ODDS & SODS

Roger Daltrey Vocals  John Entwistle Bass Guitar, Brass and Vocals  Keith Moon Drums & Vocals  Pete Townshend Guitar, Synthesizers, Piano & Vocals

Compiled and sequenced by John Entwistle 
Cover concept by Roger Daltrey (featuring a die cut cover and the song titles in Braille on the back of the 1st British LP editions) 
Design and photography by Graham Hughes. 
The original LP contained a lyric sheet with song notes by Pete Townshend and a poster showing The Who at The Capital Center in Largo, Maryland right outside Washington, D.C. December 6, 1973. 
The back cover is a picture of the long-suffering Who soundman Bobby Pridden. Did he get his picture on this album to make up for Pete dragging him across his console during the Quadrophenia tour? 

Released in the U.K. as Track 2406 116 on September 28, 1974. It reached #10 in the charts.
Released in the U.S. as MCA 2126 on October 12, 1974. It reached #15 in the charts.

Liner notes by Brian Cady
 

Vinyl bootlegs would usually have plain white sleeves and blank labels. Inside would be a mimeographed flyer with a list of the probable titles for the songs.

Odds & Sods was an album caused by bootlegs. By 1974, The Who were already heavily bootlegged with many of their live performances released. But in 1972 and 1973, some bootlegs, with titles like Radio London, Jaguar and The Who vs. The Amazing Mr. Pig came out with previously unheard studio tracks. Probably at the request of The Who's U.S. label, MCA, The Who were asked to make a collection of some of these tracks for a legitimate release. In the fall of 1973, while Pete, Roger and Keith were gearing up for the Tommy movie, John was put in charge of compiling The Who's odds & sods. He and his solo producer John Alcock set to work, bringing The Who's tapes back to John's house and pouring over them.  John Entwistle: "We thought we'd just have a go at some of these bootlegs. They release really bad bootlegs of these songs all the time. I've heard three of them which were made in the States and they're really bad quality. They obviously will last only about three plays before the acetate disintegrates. We thought it was about time we released a bootleg of our own. I tried to arrange it like a parallel sort of Who career -- what singles we might have released and what album tracks we might have released." As of late 1973, John Swenson reported that the track selection would be "Little Billy," "Postcard," "Join Together," "Don't Know Myself," "Pure and Easy," "Long Live Rock," "Naked Eye," "Now I'm a Farmer," and "Put The Money Down." Speaking later to Roy Carr, John said, "There's still sufficient material in the vaults to make a second album. There's an unedited version of 'Join Together' three minutes longer than the single. We've got The High Numbers 'Zoot Suit', 'Early Morning Cold Taxi', two instrumentals, a couple of outtakes from Quadrophenia and some things that aren't finished that only have a guide vocal." The second LP never came out and since many of those tracks were already being bootlegged, the bootlegging continued.

This EP was listed in Gary Herman's 1970 book The Who as being their next release. The track listing he gave was "Water"; "Don't Know Myself"/"Naked Eye"; "Postcard". During the Summer 1970 North America tour Pete said, perhaps jokingly, that this EP's title would be called 6 ft. Wide Garage, 7 ft. Wide Car, a reference to it being recorded in Pete's garage. After the tour, Pete told Disc and Music Echo that the tracks would be "Water", "I Don't Even Know Myself", "Postcard" and "Now I'm a Farmer". "Postcard" was the single pulled from Odds & Sods in the U.S. (the first U.S. Who single with an Entwistle A-side ) backed with "Put The Money Down." It hit the Cash Box charts November 23, 1974 where it peaked at #64 (it did not make the Billboard charts). The single was also released in Canada, in France with B-side "I'm The Face" and in Brazil as the first track on an EP.  Track 20 on the 1998 Odds and Sods CD which features a different mix from the original.
 
 

NOW I'M A FARMER 3'59 
(Pete Townshend) ©1974 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by Pete Townshend at Eel Pie Studios, Twickenham late May 1970.

Pete Townshend: "'Now I'm A Farmer is from the same bale of hay, recorded at home for the EP. It's a drug song, all about the good life out in the fields growing those fantastic phallic ornamental gourds that you can use to...... to ...... to make gorgeous fruit bowl arrangements. See if you catch the immensely subtle reference to the 'Air' in this song. This track is from the period when The Who went slightly mad, we put out several records called 'DOGS', and at least one about finding 'one's inner self'. Gourds mate, that's the secret of life......GOURDS."

This track was mentioned in a May 4, 1968 interview with Pete where he said he was trying to put it in the opera that would eventually become Tommy. It was gone by the time the earliest track listings for the opera were compiled. Pete also later mentioned this this was intended as a single and he considers it one of the best songs he has ever written. 
Track 21 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD with a longer fade out at 4'06.

