50

Baba O’Riley
The Who
1971

I have to confess, I was regretting this pick a bit last week when I saw the next batch of songs I was going to write about. Then I really started to re-think this selection at the BYU football game on Saturday when I heard the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”  Had I made a mistake?  Is the whole Jason 100 a sham?  Are gringos falling from the sky?

No, I didn’t, and no, it’s not. (And yes, they are.) Any hint of regret I may have had vanished in an instant as soon as I queued this one up this week. That electric organ ostinato intro?  Check. That legendary guitar riff from Pete Townsend?  Check. Those thunderous drums from one of the GOATs, Keith Moon?  Check. How about that sped up tempo for the outro that kinda sounds country and yet remains awesome?  Check. And of course, everything in between with Daltrey’s classic vocal (“it’s on-ly…teeeeen-age....wasteland!!”) and Entwistle’s (aka Thunderfingers) dope bass line?  Check, check, check. 

This one is a banger, and it’s a great one to kick off our top 50. From an absolute legendary band. It’s funny — I read that this may be the only band that had a lead guitarist, drummer, bassist, and singer. Meaning, each of these guys thought it was their band, and they wouldn’t have been wrong!

If you would’ve asked me in high school for my Who pick for the Top 100, it most certainly would’ve been Who Are You. But I’ve always loved this one and this is definitely the pick now. The only blemish here is the weird video that we rented from the library one day when Tyler was a toddler and I said, wait a minute is that Roger Daltrey?  Yes, yes it was. I’ve remained scarred ever since but that did not prevent Baba from claiming its rightful place in the Top 100. 

Other Songs Considered:
My Generation, Who Are You, Magic Bus, Won't Get Fooled Again