Who - A Quick One (Happy Jack)

I will agree, however, that Townshend is the tunesmith of the band. John Entwistle`s songs are clever and sinister ("Whiskey Man" and "Boris the Spider"). Roger Daltrey`s sole piece "See My Way" is only fair as is Keith Moon`s "I Need You" (with his Beach Boys falsetto). "Don`t Look Away" is the Who`s attempt to sound country and "Run Run Run" sounds a little like "My Generation". We`re also missing the original "Happy Jack". The extras are songs from Ready Steady Who! (excepting "Instant Party" which was released on the American version of My Generation) and the American release Magic Bus (like "Disguises", "Doctor Doctor" and "Bucket T").

Then of course there`s Pete`s 1st rock opera ever "A Quick One While He`s Away", which is by far the highlight of this CD. A lonely girlguide misses her man who`s been away "for a night and a year". Along comes Ivor the Engine Driver who promises "I`m gonna make you feel allright!".

"Run, Run, Run" is just full of rock fun. as one reviewer previously pointed out, it does sound similar to "My Generation". as an added bonus, it`s Stereo. John Entwistle`s first composition on the album, "Boris the Spider", is funny and clever. i just love those low vocals singing "BOOORIS THE SPIIIDER".

Keith Moon`s "I Need You" is surprisingly good. John`s "Whiskey Man" is again very clever, very reminiscent of Harvey. "Heatwave" is easily the weakest track of the 10 original album tracks. Keith Moon`s second composition "Cobwebs & Strange" is entertaining all the way through. Keith`s thunderous drumming is definitely the star of this track. "Don`t Look Away" has a nice melody and Beach Boy-ish harmonies. "See My Way" has one of the catchiest melodies on the entire album. it`s surprising Roger turned out so few songs. "So Sad About Us" is another solid song with great harmonies.

obviously the stand-out track on this album is the title cut. more digestable than "Tommy" or "Quadrophenia", this (almost) 10 minute mini-opera never gets dull. clever, funny, entertaining, and musically dynamic, "A Quick One (While He`s Away)" is something all it`s own. i personally think that the "Live at Leeds" version is superior to the album version, though. there is just so much energy in the live version. the parts that stand out the most are "Crying Town" and an extended and much better sung "You Are Forgiven" (for those who haven`t heard the song, these are the different movements of the song).

as an extra special treat, this CD has a whopping 10 bonus tracks! "Batman", is a personal favorite. it`s so funny and out of place on the album. i have no clue why they performed this song for the "Ready Steady Who" performance. "Bucket T" and "Barbara Ann" are equally out of place, but not as funny.

"Disguises" is a great song, similar in concept to "Whiskey Man". "Doctor, Doctor" is anther well-written song by John. "I`ve Been Away" is the humorous tale of a man wrongly imprisoned for his brother`s crimes. "In the City" is a forgettable Moon/Entwistle B-side. "Happy Jack (acoustic version)" is interesting, but falls short (it`s a con that they didn`t just include the original "Happy Jack", which would have easily fit on this CD). "Man With the Money" is another forgettable cover. "My Generation/Land of Hope and Glory" is funny, if nothing else.

definitely an essential album, and the 10 bonus tracks are just sweet!

This is one of those albums I had to give a second listen to for the songs to really sink in and for me to fully appreciate what this album is all about, and I wouldn`t recommend it to a new fan. Still, perhaps because I`m a female fan and most Who freaks are men, I`ve always viewed these songs as cute and campy instead of embarrassing or something that makes one want to vomit when listening to it. And you can hear that this is their transition album, going from the bubblegummy sound of the 1966 Pop Art culture that inspired it to more mature things, as evidenced in songs like the title track (how many songs in 1966 were over three minutes in length, to say nothing of nine minutes and ten seconds long?), which was their first mini-opera, as well as the other better tracks like "Boris the Spider," "Whiskey Man," and "So Sad About Us." It wasn`t meant to be a masterpiece like their later albums, it was just meant as a fun slice of 1966 pop paradise.