Who - I'm a Boy 1967

[Bannor]

My name is John and I'am a headcase.

[666pounder]

This song is about a boy named Chase Huber. none of you know him but he is truly a Boy among men. haha.

[m06een00]

It's a song about a tomboy - a girl wanting to be a boy. Hence the line 'I'm a boy, but my ma won't admit it'.

[Rockjunky1995]

@m06een00 No, it's about a boy who's mother treats him like a girl since she wanted four girls. Hence the lines "One girl was called Jean Marie. Another little girl was called Felicity. Another little girl was Sally Joy. The other was me, and I'm a boy." Townshend said so himself.

[m06een00]

@Rockjunky1995 You have source for Townshend saying the story is about a boy being treated as a girl? I remember Townshend saying the opposite many years ago explaining the song was about a tomboy, It makes perfect sense from the line ""I'm a boy, but my ma won't admit it'.ie she wants to be a boy.. Why would a parent try to confuse their kid about their gender. That makes no sense.

[Rockjunky1995]

@m06een00 "Amazing Journey: Story of the Who." Great documentary btw.

[goofball33]

@m06een00 "my name is bill" "put this wig on little boy" its about a boy who is treated like a girl you dumbass

[instantdeath99]

@Rockjunky1995 Hmm, that's interesting, I always assumed it was about a tomboy. I think I like that interpretation better :)

[n0iwont]

@m06een00 ...no it isn't ! - it's about a boy who is being treated like a girl by his mother..

[JimmyConway60]

i grew up listening to the Who..but does anyone feel a hint of punk rock in this song??

[blooddonor70]

Townsend was a true visionary, all of these songs transcend time

[triffiks]

my band THE TRIIFIKS did a cover of it, I was on the bass and its has a great bassline,although the harmonies were a bit of a bggr(-:

[dogzluvr13]

Hahaha I think of Hemingway when I hear this. Even though Hemingway was too damn sexy.

[vezonproductions]

In the first seconds of this video John look like Kramer from seinfield :D

[deedlebug965]

I always thought this song was about a mom who couldn't accept the fact she gave birth to a boy.

[Rockjunky1995]

@deedlebug965 You are correct, the mother wanted four girls, but ended up with three girls and one boy.

[somercet1]

So awesome. And may I note, this song subverts the TV Trope Second Law of Genderbending. :-D

[ydor]

Who the fuck writes a song about gender identity issues in 1967 ???? Wow.

[M33tb4ll]

@ydor how is that weird? the 1960's was a decade of breaking taboo's, you can see that in written, painted, photographed and musical art, and in the way of living life

[ydor]

@M33tb4ll Weird ? How did you infer that ? I was commenting on how brilliant and ahead of his time Townshend was to tackle such issues, when other bands were singing about "love" and much less provocative issues in general.

[M33tb4ll]

@ydor "weird" was an error of translation and you are right, it is more provocative than issues as gay love, open sex and drugs but they were after that, they were seeking something which was provocative, if gender change wasn't a taboo, they would have found something else I guess

[joedog281]

No they never ,but they never done things that PEter Dennis done neither.

[WKRPinCINN]

the beatles, stones and kinks never wrote a song quite like this.

[zorencontreras]

lag.............

[zorencontreras]

panet!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MXInmortal]

Happy Birthday Keith Moon!

[Brenjewell]

They peaked in the 60's

[WaveRyeDer99]

Petey was gay and is to this day...and that's all...

[titostacos]

This song is about controlling parents, like mine who changed my name when I was three or four...

[metalheadwill666]

omg lame song

[townshendsmash]

john entwistle is the man

[TheOriginalMongMorg]

lol the bassist looks like he's just flicking the strings XD

[PhunkyNun]

We had this record when it was new and I thought he sang 'so take these stinking ribbons from my hair!'

[listerone]

The Who's earliest stuff was their best stuff...by far.Over time they got far too "polished" and lost that raw power and energy from their early days.

[ox092]

@listerone totally agree. After 1970 the who was not the same. The old stuff is more energizing.

[TroubleInTheTown]

@listerone I agree. They were good while they were a "mod band". When they become rockers with long hairs and high heals... they begin to suck.

[CatapultYourMom]

Suspenders? No.



[LittleD3]

"I Want to Cut myself and See My Blood, I want to come home All Covered in Mud" I'm a Girl and Not a Tomboy, and I've done that Before Many Times.

[CatapultYourMom]

@LittleD3 I think the current term is lesbian.