PUT THE MONEY DOWN 4'14 
(Pete Townshend) ©1974 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by The Who and associate producer Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios, Barnes June 6, 1972; lead vocal produced by John Entwistle, recorded at Ramport Studios, London 1974.

Pete Townshend: "'Put The Money Down' is one of the tracks recorded by the illustrious Glyn Johns for us. Terrific sound, beautifully recorded. Wonder what group he used ?"
John Entwistle: "'Put The Money Down' only had a guide vocal and that held up the release, but I just couldn't get Daltrey down to the studios to record a new vocal. So I sent him a message asking if it'd be all right if I did the vocal and almost immediately Daltrey replied that it was O.K. as long as he could overdub the bass parts. Next morning he was in the studio!"

A track intended for the never-shot Lifehouse movie. The Who had last played in Columbus, Ohio November 1, 1969 but there is no record of any fences having fallen there. It may be a reference to Woodstock or the Isle of Wight where gatecrashers turned a ticketed festival into a free concert. The line "there are bands killing chickens" is a reference to the band Alice Cooper and their supposed habit of killing live chickens on stage. To see the original written draft of this song, click here: Put The Money Down.  Pete's demo version appears on his 1999 solo album Lifehouse Chronicles.
Track 15 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD with a longer fadeout at 4'29.

Played by The Who live during early 1968 where it was promoted as a possible single.
Track 10 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD. Pete's final words from the control room were not on the original version.
 
 

TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING 4'26 
(Pete Townshend) ©1971 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by The Who and associate producer Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios, Barnes April 12, 1971. New vocal and additional guitar added May 1972. Nicky Hopkins on piano.

Pete Townshend: "A song about temperance in all things. The insidious horror of excess. Did you hear about the poor chap who died because he drank too much carrot juice? I dedicate this ditty to him. This track was a song recorded in the Who's Next sessions by Glyn Johns for the LIFEHOUSE film which never happened. We felt this summed up just what too much of anything could do to a person -- too much sex, drink, drugs, even rock and roll or nasty blues music. Realizing at the last minute how totally hypocritical it would be for a load of face-stuffing drug-addicted alcoholics like us to put this out, we didn't. Of course, today we're all different; more mature, less greedy. Anyway why waste a good money-spinning number like this? I'm being a bit too honest now, aren't I?"

This song was originally known as "Bit Too Much". To see the original lyric draft click here: Too Much Of Anything. It was performed and recorded live at the Young Vic Theatre April 26, 1971 and a chunk of that version was played on the 1996 BBC Radio special Lifehouse: The One That Got Away. It was not performed live after that show until it was revived during the 1989 tour. Pete's demo appears on his 1999 solo album Lifehouse Chronicles.
Track 16 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

Written during a horrible plane flight into Chattanooga, Tennessee August 14, 1967. It was intended first as a single in early 1968, then the lead-off song for the never completed Who's For Tennis? LP, then as the lead off track for Tommy before Pete dropped the opera's reincarnation angle.
Track 9 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD in a complete version with a hard ending at 2'24 instead of the fade out on the original LP.
 

PURE AND EASY 5'23 
(Pete Townshend) ©1971 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by The Who and associate producer Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios, Barnes May 1971.

Pete Townshend: "This you might know from my solo album. This is the group's version. Not all of the group's versions of my songs are as faithful to the original demo as this one, but as usual the '00' make their terrible mark. Another track from the abortive LIFEHOUSE story. It's strange really that this never appeared on WHO'S NEXT, because in the context of stuff like SONG IS OVER, GETTING IN TUNE and BABA O'RILEY it explains more about the general concept behind the LIFEHOUSE idea than any amount of rap. Not released because we wanted a single album out at the time."

The Who's second attempt at recording this song. It was performed live during the early Who's Next shows, but was dropped halfway through the 1971 U.S. Summer tour. For more on this song, click here: Pure and Easy - Who's Next.
Track 15 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

FAITH IN SOMETHING BIGGER 3'03 
(Pete Townshend) ©1974 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by Kit Lambert at De Lane Lea Studios January 1968

Pete Townshend: "God, this is embarrassing. I don't know where to hide. Well I mean, the whole thing about HIM is that HE is everywhere isn't HE? A modest beginning to the musico-spiritual work of the irreligious Who. The guitar solo is the worst I've ever heard. They're great lads, the rest of the boys in the band. Do you think anyone else would put up with this nonsense? Anyway, the whole idea is preposterous, something, something bigger than US ? US! THE WHO! A quick listen to this lads will bring us quickly down to size I can assure you."

