in some of my favorite pieces over the years.
I didn’t hear it as a gospel blues song back then, a little Frank Sinatra maybe. It was later I heard it as gospel. Old church music preserved a lot musical styles that came from much further back in the past. The variety of church music is surprising with what I think are remnants of earlier folk genres otherwise lost to time. Like this one. th-cam.com/video/bsUfrhSzEjA/w-d-xo.html
@@Hartlor_Tayley Yeah, I hadn't really heard it there before until Amy pointed it out, although I should have picked up on it. I always pick up on and point to the more obvious examples in these British bands. Guessing you have seen this footage of Mick Jagger (feeling the spirit) in the back of the Missionary Baptist Church (1972) when Aretha Franklin was singing th-cam.com/video/2mJvHJnRX8w/w-d-xo.html. I never made the Frank Sinatra connection either. I grew up hearing Frank since my parents were always playing him, Dean Martin, and the like. The big plus for me was they had a nice stereo system by the mid-60s for me to later play my rock n roll on. Also helped with my appreciation of those in my parents generation.
@@LeeKennison I had Jazz parents too. Whenever I hear Sinatra I can smell chicken soup. It’s interesting that we heard what was different about rock but not what was similar compared to older music.
@@Hartlor_Tayley I just wish my parents jazz would have also branched more into the Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane areas. They did have Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington records, along with the big band stuff. I didn't really get into Miles and company until later in life. My dad was really into Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass which I used to play on my own a lot around 8 to 10 years old (my parents were cool in this regard as long as I was careful with the records).
@@LeeKennison my dad liked Louis and Fats Waller, lots of Dixieland and big band etc. he didn’t go for that post-war jive but I did. Funny you mentioned the Tijuana Brass, we stole a lot of ideas and arrangement strategies from them. I think a lot of people did. Those records were amazing. When we started pulling music from outside the rock genre that’s when it really got better. I guess that’s true of most of rock.
The British bands were heavily influenced by Southern music. Many of them (like The Who) started as bands covering blues/soul hits of the day. Not only that, they also dug deep into roots of the music they loved. Further than many of their American contemporaries. So much so, that many blues performers, some that hadn't performed outside African American venues in America could profitably tour the UK in the 60s.
Their were a lot of American bands that went deep into earlier American music. The Band, Dylan, Grateful Dead etc.
The WWII British loved American GIs, ALL American GIs. The U.S. Army was still segregated then, but African American GIs would end up in a Pub together and start playing the piano and singing. The British loved our AA Soldiers, to "Close" the Pub with everyone still inside to keep the MPs out so the party could continue.
After the War, Stax records signed contracts for distribution into the U.K. The British children born after the War got to hear great music because Stax was an American R&B label.
Any great R&B song wouldn't get airplay on White American radio stations back then, that's why there's so many goofy versions of great standards like "Tutti Frutti". Not trying to push buttons... it's just data.
@@littlejimmy7402 stax had Booker T and the MGs right? Green Onions was so influential on everyone really. It was a blueprint for how to arrange and perform as a rock band.
@@Hartlor_Tayley That is correct. So much great music on that label. That's where the "Blue Eyed" Soul came from.
@@littlejimmy7402 I saw those guys playing with Alex Chilton in a bar in Boston way back when.
I must have listened to this song at least 1,000 times in the course of my life. Don't be shy about listening it LOUD. Roger Daltry takes his voice where few others dare to go, barely hitting his notes, evoking the testosterone-fueled cry of a frustrated adolescent. It should be loud enough to be near-cringe at times.
I think I read somewhere long ago that the concert tour for the Quadrophenia album was the loudest live performance ever.
