Odds & Sods

Last updated

Odds & Sods
The who odds and sods.jpg
Compilation album by
Released4 October 1974 (1974-10-04) [1]
Recorded1964–1973
Genre Rock
Length40:23
Label Track (UK)
Track/MCA (US)
Producer Glyn Johns, Kit Lambert, Peter Meaden, Chris Parmenter, Shel Talmy, The Who
CompilerJohn Alcock, John Entwistle
The Who chronology
Quadrophenia
(1973)
Odds & Sods
(1974)
Tommy
(1975)
Singles from Odds & Sods
  1. "Long Live Rock"
    Released: September 1974 (Europe)
  2. "Postcard"
    Released: November 1974
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Christgau's Record Guide B [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
MusicHound 3.5/5 [5]
Pitchfork 10/10 [6]
Rolling Stone (satisfactory) [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Tom Hull B [9]

Odds & Sods is an album of studio outtakes by British rock band the Who. It was released by Track Records in the UK on September 28, 1974, and by Track/MCA in the US on October 12, 1974. [10] Ten of the recordings on the original eleven-song album were previously unreleased. The album reached No. 10 on the UK charts and No. 15 in the US.

Contents

The recordings were compiled by Who bassist John Entwistle. Two LPs of songs were considered in 1974, but only one LP was released at the time. "It could have been a double album, there was that much material," Entwistle said. [11] It was one of the first examples of artists compiling such unreleased recordings. The Who, as well as many other artists, later released similar albums, such as Who's Missing .

Background

In the autumn of 1973, while Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and Keith Moon were preparing for the Tommy film, Entwistle was put in charge of completing an album to counter the rampant bootlegging that arose from the Who's concerts. [11] "If John Entwistle had never seen Who's Zoo", [12] observed that bootleg's cover artist William Stout, "we might not have had the legitimate Who release of Odds & Sods". [13]

"I tried to arrange it like a parallel sort of Who career – what singles we might have released and what album tracks we might have released," Entwistle explained. [11] He and the producer of his solo albums, John Alcock, compiled Odds & Sods from various unreleased Who tapes.

Townshend wrote liner notes in 1974 that included frank opinions of the quality of the songs. The notes were omitted from some copies of the original LP but included on the 1998 remastered CD. The latter featured material from the unreleased second LP. [14]

Songs

"Postcard", the only song on the original album written by Entwistle, was also released as a single. This track had new overdubs and a remix for the 1974 release. This track as well as "Now I'm a Farmer" and "Naked Eye" had been planned for an EP release in 1970, which was cancelled.

"Put the Money Down", "Too Much of Anything" and "Pure and Easy" were from the aborted Lifehouse project which the band worked on during 1971 and 1972. [15]

"Little Billy" was written in 1968 by Townshend for the American Cancer Society, but it never saw the light of day because it never left the office of the executive Townshend submitted it to. "Glow Girl" and "Faith in Something Bigger" were also recorded in 1968 for an unfinished studio album.

"I'm the Face" (which is a reworking of the Slim Harpo classic "Got Love If You Want It") was The Who's first record, when they were still performing as the High Numbers. It was recorded and first released in 1964. Only a few hundred copies of the original single were pressed. The song was remixed in stereo for the 1974 album.

"Long Live Rock" comes from a 1972 Who recording session. This track was later featured in the Who film "The Kids Are Alright", and released as a single in 1979.

Additional material

The mix of "Under My Thumb" on the 1998 remastered CD is a special stereo remix produced but not used for the Thirty Years of Maximum R&B box set that omits the original fuzzbox guitar part.

The studio version of "Young Man Blues" on the re-issue is not the sampler version of The House that Track Built, but a slower out-take (seemingly due to the tape playing at the wrong speed) from the same sessions as the Sampler Version, which was finally released in an alternate mix on the 2013 deluxe version of Tommy . The iTunes American Store lists this version of "Young Man Blues" as an "Alternate Studio Version" and at the end Kit Lambert is heard to remark: "No, that one didn't really work".

The 2011 reissue featuring the original analog mixes has some different takes than the 1998 version. For example, "Young Man Blues" is a different take than the 1998 remix.

Release history

On 29 August 2020, the album was re-released as a limited edition coloured double vinyl LP. The first disc consists of the 1974 release. The second consists of various tracks, many of which were included in the expanded 1998 CD reissue, some of which were included on other releases, and others available for the first time on the 2020 release.

Track listing

All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted.