In a January 20, 1968 interview in New Musical Express, Pete said he wanted The Who to "preach" on their new album. Apparently this is what he meant. Fortunately his ability to insert spiritual messages into Who songs improved. 
Track 8 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

The melody is stolen outright from Slim Harpo's "I Got Love If You Want It" which was covered by most of the London-based R&B bands and was very popular with the Mods. This was the second attempt to record the song. The Who recorded a version in May 1964 with the "zoops" on Pete's guitar. The High Numbers intended "I'm The Face" as the A-side but, apparently, word did not get to their record label Fontana as they released it 3 July 1964 as the B-side to "Zoot Suit" (TF 480). Only 1,000 copies were pressed and, despite a letter-writing campaign by fan "Irish" Jack and other Mods, it failed to chart. "I'm The Face" was switched to the A-side when it was re-released in 1980 as Backdoor Records Door 4. It finally hit the British charts on 5 March 1980 going to #49 at the height of the Mod revival. In the U.S. it was included as a bonus single in copies of the non-Who compilation Thru The Back Door LP. In 1991 it was again reissued as a 45 and CD single with a boxset of Fontana singles.
Track 1 on the 1998 Odds & Sods remaster where it has a different mix and is faded out before the hard end on the original LP at 2'27.

 

LONG LIVE ROCK 3'54 
(Pete Townshend) ©1973 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by The Who and associate producer Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios, Barnes June 5, 1972.

 
Pete Townshend: "Well there are dozens of these self conscious hymns to the last fifteen years appearing now and here's another one. This was featured briefly in the film for which Keith made his acting debut, That'll Be The Day. Billy Fury sang it. This is most definitely the definitive version. I had an idea once for a new album about the history of The Who called ROCK IS DEAD - LONG LIVE ROCK. That idea later blossomed into QUADROPHENIA."

Pete said further that Rock Is Dead -- Long Live Rock was not only going to be an album but also a television special. "Long Live Rock" was released as a single from Odds & Sods only in Italy, Israel and Japan in November 1974. A general release as a single came in 1979 when it was pulled from The Kids Are Alright soundtrack album. In Britain, it came out 1 April 1979 and went to #48; in the U.S. July 7, 1979 was when it hit the charts, going to #54 in Billboard and #66 in Cash Box. The Who began performing it live August 11, 1972 and it was revived occasionally, most notably during the 1982 tour where it appeared on the Who's Last album. 
Track 17 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD in a remix that resembles the original LP's mix and is different from the mix on The Kids Are Alright and the 30 Years Of Maximum R&B boxset.

BONUS TRACKS:
 
 

LEAVING HERE 2'12 
(Edward Holland Jr./Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland) ©1963 Stone Agate Music, BMI 
Recorded by Shel Talmy at Pye or IBC Studios, March 1965.

Track 2 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD. 
The original version by Eddie Holland hit the U.S. charts February 8, 1964. A year later, it became a U.K. hit for the Mod band The Birds.

BABY DON'T YOU DO IT 2'27 
(Edward Holland Jr./Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland) ©1963 Stone Agate Music, BMI 
Recorded by Shel Talmy at Pye or IBC Studios, March 1965. 
Track 3 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

The original version by Marvin Gaye made the U.S. charts September 19, 1964. In 1972 The Band had a hit live version. 
The two tracks above were discovered on an acetate bought by a Who fan in a flea market in Portobello Road. The Who may have been inspired to cover these songs after they all attended "The Motown Show" in London in November 1964. John later said they "loved every minute of it" and after having seen Marvin Gaye sing "Baby Don't You Do It," may have felt inspired to cover it themselves. In March 1965 both songs were recorded with producer Shel Talmy as a possible follow-up to "I Can't Explain." "Baby Don't You Do It" was revived for the Lifehouse film project, was included in their 1971 live shows and was released as a live cut on the B-side of the "Join Together" single in 1972. A 1971 studio version also appears on the remastered Who's Next CD.

SUMMERTIME BLUES 3'13 
(Eddie Cochran/Jerry Capehart) ©1958 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI 
Recorded at De Lane Lea Studios Oct. 10, 1967.

 
Original version by Eddie Cochran charted August 4, 1958. "Summertime Blues" had been in The Who's live set since at least mid-1967, later became the single pulled from Live At Leeds and is one of their most often performed songs.  
Track 4 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

MY WAY 2'26 
(Eddie Cochran/Jerry Capehart) ©1963 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Hill & Range Songs, BMI 
Recorded at De Lane Lea Studios October 10, 1967.

Original version by Eddie Cochran charted in the U.K. April 25, 1963, three years after his death. 
Track 7 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD. 
This Eddie Cochran favorite was recorded for later broadcast on BBC radio. "My Way" was performed live mostly during their Spring 1968 North American tour.

