My Generation: The Very Best of The Who

• Artist: The Who
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 27, 1996
• Total Time: 75:57
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

The Who have issued more greatest-hits collections than any other major artist, releasing a vast array of compilations while they were together and in the years following their breakup. Released in 1996, My Generation: The Very Best of the Who was intended to be the definitive single-disc collection, replacing all the others that preceded it. While it is a very good collection, it just misses being a definitive sampler. Essentially, My Generation is a replica of Who's Better, Who's Best that adds four tracks that were missing from the previous compilation, including the seminal post-Tommy single "The Seeker" and the original single mix of "Magic Bus." My Generation isn't strictly a singles collection, since it contains such album rock staples as "Baba O'Riley" and the full-length version of "Won't Get Fooled Again." It also spans the group's entire career, so it has a bit of a scattershot feel to it -- "You Better You Bet" sounds a little odd next to tense early singles like "Substitute" and "I Can See for Miles." The career-spanning approach doesn't make for as cohesive a collection as Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, but it does mean that My Generation is an excellent -- even necessary -- introduction. There's a lot more in the Who's catalog that needs to be heard, but My Generation does boil down the most essential items (even though the abominable "Squeeze Box" is included) to a fine single-disc set. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
I Can't Explain (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(2:04)
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere	Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey	The Who	(2:40)
My Generation	Pete Townshend	The Who	(3:18)
Substitute	Pete Townshend	The Who	(3:47)
I'm a Boy	Pete Townshend	The Who	(2:36)
Boris the Spider	John Entwistle	The Who	(2:27)
Happy Jack	Pete Townshend	The Who	(2:11)
Pictures of Lily	Pete Townshend	The Who	(2:45)
I Can See for Miles	Pete Townshend	The Who	(4:21)
Magic Bus	Pete Townshend	The Who	(3:15)
Pinball Wizard (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(3:00)
The Seeker	Pete Townshend	The Who	(3:22)
Baba O'Riley (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(5:07)
Won't Get Fooled Again [Full Length Version]	Pete Townshend	The Who	(8:32)
Let's See Action (Nothing Is Everything)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(4:02)
5:15 (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(4:49)
Join Together (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(4:22)
Squeeze Box (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(2:40)
Who Are You [Single Edit Version]	Pete Townshend	The Who	(5:02)
You Better You Bet [Full Length Version]	Pete Townshend	The Who	(5:37)

Credits

Jon Astley (Producer), Pete (Liner Notes), Kit Lambert (Producer), Chris Walter (Photography), Robert Ellis (Photography), Glyn Johns (Producer), Bill Szymczyk (Producer), Roger Daltrey (Liner Notes), Chuck Pulin (Photography), Jim Cummins (Photography), Shel Talmy (Producer), The Who (Producer), Glyn Johns (Assistant Producer)

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