Instead, "You Better You Bet" was one of the few moments during the early '80s when Pete Townshend shared a truly great track with the band. (UCR)
Released on Feb. 27, 1981, "You Better You Bet" would be the Who's last Top 20 song on the Billboard Hot 100 and their final U.K. Top 10 smash. The tune also topped the rock-radio chart for five weeks. "A surprise hit single for us," Townshend later told Rolling Stone. "We even went back on Top of the Pops."
Much had changed in the interim, not least of which was the shocking death of drummer Keith Moon. "You Better You Bet" advanced Face Dances, which saw the debut of replacement Kenney Jones. He'd contribute to one more Who album before making an unhappy exit.
The basic musical approach carried over: In many ways, "You Better You Bet" was the most modern of Who singles. An undulating synth points to the influence of new wave; Townshend's short, sharp verses underscored how punk's ascension had helped focus his songwriting.
More important, however, was that he briefly rediscovered something that was often missing on Face Dances: how to write for Roger Daltrey.
Elsewhere, "Don't Let Go the Coat" left Daltrey to sort through the teachings of spiritual guru Meher Bab, while "Cache Cache" could feel a bit too angsty. "You Better You Bet," presented through the eyes of a smitten lover who's a bit of a mess, was different – especially when Daltrey winks his way through a bit of nostalgia while getting drunk "to the sound of old T. Rex ... and 'Who's Next.'"