Original album

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Postcard" John Entwistle 3:27
2."Now I'm a Farmer" 3:59
3."Put the Money Down" 4:14
4."Little Billy" 2:15
5."Too Much of Anything" 4:26
6."Glow Girl" 2:20
Total length:20:41
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Pure and Easy" 5:23
2."Faith in Something Bigger" 3:03
3."I'm the Face" (The High Numbers) Peter Meaden 2:32
4."Naked Eye" 5:10
5."Long Live Rock" 3:54
Total length:20:02

1998 remaster

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'm the Face" (The High Numbers) Peter Meaden 2:32
2."Leaving Here" Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland 2:12
3."Baby Don't You Do It"Holland, Dozier, Holland2:27
4."Summertime Blues" (studio version) Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart 3:13
5."Under My Thumb" Mick Jagger, Keith Richards 2:44
6."Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" 3:21
7."My Way"Cochran, Capehart2:26
8."Faith in Something Bigger" 3:03
9."Glow Girl" 2:24
10."Little Billy" 2:17
11."Young Man Blues" (alternate version) Mose Allison 2:44
12."Cousin Kevin Model Child" John Entwistle 1:24
13."Love Ain't for Keeping" (Pete Townshend on lead vocals) 4:03
14."Time Is Passing" (Mono mix created from the left channel of the original stereo mix) 3:29
15."Pure and Easy" 5:21
16."Too Much of Anything" 4:21
17."Long Live Rock" 3:56
18."Put the Money Down" 4:29
19."We Close Tonight" 2:56
20."Postcard"Entwistle3:30
21."Now I'm a Farmer" 4:06
22."Water" 4:39
23."Naked Eye" 5:26
Total length:77:03

CD Reissue 2011 (SHM-CD)

In December 2011, Universal Japan issued the original analogue mix for the album on CD with the songs reflecting the order of the original vinyl. The bonus tracks that were issued previously on the 1998 CD remix reissue were added after the original running order of the album. These bonus tracks used the original analogue mixes where possible rather than the remixes prepared for the 1998 expanded CD reissue. The reissue was remastered by Jon Astley.

No.TitleLength
1."Postcard"3:35
2."Now I'm a Farmer"4:11
3."Put the Money Down"4:04
4."Little Billy"2:15
5."Too Much of Anything"4:24
6."Glow Girl"2:15
7."Pure and Easy"5:25
8."Faith in Something Bigger"3:07
9."I'm the Face"2:31
10."Naked Eye"5:16
11."Long Live Rock"3:56
12."Leaving Here"2:15
13."Baby Don't You Do It"2:30
14."Summertime Blues" (studio version)3:16
15."Under My Thumb"2:47
16."Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand"2:10
17."My Way"2:27
18."Young Man Blues"2:45
19."Cousin Kevin Model Child"1:25
20."Love Ain't for Keeping"4:07
21."Time Is Passing"3:30
22."We Close Tonight"2:55
23."Water"4:42
Total length:75:48

2020 RSD edition

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Year of RecordingLength
1."Postcard" John Entwistle 1970, 19743:35
2."Now I'm a Farmer" 19704:11
3."Put the Money Down" 1972, 19744:05
4."Little Billy" 19682:15
5."Too Much of Anything" 1971, 19724:26
6."Glow Girl" 19682:13
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Year of RecordingLength
1."Pure and Easy" 19715:25
2."Faith in Something Bigger" 19683:08
3."I'm the Face" (The High Numbers) Peter Meaden 19642:37
4."Naked Eye" 19705:19
5."Long Live Rock" 19724:00
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Place of OriginLength
1."Zoot Suit" (The High Numbers) Peter Meaden Non-album single, 19642:08
2."Here 'Tis" (The High Numbers, recorded in 1964) Ellas McDaniel Thirty Years of Maximum R&B , 19942:11
3."Leaving Here" (acetate version, recorded in 1965) Holland–Dozier–Holland Odds & Sods (1998 remaster), 19982:13
4."Baby Don't You Do It" (acetate version, recorded in 1965) Holland–Dozier–Holland Odds & Sods (1998 remaster), 19982:29
5."Young Man Blues" (studio version) Mose Allison The House That Track Built, 19692:47
6."Dogs Part Two" Keith Moon Non-album B-side, 19692:28
7."Here For More" Roger Daltrey Non-album B-side, 19702:27
8."The Seeker" (full length version, recorded in 1970) Previously unreleased, 20204:02
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Place of OriginLength
1."Heaven and Hell"John EntwistleNon-album B-side, 19703:34
2."I Don't Even Know Myself" (original EP version, recorded in 1970)  Then and Now (Japanese release), 20044:09
3."When I Was A Boy"John EntwistleNon-album B-side, 19713:31
4."Waspman"Keith MoonNon-album B-side, 19723:06
5."We Close Tonight" (recorded in 1973) Odds & Sods (1998 remaster), 19983:03
6."Water" (recorded in 1970) Non-album B-side, 19734:42

