Name a better rock album than "Who's Next" by The Who

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

Easy decision.


I got laid for the first time in my life with Van Halen II in the background. While Journey was on deck, it was Van Halen.



It was amazing.

Just be thankful Journey was not up VHII on deck. That would have changed everything!

[highnote]

Originally Posted by jay68802

Opens with a cover... how about funeral bells?

I don't get the reference.

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Originally Posted by headhawg

What are you Smokin'? You couldn't turn on a rock/pop radio station without hearing something from Boston's debut record. One filler song -- Take Me Home Tonight and that still got airplay. And if "hits" are what you judge an album on then something from The Beatles or Elton John would be the better than Who's Next.

I am going to listen to Boston again. I listened to it a lot back in the day. My recollection is that it is not as consistently great across the entire album as Who's Next.

Tom Scholz is probably a genius, but he did not do much writing after Boston to my knowledge. Townshend is a prolific writer. Compare the lyrics from any song on Who's Next to More Than a Feeling. MTF is not nearly as advanced.

Scholz is a very good guitarist. Townshend is an innovator.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Marshall Bennett

Pink Floyd : Dark side of the moon

Beatles : Abby Road

Neil Young : Tonight's the Night

Beatles are the best of all time. They changed the world. All those southern rock bands would have not had long hair if not for the Beatles.

However, Lennon was critical of McCartney for putting Maxwell's Silver Hammer on the record. I agree. It is a weak McCartney song. Octopus's Garden is a novelty song for Ringo to sing. There are no weak songs on Who's Next.

As hard as this is for me to say, Who's Next is better than Abbey Road.

However, the high points of Abbey Road are higher than Who's Next, but the lows are also lower. So I could buy the argument they are equal. But again, Who's Next is consistently great. Abbey Road is the greatest ever at times, but has weak points.

Not to mention Townshend wrote all but one song. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison wrote on Abbey Road. No excuse for including weak songs on Abbey Road.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Tom

Mic drop......

Sgt Pepper was the best record of its time. It was groundbreaking and set a new standard. They pushed the limits if recording technology. It is definitely a contender, but is it the best of all time? Lennon was way more advanced lyrically than the others in the band at that time. Within You and Without You is unique, but not a great song. They were much better writers by the time they did Abbey Road. Is Sgt Pepper better than Abbey Road? Maybe. Abbey had two weak songs. Pepper only one. Abbey has higher highs than Pepper. Pepper has lower lows than Abbey. Toss up imo.

I still give Who's Next a slight edge, but I respect the opinion of anyone who thinks Abbey and Pepper are better.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by ldiatone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANRqzwWu7l0
and this one the whole thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcM2zAb-zao

My jaw dropped he first time I heard Bell Bottom Blues. I need to listen to it again. I don't remember it being better than Who's Next, but it might be.

God, there are some great albums in this thread!

[headhawg]

Originally Posted by highnote

I am going to listen to Boston again. I listened to it a lot back in the day. My recollection is that it is not as consistently great across the entire album as Who's Next.

Tom Scholz is probably a genius, but he did not do much writing after Boston to my knowledge. Townshend is a prolific writer. Compare the lyrics from any song on Who's Next to More Than a Feeling. MTF is not nearly as advanced.

Scholz is a very good guitarist. Townshend is an innovator.

I was just making a rebuttal to your reply about only one or two hits on the Boston debut album, not trying to equate it to Who's Next. Neither was I trying to equate Boston with The Who. As iconic as Who's Next is I am not really a Who fan so it will never rank as the best album for me. Both The Wife and Love Ain't for Keepin' are just meh, and I don't particularly care for Daltrey's voice. There is no objective measure to any of this so everyone is entitled to what they think is the best.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by headhawg

I was just making a rebuttal to your reply about only one or two hits on the Boston debut album, not trying to equate it to Who's Next. Neither was I trying to equate Boston with The Who. As iconic as Who's Next is I am not really a Who fan so it will never rank as the best album for me. Both The Wife and Love Ain't for Keepin' are just meh, and I don't particularly care for Daltrey's voice. There is no objective measure to any of this so everyone is entitled to what they think is the best.

Agree

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Some Girls......the summer of 78.......what a time.