[LittleD3]

@CatapultYourMom No, Because I date Guys and have no interest sexually in girls.

[TedMaloney]

@MrMeddled - You can hear John Entwistle's brass roots in this song. He makes his bass sound like a tuba.

T

E

D

[MrTulip65]

"Ride My Bike across the Stream", innit?

[triffiks]

did a cover of this in my old band The Triffiks played bass on it which was fun and had to sing the high notes (no comment Lol) Couldnt now tho LOL

[RottingNegZero]

fantastic song they were pioneers definitely Best of the British invasion

[kikerock777]

Me encanta!!

[moggy1231]

don't forget the songwriter pete townshend called the poet laurete of britain ray davies.

[PandaValentine]

I seen my childhood friends mom today and this is the song she started to sing and asked me to listen to. It's now something I just can't stop singing.

[thegreenolivo]

No one sounds like The Who, they're unique.

[MusicToMyMelody]

Wow,explains me soo much. "Im a boy,but ma won't admit it" Im biogically a girl,but i am a boy :)

[theblueflashinglight]

@MusicToMyMelody thats exactly what i was thinking when i first heard this song.

[ChrisYonts]

@MusicToMyMelody No you've got it backwards luv.

[MusicToMyMelody]

@ChrisYonts Idc,if I got it backwards.

Doesn't matter if I got it wrong,, the way you perceive it.

I interpreted the song, the way that means the most to mee <3 (:

[TheTheotherfoot]

@MusicToMyMelody  whay ever floots your boat

[eXPerienceyeah]

Its funny when you understand the lyrics. A boys parents are trying to tell him he is a girl, but he is a boy. Can you get more FUBAR lol.

[brotherbuttcrack]

"if i say iam, I GET IT"

[andypandywright]

i remember putting one of my last coins in a jukebox to hear this before stepping back out into the dark to hitch down the M1.

[SeattleLA]

I would like to hear from anyone who actually saw the Who, in UK, in the earliest days.

[IICampHarD]

awsome

[JohnnyCxviii]

Townshend at his songwriting best--sharp, clever, funny, interesting. One of the best pop/rock songwriters of all time, with Lennon, McCartney, Simon, Fogerty, and precious few others.

[SeattleLA]

@JohnnyCxviii I am starting to to think that Pete may be the best of all time, since most bands (Beatles, Zeppelin, Doors, YES, etc). had more than one composer) Virtually every Who song is Pete's. Roger wrote about 2, Keith 1-2. John 4-6. But Pete wrote so, so many hits, too numerous to count.

[JohnnyCxviii]

@SeattleLA You make a fair point, but after 64-65, Lennon and McCartney really didn't write together, despite the Lennon/McCartney writing credit to their songs. Then you gotta factor in the post-Beatle hit songs for both, esp. Paul. Brian Wilson was also the main songwriting force for the Beach Boys. In any event, I do put Pete on the same level as Lennon, McCartney, Simon, Wilson, Fogerty...these are all cream-of-the-crop song writers.

[SeattleLA]

@JohnnyCxviii Hi. Yes, that is all true. In the Beatles, even after '65, they still had more than one person who were competent at writing. Brian Wilson? Few, if any as good as Brian. My aunt used to babysit him when he was a boy. Also, I consider the longevity of Pete's writing. Anyway, thank you for your wisdom. These musicians have left a legacy for all of us all to enjoy. 45 years later.

[cythera431]

Jean Marie, Felicity, Sally Joy...and little boy.

[DONDIVA1969]

This was the Who at there best before that Tommy bullshit.

[leoseries]

Their Beach Boy influence is very evident in the harmonies.

[aleglauber]

@leoseries THe Beatles used to sing in harminies too......... after this first album the Who became realy more original...... but i love " My Generation"!!!!!

[CirqueFREAK333]

hell yeah trans! :)

[ox092]

lol love the part where Daltrey turns around.

[Metalfanseries]

4 dislikers doesn't have a good taste of music.

[tim60s321]

 the tale of Bill and his sisters and a mum who didnt like boys...top classic "One girl was called Jean Marie Another little girl was called Felicity Another little girl was Sally Joy The other was me and Im a boy My name is Bill and Im a headcase They practice making up on my face Yeah I feel lucky if I get trousers to wear Spend ages taking hairpins from my hair I'm a boy I'm a boy But my ma won't admit it...and so on you can get all the lyrics off the many websites via google OK?

[iiJoshbromley]

what albums this from

[ox092]

@iiJoshbromley I think Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.

