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[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

"I Can See For Miles" was the greatest triumph from the Who's psychedelic stage. The song was released as a single in October 1967, becoming the biggest hit the band had in US, where the record reached #9. Meanwhile, the single peaked at #10 in UK; but Pete Townshend, the author of the song, was disappointed because he had higher expectations. Anyway, the song shines by its own merits: far-out vocals, furious guitars, and especially the wild drumming by Keith Moon. The lyrics describe the capability of the singer to see further than what his girlfriend thinks. This is certainly an acid rock masterpiece.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ZJn0cTASo" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ZJn0cTASo</a>

[Hello Goodbye]

http://dai.ly/x2zfdpn
















 

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

It seems that "I Can See For Miles" was not performed live while Keith Moon was alive, due to the complexity of the track. Curiously, the song started to be played regularly in live shows in 1979, soon after Moon's death.

This is a live version with Kenney Jones on drums, performed in 1979:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyBdNWrjFWw" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyBdNWrjFWw</a>

It's a shame the Who didn't try to do a live version with Moon, since the studio version has some of my favorite drumming ever.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys2SMk_ZWO4" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys2SMk_ZWO4</a>

[Moogmodule]

That's interesting. I didn't realise they took so long to play it live. Is it that complex to play live? I hadn't thought of that.

In any case I like the song. Seems to have all the ingredients that make a good Who song. Lots of power chord strumming, thundering drums, soft to hard dynamics. People who don't like this probably just don't like The Who.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

That's interesting. I didn't realise they took so long to play it live. Is it that complex to play live? I hadn't thought of that.

I believe the vocals were quite complicated to replicate on stage. For instance, the live version from 1979 is not so good in my opinion.

[tkitna]

Another song I usually turn.  Its alright, but its never done much for me.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

Another song I usually turn.  Its alright, but its never done much for me.

What do you think about the drumming? I'd like to know your opinion as a drummer. Perhaps is another performance that we the non-drummers enjoy despite eventual technical issues.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

I've always seen "I Can See For Miles" as a wilder variation of "Eight Miles High". It seems that the word "mile" was suitable for acid rockers. Here's a third example by Jefferson Airplane:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylLdszMHkLo" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylLdszMHkLo</a>

[tkitna]

What do you think about the drumming? I'd like to know your opinion as a drummer. Perhaps is another performance that we the non-drummers enjoy despite eventual technical issues.

In all honesty its one of Moonies easiest songs to play.  Its mostly all single stroke rolls and cymbal crashes that gets boring really quick.  I would pretty much take any other song from the Who over this one concerning Moons drums.

Its all personal opinion though.  I'm a fan of Pauls drumming on Dear Prudence, but most drummers I talk to dont see it.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

In all honesty its one of Moonies easiest songs to play.  Its mostly all single stroke rolls and cymbal crashes that gets boring really quick.  I would pretty much take any other song from the Who over this one concerning Moons drums.

Its all personal opinion though.  I'm a fan of Pauls drumming on Dear Prudence, but most drummers I talk to dont see it.

I understand. I still love Moon's drumming in "I Can See For Miles", not because of its complexity but because I think it works very well in the song. But again, I'm not a drummer, that's why I just analyze the sound and not the technical performance.

By the way, I also believe "Dear Prudence" has superb drumming by Paul. I once showed the track to a brother-in-law who is a drummer but he's not too much into Beatles music; I told him that was McCartney, and he said that Paul was better than Ringo!

[Moogmodule]

I understand. I still love Moon's drumming in "I Can See For Miles", not because of its complexity but because I think it works very well in the song. But again, I'm not a drummer, that's why I just analyze the sound and not the technical performance.

By the way, I also believe "Dear Prudence" has superb drumming by Paul. I once showed the track to a brother-in-law who is a drummer but he's not too much into Beatles music; I told him that was McCartney, and he said that Paul was better than Ringo!

I've heard some interesting stuff on various shows that suggest that the drumming at the end of Dear Prudence is actually a later overdub and is more likely Ringo than Paul. Undoubtedly Paul did the basic backing track but the sound and playing on the end drums is very different and more in keeping with Ringo's style on things like Strawberry Fields and a Day in the Life than anything we ever heard from Paul before or since.

