On June 9th, 1970, The Who were in Denver, Colorado, having played a storming 27-song show in the city’s Mammoth Gardens. They were at the peak of their popularity, reaping the rewards of the remarkable success of their 1969 concept album, Tommy.
After the show, guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend was confronted by an amorous female fan, and despite being married, considered returning her advances. Ultimately, he retired to his hotel room alone, overwhelmed by the moral judgments of his spiritual guru, Meher Baba.
As was standard with Townshend’s songs for The Who, “Behind Blue Eyes” began as a demo recorded in his home studio. “I remember my wife saying she liked this one from the kitchen below after I had finished the harmony vocals,” he recalled. The wistful vocals and gentle acoustic fingerpicking neatly reflect the protagonist’s distress, but it was not intended to be the finished version, merely serving as a guide for the group to interpret. (This recording would eventually appear on Scoop, Townshend’s 1983 collection of demos.)
Professor Of Rock has also released the new video below, along with the following introduction...
"Coming up… rock icon Pete Townsend of The Who delves into his feelings of angst in 'Behind Blue Eyes'... grappling with the pressures of being a celebrity put on a pedestal and confronting the reality that he's not who he appears to be.
It all began when Pete was tempted by a beautiful fan backstage after a live performance.
And being a famous rock star we know how this story goes, but in actuality Pete resisted her advances.
Instead, he returned to his hotel room, where he channeled his emotions into writing a song about the struggles of being a public figure.
In a moment of clarity, Pete Townsend realized he wasn't the person everyone thought he was.
'Behind Blue Eyes' became one of the most beloved songs ever with one of the most poignant vocals of the 70s. And there's a reason it was so heartfelt.
Singer Roger Daltrey's dog died hours before he put down the vocal. We go behind the artifice to uncover what it's really like to be… the bad man…
