"I Can See for Miles" is a song by the English rock band the Who, recorded for the band's 1967 album The Who Sell Out. Written by guitarist Pete Townshend,[4] it was the only song from the album to be released as a single.
Recorded in several separate sessions in studios across two continents, the recording of "I Can See for Miles" exemplifies the increasingly sophisticated studio techniques of rock bands in the late 1960s, such as those used for the Beatles and the Beach Boys. The backing tracks were recorded at CBS Studios in London, the vocals and overdubbing were performed at Talentmasters Studios in New York, and the single was mixed and mastered at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles.[5][better source needed] The initial UK mono pressing (Track Records) and the US Decca single has an overdubbed second bass line mixed upfront, whilst the drums are mixed slightly lower.[citation needed]
Critical receptionedit
The song is ranked number 40 on Dave Marsh's "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made",[6] number 37 on NME's "The Top 100 Singles of All-Time",[7] and number 162 on Pitchfork's "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s."[8]Billboard described the single as a "compelling off-beat number full of excitement and drive," stating that a "strong dance beat supports smooth vocal blend with top production work."[9]Cash Box said that it's a "solid, thumping, hard-driving, discotheque-styled rock stand" that's "a real powerhouse."[10] In a review for AllMusic, Richie Unterberger called "I Can See for Miles" "one of the greatest Who songs", adding that it also features "one of Keith Moon's greatest performances" and "one of the best drum parts ever on a rock record".[11]
"I Can See for Miles" reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart.[15] In the US, it peaked at number 9, the group's highest showing on the BillboardHot 100, [16] and in Canada it reached number four.[citation needed] Though Townshend had high hopes for the single, it ended up charting lower than most of the group's records up to that time. He wrote the song in 1966, but had held it back as an "ace in the hole", believing it would be the Who's first number-one single: "To me it was the ultimate Who record, yet it didn't sell. I spat on the British record buyer", Townshend later commented.[17]
The song may have inspired the Beatles' "Helter Skelter". Paul McCartney recalls writing "Helter Skelter" after reading a review of The Who Sell Out in which the critic claimed that "I Can See for Miles" was the "heaviest" song he had ever heard. McCartney had not heard the song but wrote "Helter Skelter" in an attempt to make an even "heavier" song than the one praised in the review, "to be the most raucous vocal, the loudest drums, et cetera".[18]
According to Setlist.fm the last time it was played in concert was 17th June 2023 in Florence, Italy[19]
Referencesedit
^Gallucci, Ennio (24 February 2021). "Top 20 Psychedelic Rock Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"Show 49 – The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 6] : UNT Digital Library". Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^Charlesworth, C. . thewho.net. Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
^The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made 4 February 2002 at the Wayback Machine
^"Rocklist.net....NME Greatest Singles Lists..." rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^"The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s – Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^"Spotlight Singles". Billboard. 30 September 1967. p. 15.
^"Record Reviews". Cash Box. 30 September 1967. p. 34.
^"The Who: Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
^Atkins, John. The Who on Record: A Critical History, 1963–1998. McFarland. p. 89.
^Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now. New York, NY: Henry Holt & Company. pp. 487–88. ISBN0-8050-5249-6.
