10 Best Rock Anthems
2. Baba O’Riley - The Who
The Who had always been a band that was trying to find the meaning of rock music that went beyond the standard three-chord party songs. After experimenting with longer pieces and even storytelling rock operas, Pete Townshend's failed attempt at another operatic venture resulted in one of the best tracks the band had ever created.
Opening with a wash of synthesizers, "Baba O'Riley" emerges to life as the piano comes in with a commanding presence. Once the drums and vocals enter, Roger Daltrey talks of the hard living he has out in the fields and his need to break out of the stale environment he's found himself in. The guitars then strike with a sound that feels like a pure shot of life as Pete Townshend talks about finding something superior than the waste of adolescent angst.
As the song expands, it feels less like an anthem and more like a call to arms for all rockers who have felt like they have been wasting their lives. "Baba O Riley" is the epitome of rock's passion, calling every rock genre to put every ounce of their being into what they do. The true epitome of sonic liberation through guitars.