Things have taken off for the rock band The Who with the release of the single I Can’t Explain. In the US charts, he barely hit the top 100, but in the British charts he was in the top ten. It all started with the music of The Kinks, which was very fond of Pete Townsend. Under the influence of their songs You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night, he wrote a composition about the feelings that overwhelm a young man.
The history of the song I Can’t Explain
Townshend later recalled:
It cannot be considered an outright copy of the Kinks. There is little to say about how I wrote it. She suddenly appeared in my head when I was eighteen and a half.
Synopsis for the record
Roger Daltrey also talked about borrowing from The Kinks.
We already knew that Pete could write songs, but in those days it was not considered necessary to have your own material at all, because there was a lot of unrecorded music that we could get from America. But then bands like The Kinks started getting successful and they were probably the biggest influence on us. Of course, they strongly influenced Pete, and he wrote I Can’t Explain. It wasn’t a direct copy, but it certainly derived heavily from the Kinks’ music.
Q, 1994
The meaning of the song I Can’t Explain – The Who
Pete briefly described the main idea of the composition as follows:
I can not explain. I think it’s love, trying to tell you when I’m sad.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Townsend said it’s about an eighteen-year-old boy who can’t confess his love to a girl because he’s taken too many Dexedrine pills.
Recording and release
The song was recorded in early November 1964 at Pye Records with producer Shel Talmy. He brought in several session musicians to work on the track, including a young Jimmy Page.
Roger Daltrey remembers:
When we got on the record, another guitarist was in the studio, Jimmy Page. And he brought three backing singers with him, which was also a shock to us. He must have discussed it with our management, but not with us, so at first we were depressed and thought: “What the hell is going on here?”. But that was his [Шела Талми] recording approach.
Uncut
In December, I Can’t Explain was released as a single in the US, and in January 1965 was introduced to the British public.
The Who played I Can’t Explain at most concerts, often opening the program with this track. Giving an interview before the anniversary concert in 2015, Pete Townshend admitted that he does not like to perform the song, as it has lost its meaning for him:
The first chord of I Can’t Explain sets the mood for the whole evening for me. Will it be an evening where I pretend to be that old Pete Townsend? Or am I pretending to be an adult? In any case, I think I’m faking it.
Rolling stone
I Can’t Explain covers were performed by Scorpions, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and other famous musicians.
Interesting Facts
- The song is included in various lists of the best songs, including 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (Rolling Stone), 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s (Pitchfork Media) and 100 Greatest Singles of all Time (Spin).
- In 1969 The Who played I Can’t Explain at the Woodstock Festival.
I Can’t Explain Lyrics
Got a feeling inside
(can’t explain)
It’s a certain kind
(can’t explain)
I feel hot and cold
(can’t explain)
Yeah, down in my soul, yeah
(can’t explain)
I said
(can’t explain)
I’m feeling good now, yeah, but
(can’t explain)
Dizzy in the head and I’m feeling blue
The things you’ve said, well, maybe they’re true
I’m gettin’ funny dreams again and again
I know what it means, but
Can’t explain
I think it’s love
Try to say it to you
When I feel blue
But I can’t explain
(can’t explain)
Yeah, hear what I’m saying, girl
(can’t explain)
Dizzy in the head and I’m feeling bad
The things you’ve said got me real mad
I’m gettin’ funny dreams again and again
I know what it means but
Can’t explain
I think it’s love
Try to say it to you
When I feel blue
But I can’t explain
(can’t explain)
Forgive me one more time, now
(can’t explain)
I said I can’t explain
You drive me out of my mind
Yeah, I’m the worrying kind, babe
I said I can’t explain
I Can’t Explain Lyrics
I have a feeling
(I can not explain)
It’s special
(I can not explain)
I’m either hot or cold
(I can not explain)
Yes, deep down, yes
(I can not explain)
I’m talking
(I can not explain),
I feel very good, yes, but
(I can not explain)
Dizziness and longing in the soul,
Your words may be true
Funny dreams come to me again and again
I know what it means but
I can not explain,
I think it’s love
I’m trying to tell you about her
When I’m sad
But I can’t explain
(I can not explain)
Yes, listen to what I say girl
(I can not explain)
Dizziness and pain in the soul
Your words really pissed me off
Funny dreams come to me again and again
I know what it means but
I can not explain,
I think it’s love
I’m trying to tell you about her
When I’m sad
But I can’t explain
(I can not explain)
Forgive me again, now
(I can not explain)
I’m talking, I can’t explain
You’re driving me crazy
Yes, I can’t settle down, baby
I’m talking, I can’t explain
Song quote
I was very proud of this record. It was our original song, written by Pete, and it conveyed the energy and testosterone that we were charged with in those days.
Roger Daltrey