Your description of how a person can take this song with them through years of experiences etc is incredibly spot on! I literally cannot listen to this song, maybe because i am an empath, without being flooded with emotion and tears. I'm not even sure why. It's nothing short of genius how basic composition and a single chord base, embellished,can be arranged to create something so influential and powerful. Kudos to you for recognizing the FEEL of it! 👍🏻🤙🏼
You’re adding skeletal bones to early visceral rock appreciation. All of us of a certain age (now quite old). knew we enjoyed The Who, but you offer backbone to the memories. Thank you, you’re imbedding classic wormholes in the deconstruction, and that’s good as well. 👍❤️
You have a great way of expressing your thoughts. Yes, Amy is providing a metaphorical scaffolding ….a theoretical framework for those emotions we’ve felt for decades. It almost makes me want to take a course in music theory. But it feels a bit silly to do so at 75!
Helene, my oldest students have been in their upper 70s/early 80s… it’s never too late to do something you love! And if it’s music it might even make you younger 😄
@@VirginRock …don’t let rock deep dives addle your Classic trained mind. Remember; “it’s only rock n roll, but we like it, like it, yes we do.” This is so much fun for a guy sneaking up on 76, thanks Amy.
@@edwardrutledge2765 how sneaking up on it are you? helene here, btw. I’m a January baby….
@@w.geoffreyspaulding6588 …December will witness bells pealing 76 times. 🙄
Rock has its roots in blues
Rock lost its way when it abandoned the blues. That's why we have no rock stars today.
I'm amazed that I have never perceived the relative simplicity of the underlying structure of this song. I've always experienced it as an earful with interesting things going on in every corner. One chord on the verse, I would never have guessed. That chord did some heavy lifting. It must have spent a lot of time at the gym before hitting the studio. I bet F major was jealous of its pecs.
Thanks for your attention to this record and group, Quadrophenia is one of my favorite albums of all time
I came across this channel yesterday, and I gotta say I really enjoy the two part examination, and professional take on the various songs. Above all, it’s the Mr. Rogers vibe Amy gives off when going through the songs.
Roger Daltry is the best voice of the British invasion bands of the 60's. Raw, earthy, soulful, and rocking when he decided to do it that way.
I'm learning Rock music (all music actually) all over again with all your analysis! You bring the quality content that sometimes is hard to find on the internet. Thank you!
You’re not wrong. The action in Quadrophenia is set in London, and also in Brighton, on the south coast of England. This song, the climax, is set about as far south as you can get in England.
And Brighton rain storms too, though while not as humid and heavy as ones in the American south, can still be PRETTY intense in the summer months (one going on now as I speak!) and surprisingly often if you're not a tourist (which I'm also not!).
I enjoyed this very interesting breakdown of one of my top ever songs. I very much concur there are songs that are just *timeless,* and are appreciated for generations, and this is evidently among them, far more appreciated than when it came out. There isn't another song that was not a major hit at its time of release for which I've seen so many reactions decades later from people from all sorts of musical backgrounds who loved or or were even absolutely *blown away.*
There's a school of thought that the deep southern accent once prevalent in Alabama, Mississippi etc, and mountain speech dialects in Appalachia are closely related to Elizabethan English. There's a website devoted to William Faulkner, where you can hear his wonderful accent giving lectures at the University of Virginia. Faulkner's rich accent is thought to have elements of those Elizabethan speech patterns. Sadly these traditional accents are dying off.
The old dialects were preserved in rural America as well as the old music to a certain extent.
I have watched several vids on this. They speak of the “great vowel shift” etc. I’ll have to try to find it again as I’ve forgotten too much. Thanks for mentioning it.
Thank you for the excellent point and info.
This is the kind of input that's making this channel/community worth paying close attention to. The music in that accent is important in Faulkner's work. I used to read characters' rants aloud to myself in that accent. Amy's comparison of the lilt to slides in Blues piano is brilliant.
Not just accent was preserved in Appalachia, but even some colloquial phrases, like "you'ins" for plural first person pronoun, contracted to "y'inz" in Pittsburgh.
