Note: This page attempts to deal with recordings of songs which are known to exist (either by their appearance on bootlegs or reference made to them in books and press articles on the Who) but which have not been officially released anywhere. The focus here is clearly on songs which have never been released in any form by the group, but also on significant variations in previously released songs (such as the version of "Join Together" which nearly doubles the length of the familiar version). Live performances are dealt with here only if they were at some point intended for an official release (such as the aborted 1968 live album) or are unique songs which were professionally recorded, and therefore are more likely to be released in the future (there are, for instance, dozens of professionally recorded live versions of "I Can't Explain," only a couple of "I Saw Here Standing There"). Unreleased live recordings will be dealt with on the recording chronology page where the setlist of each known professionally recorded concert will be posted. For tracks which are derived from the "Atkins list," please note the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.---SR
AUTO-DESTRUCT!!! A possible unreleased track dating from 1965. A smash-up finale perhaps? From the "Atkins list."
BABA O'RILEY (Pete Townshend) The synthesizer backing track to "Baba" is much longer than the five minute version released by the Who, and it is possible that a group version exists which utilizes the whole track.
BANK HOLIDAY An outtake song mentioned for possible use as a bonus track on the 1996 reissue of Quadrophenia. It was ultimately decided to leave bonus tracks off the reissue, as they would disturb the artistic unity of the song cycle. The Quad outtake "We Close Tonight" was released on the Odds And Sods reissue and three others are on The Quadrophenia Soundtrack.
BATMAN THEME (Neal Hefti) An instrumental version recorded ca. 1966-67. Called "Caped Crusaders" on some bootlegs. For the released versions, see BATMAN.
BLUE RED AND GREY (Pete Townshend) A full band version is said to exist.
BONY MORONIE (Larry Williams) A studio version may have been recorded in 1971. From the "Atkins list."
CAN'T YOU SEE I'M EASY (Pete Townshend) A song recorded in May 1972 at Olympic Studios, Barnes for an album that was never released. See UNRELEASED 1972 ALBUM below.
CITY OF FLAMES (LONDON'S BURNING) A possible unreleased track dating from 1965. No other information known. From the "Atkins list."
CLASSIFIED (Pete Townshend) This song, dating from 1972, was released on the B-side of Pete's "Let My Love Open The Door" U.K. single in 1980. It, and the other B-side song, "Greyhound Girl," were noted as "found beneath the Eel Pie floorboards." They may have been recorded by the Who for the UNRELEASED 1972 ALBUM described below.
C'MON EVERYBODY (Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart) One of three Cochran songs professionally recorded at the Fillmore East in April of 1968 (the others being "Summertime Blues" and "My Way"). No Who version of this song, live or studio, has been released.
DANCE TO KEEP FROM CRYING (James Peterik) A song the Who (and Detours) performed often in the early days, and may have made a studio recording of in 1965 or '66. A studio version is mentioned in the "Atkins list."
DANCING IN THE STREET (Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson, Ivy Joe Hunter) A live-in-studio version recorded 3/15/66 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London. First broadcast on Saturday Club, 3/19/66.
DAY OF SILENCE (Pete Townshend) Pete's solo version of this song, in praise of Meher Baba's vow of silence and the value of quiet reflection, was released on the Meher Baba tribute album Happy Birthday in 1970 and now appears on the CD of Who Came First. A version may have been recorded by the Who, but the subject matter is quite un-Who-like. A Who version is mentioned in the "Atkins list."
DO YOU WANT KIDS, KIDS? (Pete Townshend) An anti-smoking song which was presented to the American Cancer Society as an alternative to "Little Billy." This one was considered too gruesome, though!
DOGS, PART TWO (Keith Moon, Towser and Jason) As with "Join Together" (see below), a much longer, unedited take of this song may exist. A long version is mentioned in the "Atkins list."
A DROP IN THE OCEAN A possible unreleased track dating from 1970. No other information known. From the "Atkins list."