^"The Who Setlist at Firenze Rocks Festival 2023". setlist.fm. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
April 24, 2024
miles, song, english, rock, band, recorded, band, 1967, album, sell, written, guitarist, pete, townshend, only, song, from, album, released, single, norwegian, picture, sleevesingle, whofrom, album, sell, outb, side, someone, coming, mary, anne, with, shaky, h. I Can See for Miles is a song by the English rock band the Who recorded for the band s 1967 album The Who Sell Out Written by guitarist Pete Townshend 4 it was the only song from the album to be released as a single I Can See for Miles Norwegian picture sleeveSingle by the Whofrom the album The Who Sell OutB side Someone s Coming UK Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand US Released18 September 1967 1967 09 18 US 13 October 1967 UK RecordedMay amp 6 7 August 1967 10 September 1967StudioCBS London Gold Star Los Angeles Talentmasters New York CityGenrePsychedelic rock 1 power pop 2 hard rock 3 psychedelia 3 Length4 25 album version 4 05 single version LabelTrack UK Decca US Songwriter s Pete TownshendProducer s Kit LambertThe Who singles chronology The Last Time 1967 I Can See for Miles 1967 Dogs 1968 Contents 1 Recording 2 Critical reception 3 Personnel 4 Charts and legacy 5 ReferencesRecording editRecorded in several separate sessions in studios across two continents the recording of I Can See for Miles exemplifies the increasingly sophisticated studio techniques of rock bands in the late 1960s such as those used for the Beatles and the Beach Boys The backing tracks were recorded at CBS Studios in London the vocals and overdubbing were performed at Talentmasters Studios in New York and the single was mixed and mastered at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles 5 better source needed The initial UK mono pressing Track Records and the US Decca single has an overdubbed second bass line mixed upfront whilst the drums are mixed slightly lower citation needed Critical reception editThe song is ranked number 40 on Dave Marsh s The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made 6 number 37 on NME s The Top 100 Singles of All Time 7 and number 162 on Pitchfork s The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s 8 Billboard described the single as a compelling off beat number full of excitement and drive stating that a strong dance beat supports smooth vocal blend with top production work 9 Cash Box said that it s a solid thumping hard driving discotheque styled rock stand that s a real powerhouse 10 In a review for AllMusic Richie Unterberger called I Can See for Miles one of the greatest Who songs adding that it also features one of Keith Moon s greatest performances and one of the best drum parts ever on a rock record 11 It was ranked number 262 on Rolling Stone s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2010 12 In 2012 Paste ranked the song number four on their list of the 20 greatest The Who songs 13 and in 2022 Rolling Stone ranked the song number two on their list of the 50 greatest The Who songs 14 Personnel editRoger Daltrey vocals Pete Townshend backing vocals guitar John Entwistle backing vocals bass Keith Moon drumsCharts and legacy edit I Can See for Miles reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart 15 In the US it peaked at number 9 the group s highest showing on the Billboard Hot 100 16 and in Canada it reached number four citation needed Though Townshend had high hopes for the single it ended up charting lower than most of the group s records up to that time He wrote the song in 1966 but had held it back as an ace in the hole believing it would be the Who s first number one single To me it was the ultimate Who record yet it didn t sell I spat on the British record buyer Townshend later commented 17 The song may have inspired the Beatles Helter Skelter Paul McCartney recalls writing Helter Skelter after reading a review of The Who Sell Out in which the critic claimed that I Can See for Miles was the heaviest song he had ever heard McCartney had not heard the song but wrote Helter Skelter in an attempt to make an even heavier song than the one praised in the review to be the most raucous vocal the loudest drums et cetera 18 According to Setlist fm the last time it was played in concert was 17th June 2023 in Florence Italy 19 References edit Gallucci Ennio 24 February 2021 Top 20 Psychedelic Rock Songs Ultimate Classic Rock Retrieved 29 April 2021 Harison Casey 6 November 2014 Feedback The Who and Their Generation Rowman amp Littlefield p 109 ISBN 978 1 4422 4010 0 a b Unterberger Richie 5 July 2012 I Can See for Miles Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 25 March 2015 Retrieved 3 November 2012 Show 49 The British are Coming The British are Coming With an emphasis on Donovan the Bee Gees and the Who Part 6 UNT Digital Library Retrieved 6 September 2017 Charlesworth C The Who Sell Out Liner Notes thewho net Archived from the original on 10 December 2011 Retrieved 7 January 2012 The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made Archived 4 February 2002 at the Wayback Machine Rocklist net NME Greatest Singles Lists rocklistmusic co uk Retrieved 6 September 2017 The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s Pitchfork pitchfork com Retrieved 6 September 2017 Spotlight Singles Billboard 30 September 1967 p 15 Record Reviews Cash Box 30 September 1967 p 34 Unterberger Richie The Who I Can See for Miles AllMusic Retrieved 31 May 2019 I Can See for Miles ranked 262 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs List Rolling Stone 11 December 2003 Retrieved 14 November 2020 Tremml Brian 7 November 2012 The 20 Best Songs by The Who Paste Retrieved 20 March 2023 The Who s 50 Greatest Songs Rolling Stone 30 June 2022 Retrieved 20 March 2023 The Who Official Charts Retrieved 6 July 2021 The Who Chart History Hot 100 Billboard com Retrieved 7 August 2022 Atkins John The Who on Record A Critical History 1963 1998 McFarland p 89 Miles Barry 1997 Paul McCartney Many Years from Now New York NY Henry Holt amp Company pp 487 88 ISBN 0 8050 5249 6 The Who Setlist at Firenze Rocks Festival 2023 setlist fm Retrieved 19 March 2024 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title I Can See for Miles amp oldid 1214526045, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