Personnel

The Who

Production

Charts

Chart (1974)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [16] 47
UK Albums (OCC) [17] 10
US Billboard 200 [18] 15

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [20] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Quadrophenia</i> 1973 studio album by the Who

Quadrophenia is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the previous two being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, While He's Away" (1966) and the album Tommy (1969). Set in London and Brighton in 1965, the story follows a young mod named Jimmy and his search for self-worth and importance. Quadrophenia is the only Who album entirely written & composed by Pete Townshend.

<i>A Quick One</i> 1966 studio album by the Who

A Quick One is the second studio album by the English rock band the Who, released on 9 December 1966. In the United States, where the song "Happy Jack" was a top 40 hit, the album was released in April 1967 under the title Happy Jack with a slightly altered track listing.

<i>My Generation</i> (album) 1965 album by The Who

My Generation is the debut studio album by English rock band the Who, released on 3 December 1965 by Brunswick Records in the United Kingdom, and Festival Records in Australia. In the United States, it was released on 25 April 1966 by Decca Records as The Who Sings My Generation, with a different cover and a slightly altered track listing. Besides the members of the Who, being Roger Daltrey (vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums), the album features contributions by session musician Nicky Hopkins (piano).

<i>The Who Sell Out</i> 1967 album by the Who

The Who Sell Out is the third studio album by the English rock band the Who. It was released on 15 December 1967 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US. A concept album, The Who Sell Out is structured as a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with fake commercials and public service announcements, including the second track "Heinz Baked Beans". The album purports to be a broadcast by pirate radio station Radio London. The reference to "selling out" was an intended irony, as the Who had been making real commercials during that period of their career, some of which are included as bonus tracks on the remastered CD.

<i>Magic Bus: The Who on Tour</i> 1968 compilation album by the Who

Magic Bus: The Who on Tour is a compilation album by English rock band the Who. It was released as the band's fourth album in the United States by Decca in September 1968 to capitalize on the success of their single of the same name. It is a compilation album of previously released material, and was not issued in the UK, although the album was also released at approximately the same time in Canada. It peaked at #39 on the Billboard 200.

<i>The Who by Numbers</i> 1975 studio album by the Who

The Who by Numbers is the seventh studio album by English rock band the Who, released on 3 October 1975 in the United Kingdom through Polydor Records, and on 6 October 1975 in the United States by MCA Records. It was named the tenth-best album of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.

<i>Its Hard</i> 1982 studio album by the Who

It's Hard is the tenth studio album by English rock band the Who. Released in September 1982, it was the final Who album to feature bassist John Entwistle, who died in 2002. It was also the second and final Who studio album with drummer Kenney Jones, as well as the last to be released on Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was released on Polydor Records in the UK, peaking at No. 11, and on Warner Bros. in the US where it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The US rights to both this album and Face Dances subsequently reverted to the band, who then licensed them to MCA Records for reissue. The album achieved gold status by the RIAA in the US in November 1982. It was their last album for over two decades until Endless Wire in 2006.

<i>Who Are You</i> 1978 studio album by the Who

Who Are You is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released on 18 August 1978 by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and on 21 August 1978 by MCA Records in the United States. Although the album received mixed reviews from critics, it was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the US charts and number 6 on the UK charts.

<i>Face Dances</i> 1981 studio album by the Who

Face Dances is the ninth studio album by English rock band the Who. It was released in 1981 by Warner Bros. in the United States and on Polydor in the United Kingdom. It is one of two Who studio albums with drummer Kenney Jones, who joined the band after Keith Moon's death three years earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5:15</span> Song by The Who

"5:15" is a song written by Pete Townshend of British rock band The Who. Part of the band's second rock opera, Quadrophenia (1973), the song was also released as a single and reached No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart, while the 1979 re-release reached No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Smash Your Head Against the Wall</i> 1971 studio album by John Entwistle

Smash Your Head Against the Wall is the debut solo studio album by the English rock musician John Entwistle, released in May 1971 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US. Smash Your Head Against the Wall was the first solo album by any member of rock band the Who, born out of Entwistle's frustrations within the band, namely not having as many of his songs featured on their albums as he would've liked, and it features a guest appearance by the Who's drummer Keith Moon on one track, as well as strong musical influences from the band's work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoot Suit/I'm the Face</span> 1964 single by the High Numbers