[coewee]

classic Classic music that along with the beatles Stones Dylan and so on will played over and over even 100 years from now the Best

[az092707]

Great fighting song back in the day , My name 's Bill and I'm a headcase Ya Bas !

[Mick342]

this was 66

[TheEscapeReality]

underrated song of who

[MckyMseNTarotCrds]

One of my all-time favorite songs.

[Korph88]

wow this is remastered really nice

[penebrew]

I think this is a song about a little girl who just wants to be a kid and wants to live life and is tired of being dressed up in froofy crap and wants to go outside and play and she only sees little boys being able to do these types of things so she decides she wants to be a boy.

[deanlad27]

@penebrew

haha no it aint lol

where did ya hear that?

its about a turtle called george who wants to be a dog

[MottTheWot]

I always thought the song was about a boy dressed as a girl, the family already had 3 girls then along came a boy so they dressed him as a girl? Pre cursor to Townshend's rock operas and a bloody good one too. Moon is outstanding on this. Wonderful Who moment!

[davebrocksguitar]

Funny??? It's about a boy abused by his mum....

[onlinelondon]

Funny song!!

Melodious though

ed

[rooseveltEroosevelt]

hey it's playback! look at 1:11

[ThoseGreenDayz]

Aw, look at Roger. Nothing about him has changed in the past thirty years but the length of his beautiful hair.

[CantonezSpere]

@ThoseGreenDayz and his voice im afraid :/

[DareDevil8D]

I found my theme song! :D

[BigJiggety]

Marvelous tuff!!!

[JoeyClimax]

It's so great to see Pete pre- wind mill and Roger pre- twirl the mic. Next thing you know, they're off smashing sets.

[kraken589]

@JoeyClimax pete's totally doing the windmill in this song

[MrLman34]

this isnt exactly my favorite song by the who but theyr still 1 of the best bands ever

[wombchakra]

pete was "fiddled about" with...he wrote a song about it

[mateuszmattias]

@wombchakra Actually I think it was John Entwistle who wrote the song "Fiddle about", I may be wrong though...

[drummbumm10]

@wombchakra john wrote fiddle about idiot

[wombchakra]

@drummbumm10 You right, might they both been fiddled about? might've been john telling someone else's story? no reason to snap about

[wombchakra]

@drummbumm10 ok, you must be too young to remember but Pete has admitted he was abused and i was just raising conjecture about John - Pete was doing advocacy research about child sexual abuse and the authorities raised a stink about having found some pictures or something on his home computer - it was all over the news briefly but you weren't paying attention..or something. sorry, forget it...don't really understand the "weirdo" reference...

[wombchakra]

@drummbumm10 and the reference to "snap about" was because you called me an idiot. I'm old enough to be your grandfather, not so old as the Who, but close. I had just forgotten it was John's song. The "idiot" and "weirdo" usage tags you as a callow youth and all is forgiven. We weren't able to insult people so freely and ignorantly when we were young - we didn't have the internet so we listened to music and read fanzines and books..you wouldn't understand.

[oldstylelife]

i noticed petes not plugged in nor is john....

[LOLIloveyourmother]

@oldstylelife thats how hardcore they are they don't even need to be plugged in aha :)

[oldstylelife]

haha true that!!=D lol

[valyuntbe]

My name is Bill and I'm a headcase.......classic!

[xXxOtakuLovesSaixXx]

Hm... Is it wrong that, as a girl, this song is stuck in my head... AND I KEEP SINGING IT?

[mateuszmattias]

@xXxOtakuLovesSaixXx , ha ha not at all, that probably just makes you a much more fascinating and intriguing girl...

[thehenroach3]

@xXxOtakuLovesSaixXx Not at all... good songs just get stuck in your head... just imagine if they were singing about your brother or cousin or whatever. lol

[vogelmandrie]

Cut myself and see my blood, I wanna come home all covered in mud,

people who lived these years know that at that time it was almost a crime to behave like that, The Who had an enormous impact on social life, nowadays it's dificult to understand that, they were the pioneers , the real inventors of rock music

[jackiechampion]

Daltrey is such a tough guy!

[xXcharleXx]

This was meant to be about the future and choosing the gender of your child and a parent wanting 4 girls.. but in my mind, it's my life story =]

[ecnalubma696969]

@xXcharleXx Twat. boo fucking hoo.

[xXcharleXx]

@ecnalubma696969 Um.. I'm happy about that so why are you 'boo fucking hoo'ing me?

[ecnalubma696969]

@xXcharleXx Oops, sorry. Forget it. Just trying to be funny an that.

