Trick of the Light (The Who song)
| "Trick of the Light" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
905" | ||||
| Released | 2 December 1978 (US) | |||
| Recorded | 30 September 1977 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | John Entwistle | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| The Who singles chronology | ||||
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| Who Are You track listing | ||||
9 tracks
| ||||
"Trick of the Light" is a song written by bassist John Entwistle for The Who's eighth studio album, Who Are You. It was released as the second single from the album, atypically with another Entwistle song, "905" on the B-side, but did not chart.[2]
The lyrics describe fear of being sexually inadequate in the face of a prostitute.
Who biographer John Atkins says the song has a "muscular texture" and is "fully realized" but that it represents an "orthodox heavy rock format" that the band usually shunned.[2] The Who FAQ author Mike Segretto considers it one of Entwistle's "catchier songs," attributing its lack of chart success to its being "too heavy" and "too mean" for the 1977 singles chart.[5] Segretto considers the song to be underrated, finding humor in the situation but stating that "genuine vulnerability makes the song more than a good giggle and undercuts the performance's cock-rock attitude."[5] But it was not a favorite of Who lead singer Roger Daltrey, who complained that it went "on and on and on and on."[5]
It was performed occasionally on The Who's
References
- ^ a b The Hypertext Who. "The Hypertext Who › Liner Notes › Who Are You". thewho.net. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01.
- ^ ISBN 9781476606576.
- ^ "The Who - Trick Of The Light Lyrics - SongMeanings". SongMeanings.
- ^ ISBN 0711943060.
- ^ ISBN 9781480361034.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. December 2, 1978. p. 86. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 2, 1978. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 2, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-12.