You Better You Bet

Last updated

"You Better You Bet"
YouBetterYouBet.jpg
Single by The Who
from the album Face Dances
B-side "The Quiet One"
Released27 February 1981
Recorded4 November 1980;
Odyssey Recording Studios, London
Genre Rock [1] [2] [3]
Length5:36 (Album Version), 3:58 (Single Version)
Label Warner Bros. (US)
Polydor (UK)
Songwriter(s) Pete Townshend
Producer(s) Bill Szymczyk
The Who singles chronology
"5.15"
(1979)		"You Better You Bet"
(1981)		"Don't Let Go the Coat"
(1981)
Music video
"You Better You Bet" on YouTube

"You Better You Bet" is a song by British rock band the Who, appearing as the first track on their 1981 album Face Dances . It is sung by frontman Roger Daltrey with backing vocals from Pete Townshend and bassist John Entwistle.

Contents

"You Better You Bet" became a hit and one of the Who's most recognizable songs. It was the last single by the band that reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 18. The track was at number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart for five weeks beginning 4 April 1981. [4] It was also their last single to hit the top ten in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 9.

Background

"You Better You Bet" was written by Pete Townshend as a love song for his girlfriend at the time:

"I developed ['You Better You Bet'] over several weeks of clubbing and partying. I had gone through a lean period in my marriage and was seeing the daughter of a friend of mine. I wanted it to be a good song because the girl I wrote it for is one of the best people on the planet." [5]

Townshend also commented: "'You Better You Bet' was a very spontaneous lyric. A fairly spontaneous, peppy song; it's a pop song, really, it's just a pop song." [6]

Roger Daltrey praised the song's vocal melody, comparing it to Elvis Presley. He stated, "A wonderful, wonderful song. The way the vocal bounces, it always reminds me of Elvis." [7] Daltrey also noted, "'You Better You Bet' is still one of my favourite songs of all." [5]

The song references the group T. Rex, as well as the group's own album Who's Next (1971), with the line: "I drunk myself blind to the sound of old T. Rex... and Who's Next." The synthesizer riff is performed on a Yamaha E70 home organ. [6] Townshend's guitar part is performed on a Rickenbacker 360/12.

Release

"You Better You Bet" was released as the first single from Face Dances in February 1981, backed with the John Entwistle-penned "The Quiet One". The single peaked at number 9 in the UK; in the US, it reached number 18. The single's relative underperformance is thought to have been because Warner Bros. Records had decided to boycott independent promoters in America, which resulted in less airplay for the track. [5] Pete Townshend reflected on the single's success: "A surprise hit single for us... We even went back on Top of the Pops ." [8]

Reception

"You Better You Bet" has seen positive critical reception since its release. Record World said that "flashy electronic keyboards usher in Roger Daltrey's souped up pop vocal." [9] Rolling Stone ranked the song as the band's 32nd-best, stating, "Tough and to the point, 'You Better You Bet' reflects the way Townshend's enthusiasm for punk rock was tightening his songwriting. Addressed to his new girlfriend, it also hits a note of sly nostalgia when Daltrey sings about getting drunk "to the sound of old T. Rex.'" [8] Mike DeGagne of AllMusic praised the song as "arguably the strongest track on Face Dances" and concluded, "The Who's use of synthesizers fit in perfectly with the beginning of the decade, while the song's alliterative chorus and clever use of sarcasm and wit gave it lyrical sustenance." [10]

Music video

A music video for the song was produced in black and white, featuring the band and keyboardist John Bundrick playing onstage. Upon the launch of MTV on 1 August 1981, it was the fourth video played; [11] it was also the 55th, 98th, 141st, and 191st video to be aired, becoming during that sequence the first video seen multiple times on the channel.

Personnel

Additional musicians

Charts

See also

Related Research Articles

<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. A version of the album with an altered track listing was released under the name Happy Jack on Decca Records in April 1967 in the United States, where the song "Happy Jack" was a top 40 hit.

<i>Empty Glass</i> 1980 studio album by Pete Townshend

Empty Glass is the second solo studio album by English rock musician Pete Townshend, and his first composed of original material, released on 21 April 1980 by Atco Records.

<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 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 21 August 1978 by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and 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.

<i>Odds & Sods</i> 1974 compilation album by The Who

Odds & Sods is an album of studio outtakes by British rock band the Who. It was released by Track Records in the UK and Track/MCA in the US in October 1974. 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.

<i>The Ultimate Collection</i> (The Who album) 2002 greatest hits album by the Who

The Ultimate Collection is a 2002 two-disc greatest hits set by the Who with both singles and top hits from albums, all of which have been remastered. The compilation was released by Polydor Records internationally and on MCA Records in the U.S. The first 150,000 copies added a third disk with rare tracks and music videos. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 album chart on 29 June 2002, at No. 31 and hit No. 17 on the British charts. It was certified gold by the RIAA on 15 July 2002 and platinum on 13 March 2008.

<i>Then and Now</i> (The Who album) 2004 compilation album by the Who

Then and Now is a 2004 greatest hits compilation album by The Who released internationally by Polydor Records and by Geffen Records in the United States. It features 18 Who classics and two new tracks—"Real Good Looking Boy" and "Old Red Wine"—which were the first Who originals since "Dig" from Pete Townshend's 1989 album The Iron Man. "Real Good Looking Boy" is a tribute to Elvis Presley, and "Old Red Wine" is a tribute to former band member John Entwistle, who died in 2002. The album was re-released in 2007 and replaced "Old Red Wine" with "It's Not Enough" from the 2006 album Endless Wire and "Summertime Blues" was replaced by "Baba O'Riley".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athena (song)</span> Song by The Who

"Athena" is a song written by Pete Townshend and recorded by The Who. It appears as the first track on the group's tenth album It's Hard, released in 1982. Written for actress Theresa Russell, the song was the first single from It's Hard. The single was a moderate success, entering US Billboard on 4 September, reaching No. 28 and the UK Singles Charts on 2 October, reaching No. 40.