[fokker313]

@xXcharleXx Check out Keith Moon on the skins, unbelievably fast and also on time with every beat, died way to young, would have been the best drummer in the world, incredible sound by the best stage and live performing group ever, LONG LIVE ROCK

[theslipknotfan111]

@fokker313 Im so so sorry man this is highly innapropriate i just wanted to say its *too* not *to* but you are very correct and i support your comment 100% peace brutha!

[melocotoso]

temazo de las mil putas!!!

[Ezdduf4kuZ]

@melocotoso Qui Qui monsier!

[Ezdduf4kuZ]

@melocotoso ci ci monseur!

[easkateman]

The who, The troggs and the beatles FTW!

[JourneyToDylan]

0:23 - I resemble that remark!

[d331993]

an other great song from the who justin biber wat a cunt haha

[RayManzarekGod]

Today I turned a girl in the 8th grade from my church, onto The Who I played this to her and she was like "WOW!! That singers so good!" At Pete, then she was amazed that both Pete and Roger were both singing. We're the defenders of Rock N Roll!

[callaup]

un de mes gruope freferes c'etait vraiment bien

[Beatnikzombie]

The story of my childhood.

[pookie413413]

@Beatnikzombie im sorry lol

[BakinBacon91]

Are they actually playing this live? I ask this because I don't see any cords coming from Pete's guitar... Is there a way to amplify without cords? Also this sounds exactly like the recorded version... although it's possible that the recorded version is live.. but is this really live?

[lickn11]

@BakinBacon91 I have been a guitar player for 35 years and am watching petes chords and simutanious strum and it sure looks to the point to me. A //////Esus4-E.. Pete Townsend had a big influence on me as a guitarest. Then again I might be missing something but watched close.

[nickmarkham69]

@BakinBacon91 NO, ITS NOT LIVE.

[Reint25]

@BakinBacon91 No, it's a promo video, just like we have now. Altough 60s promo vids mostly just showed the band playing the song, without ''playing it'', if that makes sense.

[MatthewCentral]

@BakinBacon91

lol fag.

[SuperMike82]

was that john in the corner? i couldn't tell

[foppa123]

prefer 70-80's Who

[heartspillxx]

Pete Townshend's thinking behind "I'm a boy" was generally unknown but very interesting. The song was supposed to be part of a musical that he intended to write, where parents of the future were allowed to choose the sex of their children. The singer's mother has selected four girls, and by mistake, three girls and one boy were born instead.

[SANITYFADES79]

Roger's voice is great but he got in fights with the band they fired him once but got him back because of his singing

[Blubrackets]

@SANITYFADES79 I saw in the Amazing Journey movie that he got fired for flushing the band's drugs down the toilet and they fired him for that? Who Knows... Ha Ha I just got it WHO knows.

[happyenjoytime]

It's great to relive that song..... such polite young lads ... no pink panties for me either!

[professorpopkiss]

Na Storavye

[professorpopkiss]

Na Storavye

[bleema2]

I think roger is a really nice guy. But Pete Townshend always came across as big headed. He did even have any looks. Roger Daltry had the Charisma and you can see in the early Who videos he was a more than a mod. They were called Sylists. The mods just copied and came later.

[mealys]

Brilliant song

[TheGrownUpAdult]

My dad took his own life a few months after i was born, so i've never really had any male rolemodel, and my mom treads me like a damn girl all the time... I don't CARE if my skin is dry, and NO i don't care if my hair is long and isn't taken care of, as if it was a little newborn baby!. Aaaargh!

[StanleyWiddos]

ace :)

[scartissue94]

Pete said that this song is about family from the future, and they get to choose which gender their child can be. The family wanted only girls, but they accidentally had a boy. Can you believe that Pete predicted that there'd be technology for choosing gender for your babies in the future, and he didn't even know it??

[TheGrownUpAdult]

IS there technology that can do that??

[scartissue94]

@TheGrownUpAdult

Yeah, you get to choose what gender your next baby could be. And Pete somehow knew that the future would have that. He's really cool!

[TheGrownUpAdult]

Damn... How cool is that?! :D

[bodrhanbert]

ABSOLUTELY FABULEUS

[DamballaWedo]

In better quality of YouTube? No.