EMINENCE FRONT (Pete Townshend) A studio version recorded during It's Hard sessions at Turn Up-Down Studios, Surrey, 5-6/82. Featuring lead vocals by Roger Daltrey. FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER PARTY A possible unreleased track dating from 1967. Inspired by "Monster Mash" perhaps? From the "Atkins list."
THE GIRL WITH THE FLOWERS A possible unreleased track dating from 1968. No other information known. From the "Atkins list."
GOOD LOVIN' (Arthur Resnick and Rudy Clark) A live-in-studio version recorded 5/24/65 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London. First broadcast on Saturday Club, 5/29/65.
GREAT SHAKES A radio jingle for Great Shakes milkshakes which was probably recorded 2/26/68 in L.A. during the same session which produced "Call Me Lightning," "Little Billy," and "Do You Want Kids, Kids?" The Yardbirds also recorded a version of the "Great Shakes" jingle, incidentally.
HARLEM SHUFFLE (Earl Lee Nelson and Bob Relf) The Who may have recorded a studio version of Bob and Earl's dance hit in 1966. From the "Atkins list."
HOWEVER MUCH I BOOZE (THERE AIN'T NO WAY OUT) (Pete Townshend) A version of this Who By Numbers song may have been recorded featuring vocals by Roger Daltrey. Daltrey felt the song was too personal and self-referential on Townshend's part, and so had him take the vocal on the released version. Daltrey vocal version mentioned in the "Atkins list."
I CAN SEE FOR MILES (Pete Townshend) An alternate studio version from 1967 may exist featuring lead vocal by Pete Townshend. From the "Atkins list."
I SAW HER STANDING THERE (John Lennon and Paul McCartney) (Version I) A rehearsal version recorded at Shepperton Studios during the filming of The Kids Are Alright in 1978. This version wasn't included in the film or the soundtrack LP but was broadcast on radio programs promoting the film. Vocal by Keith Moon. (Version II) A version professionally recorded live at Shea Stadium, 10/13/82, for potential use on the double-LP Who's Last. Vocal by John Entwistle.
IT WAS YOU (Pete Townshend) A studio version recorded in 1963 at Barry Gray's home studio, England; produced and engineered by Barry Gray. Performed by the Detours (Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and Doug Sandom). The earliest known recording by three founding members of the Who, as well as the first Townshend composition ever recorded.
JIMMY'S DILEMMA A possible Quadrophenia outtake, perhaps an alternate title for the song now known as "We Close Tonight"? From the "Atkins list."
JINGLE BELLS (traditional; arranged by the Who) A unique and truly odd version of the seasonal ditty, recorded live, 12/24/65 for the Christmas edition of Ready Steady Go!.
JOIN TOGETHER (Pete Townshend) The full take (@ 7'15) of the version recorded 5/22/72 at Olympic Studios, Barnes; produced by the Who and Glyn Johns. Intended for release on the LP Odds And Sods in 1974.
JUST YOU AND ME (aka "JUST YOU AND ME, DARLING") (James Brown) A live-in-studio version recorded 5/24/65 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London. First broadcast on Saturday Club, 5/29/65.
KEEP ME TURNING (Pete Townshend) A brilliant song which Pete recorded with Ronnie Lane for their album, Rough Mix, which appeared in 1977. The Who may have recorded the song during sessions for The Who By Numbers in May of 1975. A Who version is mentioned in the "Atkins list."
KEEP ON WORKING (Pete Townshend) The Who's studio version of a song later released on Pete Townshend's solo album Empty Glass in 1980. Intended for release on Who Are You, in 1978.
LADIES IN THE FEMALE JAIL (Pete Townshend) A song recorded in May 1972 at Olympic Studios, Barnes for an album that was never released. See UNRELEASED 1972 ALBUM below.
LET THERE BE DRUMS A possible unreleased track dating from 1978. A Keith Moon showcase? From the "Atkins list."
MARY (Pete Townshend) A beautiful, haunting tune, recorded by the Who during the preliminary Lifehouse sessions at the Record Plant, New York, March 1971. The demo of this song appears on Pete Townshend's Scoop. According to the liner notes to the 1995 edition of Who's Next: "some of the 25-year-old master tapes containing unreleased songs (such as 'Time Is Passing' and 'Mary') have been lost or have deteriorated beyond repair." The tape of "Time Is Passing" has since been salvaged for an official release, and hopefully, the lost master of the Who's "Mary" will turn up one day.
