Pete Townshend originally planned The Who Sell Out as a concept album of sorts that would simultaneously mock and pay tribute to pirate radio stations, complete with fake jingles and commercials linking the tracks. For reasons that remain somewhat ill defined, the concept wasn't quite driven to completion, breaking down around the middle of side two (on the original vinyl configuration). Nonetheless, on strictly musical merits, it's a terrific set of songs that ultimately stands as one of the group's greatest achievements. "I Can See for Miles" (a Top Ten hit) is the Who at their most thunderous; tinges of psychedelia add a rush to "Armenia City in the Sky" and "Relax"; "I Can't Reach You" finds Townshend beginning to stretch himself into quasi-spiritual territory; and "Tattoo" and the acoustic "Sunrise" show introspective, vulnerable sides to the singer/songwriter that had previously been hidden. "Rael" was another mini-opera, with musical motifs that reappeared in Tommy. The album is as perfect a balance between melodic mod pop and powerful instrumentation as the Who (or any other group) would achieve; psychedelic pop was never as jubilant, not to say funny (the fake commercials and jingles interspersed between the songs are a hoot). The 1995 CD reissue has over half a dozen interesting outtakes from the time of the sessions, as well as unused commercials, the B-side "Someone's Coming," and an alternate version of "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand." ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi
The Who Sell Out is the third album by English rock band The Who, released in 1967 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US. It is a concept album, formatted as a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with faux commercials and public service announcements.[2] The album purports to be a broadcast by pirate radio station Radio London. Part of the intended irony of the title was that The Who were making commercials during that period of their career, some of which are included as bonus tracks on the remastered CD.
The album's release was reportedly followed by lawsuits due to the mention of real-world commercial interests in the faux commercials and on the album covers, and by the makers of the real jingles (Radio London jingles), who claimed The Who used them without permission. (The jingles were produced by PAMS Productions of Dallas, Texas, which created thousands of station ID jingles in the 1960s and 1970s). It was the deodorant company, Odorono, who took offense that Chris Stamp made a request for endorsement dollars.[3] In 2003, the album was ranked number 113 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The cover is divided into panels featuring a photograph by David Montgomery of each of the band members, two on the front and two on the back. On the front is Pete Townshend applying Odorono brand deodorant from an oversized stick, and Roger Daltrey sitting in a bathtub full of Heinz baked beans (holding an oversized tin can of the same). Daltrey claims to have caught pneumonia after sitting for a prolonged period in the bathtub, as the beans had been frozen.[4] On the back is Keith Moon applying Medac from an oversized tube, and John Entwistle in a leopard-skin Tarzan suit, squeezing a blonde woman in a leopard-skin bikini with one arm and a teddy bear with the other (an ad for the Charles Atlas course mentioned in one of the album's faux commercials).
"I Can See for Miles" was released as a single and peaked at #10 in the UK and #9 in the US. Original vinyl copies of Sell Out end with an audio oddity that repeats into a locked groove. The music in the locked groove is an instrumental version of what was originally intended to be a vocal jingle for The Who's UK label Track Records. The opening "Radio London" (Days of the Week) jingle makes use of a device called the Sonovox.
This album is notable in The Who discography for not featuring Daltrey as the sole lead singer on most of the songs; he alone provides lead vocals to "Armenia City in the Sky", "Tattoo", "I Can See for Miles", and "Rael". "Medac" and "Silas Stingy" are sung by Entwistle; "Odorono", "Our Love Was", "I Can't Reach You", and "Sunrise" by Pete Townshend; on "Relax", Daltrey and Townshend share lead vocals. "Rael" features melodic and rhythmic ideas that would reappear later in "Tommy."
When the LP was released on Track Records in the UK in 1967 (Track 612 002 Mono & Track 613 002 Stereo), a poster was included inside the first 1000 copies (500 stereo and 500 mono). They came with sticker on the front cover stating 'Psychedelic Poster Inside'. Due to its rarity, first pressings with poster and sticker have sold for more than £600, and have been known to sell for much more.
A single LP was re-issued on 140 Gram Clear blue vinyl as a Special Edition in 2008, by Lilth Records LTD Manufactured in the EU. A two-disc Deluxe Edition of the album was released on 16 March 2009 in the UK and 2 June 2009 in the US.[citation needed]
All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted. The between song jingles apparently have no official titles and are not listed anywhere on the original album packaging, though they are listed in the inner booklet of the 1995 remaster.
"Can't Reach You"[5] – 3:03 (retitled "I Can't Reach You" on the US version and many reissues)
"Medac" (Entwistle) – 0:57
"Relax" – 2:38
"Rotosound Strings" (1995 remix only)
"Silas Stingy" (Entwistle) – 3:04
"Sunrise" – 3:03
"Rael (1 and 2)" – 5:44 (retitled "Rael 1" on 1995 reissue)
"Track Records" (Instrumental version) (This track repeats into the endless locked groove at the end of side 2. Also found after Rael 1 mono mix on disc 2 of the deluxe edtion).
1995 reissue bonus tracks
"Rael 2" – 0:47
"Top Gear"
"Glittering Girl" – 2:56
"Coke 2"
"Melancholia" [unavailable on deluxe edition] – 3:17
"Bag O'Nails"
"Someone's Coming" (Entwistle) – 2:29
"John Mason's Cars" (Rehearsal)
"Jaguar" – 2:51
"John Mason's Cars" (Reprise)
"Early Morning Cold Taxi" (Roger Daltrey, Dave Langston) – 2:55
"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" (US Mirasound Version) – 3:19
"Glow Girl" [unavailable on deluxe edition] – 2:24
"Track Records" (Vocal version) (on the remaster, this only appears after "Glow Girl", with "Rael 1" segueing directly into "Rael 2").[citation needed]
The 2009 Deluxe edition contains the original album in stereo mix on disc one, and the mono mix on disc two.
"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand (US Mirasound Version)" – 3:22
"Things Go Better with Coke" – 0:30
"In The Hall Of The Mountain King" (Grieg/arranged by the Who) – 4:23
"Top Gear" – 0:50
"Rael 1 & 2 (Remake Version)" – 6:35
"Track Records" (Vocal Version)
2009 Deluxe Edition, disc two
"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" (Version 1)(US mono single mix) – 3:16 [basically the same version as the "Odds & Sods" release, but with an inaudible organ and different vocals][citation needed]
"Someone's Coming" (UK single mono mix) (Entwistle) – 2:31
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