Was living with a buddy in our first real house (not apt) and with 4 bedrooms etc it turned into a party house of infinite fun and games. We loved getting drunk and singing this one.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1n-2vgbk6w4

Shadoobie......shattered.....

[Prytanis]

Led Zeppelin lll

[dirt]

Led Zeppelin Physical Graffitti

[ronsmac]

1. Origin of symmetry. 2. This is it. 3. Whatever people say I am that’s what I’m not. 4. AM. 5. Appetize for destruction. 6. Never mind

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Prytanis

Led Zeppelin lll

Good call!

Zep III starts off with Immigrant Song. Very strong.

Friends is not one of their best.

Celebration Day is also not one of their best. People like the opening guitar riff. I think Page has done better.

Since I've Been Loving You has a nice blues rhythm and then the classic Jimmy Page guitar intro. Excellent blues tune.

Out on the Tiles foreshadows what Zeppelin become. Flashes of brilliant, fat guitar riffs that the songs are built around. It's not as great as later Zep tunes, but it is still very good.

Gallows Pole sounds like bluegrass meets the blues. That is not to denigrate the song. I love the sound of the mandolin in rock tunes. Not crazy about a banjo, though. Not one of Zep's best.

Love the 12-string guitar on Tangerine. I hear the foreshadowing of Stairway and Over the Hills on some of the chords. I always loved the many different sounds page got on his guitar. What's with the pedal steel, though? Sounds like Nashville. It's an interesting song, but it's not great.

That's the Way is a nice tune, but it doesn't blow me away like some Zeppelin tunes. It's not a tune I want to hear over and over and over again like Won't Get Fooled Again.

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is a fun tune. Page gets to showcase his acoustic guitar skills. The song is so-so.

Hats Off to Roy Harper is not ground breaking. Its just a blues tune that is meant to sound like an old traditional blues tune.

The album was important because it was a turning point for the band. They played all the instruments themselves. That gives it that folksy, homemade feel, which I really like. But because it was turning point, it was more of a prelude to what the band would eventually produce. It is not the magnus opus that Who's Next is. Remember, Zep III was the third album by Zep. Who's Next was their 5th. They just were not at the same level as The Who, yet. Their talent was incredible, but they had not come into their own, but Zep III showed that they were well on their way.

Who's Next is a better rock album than Led Zeppelin III.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by jocko699

Far Away Eyes is one of my favorite songs of all time.

That's interesting that you like Far Away Eyes so much. There are at least 2 dozen Stones songs I like more, but I can't be critical of you for liking it.

It's like "ET" was the most popular movie, but it did not win an Oscar. It's hard to judge music. There is so much subjectivity.

Like the person who said they got laid the first time while a certain record was playing. That record could have been horrible to 90% of the world's listeners, but to that one guy who got lucky while the record was playing it was the greatest record ever made. How can you argue with that! You can try, but you probably won't change their mind. And truthfully, why would you want to take that away from them!

[highnote]

Originally Posted by headhawg

I was just making a rebuttal to your reply about only one or two hits on the Boston debut album, not trying to equate it to Who's Next. Neither was I trying to equate Boston with The Who. As iconic as Who's Next is I am not really a Who fan so it will never rank as the best album for me. Both The Wife and Love Ain't for Keepin' are just meh, and I don't particularly care for Daltrey's voice. There is no objective measure to any of this so everyone is entitled to what they think is the best.

I get what you're saying. Daltrey is no McCartney. But like you said Who's Next is iconic -- especially Daltrey's scream in Won't Get Fooled Again.

Love Ain't for Keeping is not the best song on the record, but it's still pretty strong. It's also by far the shortest clocking in at only 2:10. It's a change of tempo piece after the first two rockers that start the record.

The lyrics are pretty strong for a love song. Love ain't for keeping is a poetic way of saying let's have some great sex right here, right now!

Daltrey's use of melisma's at the end of each word in the sentence is a nice touch. Lennon did that a lot and so did Burt Bacharach. (melisma -- a group of notes sung to one syllable of text)

Layin' on my back
In the newly mown grass
Rain is coming down
But I know the clouds will pass
You bring me tea
Say "the babe's a-sleepin'"
Lay down beside me
Love ain't for keeping

Black ash from the foundry
Hangs like a hood
But the air is perfumed
By the burning firewood
The seeds are bursting
The spring is seeping
Lay down beside me
Love ain't for keeping