The Who: Long Island superfans pick their favorite songs
On Oct. 12 and 13, 1982, The Who played two sold-out back-to-back shows at Shea Stadium on what the band dubbed its Farewell Tour. Fast forward 40 years, The Who is headlining UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont on Oct. 7. Although there are only two original members left, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, the boys from Britain are still boomin’.
“Daltrey is 78 and Townshend is 77 — it’s just unbelievable,” says Christopher Oliveri, 51 of New Hyde Park, who has been a fan since 1979. “They’ll know when it’s time to call it a day. But I don’t see them stopping anytime in the near future.”
In celebration of The Who’s longevity and upcoming LI gig, here are some of Long Islanders’ favorite classics cuts:
“LOVE REIGN O’ER ME”
THE WHO
WHEN/WHERE 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont
INFO 516-460-8950, ubsarena.com
ADMISSION $70.40-$1,138.60
YEAR RELEASED 1973
ALBUM “Quadrophenia”
CHART POSITION 76
The Who was the first band Joe Bonafede of Bay Shore sunk his teeth into and he declares “Love Reign O’er Me” is the “most perfect Who song.”
“This tune is more sophisticated with massive instrumentation including the power three — bass, drums and guitar with pounding piano,” says Bonafede, 56. “It proves The Who is more than a good-time rock band. I appreciate the storytelling and introspection of the music.”
Bonafede had an interactive experience with the song the first time he saw The Who in concert in 1982.
“When they played ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ in an outdoor stadium in Buffalo, miraculously it started to rain,” says Bonafede. “It was just such a cool moment.”
“WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN”
YEAR RELEASED 1971
ALBUM “Who’s Next”
CHART POSITION 15
Dave Clark of Ridge remembers the first time he heard “Won’t Get Fooled Again” on former New York classic rock station WNEW (102.7 FM).
“The song came jumping out of the speakers and I was like, ‘What’s that?’,” says Clark, 65. “It has a unique combination of power chords on the guitar and pulsating keyboards plus Roger’s screams."
“The message was great because it was an anti-counterculture song,” adds Bonafede. “All the boomers from Woodstock ended up becoming exactly what they were fighting against.”
“BELL BOY”
YEAR RELEASED 1973
ALBUM “Quadrophenia”
CHART POSITION None (album track)
Michael Brito of Elmont shows his photo of Who guitarist Pete Townshend, which was used in The Who Hits 50 tour program. Credit: Michael Brito
Michael Brito, 64, of Elmont closely identified with “Bell Boy” because it tied into his own life experience.
“I can relate to it because for 40 years I was a bell captain at the Helmsley Hotel in Manhattan,” says Brito, who retired in April 2021. “In the song, [late Who drummer] Keith Moon talks about how he always has to run after someone’s heel and keep his lip buttoned down even when you get a $1 tip. I got that!”
The song is sung by Daltrey, but Moon chimes in midway through the track, voicing the title character in an exaggerated Cockney accent.
“PINBALL WIZARD”
YEAR RELEASED 1969
ALBUM “Tommy”
CHART POSITION 19
Josh Kardisch of East Meadow has a special affection for “Pinball Wizard” because it was the first song he learned to play on guitar. Credit: Josh Kardisch
Josh Kardisch of East Meadow has a special affection for “Pinball Wizard” because it was the first song he learned to play on guitar.
“The strumming in that is like no other song,” says Kardisch, 64. “You didn’t hear guitar work like that in the mid-1960s. Plus, it has one of the most iconic beginnings of any rock song.”
Surprisingly, the song was specifically written to win over UK rock critic Nik Cohn, who wasn’t impressed by the previous “Tommy” songs Townshend played him. Townshend specifically wrote a pinball-themed song knowing Cohn was a pinball fanatic, but views it as his “most clumsy piece of writing.”
“BABA O’RILEY”
YEAR RELEASED 1971
ALBUM “Who’s Next”
CHART POSITION None (album track)
The mysterious title of “Baba O’Riley” is a meshing together of Townshend’s two inspirations — spiritual Indian guru Meher Baba and avant-garde composer Terry Riley. The “O” was an Irish touch nodding to the fiddle jig in the song provided by Dave Arbus from East of Eden.
“It’s the ultimate teenage rock anthem that works well in a live concert,” says Kardisch. “Townshend experimented with the synthesizers in the beginning plus Daltrey had that trademark scream. Every time I hear it I still get chills.”
“5:15”
YEAR RELEASED 1973
ALBUM “Quadrophenia”
CHART POSITION 45
The Who are one of the top 5 artists on Long Island’s rock station WBAB (102.3 FM) with over 10 songs in regular rotation. But when “5:15” comes on, DJ Joe Rock, who spins tunes on WBAB’s weekday afternoon drive, turns up the volume.