Well well well! I happened onto this reaction video by pure fate. I'm glad I tuned in. I listened and watched both the music reaction and then this. I've watched people react to Rock music before, and quickly turned away,lol. This however was different. Your insight into Pete Townshend's masterpiece was a joy to the mind and ear. I loved how you took us to the South, explaining the concept of storm and release. I never saw it that way, and will probably listen to this song differently from now on. Your expertise in classic music lends you high respect, i listened on to every word like it was gold,lol. Your analysis reminded me of Rick Beato who also has a channel and did this song justice as well. He dissected the music chord by chord, but i like how you indulged in the spiritual. Or maybe it was your hands moving about that captivated me, lol. Just kidding. Well done. Bravo. Best reaction to this song ever. Sorry Rick.
Victor :)
I always knew Who's music was based on 3 simple chords, but at the same time, was above that -- dynamically, powerfully or meaninfully. At last, it is simply a masterful craft from a genius crafter, like Bach, Mozart or Beethoven.
That was a really incredible analysis! Seriously insightful.
I love the way Amy sometimes seems to be wincing when she first listens to a piece. It seems she's...maybe not liking it...
But since she's made the video, you know that's not the case, lol. She really puts everything into it. She dives all the way into what she's listening to, and I learn so much from her analyses.
Thank you, Amy. Always a pleasure to learn from your experience and wisdom. Gives me a new perspective, always.
She has a highly trained and sensitive ear. It’s kind of like a fine art painter at a Laser Light show.
You can see a gospel version of Love Reign O'er Me on the video The Kennedy Center Salutes Peter Townsend and Roger Daltrey. Since this is the concluding song of the Rock Opera Quadrophenia, there is a classical style very similar to the storms in Beethoven's 6th symphony, and even Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Thanks for the analysis.
This is BRILLIANT
Chanced upon Amy at the very start of her journey
Just sit and listen
Such passion
Such erudition
Such redemption
Brilliant
❤️❤️❤️
Redemption? Does the music need to be redeemed? Just curious what you mean. I agree btw. I love Amy’s passion and obvious skills as a teacher.
Speaking of the South and rain, the bluesy emotion, makes me think of Phil Collins' tune "Roof Is Leaking" from his first solo album Face Value. It is another Englishman 'understanding' the South! You may find it interesting, even if not a subject of one of your programs.
A good instrumental to look at might be La Villa Stangiato by Rush. This has been reacted to from many perspectives, including a classical composer, which is fun to watch and available on TH-cam if you search it. I'd be interested in your reaction to that.
I like your view of this song as being cathartic. How wonderful to hear how Daltrey brought a completely different vision to the piece that expanded Townshend's....And that they collaborated to include it. That shows respect for each other and why the band was so successful. FYI, your 'Southern' view of this song is brilliant. Having lived long in the South, you are so correct that the language has a definite rhythm and strong 'style'. The English bands at this time were heavily influenced by American R&B, blues and jazz. This would influence the progressive rock which spun out of the 60s.
I think England was far enough away (spiritually and intellectually) from the USA to be able to really hear American music, particularly Black American music and give it the importance it deserved. They were not trapped by the prejudice that many on this side of the Atlantic held. It freed their music. Sure some, many American bands were so influenced, but England seemed to produce a huge outpouring of music that returned to energize the American music later. Great pick up, Amy.
Beatles were among first, maybe first, to incorporate classical musical instruments into rock. The music was still rock, just layered with classical musical instruments. This influence came from their producer, George Martin, who was classically trained.
The first classical/rock fusion (as far as I know) came from Moody Blues.
Another wonderful analysis presented with wisdom and grace. Thank you.
This is my favorite song from The Who.
I hope you listen to Jethro Tull soon. Their music features the Flute.
My God by Jethro Tull would be perfect
@@pauloles2475 or songs from the wood to get that medieval folk thing into the mix.
Well, hell, you did it again! You took a song that I enjoyed, but was not particularly fond of, and gave me a whole new appreciation for it! Thank you!
This song is an 'epic' rock song...has all kind of cool influences and emotions
As the last song on the album, I got the feeling that the protagonist has realized how angry he's been, so he asks that Love Reign O'er Me.