Can't judge myself not being a drumming connoisseur

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

I've heard some interesting stuff on various shows that suggest that the drumming at the end of Dear Prudence is actually a later overdub and is more likely Ringo than Paul. Undoubtedly Paul did the basic backing track but the sound and playing on the end drums is very different and more in keeping with Ringo's style on things like Strawberry Fields and a Day in the Life than anything we ever heard from Paul before or since.

Can't judge myself not being a drumming connoisseur

Whether the drummer of the last part of "Dear Prudence" was Paul or Ringo, we may never know; all I know is that it is great to my ears.

With regard to "Strawberry Fields Forever", it also has some of my favorite drumming ever. But I believe that performance couldn't have been done in just one take, since that sounds as multiple drums!

[Moogmodule]

Whether the drummer of the last part of "Dear Prudence" was Paul or Ringo, we may never know; all I know is that it is great to my ears.

With regard to "Strawberry Fields Forever", it also has some of my favorite drumming ever. But I believe that performance couldn't have been done in just one take, since that sounds as multiple drums!

Certainly sounds great regardless.

[Bingo Bongo]

"I Can See For Miles" was the greatest triumph from the Who's psychedelic stage. The song was released as a single in October 1967, becoming the biggest hit the band had in US, where the record reached #9. Meanwhile, the single peaked at #10 in UK; but Pete Townshend, the author of the song, was disappointed because he had higher expectations.

Damn Beatles are probably to blame...

[tkitna]

With regard to "Strawberry Fields Forever", it also has some of my favorite drumming ever. But I believe that performance couldn't have been done in just one take, since that sounds as multiple drums!

It is multiple drums.  They were overdubbed. 

[stevie]

I've heard some interesting stuff on various shows that suggest that the drumming at the end of Dear Prudence is actually a later overdub and is more likely Ringo than Paul. Undoubtedly Paul did the basic backing track but the sound and playing on the end drums is very different and more in keeping with Ringo's style on things like Strawberry Fields and a Day in the Life than anything we ever heard from Paul before or since.

Can't judge myself not being a drumming connoisseur

The bass sound on Dear Prudence changes big time near the end too - it goes from being very loud and prominent to sounding almost muffled so maybe it was an edit too.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

Talking about "Dear Prudence" and the Who, I once read a music critic claiming that the Beatles song (recorded in 1968) has a similar guitar line to "Our Love Was", from the album The Who Sell Out (recorded in 1967). What do you think?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS5spuKkvW4" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS5spuKkvW4</a>

[Hello Goodbye]

^

Sounds a bit like Susan by The Buckinghams, especially that middle part...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHlAnAXDJI" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHlAnAXDJI</a>

But both songs were released around the same time.

[Normandie]

Dragging this thread up 4 years later. . . I've never understood the relationship between "I Can See For Miles" and "Helter Skelter." I've read in several books now how Paul was prompted to compose the latter after Pete Townshend told him The Who had just recorded—and I'm paraphrasing here—the "most raucous, raunchiest song ever." Huh. I've been a devoted Who fan for 40 years, and I would not characterize ICSFM as raucous or raunchy. Yeah, sure, the lyrics are about a distant partner keeping an eye, literally or not, on a potentially cheating mate, but I'd never choose "raucous" or "raunchy" to describe the song. Was Pete just blowing smoke? He tends to do that. "Helter Skelter" is much creepier in my opinon. The two songs seem nothing alike to me.

In regard to the more professional comments already posted regarding Keith Moon, I can't speak to the technical aspects of drumming, not being a musician, but—just as a quick FYI, he was in such bad shape during the recording of "Music Must Change" (on the Who Are You LP) that Pete had to substitute a recording of his footsteps as he walked around his new flat. If you listen carefully at the very beginning of the song you can hear his shoes squeaking. 

Talking about "Dear Prudence" and the Who, I once read a music critic claiming that the Beatles song (recorded in 1968) has a similar guitar line to "Our Love Was", from the album The Who Sell Out (recorded in 1967). What do you think?

"Our Love Was" is so beautiful. That whole LP is fantastic, one of my all-time favorites. I'll have to listen to "Dear Prudence" to see if I can discern the similarities Andrés mentioned.

[zipp]

I can see the connection between I Can See For Miles and Helter Skelter in that both songs rely heavily on their instrumentation, mainly guitar and drums.

Pete overstated slightly the wildness of the Who's recording, and Paul and the Beatles decided that they'd try to do what they'd expected to hear.

Incidentally, I've just noticed that 'miles' also feature in Helter Skelter:

"I'm coming down fast but I'm miles above you."