A Quick One

When The Who released A Quick One in December 1966, they had already shown their rawer side on My Generation. This second work, however, dared to explore other paths. One of the most interesting things about this album is that it broke with the usual dynamic where Pete Townshend was the main songwriter. Here, all members contributed material: Roger Daltrey added one piece, while John Entwistle and Keith Moon each contributed two. They even dared to cover "Heat Wave", a Holland–Dozier–Holland track, and closed the album with a musical suite titled A Quick One, While He’s Away, which is considered a precursor to the rock operas that would later make them so well-known.

Year: 1966
Songs: 10
Duration: 29 min 5 seg

Listen to the album ★

10 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱

Boris the Spider

Run Run Run

2:41 00

I Need You

2:20 00

Whiskey Man

Intermediate

2:56 00

Heatwave

1:54 00

Cobwebs and Strange

Advanced

2:29 00

Don’t Look Away

Intermediate

2:52 00

See My Way

Intermediate

1:51 00

So Sad About Us

Intermediate

2:57 00

A Quick One, While He’s Away

Intermediate

9:05

Genres

Classic rock Rock Hard rock art rock freakbeat

Details

Year: 1966
Songs: 10
Duration: 29 min 5 seg

About the album

A Quick One, according to DoReSol

The recording of A Quick One took place between August and November 1966 in various London studios, such as IBC, Pye, and Regent Sound, under the production of Kit Lambert. In the midst of those sessions, in October, Chas Chandler introduced a young Jimi Hendrix, who had just arrived in the city, to the group. Hendrix was seeking advice on amplifiers, and Townshend recommended brands like Hiwatt and Marshall. The track that opens the album, Run Run Run, had already been tested before and had even been recorded by another band, The Cat, in May of that year. The Who's version, recorded at IBC, stands out for its energy and a guitar solo with a lot of feedback, marking an evolution in their sound.

There are very particular stories behind some songs. Boris the Spider, for example, was born from a conversation with Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones, where they were inventing animal names. John Entwistle composed it hastily one night, and it became one of his most celebrated pieces, even becoming Jimi Hendrix's favorite. On the other hand, I Need You, by Keith Moon, originally had a longer title and played with the idea of a secret language. The song includes sound effects that recreate a nocturnal atmosphere and a harpsichord part played by Entwistle. In the United States, the album was released in April 1967 under the title Happy Jack, including a slightly modified tracklist, and the song "Happy Jack" reached the top forty.