MIRACLES NEVER CEASE A possible unreleased track dating from 1967. No other information known. From the "Atkins list."
MY FAVORITE STATION (Pete Townshend) The commercial jingle version of "My Generation," used to promote the BBC's Radio One.
MY WIFE (John Entwistle) A version may exist with lead vocals by Roger Daltrey. From the "Atkins list."
ONE LIFE'S ENOUGH (Pete Townshend) A version featuring vocals by Pete Townshend was considered for inclusion on the 1997 reissue of It's Hard.
(ONE ROOM) COUNTRY SHACK (Mose Allison) A song considered for inclusion on Tommy in the early stages. "Young Man Blues" was also going to be a part of Tommy but it, too, was left off.
RIOT IN THE FEMALE JAIL (see "LADIES IN THE FEMALE JAIL"
ROCK IS MY RELIGION A possible unreleased track dating from 1972. Perhaps intended for the project Rock Is Dead, Long Live Rock which became Quadrophenia. From the "Atkins list."
ROCK IS DEAD, LONG LIVE ROCK A provisional title for the 1972 project about the history of the Who which evolved into Quadrophenia. It may also have been the title for an alternate version of the song, "Long Live Rock."
SHE'S A SENSATION (Pete Townshend) An early version of the song which became "Sensation" on Tommy, but this one was "about a bird." The Who may have recorded this version, but it's unlikely.
SIGNAL 30 (2'54) An instrumental studio recording. Pobably intended for the proposed instrumental Who EP that was scrapped in 1967. This song may have been renamed "Sodding About"--a title which was announced for inclusion on the revised edition of Odds And Sods but did not make the final cut.
SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING (Chester Burnett) A Howlin' Wolf song which was heavily covered by British R&B bands in the sixties (most notably, the Yardbirds). The Who inserted this song into their set from time to time throughout their career, most notably as part of a medley with "Shakin' All Over" (normally they used "Spoonfu" for this purpose). A good example is the Amsterdam Concertgebouw performance of Sept. 29, 1969.
SURFIN' BIRD (Alfred Frazier, John Earl Harris, Turner Wilson, Jr., and Carl White) The Who may have recorded a version of the Trashmen's surf-music cult classic in 1966, with Keith as vocalist. From the "Atkins list."
TEENAGE RAMPAGE A possible unreleased track dating from 1975. No other information known. From the "Atkins list."
TO THE LIFEHOUSE A possible unreleased track from 1971 (A bridge between songs in the unreleased LIFEHOUSE album?). From the "Atkins list."
WIZARDRY A Quadrophenia outtake, considered for inclusion on the 1996 reissue. See also BANK HOLIDAY above.
YOU CAN'T SIT DOWN (Phil Upchurch) The Who recorded a version of Philadelphia doo-wop group, the Dovell's 1965 dance hit, in 1966.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO JERK (Pete Townshend) An unreleased track dating from 1965. Touted as a follow-up single to "I Can't Explain," but it never transpired.
YOU RANG? (John Entwistle. Keith Moon, and Pete Townshend) An instrumental inspired by the Addams Family television show, recorded live 12/24/65 for the Ready Steady Go! Christmas show.
© 1997, 1998 seanrock@webtv.net
WHO'S FOR TENNIS This was the title for a
proposed 1968 album of studio material that would
fill the void until Townshend had finished the rock
opera he was developing. Two tracks specifically
mentioned in relation to this album were "Glow Girl" and "Faith In Something
Bigger." Other 1968 tracks which could have been
included were "Little
Billy," "Fortune
Teller," "Call Me
Lightning," "Dr.
Jekyll And Mr. Hyde," "Dogs," and "Magic Bus." The first
three tracks mentioned here were released on
Odds And Sods in 1974. "Fortune Teller"
was released on Thirty Years Of Maximum
R&B in 1994. The last four tracks were
released as single sides during 1968 and appear on
various compilation albums.
