The Who: "My Generation"

"My Generation"

Songwriters:	P. Townshend (Fabulous Music, Inc. / Essex Music, Inc.)
Performers:	The Who: Roger Daltry (lead vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar & backing vocals), John Entwhistle (bass guitar & backing vocals), & Keith Moon (drums).
Production:	Shel Talmy with Glyn Johns (engineer)
Recorded:	IBC Studios, London, 13 October 1965
UK release:	Brunswick 05944, 29 October 1965. Charts 4 November 1965: RR #2. [3:14]
US release:	Decca 31877, 20 November 1965: BB #7 (February 1966).

	Section	Time	Meas.	Description	Text
	Intro	0:00	4	Guitar and bass hammer two chords, four strokes to a measure. (G major)	—
A	Verse	0:	16	Stop-time style: double-tracked vocal continues as guitar and drums drop out for two measures & play for two measures; Bass continues throughout. Hand claps punctuate.	a
	Refrain	:	4	Guitar, drums, and bass play steady pattern under vocal.	b
A	Verse	:	16	Stop time: this time, guitar, drums, and bass drop out for two measures and play for two measures. Hand claps punctuate.	c
	Refrain	:	4	as refrain above	b
A	Verse	:	16	Stop time: guitar and drums drop for two, play for two while bass solos (double-tracked?). Hand claps punctuate.	—
	Refrain	:	4	As above, but without vocals.	—
A	Verse	:	16	Stop time as in second verse. Begin a whole tone higher (A maj).	c
	Refrain	:	12	As in refrains above, except extended and modulates up a semitone (Bb major).	d
A	Verse	:	16	As in most verses above.	a
	Refrain		8	As in refrains above.	e
	Soli		20	Multiple parallel soli (trad influence?). Begins one whole tone higher (C major).	—
	Coda		17	Chorus repeats hook while lead vocal improvises.	f

Text
People try to put us d-down, (talkin' 'bout my generation), Just because we get around (talkin' 'bout my generation). Things they do look awful c-c-cold (talkin' 'bout my generation); I hope I die before I get old (talkin' 'bout my generation).	a
It's my generation. This is my generation, baby.	b
Why don't you all fffffade away (talkin' 'bout my generation), And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (talkin' 'bout my generation), I'm not tryin' to cause a big sensation (talkin' 'bout my generation), I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation (talkin' 'bout my generation).	c
This is my generation. This is my generation, baby. My, my, gen- generation, my my, my my. My generation.	d
This is my generation. This is my generation, baby. My, my, gen- generation, my my, my generation.	e
(Talkin' 'bout my generation) It's my generation, baby.	f