YOUNG MAN BLUES (studio alternate) 2'44 
(Mose Allison) ©1957 Jazz Editions, Inc., BMI 
Produced by Kit Lambert at IBC Studios, London October 1968.

The track called "Blues" on Mose Allison's 1957 Back Country Suite LP had been a Who live staple from at least mid-1964. In October 1968, The Who began recording a studio version to be shoehorned into the opera that would ultimately be known as Tommy. It was eventually dropped along with Allison's "One Room Country Shack" after all attempts to make it have a meaning in the story of the deaf, dumb & blind boy failed. One of the studio versions done at a brisk tempo and running 2'48 later appeared on the U.K. Track Records compilation LP The House That Track Built. The version that appears as Track 11 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD is, despite the CD's liner notes and packaging, a different, slower-paced take. The House That Track Built version, same take but different mix, can be found on Tommy: Deluxe Edition. The Who recorded it most successfully Live At Leeds.

COUSIN KEVIN MODEL CHILD 1'24 
(Pete Townshend) BMG Music o/b/o Towser Tunes 
Produced by Kit Lambert in late 1968 
A song written to bridge "Fiddle About" and "Cousin Kevin" when they were next to each other in early Tommy songlists. The song was dropped when a change in the song order separated them. John and Pete sing Uncle Ernie's part and Keith sings Cousin Kevin's. This track was listed erroneously as being composed by John Entwistle. Matt Kent and Andy Neill uncovered in 2002 that Pete was actually the author. Also available, in a different mix, on the 2003 Tommy Deluxe Edition. Track 12 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

LOVE AIN'T FOR KEEPING (studio alternate) 4'03 
(Pete Townshend) ©1971 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by Kit Lambert at The Record Plant, New York March 17, 1971. 
Guitars played by Pete Townshend and Leslie West. Vocal by Pete Townshend.

This rocking electric version of the song ultimately re-recorded for Who's Next is very close in style to Pete's original demo. 
Track 13 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.

TIME IS PASSING 3'29 
(Pete Townshend) ©1972 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music, Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI 
Produced by Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios, Barnes April 12, 1971.

Yet another Lifehouse intended track. The Who performed it live during their May-June 1971 U.K. tour. Pete's solo version appeared on his 1972 Who Came First LP. 
The version which appears as track 14 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD is only one mono channel of the original stereo Who version. The remaster producer was concerned about dropout on the other channel. To see the original typed draft of this song, click here: Time Is Passing.

WE CLOSE TONIGHT 2'56 
(Pete Townshend) ©1998 Towser Tunes, Inc./Fabulous Music Ltd./ABKCO Music, Inc., BMI

Produced by The Who on Ronnie Lanes Mobile Studio June 20, 1973.

Pete Townshend: "In Quadrophenia I wrote a song that didn't get included about this romance, this girl at school, and how I blew the relationship because I lied a lot. She was going out with a jazz musician and I was just like on the sidelines and I used to talk to her. I never thought there'd ever be a relationship but I used to like being in her presence and we used to sit next to one another, work and talk and eat together and that sort of thing. That was a far as it got. At the end of the day the jazz musician would come and pick her up and take her home. So I started to expand a bit on my musician capabilities in order to just perhaps bring myself into line a little bit with this other guy. Like, 'Well, I'm in a band and I play really well. I've got a number of guitars. I've worked with all kinds of people, all sorts of bands. I've got four or five different color jackets.' And we used to talk about jazz and stuff and I had a working knowledge about jazz because my father was a legitimate player; so I knew a little bit, but I didn't really know quite what I was talking about. The final boob was when her old man left her and she was very shattered by it, because he was older and she was very young, and she turned to me for emotional support, and apart from not being able to recognize it or being able to handle it...I got into a conversation about Charlie Parker, and said that I'd met him in a club and that he'd shaken my hand. It was a tragic thing. I remember it to this day. Because it was then she knew it was just not going to work.
So I wrote a pretty song which we actually got to the point of laying down, called 'We Close Tonight.' The last verse of it is, 'I got three red jackets and a Fender Jazz and I play guitar in a mainstream band,' and the last line of the thing is, 'You could come and see us, but we close tonight.' But the humorous songs that I was writing seemed out of place somehow in Quadrophenia. They seemed too much like little funny cameos stuck in to lighten what was essentially a sad story. So I thought, well, fuck it, if it's gonna be sad, I might as well make it sad."

The song was not re-discovered until the 1996 remastering of Quadrophenia. John sings the vocal of Jimmy's "interior" state and Keith sings the "exterior" liar state.
Track 19 on the 1998 Odds & Sods CD.
 
 

If you want to contact me about something on this page, click on my name. I want corrections!
Brian Cady

Return to Liner Notes Index