[AHRZAMANBALASY]

thanx Hugechurbes and hotclaws

I not so well know English

Besides to me laziness was to translate,

DID NOT THINK THAT IT WILL CAUSE AVERSION IN SOMEONE

IT IS HOWEVER EXPLAINABLE; THIS GUY FROM CANADA WHICH ETERNALLY LOSES TO RUSSIANS IN THE NATIONAL KIND OF SPORTS (I THINK YOU GUESS IN WHAT)

[Rac665]

i swear, im gonna marry a chick from the 60's. but i need a time machine. i cant marrty them n ow cause they are like my dads age., and they are probably all wrinkley and such now.

[Rac665]

ph yeah and im 28. andy chick fromt he 60's interetsed?

[hotclaws]

fabulous

[shnen2]

only just disocvered this amazing song, im ashamed to say...

[0rionBTL]

You're not alone, Shnen.

[jsilence418]

Entwistle clearly the best instrumentalist in the band, and it's 1:12 before you see him !

[GlorifiedTruth]

At 0:06, actually. :- )

[Hugechurbes]

He said 'Perfectly, only a sound too silent'.

[funny0000000]

I like english as well and don't want to see every comment in Russian or what ever either BUT we got to remember the internet is global.

If a Russian likes the who let him use his Russian. It took both you and I longer to type this than to ignore it.

In his defense he may not understand the song even. I listen to a few French songs by France Gall and I understand not one French word but I still like them as if I knew what they were singing about.

[ArkanTheClean]

@funny0000000 Одну девушку называли Джином Мэри, еще маленькую девушку называли Счастьем, еще маленькой девушкой была Салли Джой другой, был я, и я - мальчик Меня зовут Билл, и я - главный случай, я являюсь мальчиком, я являюсь мальчиком, но моя мама не будет принимать это. Вещь - то, что Вы не должны прочитать это дерьмо и только наблюдать, слушать видео. И, пожалуйста не забудьте не голосовать, поскольку Goverments продолжают входить.

[ArkanTheClean]

@funny0000000 Одну девушку называли Джином Мэри, еще маленькую девушку называли Счастьем, еще маленькой девушкой была Салли Джой другой, был я, и я - мальчик Меня зовут Билл, и я - главный случай, я являюсь мальчиком, я являюсь мальчиком, но моя мама не будет принимать это. Вещь - то, что Вы не должны прочитать это дерьмо и только наблюдать, слушать видео. И, пожалуйста не забудьте не голосовать, поскольку Goverments продолжают входить.

[penrhyndeundraeth]

@funny0000000 from my limited understanding of Russian it appears that ArkanThe Clean is translating the lyrics into Russian (presumably for the benefit of other Russian listeners). I don't have a problem with that.

[Ezdduf4kuZ]

@AHRZAMANBALASY, why don't you print your comment in english, so that me, the sender & everyone else can read what you have to say. Most comments on this site are in english as is the song, "I'm a Boy", so why don't you just accept it and use your english. If this song was in russian I wouldn't say anything. A big thankyou for posting this interesting video!, came to you from Vancouver, Canada.

[hotclaws]

@Ezdduf4kuZ ,who cares if it's in Russian,I went to Bablefish and got a translation,took less time than typing up your complaint did.

[AHRZAMANBALASY]

прекрасно, только звук слишком тихий

[Nicomagic6]

Townsend's guitar style was so innovative it is hard to see who he was influenced by. The rythmn guitar parts have a voice of their own ranging from a whisper to a roar.

[PengPengBoateng2]

Ik wil boy ricke zijn zusje licke

[Laumskie]

Boy Ricke?

[PengPengBoateng2]

Boy Pfeifer?

[vicxtoire]

Ah, and I'd almost forget: great song, great video. The Who are amazing, one of the best band that ever existed. But that's oblivious.

And Pete is just adorable with his tie. And his shoulders straps.

[flamencoprof]

I heard this when it came out, but I refuse to testify, on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.

[MottTheWot]

Awesome song, one of their best.

[thealiraysoosay]

PETE:Im A BOY!

KEITH : Thats nice pete , but your also a gay boy

Roger:LOL

[evilash1996]

John:That kid "thealiraysoosay" is vedy vedy vedy stupid

[thealiraysoosay]

hey i love pete hes HAWT!!!But i just found out he is gay and i just vented SORRY!!

[vicxtoire]

Yeah, Pete is hot but he's not gay. When he was much younger, -in the early sixties- he did try "things" with other boys, but he said he was heterosexual, in spite of the fact he totally recognized his experimentations. I can't tell you that's 100% true -I remember reading this on the Wikipedia- but I'm pretty sure I've read an interview or something of that kind that confirmed what I've just said.

(Oh, and sorry for my terrible English: I'm French)