Tommy
Studio album by
London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir
ReleasedOctober 1972
GenreClassical
Length70:38
LabelOde
ProducerLou Reizner

Tommy is a 1972 album by the London Symphony Orchestra and English Chamber Choir, conducted and directed by David Measham, performing arrangements by Wil Malone of The Who's 1969 album Tommy with additional arrangements by James Sullivan. The project was conceived and produced by Lou Reizner, initially with Rod Stewart singing Roger Daltrey's main role. As Pete Townshend and Daltrey became more involved, Stewart's role was reduced to singing "Pinball Wizard".[1][2]

The studio version of the orchestral Tommy was issued in boxed-set LP format. It featured original artwork and photography, which used a pinball as its main motif, was designed by Tom Wilkes and Craig Braun and won the Best Album Package Grammy in 1974.[3][4] The art was by Richard Amsel, Robert Heindel, Jim Manos, Alex Gnidziejko, Wilson McLean, Doug Johnson, David Edward Byrd, Robert Grossman, Charles White III, Richard Harvey and Mark English.

Though it yielded no hit singles, the album fared well on Billboard's Top Pop Albums chart, debuting on 9 December 1972, peaking at #5, and remaining on the chart for 38 weeks.[5]

Track list

All tracks are written by Pete Townshend, except where noted

Side One
No.TitleFeatured performer(s)Length
1."Overture"The Chamber Choir, Pete Townshend, London Symphony Orchestra 
2."It's a Boy"The Chamber Choir, Sandy Denny 
3."1921"Graham Bell, Maggie Bell, The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey, Steve Winwood 
4."Amazing Journey"Chamber Choir, Pete Townshend 
5."Sparks"The Chamber Choir 
6."Eyesight to the Blind" (Sonny Boy Williamson II)The Chamber Choir, Richie Havens 
7."Christmas"Pete Townshend, London Symphony Orchestra, The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey, Steve Winwood 
Side Two
No.TitleFeatured performer(s)Length
1."Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle)The Chamber Choir, John Entwistle 
2."The Acid Queen"The Chamber Choir, Merry Clayton 
3."Underture"The Chamber Choir 
4."Do You Think It's Alright?"Maggie Bell, The Chamber Choir, Steve Winwood 
5."Fiddle About" (John Entwistle)The Chamber Choir, Ringo Starr 
6."Pinball Wizard"The Chamber Choir, Rod Stewart 
Side Three
No.TitleFeatured performer(s)Length
1."There's a Doctor I've Found"The Chamber Choir, Steve Winwood 
2."Go to the Mirror Boy"Richard Harris (narration), The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey, Steve Winwood, Wil Malone 
3."Tommy Can You Hear Me?"Maggie Bell, The Chamber Choir 
4."Smash the Mirror"Maggie Bell, The Chamber Choir 
5."I'm Free"The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey 
6."Miracle Cure"The Chamber Choir 
7."Sensation"The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey 
Side Four
No.TitleFeatured performer(s)Length
1."Sally Simpson"The Chamber Choir, Pete Townshend 
2."Welcome"The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey 
3."Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon)The Chamber Choir, Ringo Starr 
4."We're Not Gonna Take It"The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey 
5."See Me, Feel Me" (Finale from "We're Not Gonna Take It")The Chamber Choir, Roger Daltrey 

Guest soloists in order of appearance

Charts

Chart (1972/73) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 4
United States (Billboard's Top Pop Albums) 5

References

  1. ↑ Mark Wilkerson (2006). Amazing Journey: The Life of Pete Townshend. p. 200. ISBN 1411677005. Stewart's role was reduced to singing Pinball Wizard
  2. ↑ Elizabeth L. Wollman The Theater Will Rock: A History of the Rock Musical 2006 0472115766 - Page 161 Despite a few accusations of pretentiousness in the press and among fans, Tommy was a big hit in both the UK and the ... sold so well that a second version — recorded by the Who with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, ...
  3. ↑ Kristopher Spencer ilm and Television Scores, 1950-1979: A Critical Survey 2008 0786452285 Page 314 "... an all-star production on Ode Records with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, starring the Who's Roger Daltrey ... Packaged like a classical opera with a full libretto, the orchestral version of Tommy is overblown and lacks the raw energy of the original on MCA. Still, the extravagant production is suggestive of the piece's dramatic possibility, "
  4. ↑ Mike Segretto The Who FAQ 21480392529 014 Lou Reizner organized two performances of the version of Tommy he recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra to benefit the organization.
  5. ↑ Joel Whitburn (2001). Billboard Top Pop Albums 1955-2001. p. 1140. ISBN 0-89820-147-0.
  6. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 281. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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