#Who wrote pinball wizard movie

John has performed the song as part of his Las Vegas Red Piano Show, as well as on various tours. Unlike most of the soundtrack's music, which featured various combinations of The Who and some of the era's best session players, Elton John used his own band and producer Gus Dudgeon for the track.

#Who wrote pinball wizard movie

John's version uses a piano as the song's centerpiece in place of the acoustic guitar in the original (in the film, John's character is shown playing his pinball machine via a small piano keyboard), and features additional lyrics specially written by Townshend for the movie version, as well as a subtle inclusion of musical phrases from The Who's 1960s hit 'I Can't Explain' during the outro (similarly, The Who's later cover of Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' included parts of 'Take Me to the Pilot').

Because it was not released as a commercial single in the US, it was ineligible to be listed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it did however make the US Radio & Records airplay chart where it reached number 9. This version was released in 1975 as a promotional single only in the US, and in 1976 in the UK, where it reached number 7. Townshend decided that the deaf, dumb and blind protagonist should also excel in a certain area and with Cohn being a pinball fanatic, that area of expertise presented itself quite readily. The song was performed by Elton John in Ken Russell's 1975 film adaptation of Tommy. It was a perpetual concert favourite for Who fans due to its pop sound and familiarity. Nevertheless, the song was a commercial success and remains one of the most recognised tunes from the opera. Townshend once called it 'the most clumsy piece of writing ever done'. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a pinball champion, called 'Local Lad' in the Tommy libretto book, astounded by the skills of the opera's eponymous main character, Tommy Walker: 'He ain't got no distractions / Can't hear those buzzers and bells / Don't see lights a flashin' / Plays by sense of smell / Always gets a replay / Never seen him fall / That deaf dumb and blind kid / Sure plays a mean pin ball.', and 'I thought I was the Bally table king, but I just handed my pinball crown to him'. Despite the title, it has no musical connection to the Who's 1968 UK single 'Dogs'. The B-side of the 'Pinball Wizard' single is an instrumental credited to Keith Moon, titled 'Dogs Part Two'. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached No. 'Pinball Wizard' is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band the Who, featured on their 1969 rock opera album Tommy. Elton John - Pinball Wizard (YouTube) quote: