10 Classic Songs That Were Recorded Incredibly Fast
7. Pinball Wizard - The Who
Long before Pinball Wizard was even an idea, the rock opera Tommy was already more or less in the can. Being the centerpiece of Pete Townshend's grand vision, this elongated tale of a deaf, dumb, and blind boy's struggle to fit in with the rest of the world had all the pieces needed to tell it's story in order. And then...management gets involved.
When playing the rough mixes to various friends in the industry, Townshend was greeted with a few long faces by the end, with many people complaining that there was no clear single that could sell the rest of the record. This ended up being the polar opposite of what Townshend envisioned, wanting them to see the album as a whole rather than just a collection of songs. In an attempt to make something more radio friendly, Townshend used Pinball Wizard as an overarching concept for Tommy rather than a solid point in the story.
That one addition ended up working like a charm, being both the main single from the record and the selling point for the rest of the story to move along. When you look at it in context though, it almost feels out of place, arriving just after the dreaded Uncle Ernie abuses Tommy in Fiddle About. Then again, it's better to have the catchy single in your arsenal rather than relying too much on your audience.