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The Psych Ward–The Who Sell Out

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  • Rob Cavenagh
  • October 27, 2023
  • 6:28 am

The Psych Ward–The Who Sell Out

The idea of a concept album might be considered psychedelic in its own way: take one genre (advertising jingles) and apply a bit of rock sensibility in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. For their third studio album, The Who chose to create a concept record that paid tribute to not only advertising jingles – a recent side hustle – and their fondness for pirate radio stations.

Sell Out is, in many respects, a gag album sandwiching two or three standout tracks that stand very tall on their own. The pirate radio reference is seen throughout as radio tags for “Radio London” and “Wonderful Radio London.” Advertising jingles, many performed by Keith Moon and John Entwistle (occasionally using his “Boris the Spider” voice), pepper the album as intros/lead-ins to songs or added to the ends of finished songs.

Gag jingles aside, the meat of the album should be considered in the form of “I Can See For Miles”, ” Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand” and “Sunrise.” Special mention should also be afforded to “Armenia City in the Sky” which opens the album (following a series of wonderfully trippy promos for the days of the week from “Radio London”). Written by Thunderclap Newman singer John “Speedy” Keen and sung by Keen and Roger Daltrey, the song features a cornucopia of psychedelic effects and sounds that include backward instruments and found sounds.

Split image of Pete Townsend shirtless on the left with giant deodorant and Roger Daltrey in striped shirt with giant can of beans

“Sunrise” is a spare and ethereal song sung by Pete Townsend that features layered acoustic guitars. “Mary Anne With the Shakey Hands” is a slice of sixties musical magic: twelve-string guitars, tambourine, copious amounts of guiro and castanets, and delicate harmonies. Plus a bit of tremolo on the vocals for the words “shakey hands” at the end of the song…

“I Can See For Miles” is the standout track on The Who Sell Out. Long considered one of the best singles– not just from the band but from the era, “I Can See For Miles” is a work of art. With possible drug references in the lyrics, the song is a wall of sound and a portent for bombastic studio work to come. With layers of vocals, guitars, and drums drenched in reverb, “I Can See For Miles” stands on its own as a psychedelic masterpiece; as part of Sell Out, it is the tentpole track.

The Who Sell Out was quite popular upon its release during the heyday of psychedelic music in 1967. History has allowed it to shine further in various re-releases with extra tracks, posters, and liner notes by Pete. In many ways, it can be considered not just a precursor to the production excesses of Tommy and Quadrophenia but a proper dress rehearsal. Listen closely to the end of “Rael Pt. 1” to hear bits of “Overture/Underture” from Tommy.

 

Related: The 100 Best Psychedelic Albums of the Golden Era

The Top 200 Psychedelic Songs from the Original Psychedelic Era

Split image of Keith Moon with giant cream container applying cream to face on left and John Entwhistle and sexy young woman embracing on right.

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