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From album
Who’s Next
The Who · 1971 · Track 4
Details
Duración3:33
ÁlbumWho’s Next
Año1971
ISRCGBAKW7100116
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The story behind
When you dive into My Wife, you encounter a piece that stands out in The Who's repertoire, mainly because it's bassist John Entwistle who takes the lead. He not only sings but also handles the bass, piano, and even the horn section, which is uncommon. What's interesting is that, unlike other songs, this one doesn't have a guitar solo. It seems Entwistle composed directly on the bass or in his head, and then transcribed it to sheet music or piano, without fluidly mastering the guitar. In the longer spaces between verses, instead of a guitar, you hear that horn part he created himself. The song was recorded in May 1971 at Olympic Studios, in Barnes, London, and was included on the album Who's Next. Curiously, it was thought not to be part of the Lifehouse project, something that was confirmed in 2000 when it didn't appear on Pete Townshend's Lifehouse Chronicles box set.
This version of My Wife was recorded to replace Boris the Spider in live shows, as Entwistle had grown tired of playing the latter. The song became a staple in The Who's performances from the Who's Next tour until Entwistle's passing in 2002. Over the years, My Wife had several lives: in 1971 it was released as the B-side of the single Baba O'Riley in Europe, and in 1979 it reappeared as a B-side, this time to Long Live Rock. This latter version, recorded live, is particular because it comes from a The Who concert in 1977 at the Gaumont State Theatre in London, and it was the only song from that night that was initially released. Unlike the studio version, this live performance does feature a guitar solo by Pete Townshend, but it omits the piano and horns. Entwistle even re-recorded the song around October-November 1972 for his third solo album, Rigor Mortis Sets In, released in 1973.