Instead of Who's For Tennis, the Who's
record companies in the U.S. and England released the
compilation albums, Magic Bus--The Who On
Tour and Direct Hits,
respectively. See ALBUMS AND
EPs.
THE WHO: LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST Again, as a means of keeping the Who's work before the public while Tommy was "in utero," the group considered releasing a live album recorded at one of their favorite U.S. venues, Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium East in New York. According to Dave Marsh's Before I Get Old, the Who may also have made official recording of Fillmore West shows from 1968 for this purpose. The Fillmore shows were never officially released because they lacked the technical perfection Townshend desired, and they depended too much on old material. (Strangely, this rationale didn't prevent the release of several compilation albums, or the Live At Leeds LP!) The recording of the Who's April 6th show at the Fillmore East has become one of the most heavily bootlegged Who performances, and apparently still exists in good condition. See RECORDING CHRONOLOGY for set-list.
UNRELEASED 1970 EP Due to their constant touring to promote the mega-hit Tommy album throughout 1969 and '70, the Who could find little time to record new studio material. The fantastic Live At Leeds album helped to bridge the gap between studio albums, but an EP of new material was also planned for late 1970. The tracks were recorded at Pete's Eel Pie Studios during the summer, but the EP never appeared. The tracks were: "Postcard," "Water," "Naked Eye," "Now I'm A Farmer," and "I Don't Even Know Myself." Note: "Water" was released as the B-side of "5.15" (U.K. single) & "Love Reign O'er Me" (U.S. single) in 1973. "I Don't Even Know Myself" was the B-side of "Won't Get Fooled Again" in 1971. The other tracks were released on Odds And Sods in 1974. "Now I'm A Farmer" was originally intended for Townshend's "rock opera," according to a 1968 report by Chris Welch.
LIFEHOUSE This was the title for the mother of all
unreleased Who albums. Lifehouse was a pretty deep
and complex concept, which has never been fully elucidated.
The basic concept rests on a science-fictional scenario of
a future world in which individuality is severely limited.
People have given up normal modes of experience in favor of
"experience suits" which meet their basic needs and
desires. Into the mix comes a young rebel, Bobby, who tries
to restore indviduality and free-thinking through (you
guessed it) Rock And Roll. He takes over a small theatre
and conducts a series of rock concerts which merge the
goals and ideals of performers and audience. The whole plot
is way too complicated to recount here, and in fact, is
probably far from finished. I may add a separate
Lifehouse page to this site eventually. At any rate,
Townshend's Lifehouse concept was far too ambitious
to achieve as he envisioned it (it also included a motion
picture project and an ongoing live performance
experience--mucho multimedia). When preliminary sessions in
New York City in early 1971 broke down, the Who returned to
England and turned to veteran rock producer Glyn Johns for
help. Since much of Lifehouse originally depended on
live performance (the "Lifehouse" was a concert hall), it
was thought that Johns, who recorded the Rolling Stones'
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out and the Beatles' Get Back
(also unreleased), could lend his expertise in this area.
Instead, Johns ended up co-producing all the studio
material intended for Lifehouse. When it became
apparent that the concept couldn't be finished as the Who
intended it, Johns sequenced a single album of what he
considered to be the best material from the sessions. The
band consented to release a single LP, and it became
Who's Next (their biggest selling and most
critically successful album ever). While the outside world
considered Who's Next a triumph, inside the Who
camp, perceptions were quite different. Roger Daltrey said
he felt the Who had "lost one bollock." Townshend claims to
have had a nervous breakdown over Lifehouse's
failure. Nevertheless, the band forged ahead, turning a few
Who's Next tracks into stage favorites for years to
come, notably "Behind Blue Eyes," "My Wife," and "Won't Get
Fooled Again." A trio of the some of the best
Lifehouse tracks were released as singles between
Fall 1971 and Fall 1972. These were "Let's See Action,"
"Join Together," and "Relay." Parts of Lifehouse
also saw the light of day as B-sides and tracks on the
compilation album Odds And Sods. The entrancing
synthesizer track to "Who Are You," released in 1978, is
also supposedly a leftover from the Lifehouse days.
