Song of the Week #88 – “I Can’t Explain”
Written by admin on January 9, 2012 – 10:41 am -| The Who’s debut single “I Can’t Explain” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons.
“I Can’t Explain” was released on single in December 1964 in the US and month later in the UK, backed with “Bald Headed Woman.” The song didn’t appear on an album until “Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy” in 1971. |
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The Who were originally The Detours, but changed their name to The Who in early 1964 after it emerged that there was already an American band called The Detours.
Under the influence of publicist and manager Pete Meaden, the band made a conscious effort to appeal to the Mod scene. Meaden also convinced the band to change their name to The High Numbers, which was a short-lived decision as The High Numbers one and only single (“Zoot Suit” b/w “I’m the Face”) was not a success. It was during an appearance as The High Numbers that the band was seen by the management team of Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, who were looking to make a film that would chart a band’s road to success. Lambert and Stamp decided that The High Numbers would fit the bill, but with the proviso that their name was changed back to The Who. A wise choice.
A big turning point for The Who came when Townshend’s home demo of “I Can’t Explain” was heard by American producer Shel Talmy, who had recently worked with the Kinks on their hard rock classic “You Really Got Me.” The demo was enough to convince Talmy of The Who’s potential and a deal with Brunswick Records followed shortly afterwards.
Townshend is on record as saying that the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” was a big influence when he was writing “I Can’t Explain,” so Talmy was a good fit to produce The Who’s early material, including “I Can’t Explain.” When interviewed by Richie Unterberger, Talmy wasn’t shy about highlighting the impact that he had on The Who’s early sound:
| “I had always felt that the so-called Who sound, on record at any event, was a good deal my creation. And I don’t think that’s an ego trip. All you have to do is listen to the record they did before I was with them, the High Numbers record [“I’m The Face”/”Zoot Suit”], and compare the difference. And I certainly felt that after I stopped recording them, they weren’t being recorded nearly as well. But I’m probably prejudiced (laughs).” |
As important as Talmy’s influence was on the recording, plaudits must of course go to Pete Townshend for writing the song in the first place. In the 2007 documentary “Amazing Journey – The Story of The Who,” Roger Daltrey spoke of his admiration for Townshend’s songwriting on “I Can’t Explain”:
| “On the surface what appears to be a frilly little pop song is a much much bigger statement. ‘I’ve got a feeling inside, I can’t explain.’ And you could see that Townshend as a writer had huge potential because he wasn’t going the normal way that pop songs go. It was going internal.” |
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It’s very evident on “I Can’t Explain” that all the gigging had paid off and The Who were now a very tight band who were beginning to craft a very distinctive style. The addition of Keith Moon to the band in early 1964 had been an important factor in that regard, because his manic style supported and at times prompted John Entwistle’s wandering bass work and Townshend’s explosive guitar style. With Daltrey’s powerful and passionate vocals added to the mix, the band were a force to be reckoned with. |
Rock critic, Dave Marsh, summed up The Who’s early musical prowess when in 1976 (Rolling Stone – October 7, 1976 edition) he reflected on the profound impact that “I Can’t Explain” had on him when first released:
| “Guitars cracked like whips, drums pounded like heads against walls, and the vocals were right out of the asylum: sandpaper on top of cotton candy. That was all there was, but it was enough to take my breath away…” |
| “Twelve years later, those three angry minutes still seem the best argument that the Who are the pinnacle of rock and roll achievement.” |
The Who – “I Can’t Explain”
Authorship
“I Can’t Explain” was written by Pete Townshend.
Recording date/location
“I Can’t Explain” was recorded in November 1964 at IBC Studios, London, England.
Musicians
The following musicians played on “I Can’t Explain”:
- Roger Daltrey – lead vocals
- Pete Townshend – lead and rhythm 12-string guitar
- John Entwistle – bass guitar
- Keith Moon – drums
- Perry Ford – piano
- Jimmy Page – rhythm six-string guitar
- John Carter and Ken Lewis (The Ivy League) – backing vocals.
John Carter and Ken Lewis were busy session singers who would go on to have a hit with “Let’s Go To San Francisco” as The Flower Pot Men. They had been brought into the session by Shel Talmy, as explained by Roger Daltrey in a 1994 interview for Goldmine Magazine:
| “Shel Talmy didn’t think that Pete’s lead guitar playing was up to it and he didn’t think our backing vocals were up to it. He was right about the backing vocals (laughs). And obviously in those days you weren’t in overdub facilities. You made the record and that was it. So if you wanted to put a solo on you had to do it when you were doing the record.” |
Despite Talmy’s reservations, the great lead guitar part was indeed played by Townshend on his 12-string Rickenbacker.
Future Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin guitar legend, Jimmy Page, was a popular session guitarist in this period and had previously worked on a Talmy-produced session with the Kinks.
Chart performance
“I Can’t Explain” peaked at number eight on the UK singles chart on April 17, 1965. It was less successful in the US, only reaching number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Covers
Oscar and the Majestics – “I Can’t Explain”
Oscar and the Majestics’ 1966 garage rock cover of “I Can’t Explain” is notable for Oscar Hamod’s use of fuzz tone guitar and the energetic drumming from Johnny Topa. This lacks the bite of the original, but it is a good recording.
The Scorpions – “I Can’t Explain”
German rockers, The Scorpions, recorded “I Can’t Explain” for the 1989 charity album “Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell” and it also appeared on their 1989 compilation “Best of Rockers ‘n’ Ballads.” The typical 1980s hard rock production gives this a beefier sound than the original and all concerned give a good performance. However, there is also a predictability about the execution in that it’s exactly how you would expect a late 1980s hard rock interpretation of the song to sound.
There will be a new Song of the Week on January 16.
“I Can’t Explain” is available on an expanded edition of The Who’s first album “My Generation” and a number of compilations, including last year’s “Greatest Hits.”
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The Who – My Generation deluxe (2 CDs) |
Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
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The Who – Greatest Hits (CD) |
Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
Tags: Oscar and the Majestics, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Shel Talmy, The Scorpions, The Who, The Who - I Can't Explain
Posted in British Invasion, Song of the Week |
