Thursday, December 09, 2021

The Who: Sell Out 1967 (2 CD Deluxe Edition) 2009

The Who Sell Out is the third studio album by the British rock band the Who. It was released on 15 December 1967 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US.
                                                    


A concept album, The Who Sell Out is structured as a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with 

fake commercials and public service announcements, including the second track "Heinz Baked Beans". The album purports to be a broadcast by pirate radio station Radio London. The reference to "selling out" was an intended irony, as the Who had been making real commercials during that period of their career, some of which are included as bonus tracks on the remastered CD.
                                        

The album was primarily written by guitarist Pete Townshend, though three tracks were penned by

bassist John Entwistle and one by Thunderclap Newman vocalist Speedy Keen, who also sings. Townshend and Entwistle are joined by vocalist Roger Daltrey and drummer Keith Moon, and organist Al Kooper makes a guest appearance on two tracks. The album was produced by the band's manager Kit Lambert.
                                               

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). [Subsequent reissues added 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."

The Who

                                            


Roger Daltrey – lead and backing vocals
Pete Townshend – acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals ("Odorono," "Our Love Was," "I Can't Reach You," "Sunrise," "Rael Naive," "Jaguar," "Glittering Girl"), piano
John Entwistle – bass guitar, horns ("Armenia City in the Sky", "Someone's Coming", "Top Gear", "Heinz Baked Beans", "In the Hall of the Mountain King"), backing vocals, lead vocals ("Medac," "Silas Stingy," "Summertime Blues," "John Mason's Cars")
Keith Moon – drums, lead vocals ("Girl's Eyes," "John Mason's Cars", "Jaguar")
                                              

Additional musicians

Al Kooper – organ ("Rael 1", "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand (electric version)")
Speedy Keen – co-lead vocals ("Armenia City in the Sky")

The Who – The Who Sell Out
Label: Polydor – 527759-2, Universal UMC – 527759-2, Polydor – 527759-2  
Series:    Deluxe Edition  2009
Format:    2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Mono
Country: Europe
Released: 1967
Genre: Rock
Style: Classic Rock, Mod


CD1. THE ORIGINAL STEREO ALBUM

                                                              

  
01. Armenia City In The Sky (Written-By – Keen) 3:50
02. Heinz Baked Beans  (Written-By – Entwistle)  1:00
03. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand    2:34
04. Odorono    2:35
05. Tattoo    2:54
06. Our Love Was    3:25
07. I Can See For Miles    4:05
08. I Can't Reach You    3:31
09. Medac  (Written-By – Entwistle)  0:57
10. Relax    2:38
11. Silas Stingy  (Written-By – Entwistle)  3:04
12. Sunrise    3:03
13. Rael 1& 2    5:39

Bonus Tracks
    
14. Rael Naïve    0:59
15. Someone's Coming  (Written-By – Entwistle)  2:36
16. Early Morning Cold Taxi  (Written-By – Langston, Daltrey)  2:59
17. Jaguar    2:58
18. Coke After Coke    1:05
19. Glittering Girl    3:00
20. Summertime Blues  (Written-By – Cochran, Capehart)  2:35
21. John Mason Cars    0:39
22. Girl's Eyes  (Written-By – Moon)  2:52
23. Sodding About  (Written-By – Entwistle, Moon, Townshend) 2:47
24. Premier Drums (Full Version)    0:42
25. Odorono (Final Chorus)    0:24
26. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand (US Mirasound Version)    3:22
27. Things Go Better With Coke    0:30
28. In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Arranged By – The Who, Written-By – Grieg)  4:23
29. Top Gear    0:50
30. Rael 1 & 2 (Remake Version)    6:35


MP3 @ 320 Size:  MB
Flac  Size:  MB

CD2. THE ORIGINAL MONO ALBUM

                                        


01. Armenia City In The Sky  (Written-By – Keen)  3:46
02. Heinz Baked Beans  (Written-By – Entwistle)  0:58
03. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand    2:34
04. Odorono    2:30
05. Tattoo    2:48
06. Our Love Was    3:23
07. I Can See For Miles    4:02
08. I Can't Reach You    3:27
09. Medac  (Written-By – Entwistle)  0:56
10. Relax    2:36
11. Silas Stingy  (Written-By – Entwistle)  2:58
12. Sunrise    3:00
13. Rael 1& 2    5:48

Bonus Tracks    

14. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand (US Single Mono Mix)    3:16
15. Someone's Coming (UK Single Mono Mix)  (Written-By – Entwistle)  2:31
16. Relax (Early Demo - Stereo)    3:21
17. Jaguar (Original Mono Mix)    2:51
18. Glittering Girl (Unreleased Stereo Version)    3:17
19. Tattoo (Early Mono Mix)    2:46
20. Our Love Was (Take 12 - Unused Mono Mix)    3:16
21. Rotosound Strings (With Final Note - Stereo)    0:12
22. I Can See For Miles (Early Mono Mix)    4:00
23.a. Rael (Early Mono Mix)    5:43
23.b. Armenia City In The Sky (Isolated Backwards Track)
23.c. Great Shakes

MP3 @ 320 Size:  MB
Flac  Size:  MB

The Who on Urban Aspirines HERE

10 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Hey Commendatore where are you from? Commendatore is an Italian word and I have been in Italy for 10 years

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    2. wow! i'm not "the commendatore", but i'm italian and I want to to tell you: Thanks! Thanks so much for all this wonderful music!! Enrico

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    3. Ciao Enrico. Mille grazie per il tuo commento, mi fa sempre piacere parlare con un Italiano. Italia e la mia seconda patria. Ho visuto a Ferrara e a Bologna per quasi dieci anni e l' ultima volta che ci sono stato era otto mesi fa. Grazie e dimmi perfavore di dove sei. La tua citta intendo.

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    4. Napoli, quasi Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς

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    5. Porca troia, una delle poche cita che non ho mai visitato. Sono arrivato fino a Cagliari, ma in Sicilia non sono mai stato.

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    6. 😁😁... ehm... Napoli si trova in Campania ☺️ "Porca troia" coming from a Greek is hilarious!

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