Some of the Lifehouse concept was revived for Pete's
1993 album, Psychoderelict, which also utilized some
of Pete's synthesizer demos from Lifehouse. Although
a full track-listing for Lifehouse was never
published, it seems clear that the following were part of
the concept:
All of Pete's tracks on Who's Next: Baba O'Riley,
Bargain, Love Ain't
For Keeping, The Song Is Over, Getting In Tune,
Going Mobile, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again.
These singles: Let's See Action, Join Together, Relay
These B-sides: When I Was A Boy, Baby Don't You Do It
These Odds And Sods tracks: Put The Money Down, Pure
And Easy, Time Is Passing.
This unreleased Who track: Mary (Pete Townshend's demo for
this track appears on his solo album, Scoop.
In addition, these 1970 tracks were considered for
inclusion in Lifehouse: Water, Now I'm A Farmer, I
Don't Even Know Myself
Would've been quite an album, eh?
UNRELEASED 1972 ALBUM Working closely with professional engineer/producer Glyn Johns on the Who's Next album had clearly been beneficial to the Who's studio sound. They re-teamed with Johns in May and June of 1972 to produce tracks for a follow-up LP to Who's Next which would have utilized several leftovers from the Lifehouse project, as well as a few new tracks. The sessions broke down and Townshend set aside his Lifehouse aspirations to work on his next concept "Rock Is Dead (Long Live Rock)" which became Quadrophenia in 1973. The tracks for the '72 albm would have included: Join Together, Too Much Of Anything, Relay, Long Live Rock, Put The Money Down, Love Reign O'er Me, Is It In My Head?, Can't You See I'm Easy, Ladies In The Female Jail, Time Is Passing, and Pure And Easy.
SIEGE Having (temporarily) forsaken the stage, Pete began work on demos for a new Who album during the first three months of 1983. At some point, Townshend came to the conclusion that his new musical ideas were unsuitable for the group, and began to feel that his days as writer for the Who were over. "Siege" (not necessarily an album or song title) was described as being based on the concept that "each of us is a soul in siege," as Pete wrote in his liner notes to Another Scoop. Having finally decided that the Who should permanently end their creative association, Pete approached Mo Ostin, chairman of Warner Bros., about terminating the Who's recording contract, and the group's manager Bill Curbishley went about dissolving or consolidating their mutual business interests. the only remnants of Pete's "Siege" plans are two demo tracks from Another Scoop, "Cat Snatch" and "Ask Yourself."
WHO'S LAST According to John Atkins' article, "The Who Live!" the 1984 double-LP was originally sequenced to include the following live tracks: I Can't Explain, Squeeze Box, Fiddle About (all live from Swansea Football Ground, 6/12/76), Barbara Ann (live rehearsal from Shepperton Studios, 5/78), Sister Disco, Music Must Change, Drowned, Who Are You, Long Live Rock, Dancing In The Street, The Real Me (all live from the Philadelphia Spectrum, 12/10/79) Athena, Cry If You Want, Dr. Jimmy, and Twist And Shout (all from various concerts of the 1982 "Farewell Tour"). This never came to pass, and the album instead relied on rather tame and predictable renditions of the standard Who repertoire. Of the above tracks, "Squeeze Box" from Swansea was released in 1996 on The Who By Numbers reissue, "Dancing In The Street," from Philly appeared in 1988 as the B-side to a four track EP entitled Won't Get Fooled Again, and live versions of "Dr. Jimmy" and "Twist And Shout" actually were released on Who's Last.
ATKINS LIST Disclaimer: Prior to the 1994 release of the retrospective box-set Thirty Years Of Maximum R&B, John Atkins, co-editor of the Who fanzine Generations published a "wishlist" of tracks he would like to see included on the set. Atkins later said his list was a "cruel joke" because along with legitimate unreleased tracks and alternate takes, he included several "made up" tracks. I added most of the tracks from Atkins' list alluded to my "unreleased" list, for the sake of completeness, but please note that I don't know which ones are "fakes"!