Who Mystery Track-Results

January 13, 2012

This week, all of the Mystery Tracks were Who songs done by other artists.  Here's what we did.

Monday—David Bowie doing Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere. 

The Who released the song in 1965, and Bowie covered it in 1973 on Pin-ups. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere was one of two Who songs on an album that was made up entirely of cover songs.  The Who cover on that record was I Can’t Explain. 

Tuesday—Rush covering The Seeker. 

The Who released The Seeker in the UK as a single in 1970, and it appeared on their compilation album Meaty Beady Big & Bouncy.  Rush covered the song in 2004, and released it on Feedback, an album of 8 cover songs that provided inspiration to members of Rush, who really ought to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Wednesday—Styx doing I Can See for Miles and Miles.

It’s was on the Who’s 1967 album, The Who Sell Out, and Styx covered it in 2005 on their 15^th studio album, The Big Bang Theory.

Thursday—Scorpions doing I Can’t Explain.

The Who’s first single.  They released it in late1964, and it featured session musician (and future Yardbirds & Led Zeppelin Ax-man) Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar.  The Scorpions released their cover in 1989 on Best of Rockers and Ballads.

Friday—Pearl Jam covering Leaving Here.

This one wasn’t a Who original.  The Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who also wrote Stop in the Name of Love, You Keep Me Hanging On, and Heat Wave (which The Who also covered, incidentally) penned it.  The Who recorded it in 1965 during the My Generations sessions, but didn’t release it until 1985 as part of Who’s Missing.  Pearl Jam covered the song for the Home Alive benefit album, and put it on their Lost Dogs double album of B-sides and rarities.

I hope you enjoyed them, and congratulations to our newly minted Tenured Professors in the Bus's Kollege of Musical Knowledge.