CoronaVinyl Day 94 (Rock Opera): Tommy by The Who

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is rock opera -- a version of the concept album that takes it to another level by conceivably having a plot that goes from beginning to end over the course of the album.  It's not something bands generally gravitate towards, so there aren't a ton of rock operas out there, but some famous ones are The Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow (which is considered the first rock opera), Green Day's American Idiot, The Fat Boys' On and On (a rap opera), Jesus Christ Superstar, and, of course, the album that most people think of when they hear the term "rock opera":  The Who's 1969 masterpiece, Tommy.

The story laid out in Tommy is pretty fucked up and weird.  It would be hard for me to explain the plot of Tommy any better than someone else already did on Wikipedia, so here's what that says:

British Army Captain Walker goes missing during an expedition and is believed dead ("Overture"). His wife, Mrs. Walker, gives birth to their son, Tommy ("It's a Boy"). Years later, Captain Walker returns home and discovers that his wife has found a new lover. The Captain kills this man in an altercation. Tommy's mother brainwashes him into believing he didn't see or hear anything, shutting down his senses and making him deaf, dumb and blind to the outside world ("1921"). Tommy now relies on his sense of touch and imagination, developing a fascinating inner psyche ("Amazing Journey/Sparks"). 

A quack claims his wife can cure Tommy ("The Hawker"), while Tommy's parents are increasingly frustrated that he will never find religion in the midst of his isolation ("Christmas"). They begin to neglect him, leaving him to be tortured by his sadistic "Cousin Kevin" and molested by his uncle Ernie ("Fiddle About"). The Hawker's drug addicted wife, "The Acid Queen", gives Tommy a dose of LSD, causing a hallucinogenic experience that is expressed musically ("Underture").

As Tommy grows older, he discovers that he can feel vibrations sufficiently well to become an expert pinball player ("Pinball Wizard"). His parents take him to a respected doctor ("There's a Doctor"), who determines that the boy's disabilities are psychosomatic rather than physical. Tommy is told by the Doctor to "Go to the Mirror!", and his parents notice he can stare at his reflection. After seeing Tommy spend extended periods staring at a mirror in the house, his mother smashes it out of frustration ("Smash the Mirror"). This removes Tommy's mental block, and he recovers his senses, realizing he can become a powerful leader ("Sensation"). He starts a religious movement ("I'm Free"), which generates fervor among its adherents ("Sally Simpson") and expands into a holiday camp ("Welcome" / "Tommy's Holiday Camp"). However, Tommy's followers ultimately reject his teachings and leave the camp ("We're Not Gonna Take It"). Tommy retreats inward again ("See Me, Feel Me") with his "continuing statement of wonder at that which encompasses him."

Tommy was the first Who album I ever bought (on tape, of course, which was the style in the late '80s), and I remember watching the star-studded 1989 live stage performance of the album that my friend Jeremy convinced his parents to get on pay-per-view.  It featured Phil Collins as Uncle Ernie, Patti LaBelle as the Acid Queen, Steve Winwood as the Hawker, Elton John as the Pinball Wizard, and Billy Idol as Evil Cousin Kevin.  For a long time I didn't trust Billy Idol as a result.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "1921"
Side 1 is pretty serene, setting the stage for the madness to come.  "1921" seems like a hopeful song, until you realize it's Tommy's mom singing to him in an effort to brainwash him, causing him to go deaf and blind.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Christmas"
This one has worked its way onto my holiday playlist mix, and it's a solid song with impassioned vocals from Roger Daltrey.

Favorite song from Side 3:  "Pinball Wizard"
This was my favorite Who song for many years, and it's a classic, detailing Tommy's prowess at playing pinball despite not being able to hear or see.  "That deaf dumb blind kid sure plays a mean pinball." 

Favorite song from Side 4:  "We're Not Gonna Take It / See Me Feel Me"
The last track on the album is another good one, though I would consider it the second best song of all-time with this title.  You can imagine my chagrin when I once attempted to sing the Twisted Sister song of the same name at karaoke while on vacation in Mexico, and then this song came on.