The Love-Hate Relationship: When Artists Dislike Performing Their Fans' Favorite Songs
Do you have a favorite song by your favorite band? It's interesting to note that sometimes the songs fans love the most are the ones that the artists themselves dislike performing. This phenomenon is evident in the experiences of iconic musicians like Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, Thom Yorke, and Kurt Cobain. For Daltrey, a classic song by The Who has become tiresome over the years.
In the early 1970s, The Who's Pete Townshend abandoned his rock opera project, Life House, and incorporated some of its songs into the band's 1971 album, Who's Next. This album, featuring tracks like 'Baba O'Riley' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again', is considered one of the band's best works. Despite having a vast discography of hits, Daltrey has admitted that 'Won't Get Fooled Again' is the only song he's grown tired of performing.
Daltrey's aversion to the song is surprising given his long history of performing on stage. He has always been a driving force behind the band's tours, but 'Won't Get Fooled Again' seems to be the exception. Additionally, Daltrey has mentioned another track, 'Music Must Change', that he avoids due to a curse associated with the song.
'Music Must Change' was a challenging track for The Who, as drummer Keith Moon struggled to play it in the studio. The band eventually hired a session drummer, but the song became a source of regret for Daltrey after Moon's passing in 1978. The track was reintroduced into the band's setlist in 2002 but was dropped again following the death of bassist John Entwistle.
Daltrey's personal feelings towards these songs have influenced his performance choices, highlighting the complex relationship between artists and their music. Despite his professional demeanor as a singer, Daltrey's aversion to certain tracks demonstrates the emotional impact that music can have on its creators.