This was just so interesting, I enjoy blues both listening and playing it. I had never thought of the blues scale being derived from the vocals; now you’ve said it it does make sense.
Keep it up with your wonderful explanations, they generate 💡💡💡 moments galore! 💖💕💖
This is a great version of "Music Appreciation" class from back in the day. Very interesting. Thank you Amy!
Thank you for your deep analysis and your kindness to make them, its such a plasure to hear you explaing about music, would listen for hours ❤
You bring so much to my music listening experience. Your guidance on not only the specific history of the song / band and incredible technical insight but also your philosophical approach to the music's impact on the listener really enhance my listening experience and enjoyment.
The color and tonal shadings in the chords that you were talking about, I don't know what it's called in Classical music but most guitar players that I know refer to it as 'Voicing'. Really love your reactions and analysis of the songs you play. :)
I really wish I had something extensive to say, but I do want to say that I really appreciate your discussion, bringing light to songs I'd never really thought about before!
This is my new favorite channel! Thank you for letting us watch your reaction videos and for the thoughtful and insightful follow up analyses.
I LOVE your diagnoses of a music that you are unfamiliar with. I found you by accident and have not regretted it. I've seen the Who live and back in the day that was a 'holy' experience. Look up 'Won't get fooled Again'. The Who put on a show and they knew it.
Quadrophenia is a great album because it was recorded at the band's peak performance ability and the concept reflects an inflection point in certainly Townsend's evolution (maybe the rest of the band too) where he is old enough to have perspective on the angst of his teens and early twenties (the target demographic of the band when it began) to know which parts were important (finding someone to focus on to make life worthwhile) and which were not (mods versus rockers, being a perfect dresser, having the best scooter / bike, etc.). The unique part of Quadrophenia that puts it over the top is that the music and lyrics do this by presenting the songs from a single person's perspective whose doubts about his life reflect aspects of the personalities of all four band members. As the climax to the album, Love Reign O'er Me reflects the decision the subject of the entire composition made... to set aside the petty things people worry about when young and shift to focusing on "adult" things. The album is also autobiographical to an extent cuz the songs and lyrics reflect the Who as a band looking back 10 years since they began to take off in 1963 and some of the shock they experienced by seeing their then-teenage fans become twenty-something people stuck in boring, low wage jobs but still nostalgic for the old days the band had left behind musically / financially. I would argue this song isn't even near the top of the best songs on the album, it's just the most obvious for people to get exposed to because of its point in the narrative.
"The Dirty Jobs" and "Bellboy" are examples of an adult perspective. No other band could pull it off.
Oh my goodness. As a 50+ year WHO fan I never thought I could like Love reign o'er me any more but your analysis has given me a new perspective. Gospel? Wow, never made that connection but you are correct. I guess as a lifelong Tennessean I should have picked up on that. I hope more folks find you unique channel. BTW: you nailed our weather. Y'all have a nice day now. 😊
You are correct, this song is the catharsis. It is the culmination, the denouement
Great analysis video!!! I really enjoyed your comments! Thanks for posting!
It is one of ,if not the greatest power ballads of all times.
Thank you for giving such reverence to the music.
Very nice! I am really enjoying your series of music reactions.
Thank you for this review of my all time favorite song! You pointed out things (such as its connection to gospel) that I would never have noticed. 😊
Even though the main character is angry, this song is, as you say, more cathartic, a release than simple anger. For me, Pete Townshend is the quintessential 70s rock genius, very angry (here the term is accurate), yet one of the most lyrical, complex writers of the time. Along with a handful of other bands, The Who were at the foundation of 70s rock. Without them, the depth of powerful, insightful rock would have suffered. There is only one Pete Townshend and only one band to accurately represent the genius that was Pete.