<i>My Generation: The Very Best of The Who</i> 1996 greatest hits album by The Who

My Generation: The Very Best of The Who is one of The Who's many greatest hits collections, released by Polydor Records internationally and MCA Records in the United States in 1996. Its release coincided with the release of the remastered original albums and thus contained the newly remastered versions of the songs, and some also remixed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squeeze Box (song)</span> 1975 single by the Who

"Squeeze Box" is a song by the Who from their album The Who by Numbers. Written by Pete Townshend, the lyrics are couched in sexual double entendres. Unlike many of the band's other hits, the song features country-like elements, as heard in Townshend's banjo picking.

<i>Blues to the Bush</i> 2000 album

Blues to the Bush is a live album by The Who recorded at the House of Blues in Chicago on 12 and 13 November 1999, and at the Empire Theatre, Shepherd's Bush on 22 and 23 December 1999. It was sold exclusively from the now defunct MusicMaker.com, though it can still be found on torrent sites and second hand markets such as EBay.

<i>A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who</i> 1994 live album by Roger Daltrey

A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who, also known as Daltrey Sings Townshend, is a music event and a later live album by Roger Daltrey documenting a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall in February 1994.

<i>Whos Better, Whos Best</i> 1988 compilation album by the Who

Who's Better, Who's Best: This Is the Very Best of the Who is a 1988 compilation album by the Who. A compilation of videos also titled Who's Better, Who's Best was released in 1988 as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Good Looking Boy</span> The Who song

"Real Good Looking Boy" is a song written by the guitarist of the British rock band The Who, Pete Townshend. It was originally released in 2004 on the compilation album Then and Now, and was one of two new songs on that album, the other being "Old Red Wine". Together, they were the first new songs released by the Who for 15 years. It was later released as an edited single backed with the aforementioned song. "Real Good Looking Boy" was later performed in the 2007 rock musical The Boy Who Heard Music. The song peaked at #28 on the Heritage rock chart. Bassist Greg Lake and drummer Zak Starkey, as well as keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick played on this song.

<i>Live at the Royal Albert Hall</i> (The Who album) 2003 live album by The Who

Live at the Royal Albert Hall is a three-CD live album set by The Who, released in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Join Together (The Who song)</span> 1972 single by the Who

"Join Together" is a song by British rock band the Who, first released as a non-album single in June 1972. The song has since been performed live multiple times and has appeared on numerous compilation albums.

<i>Tommy and Quadrophenia Live</i> 2005 video by The Who

Tommy and Quadrophenia Live is a 3-disc DVD box set that includes performances by The Who from their 1989 and 1996-1997 tours. Whilst the Tommy part of the set had been already released on VHS, material from the Quadrophenia Tour had not been commercially available previously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trick of the Light (The Who song)</span> 1978 single by The Who

"Trick of the Light" is a song written by bassist John Entwistle for The Who's eighth studio album, Who Are You. It was released as the second single from the album, atypically with another Entwistle song, "905" on the B-side, but did not chart.

<i>The Who Hits 50!</i> (album) 2014 compilation album by the Who

The Who Hits 50! is a compilation of singles by the English rock band the Who, released in 2014 by Polydor Records. The two-disc set contains every single released by the band in the United Kingdom, with the exceptions of: "A Legal Matter" and "La-La-La-Lies" from 1966; and "Long Live Rock" and the remake of "I'm One" from 1979. At the same time it also contains every single by the band released in the United States throughout their career, with the exceptions of: "The Real Me" from 1974; the reissue of "Substitute" from 1976; and "Long Live Rock" from 1979. A condensed single-disc standard edition appeared as well, both versions in conjunction with the band's 50th anniversary and associated tour of the same name. The album is notable for containing singles generally not included on other compilation albums, such as the band's Rolling Stones cover "The Last Time" done as an act of solidarity while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were facing jail time, along with other lesser-known singles "Dogs" and "Call Me Lightning".

References

  1. ↑ "Face Dances - the Who | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic .
  2. ↑ "You Better You Bet - the Who | Song Info | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  3. ↑ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1981". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 399–401. ISBN   9781493064601.
  4. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), p. 677
  5. 1 2 3 Grantley, Steve; Parker, Alan G. The Who by Numbers: The Story of The Who Through Their Music. Helter Skelter. p. 196.
  6. 1 2 Cady, Brian. "'Face Dances' Liner Notes". Thewho.net. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "You Better You Bet". Songfacts.com.
  8. 1 2 Browne, David; Fricke, David; Dolan, Jon; Grow, Kory; Gehr, Richard; Greene, Andy; Hermes, Will (3 March 2016). "The Who's 50 Greatest Songs: 32. "You Better You Bet" ('Face Dances', 1981)". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 21 March 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  10. ↑ DeGagne, Mike. "You Better You Bet". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "MTV LAUNCH FIRST DAY SATURDAY AUGUST 1st, 1981 Part 2". YouTube. Retrieved 12 January 2012.[ dead YouTube link ]
  12. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  13. ↑ "The Who – You Better You Bet" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0333." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
  15. ↑ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par W". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – You Better You Bet". Irish Singles Chart.
  17. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 18, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  18. ↑ "The Who – You Better You Bet" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  19. ↑ "The Who – You Better You Bet". Top 40 Singles.
  20. ↑ "Who: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  21. ↑ "The Who Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  22. ↑ "The Who Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  23. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending May 16, 1981". Cash Box magazine . Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  24. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1981". Ultratop.be. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  25. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981". Top40.nl. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.