From the opening minor chords to the upward key change near the end, ‘Pinball’ is a rock tour-de-force, brimful of ideas, powerchords, great lyrics and tight ensemble playing.
~From “The Who – The Complete Guide To Their Music” (Charlesworth & Hanel)
Today we celebrate one of The Who’s best songs – Pinball Wizard.
| Released | 7 March 1969 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 7 February 1969 at Morgan Studios, London, UK |
| Genre | Hard rock, art rock |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | Polydor Decca (US) |
| Writer(s) | Pete Townshend |
| Producer | Kit Lambert |
“Pinball Wizard” is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band The Who, and featured on their 1969 rock opera album Tommy. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached No. 4 in the UK charts and No. 19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
The B-side of the Pinball Wizard single is an instrumental credited to Keith Moon, titled “Dogs Part Two”. Despite similar titles it has no musical connection to The Who’s 1968 UK single “Dogs”.
Live at Woodstock 1969:
From “Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival” (1970):
Ever since I was a young boy,
I’ve played the silver ball.
From Soho down to Brighton
I must have played them all.
But I ain’t seen nothing like him
In any amusement hall
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!He stands like a statue,
Becomes part of the machine.
Feeling all the bumpers
Always playing clean.
He plays by intuition,
The digit counters fall.
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball!He’s a pin ball wizard
There has got to be a twist.
A pin ball wizard,
S’got such a supple wrist.How do you think he does it? I don’t know!
What makes him so good?’He ain’t got no distractions
Can’t hear those buzzers and bells,
Don’t see lights a flashin’
Plays by sense of smell.
Always has a replay,
‘N’ never tilts at all
That deaf dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball.I thought I was
The Bally table king.
But I just handed
My pin ball crown to him.Even on my favorite table
He can beat my best.
His disciples lead him in
And he just does the rest.
He’s got crazy flipper fingers
Never seen him fall
That deaf dumb and blind kind
Sure plays a mean pinball
Live at Hull (1970):
Live At Hull
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-Egil
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