Wow! Your channel is the first I've ever subscribed to. Plus you've already covered my favorite Van Halen song, Mean Street, and my two favoite bands, The Who and Led Zeppelin. Your analysis of Love, Reign O'er Me is amazing and I've learned so much about a song that I've really loved, but never thought much about in depth. At first, it was a song that had meaning for the relationship I was in at the time. Now, I see that it has a meaning so much greater to me at this point in my life. God bless you!! You've opened a new door for me that I'm sure will be addictive, in a good way. I second the suggestion about La Villa Strangiato by Rush. Whole Lotta Love tops my Zeppelin list. I have so many favorite songs by The Who. Certainly, a ground breaker was My Generation and Baba O'Riley is also great. Thank you so much for what you are doing!
I really love what you are doing on this channel. Thank you.
you go girl, this is amazing😍
Such a great video, full of wonderful insights. You are such a superlative teacher and analyst. Your section on the blues was very well done and easy to understand and is something you should direct your viewers back to repeatedly as you listen to more rock. Blues and gospel are foundational to rock music (along with country music, though rock fans often miss the connection). Many British bands, such as The Rolling Stones, deliberately came to the south to record in the seventies to capture that blues vibe. Having said all that, The Who have a very unique sound, largely due to their unusual rhythm section (the restless bass of John Entwistle paired with the wild drums of Keith Moon), and that sound is not always as clearly connected to the blues as some other bands of the time. This particular song was always a highlight of their concerts due to the sheer drama of Daltery’s singing.
Well said
LOVE how you go in depth!
“See me, hear me, touch me…”
You’ve got a long road ahead Amy, it might surprise you how good some of this music really is? Have fun.
What a fine and beautiful analysis Amy, as always!
A brilliant analysis but Quadrophenia is so much more than just the music and lyrics. Its such a deeply personal piece of work for so many people for so many reasons. I absolutely adore it yet find it painfully emotional to listen to. I guess for myself it has achieved what Townshend set out to do. As a "musician" I am slightly intimidated and in awe of the magnificence. It can equally bring me to the verge of tears or inspire belligerent rebellion.
Amazing song, amazing album. I felt the need to point out.. I'm not sure where you got the Pete Townsend quote about what happens at the end, you saying that "Jimmy goes off in a boat and prays". I first listened to the album back when it first came out, and from that point, after a few listens, I realized that what happens at the end of the story pretty much alludes to Jimmy, (the main character), ending up committing suicide, the uplifting last song is actually the euphoria of leaving what he feels is this messed up life he's been living. His death is more an enlightenment. This was reconfirmed to me when I saw the movie when it first came out as well, and I'll quote this from this synopsis/review of the movie I just looked up: "Jimmy doesn't end up with Steph because she's now dating his friend. When they're fighting about their relationship, Jimmy gets mad and rides his scooter, which ends up being torn apart. He falls off and gets run over by a truck. Disappointed, he goes to Brighton and sees Ace working as a bell boy. Jimmy steals his Vespa scooter and drives it off a cliff. It does not show whether he dies or not because when the scooter is going down, he's not on there." - So while others have said that perhaps Jimmy does live, it's really left with a big "question mark", and in my mind it always seemed that Jimmy killed himself.
The very first scene of the film shows Jimmy walking back from the cliff edge, presumably after throwing the scooter off. I prefer to think of him embarking on the rest of his life having completed his rite of passage, with the rest of thefilm showing what led to that moment.
The album makes me think different things though, with Jimmy arriving at a point of spiritual awakening.
Excellent album, all said
That was a superb analysis. It’s interesting about the one chord verse sections where small alterations and inversions of the primary chord are used instead of a full chord change. There is an old blues style where the the song is based on a drone and the changes implied by maybe moving the vocal up a fourth and playing a suspended fourth version of the primary chord. This works well with rock music because the tonality is firmly rooted in a single tone like an ships anchor in the storm of rhythmic vocals, drums, guitars and lyrical content that are forcing the ship from its moorings, this provides a lot of tension and energy to the songs. What you said about the music following patterns of speech and regional dialect is right on target, very insightful. Thanks Amy and Vlad, I enjoyed this immensely. Best wishes.