“The horns are so cool and Daltrey’s vocals are beyond crazy. The song flat out rocks,” says Rock, 56, of Massapequa. “When I’m feeling beat down and I want something to pick me up, ‘5:15’ is the song. The lyrics say, ‘Out of my brain on the train, on the train.’ People can relate especially if they ride the Long Island Rail Road!”
“MY GENERATION”
YEAR RELEASED 1965
ALBUM “My Generation”
CHART POSITION 74
At age 11, Oliveri first saw The Who at Shea Stadium in the upper tier with his older brother Joe. Watching Townshend whipping his signature windmills on “My Generation” caused him to take up guitar.
“It’s a landmark song that was the first rock track to include a bass solo,” says Oliveri. “I remember back in 1993 when Pete was asked how do you feel about the ‘My Generation’ lyric, ‘Hope I die before I get old’ today? He said, ‘Well, it’s too late for that now!’ ”
Townshend wrote “My Generation” on his 20th birthday while riding a train from London to Southampton. The song originally had a slow blues feel, but then-Who manager Kit Lambert suggested the band speed it up and encouraged Daltrey to stutter in the lyrics.
“SEE ME, FEEL ME”
YEAR RELEASED 1969
ALBUM “Tommy”
CHART POSITION 12
Kenny Forgione of Merrick (right) with Who lead singer Roger Daltrey in 1999. Credit: Kenny Forgione
When Kenny Forgione, 66, of Merrick, who sings and plays bass/guitar in the Long Island cover band Wonderous Stories, first heard “Tommy” at the age of 13 it changed his life. “See Me, Feel Me,” which became a single that was part of the song, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” put him in a trance.
“ ‘See Me, Feel Me’ kind of freaked me out. Daltrey sounded like he was crying and pleading,” says Forgione. “But, I started getting into the whole ‘Tommy’ album and the story behind it. I like a band that tells a story. I need more than ‘I love you, you love me. La-di-da, la-di-dee.’ I craved something heavier and The Who provided that.”
“THE REAL ME”
YEAR RELEASED 1973
ALBUM “Quadrophenia”
CHART POSITION 92
John Sullivan, second from left, performs with Roger Daltrey of the Who, left, at the Bottom Line, in New York, June 22, 2003. . Sullivan was performing with his newly formed "band", The Black Slate, at the finale of the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Credit: Newsday Photo
“The Real Me” spoke to John “Sully” Sullivan of Garden City because it’s about a teenage English mod named Jimmy who is struggling to find his place in the world, much like Sullivan at the time.
“When I got into ‘Quadrophenia,’ I was roughly the same age as the lead character,” says Sullivan, 58. “ ‘The Real Me’ is a real take no prisoners-type of song. It has Roger Daltrey screaming, Pete Townshend wailin’ on the guitar, [John Entwistle diving bombing on bass and Keith Moon playing everything but the kitchen sink on drums. The song leaves a strong impact.”
WHO ENCOUNTERS
Sue Porpora, 62, of Wantagh fell in love with The Who on her birthday when her older brother gave her the “Live at Leeds” album as a gift.
“Once I heard Keith Moon’s drums and Roger Daltrey’s voice, I was hooked,” says Porpora, who is nicknamed “Sue Who.” “No other band could come close.”
Porpora even met Daltrey face-to-face when she attended his book signing at Barnes & Noble in Manhattan in the fall of 2018.
“I got to Barnes & Noble at 6 a.m. for a 1 p.m. book signing and was number three on line,” says Porpora. “I bought five copies of the book so I would have that much more time to talk to him.”
But because she didn’t get enough time with Daltrey, Porpora spent $500 to do a one-on-one Zoom with the singer to support Team Cancer America.
“I got three minutes out of it,” says Porpora. “I told him how much he meant to me and the impact his music had on me.”
Meanwhile singer-keyboardist John “Sully” Sullivan, 58, of Garden City from the band Sullyman the Third, developed an online friendship with Who guitarist Pete Townshend. After Sullivan posted on Townshend’s blog a write-up about Vassar College’s 2007 workshop of his latest rock opus, “The Boy Who Heard Music,” The Who guitarist contacted the Long Islander.
“I broke into the outer ring of the inner circle,” says Sullivan. “If I had an artistic question, I’d shoot it his way and then he’d respond back. I’m forever indebted to him because of the accessibility he gave me.”
Sullivan began a regular email exchange that continues to this day.
“Pete’s always been so open to offer great suggestions about songwriting ideas, recording tricks and everything in between,” says Sullivan, who just released a new album, “The Reset of Our Earth, Vol. One.” “It’s always made my projects better along the way.”
For his 40th birthday, Sullivan even got to perform on stage at The Bottom Line in Manhattan with Daltrey at Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in 2003.
“As soon as Roger came on stage, you could feel the surge of the crowd from the back of the room to the front,” says Sullivan. “The experience was a little out of body.” — DAVID J. CRIBLEZ
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
