Bargain (song)

Last updated
"Bargain"
Song by The Who
from the album Who's Next
Released14 August 1971
RecordedApril –June 1971
Studio Olympic, London
Genre Hard rock
Length5:34
Label
Songwriter(s) Pete Townshend
Producer(s)

"Bargain" is a song written by Pete Townshend that was first released by the Who on their 1971 album Who's Next . It is a love song, although the intended subject of the song is God rather than a woman. The song has been included on several compilation and live albums. It was also included on several of Townshend's solo projects. Critics have praised the song's lyricism and power, as well as the performance of the band on the song. Townshend acknowledged during the Who's concert at the Prudential Center in Newark on 19 March 2016 that this is his favorite song on the album.

Contents

Lyrics and music

"Bargain" is a love song. [1] The opening lines are: [1] [2]

I'd gladly lose me to find you
I'd gladly give up all I had
To find you I'd suffer anything and be glad

The lyrics are typical love song lyrics in which the singer says he will give up everything to win his love, and that the singer would consider that a bargain. [1] However, the lyrics do not identify who the subject of the singer's love is. [2] [3] Townshend has stated the song was influenced by Indian mystic Meher Baba and that the subject of the song is God. [2] [3] Townshend has stated "The song is simply about losing one's ego as a devotee of Meher Baba. I constantly try to lose myself and find him. I'm not very successful, I'm afraid, but this song expresses how much of a bargain it would be to lose everything in order to be at one with God." [2]

"Bargain" begins with a gentle acoustic guitar part played by Townshend. [1] [2] A drone is played softly in the background. [2] The energy picks up with Keith Moon's drum fills and Townshend's rhythm guitar chords before Roger Daltrey begins to sing the lyrics. [1] [2] Daltrey sings most of the lyrics energetically and powerfully, but there is a gentler section sung by Townshend. [1] [2] [3] In this gentler section, backed by John Entwistle's bass guitar, Townshend starts by singing: [1] [3]

I sit looking 'round
I look at my face in the mirror
I know I'm worth nothing without you

The line "I know I'm worth nothing without you" in particular shows the influence of Meher Baba's teachings. [3] Other themes of the song include the search for self-identity and the balance within the human psyche of the id and the ego. [3] [4]

Instrumentation of "Bargain" includes an ARP synthesizer, which is used both as a solo instrument and as a backing instrument while Townshend plays a guitar solo. [2] [4] [5] That guitar solo was praised by Rolling Stone critic John Mendelsohn, as well as by the Who authors Chris Charlesworth, Steve Grantley and Alan Parker. [2] [3] [5] Moon's drum fills have also been heavily praised, as have Entwistle's bass lines. [2] [3] Townshend used several guitars on "Bargain," including a 1959 Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar that he received from Joe Walsh, as a gift. [2] [4]

At least nine versions of "Bargain" were recorded between April and June 1971. [2] Townshend was particularly effusive in his praise for the sound associate producer Glyn Johns was able to achieve, particularly for the acoustic guitars. [2]

Critical reception

John Swenson of Rolling Stone described "Bargain" as one of "Townshend's most beautiful songs." [6] Author John Atkins praised song's strength and melody as well as the Who's performance of the song. [4] Atkins goes on to say that "'Bargain' radiates sheer dynamism and excitement, and the brilliance of the playing turns the song into a masterpiece." [4] Allmusic critic Tom Maginnis calls "Bargain" one of the "explosively dynamic tracks found on the Who's seminal Who's Next album. [1]

Other appearances

A live performance of "Bargain" from San Francisco on December 12, 1971 was included on the 1985 the Who album Who's Missing . [3] [7] This version was later included in the compilation album Thirty Years of Maximum R&B in 1994. [8] The studio version was included on the compilation album The Ultimate Collection in 2002. [9]

Pete Townshend included solo recordings of "Bargain" on his albums Scoop and The Lifehouse Chronicles . [10] [11]

Personnel

Related Research Articles

The Who English rock band

The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Their contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall Stack, large PA systems, the use of the synthesizer, Entwistle and Moon's influential playing styles, Townshend's feedback and power chord guitar technique, and the development of the rock opera. They are cited as an influence by many hard rock, punk rock and mod bands, and their songs are still regularly played.

Pete Townshend British musician

Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, secondary lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

<i>Whos Next</i> 1971 studio album by the Who

Who's Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted Lifehouse project, a multi-media rock opera written by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album Tommy. The project was cancelled owing to its complexity and to conflicts with Kit Lambert, the band's manager, but the group salvaged some of the songs, without the connecting story elements, to release as their next album. Eight of the nine songs on Who's Next were from Lifehouse, the lone exception being the John Entwistle-penned "My Wife". Ultimately, the remaining Lifehouse tracks would all be released on other albums throughout the next decade.

Baba ORiley Original song written and composed by Pete Townshend; first performed by The Who

"Baba O'Riley", also erroneously referred to as its chorus refrain "Teenage Wasteland", is a song by the English rock band the Who and the opening track to their studio album Who's Next. It was issued in Europe as a single on 23 October 1971, coupled with "My Wife".

