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Rating: Year 1977. Roger Daltrey releases his third solo album, "One Of The Boys". This is not a Who-style album. Forget the Who, forget that Daltrey is their singer (and what a singer!).
The album starts with "Parade" by Philip Goodhand-Tait, a beautiful song that reflects Roger's disillusionment with the star system. The second track is a country song, "Single Man's Dilemma" (written by Colin Blunstone): not bad, although here Roger's voice doesn't quite fit...
The third piece, "Avenging Annie" by Andy Pratt, is considered by many to be one of the best moments of Daltrey solo and is the track on the album most similar to the style of the Who (partly thanks to the presence of John Entwistle on bass). "The Prisoner" is instead a ballad inspired by John McVicar, whom Roger will portray in the 1980 film dedicated to him. It is one of the three songs on "One Of The Boys" written by Daltrey in collaboration with Tony Meehan and David Courtney: this is the first time Roger collaborates in the writing of some of the songs for his solo albums.
The fifth song is "Leon", again by Goodhand-Tait, and I'm still not sure if I like it or find it irritating, but it's definitely not among my favorites. It then moves on to the title track, written by Steve Gibbons of the Steve Gibbons Band, considered by its performer as "the My Generation of 1977"; a comparison that sees the Who's song winning by a wide margin. Not that "One Of The Boys" is a bad song, on the contrary, it is one of the best on the album, but comparing it to "My Generation" is a bit far-fetched. The seventh track is "Giddy", written by none other than Sir Paul McCartney. Beautiful? No, it's an unattractive leftover by McCartney, completely anonymous. The album picks up with the last three songs: "Written On The Wind", "Satin And Lace", and "Doing It All Again". The first is a love song written by Paul Korda and very well performed by Roger. It was also released as a single in Britain but was not successful. The second is a very beautiful ballad with Daltrey in excellent form. The final song is another ballad written by Daltrey-Meehan-Courtney (like "Satin And Lace") characterized by a well-executed falsetto, atypical for Roger.
The 2005 remastered version includes four bonus tracks: two outtakes ("Martyrs And Madmen" and "Treachery") that don't do anything for me, as well as "You Put Something Better Inside Me", the b-side of the single "One Of The Boys". Beautiful, though, is "Say It Ain't So Joe" by Murray Head, a single both in the USA and Britain, which Roger makes his own with ease, giving it quite a distinctive twist compared to the original.
With this album, Roger Daltrey shows his desire to experiment with genres sometimes very different from his standards, with results sometimes excellent sometimes unappealing. Definitely not an essential album, although there are a couple of gems even here.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Avenging Annie (04:32)
(Andy Pratt)
They ran through hills and forest
As two under a spell
He was a city boy Floyd the outlaw
And she thought she new him well.
Long after that great summer
When she first came into her fame
And the avenger from Oklahoma
Was added to her name
The avenger she became.
Well they call her avenging Annie
The avenger of womanhood
She spends her whole life telling lies
These on a messand over good
Running around playing games
She'll take all these spoilt younghippies
They're surrounding your bed, she'll blow your head
She'll put you through a change.
What you've done to others
She'll do unto you.
Then she met her sensitive outlaw
He was the best thing she ever did seen
She was to be his wife for the rest of her life,
No!
But she was so blind she could never had seen.
So she joined up with her outlaw
And headed for California.
He treated her worse than she'd ever imagined
He didn't say he didn't want her around
He kept it up so long, she couldn't be strong
He run her right into the ground.
After five long years,
He picked her up and slapped her down.
Then she told her friends about him
They all were on her side
But she could see through the haze he looked so pale
She put her head right down and she cried.
For her poor lover
She cried like a mother for her poor lover.
And now she lives on a mountain top
And she's almost thirty-five
And she's found her peace and found her release
Happyjust to be alive.
And she might go back to her Floyd
If she thinks it's the thing to do
He gave up murder and theft after she left
And you know she still loves him to
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Just like a worn out shoe
Well they call her avenging Annie
The avenger of womanhood
She spends her whole life telling lies
Leads them on a mess and over good.
11 Say It Ain't So Joe (04:18)
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
That's not what I want to hear Joe and I've got a right to know.
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
I'm sure they're telling us lies Joe please tell us it ain't so.
They told us that our hero has played his trump card
He doesn't know how to go on.
We're clinging to his charm and determined smile
But the good ole days are gone.
The army and the empire may be falling apart
The money has gotten scarce.
One mans word held the country together
But the truth is getting fierce.
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
We pinned our hopes on you Joe and they're ruining our show.
(Guitar Solo)
(Ooo Babies)
Don't you think we're gonna get burned
(Ooo Babies)
Don't you think we're gonna to get turned
We're gonna get burned
We're gonna get learned
Where going to get turned
Where going to get burned
Where going to get burned
Ooo learn
Turn
Burned
Ooo burned
Yea.....
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
That's not what I want to hear Joe please tell us it ain't so
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
I'm sure there telling us lies Joe and I've got a right to know
They told us that our are hero has played his trump card
He doesn't know how to go on.
We're clinging to his charm and determined smile
But the good ole days are gone.
The army and the empire may be falling apart
The money had gotten scarce
One mans word held the country together
But the truth is getting fierce.
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
That's not what I want to hear Joe and I've got a right to know
Say it ain't so, Joe please
Say it ain't so
They keep on telling us lies Joe please tell us it ain't so
Say
Say it ain't so
Say it ain't so
Cause I've got a right to know
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