Being able to pull so much out of one chord is nothing compared to the one note guitar solos of Neil Young (just kidding). Although, it does point out that those with talent can make a lot out of just one chord or note to the point you hardly notice that is all they are using. Good musical information, history and insights.
@@LeeKennison the one note lead guitar as In “Like a Hurricane” is a great example of a different way to do it. The band is playing chords in a downward progression of Am G F and Neil is wailing on the C root note which anchors the tonality while the chords move around it. Very cool.
@@Hartlor_Tayley Yeah, I specifically left out the part on how the rest of the band makes it work since I felt it cheapened Neil's brilliance (just kidding). On our prior conversations on some of the stuff I loved as a teenager, but my friends didn't. Neil was one I could use to try to trick them into listening to some of the more folksy stuff I liked. I would play rock and roll Neil, who they really connected with, until I then tried to switch to acoustic Neil, then I lost them.
@@LeeKennison it was their loss I was lucky to have been in circle of friends that were heavily into the Folk Rock /Dylan side of things. All the west coast hippie bands were in high esteem amid the din of the heavy rock environment.
@@Hartlor_Tayley Yeah. I was so into the music of the time that I listened to a lot of stuff regardless of what my friends thought, although I probably overstate it in that I think I may have converted a few friends (as long as I promised not to tell anyone else). There were undoubtedly others in my age group that were into the same things I was, but they were not the ones that were at the house parties I hung out at (remember the house parties, when everyone would just sit around listening to music? Does anyone even do that anymore?) Fortunately, I connected with others later while still in my 20s that had more diverse musical interests that turned me on to some new music beyond what I was discovering on my own.
I just knew you would find this song compelling. At some point you need to listen to both Quadrophenia & Tommy as a whole. Both different but brilliant in their own ways
Most of Jimmy's story in Quadrophenia is set around Brighton on the south coast of England. The boat ride out to the rock would be in the sea around Brighton. Now, we obviously don't have Southern US weather here, but it is often very humid, particularly by the sea. When it does get hot in the summer, it can be pretty heavy and stifling and a good thunderstorm is very refreshing and freshens the air, so it's cool and you can breathe again. Not as dramatic as a tropical rainstorm, but similar on a smaller scale. BTW, as others have noted below, this is a beautiful cathartic finale to the album, but most of the earlier songs really ARE very angry.
Very enjoyable analysis 👍
As I listen to this more, I'm blown away by your analysis. Subscribe
Thanks for touching on the blues and gospel aspects. So many British artists of this period were taking a lot of influence from black artists.
As usual, I really appreciate your perspective, knowledge and eloquence in describing your thoughts on a piece of popular music. As someone not previously exposed to this piece, I find it particularly interesting.
I have a couple of points. First, irregardless 27:03 of the technical chord structures and progressions, I didn’t see any of what you saw in the piece. And that’s totally fine because most great music is at once very universal as well as personal. That what you saw in it and what I saw in it being different shows the brilliance of the piece.
The other thing is that when you traced the history of the Who, you have to understand that they really stood for the “power chords” pretty much from the beginning so when you hear the power of the notes in this piece, it’s consistent with their particular style.
It’s also important to note the histories and relative abilities, particularly of the three instrumentalists. Of particular importance is Pete Townsend who (is) the primary composer of most who music but who is known, ironically not as a great lead guitarist but potentially the greatest rhythm guitarist in popular music (see Pinball Wizard for starters). I found the lead in this song tasteful but not draw-droppingly inspiring.
I found your selection of this particular song interesting. If you want to get to the essence of the band in it’s earlier period, though a bit longer, they came out with, what is considered one of the greatest live albums called “Live at Leeds”. On the second side, last song is “My Generation” where they go into a small part of Tommy. It’s just so inspiring and you see examples of the few things I’ve mentioned.
Again thanks for what you do. You really contribute to my life!