Wont Get Fooled Again 1971 single by the Who

"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the English rock band the Who, written by Pete Townshend. It was released as a single in June 1971, reaching the top 10 in the UK, while the full eight-and-a-half-minute version appears as the final track on the band's 1971 album Who's Next, released that August.

<i>Who Came First</i> 1972 studio album by Pete Townshend

Who Came First is the debut album by Pete Townshend, released in 1972 on Track Records in the UK and Track/Decca in the US. It includes demos from the aborted concept album Lifehouse, part of which became Who's Next. The original release had a gatefold cover and included a poster with additional photos of Meher Baba from the Louis van Gasteren film Beyond Words. The cover photo of Townshend standing on eggs is a reference to the eternal question "Who came first: the chicken or the egg?" It peaked at number 30 on the UK album chart and at number 69 on the US Billboard 200.

Going Mobile Song by The Who

"Going Mobile" is a song written by Pete Townshend and originally released by the Who on their 1971 album Who's Next. It was originally written for Townshend's abandoned Lifehouse project, with lyrics celebrating the joy of having a mobile home and being able to travel the open road. The Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey did not take part in the recording of the song, leaving the rest of the band to record it as a power trio; Townshend handles the lead vocals, guitars, and synthesizers, with John Entwistle on bass guitar and Keith Moon on drums. The song has attracted mixed reviews from music critics.

5:15 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.

Love, Reign oer Me Song by The Who

"Love, Reign o'er Me", subtitled "Pete's Theme", is a song by English rock band The Who. Written and composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, it was released on 27 October 1973 as the second single from the band's sixth studio album and second rock opera, Quadrophenia. It is the final song on the album, and has been a concert staple for years. The song peaked at number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 54 on Cash Box.

"The Song Is Over" is a song by the English rock band the Who, appearing on Who's Next. It was originally to be the ending song on Lifehouse. It takes place after the police invade the Lifehouse Theatre and the concert goers disappear.

"Getting in Tune" is a song written by Pete Townshend and originally released by the Who on their 1971 album Who's Next. It was originally written as part of Townshend's abandoned Lifehouse project. Its lyrics describe the power of music, as well as reflect the inner contradictions Townshend was feeling at the time between his spiritual needs and his persona as a rock star. The music incorporates a number of changes in tempo and has been praised by critics for its use of dynamics.

Slip Kid Song by The Who

"Slip Kid" is a song from The Who's seventh album, The Who by Numbers. Written originally for Pete Townshend's shelved Lifehouse rock opera, "Slip Kid" was revived in 1975. The song was originally written as a warning about the music business, though Townshend has pointed out the song's relevance in different contexts. The song was released as a single in the US, backed by "Dreaming from the Waist", but failed to chart.

"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.

"Drowned" is a song written by Pete Townshend, the guitarist for the Who, for their sixth album, Quadrophenia.

Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand 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.

Dont Let Go the Coat 1981 single by the Who

"Don't Let Go the Coat" is a song written by Pete Townshend and first released on The Who's 1981 album Face Dances.

"Tattoo" is a song written by Pete Townshend that was first released by The Who on their 1967 album The Who Sell Out. A "rite of passage" song, "Tattoo" tells the story of two teenaged brothers who decide to get tattoos in their attempts to become men. Themes of the song include peer pressure to conform and young men's insecurity about their manhood. The song has been heavily praised by critics and has appeared on several of The Who's live and compilation albums. It has also been covered by Tommy Keene and Petra Haden.

Dreaming from the Waist

"Dreaming from the Waist" is a song by The Who, written by Pete Townshend and released on the group's 1975 album The Who by Numbers ; it also served as the B-side of the "Slip Kid" single, released in 1976 in the United States. The track's lyrics deal with sexual frustration and the restlessness associated with getting older, while the music features a bass solo from John Entwistle.

Its Hard (song) 1982 single by The Who

"It's Hard" is a song written by Pete Townshend that featured on British rock band The Who's tenth album, It's Hard, of which it was the title track. It was released as the third and final vinyl single from the album in 1983, backed with the John Entwistle written song "Dangerous", but failed to chart, although it reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. This would become the last Who single of new material until "Real Good Looking Boy" in 2004, and the last album single by them until "Black Widow's Eyes", two years later.

Lets See Action 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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maginnis, T. "Bargain". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Grantley, S. & Parker, A.G. (2010). The Who by Numbers. Helter Skelter Publishing. p. 92. ISBN   978-1-905139-26-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Charlesworth, C. (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of The Who. Omnibus Press. pp. 42–43, 120. ISBN   0-7119-4306-0.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Atkins, J. (2000). The Who on record: a critical history, 1963–1998. McFarland. pp. 154, 159. ISBN   978-0-7864-0609-8.
  5. 1 2 Mendelsohn, J. (January 22, 1997). "Who's Next". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  6. ↑ Swenson, J. (1983). Marsh, D.; Swenson, J. (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide . Rolling Stone Press. p.  544. ISBN   0-394-72107-1.
  7. ↑ Unterberger, R. "Who's Missing". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  8. ↑ Unterberger, R. "Thirty Years of Maximum R&B". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  9. ↑ Erlewine, S.T. "The Ultimate Collection". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  10. ↑ Erlewine, S.T. "Scoop". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  11. ↑ Jurek, T. "The Lifehouse Chronicles". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-11-28.
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.