The Who - Baba O’Riley

Have you ever noticed some people think the song is called "Teenage Wastland"?

"Wastland"? That country doesn't seem to be listed in the latest Rand McNally. :) Aside from the "Teenage Wasteland" title, I've referred to the song for years as "Teenage Waistline", an ode, of sorts, to having once been less old and more sveldt.

(I'd have to add Head East's "Never Been Any Reason" to the no-one-seems-to-know-what-the-actual-title-of-this-song-is sweepstakes: "Save My Life," "Goin' Down For The Last Time" and on and on.)

Back To "Baba O'Wawa": we used to have issues with this vinyl track at my college station, as the stylus would alternately skip and get stuck during the intro, making it seem to go on forever. This thread got me to thinking: "what if "Baba" had been issued as a single? What would have been the best way to shorten that long intro without making the overall result sound like a hack job?

It can be done. With a little extra copying and pasting magic, I came up with a file that runs 4:05 and shortens the intro to :21. The only trimming came during the first half, as anything cut from the latter half just plain didn't work. Y'know, I could probably get that down under 3:30 if I sped it up a mere 20% or so. :)

eriejwg wrote: Have you ever noticed some people think the song is called "Teenage Wastland"?

Pete's demos for The Who's aborted "Lifehouse" rock opera concept album (which the Who's Next album was cobbled together from once it was shelved) actually feature a different
track entitled "Teenage Wasteland" that features the same lyrics but sang to a rather slow, dirge-like rhythm before picking up to the more familiar "Baba O'Riley" tempo towards the
end.

Edited by LunarLaugh