"Zoot Suit" b/w "I'm the Face" was the first single of the British rock band the Who, who recorded it under the name the High Numbers in an attempt to appeal to a mod audience. "Zoot Suit" was written by Peter Meaden, the band's first manager. The song is a direct copy of "Misery" by the American R&B group the Dynamics, while the B-side, "I'm the Face", is a copy of Slim Harpo's "I Got Love If You Want It." The single was meant for a mod audience, but failed to chart. The band changed their name back to The Who, found new management, and released their own composition "I Can't Explain", which became a top ten hit in the United Kingdom.

"Love Ain't for Keeping" is a song written by Pete Townshend and originally released by the Who on their 1971 album Who's Next. Its themes include the joy of physical love, the power of nature and the need to live for the moment.

Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock was the title of an unreleased 1972 autobiographical album by the British rock band The Who. In the liner notes for the Who's 1974 rarities collection Odds & Sods, guitarist and lead songwriter Pete Townshend said, "I had an idea once for a new album about the history of The Who called Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock. That idea later blossomed into Quadrophenia." The sessions for the album spanned from 19 May to 6 June at Olympic Studios in London. Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock was to be produced by The Who and Glyn Johns and scheduled for release in October 1972, but although the album was nearly completed the band felt as though it sounded too much like their 1971 LP Who's Next. Townshend later stated that Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock was also going to be a TV special about The Who.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand</span> Song by the Who

"Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" is a song by the English rock band the Who. It was written by Pete Townshend and released on their 1967 album The Who Sell Out. The best known version of the song has an arrangement using acoustic guitar and Latin percussion instruments.

<i>Whos Missing</i> (album) 1985 album

Who's Missing is a compilation of rare and previously unreleased songs by the English rock band the Who. Its second part, Two's Missing, was released in April 1987.

<i>Quadrophenia</i> (soundtrack) 1979 soundtrack album by the Who

Quadrophenia is the soundtrack album of the 1979 film Quadrophenia, which refers to the 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia. It was initially released on Polydor Records in 1979 as a cassette and LP and was re-released as a compact disc in 1993 and 2001. The album was dedicated to Peter Meaden, a prominent Mod and first manager of The Who, who had died a year prior to the album's release.

<i>Tommy</i> (soundtrack) 1975 soundtrack album by The Who

Tommy is a soundtrack album by The Who with contributions from numerous artists. The soundtrack was used in the 1975 Tommy film that was based on the original album that was released by The Who in 1969. Pete Townshend oversaw the production of this double-LP recording that returned the music to its rock roots, and on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements he had envisaged for the original Tommy LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser.

"Naked Eye" is a song by The Who, written by Pete Townshend. The studio version was released on the group's 1974 compilation album Odds and Sods. Live versions appear on Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, View from a Backstage Pass, Greatest Hits Live, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, and both reissues of Who's Next.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's See Action</span> 1971 single by the Who

"Let's See Action" is a song written and composed by Pete Townshend and recorded by the Who. It was released as a single in the UK in 1971 and reached #16 in the charts.

References

  1. Neill, Andrew; Kent, Matthew; Roger Daltrey; Chris Stamp (2009). Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of the Who 1958-1978. Sterling. p. 297. ISBN   978-1-4027-6691-6 . Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  2. AllMusic review
  3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 9 March 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  5. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide . Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p.  1227. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  6. "The Who: Odds and Sods: Pitchfork Review". 5 June 2003. Archived from the original on 5 June 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  7. Miller, Jim (5 December 1974). "Odds And Sods". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. "The Who: Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  9. Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Rock (1960s)". tomhull.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  10. Liner notes to MCA Records re-release, 1998
  11. 1 2 3 Flippo, Chet (5 December 1974). "Entwistle: Not So Silent After All". Rolling Stone . No. 175. Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. p. 11.
  12. "The Who - Who's Zoo | Releases". Discogs.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  13. Stout, William (May 2015). "The art of the matter". Classic Rock #209. p. 69.
  14. "The Who Official Band Website – Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon || Odds And Sods". Thewho.com. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  15. Who's Next 1995 Remastered Liner Notes
  16. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  17. "The Who | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  18. "The Who Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  19. "The Who Odds and Sods British In-House Gold Sales Award". Entertainment.ha.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  20. "American album certifications – The Who – ODDS & SODS". Recording Industry Association of America.