Substitute (song)

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"Substitute" is a song by The Who written by Pete Townshend. It was released as a single in March 1966, when it reached #5 in the UK, and was later included on the compilation album “Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy” in 1971. The concept for the song was supposedly originally inspired by Townshend’s idea The Who were a “substitute” for the Rolling Stones, though it was later described as a comment about the blurring between image and reality. The song is notable not just for the clever lyrics, but also the intense (for the time) bass sound of John Entwistle. The song was a fan favorite and was played at almost every concert that The Who performed. It appears on the Live at Leeds album as well as Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.

For the American release of the single, the “controversial” lyric “I look all white but my dad was black” was changed to “I try walking forward but my feet walk back”.

Punk rock group The Ramones covered the song on their Acid Eaters album, and it was also released as a single by the Sex Pistols.

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