The Who - Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (Alternate White Trash Soul Version)

 

'Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy' is the first in a long line of Who compilations. It is also widely regarded as the best. One reason for its success is that it has an actual purpose. Meaty was designed as a collection of the group's singles, many of which were never released on albums and it was compiled by Pete Townshed himself.  

However, there were some negative aspects to the situation at first. Kit Lambert, The Who's manager, tried to change the track order, but failed because too many copies had already been produced. The UK release was delayed because The Who and their other manager, Bill Curbishley, failed to consult Lambert but anyway. Aside from 'Boris the Spider' and 'I'm a Boy', every track on the album had been released as a single in the UK. Furthermore, all except 'A Legal Matter', 'Magic Bus and 'The Seeker' were top ten hits. 'Happy Jack', 'I Can See for Miles', 'Magic Bus' and 'Pinball Wizard' were also Top 40 hits in the US.

As it was released before 'Who's Next', it doesn't feature any of the group's later radio friendly "rock" hits. But that's for the best, in my opinion at least. I never liked them that much, if at all, right after. The Who have always been a maximum R&B outfit of pill-poppin' mods, not a bunch of long-haired hippies.

This time, I'm offering an alternate version of 'Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy'. I love the Ox, but 'Boris the Spider' was a joke, not a proper song — let alone one worthy of such a great collection. So I threw it out, don't care for any different aspect, it's my blog after all. I replaced it with what I consider to be the most underrated early Who song: 'Circles', which I learned from the Fleur De Lys' cover version when I was younger. Then I added two more: 'Call Me Lightning' was another US-only single that made it to the Top 40. Aside from that, it remains an amazing sonic blast of proto-power pop with added doo-wop vocals — it could have been easily a song by the Action!

At the tail end of this alternate look of mine it's the monster that is 'Goin' Down'. A song by Don Nix, a veteran of the Memphis music scene, having been involved with the very first house band for Stax Records, The Mar-Keys, since the late '50s. It is likely that this version was based on Freddie King’s rendition, which appeared on his 1971 album 'Getting Ready'. Pink Fairies and the Jeff Beck Group both tried it in the studio and at concerts, but Townshend and Co. probably went there first. There is only a live recording of it from 1971, and its sole legitimate release was on the 1987 rarities kind of thing album, 'Two's Missing'. A powerful smack in the vain of  'Live at Leeds'. Of course a no single release but to yours truly a battle cry to their younger and angrier days.  

All original MBB&B songs are ripped from the 1985 US CD version by MCA. 

The reason was none other than Steve Hoffman's remastering. A well-known figure in the audiophile community, Hoffman was known for taking care to use the best available source tapes and Hoffman's mastering is praised widely for improving the sound of the early Who recordings. A key feature of his remastering was correcting the original LP's fake stereo tracks by using vintage true stereo and mono mixes. I often visit his forum to see what Steve or others have to say about recordings and pressings I'd like to put my hands on. 

For the Meaty project, he wrote this: That's what I tried to do for the original MCA MEATY CD. The big problem is that in the late 1970s, the Who's material was "divided up" and the earlier stuff (starting, I think, at PICTURES OF LILY and going back) stayed at Brunswick, UK and stuff from I'M A BOY and later) went to the Who for their new TRACK label. So in the UK there are two different sets of owners, two different master vaults and a lot of confusion and bad blood. In the USA everything stayed with Decca/MCA so it was easier for me to recompile the set from scratch (I only had an afternoon) but a lot was a tape copy from the UK but at least true mono or true stereo. I doubt that would be possible to do in the UK now except by legal wrangles.

For the Extras I used rips from: 

1. CIRCLES, The Who '66 (2001 CD - Polyboy Records, duophonic)
2. CALL ME LIGHTNING, Magic Bus - The Who On Tour (2007 CD, Decca Records Japanese, Stereo)
3. GOIN' DOWN, Who's Missing & Two's Missing (2011, Polydor Records, SHM-CD Japanese, Stereo)

I also created the front sleeve featuring the then WHO logo, which I attached to the bottom right corner using scans of the original pamphlet that came with the American edition of 'Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy' in 1971.