History Music / Quadrophenia

* LighterAndSofter: Okay, so the identity crisis, emotional turmoil, and social trials aren't exactly "light" per se, but compared to ''{{Tommy}}'' this album has no torture or rape and an overall happy ending.

The album was adapted into a [[Film/{{Quadrophenia}} 1979 cult film]] starring Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, and Sting, featuring the music from the album (touched up with horns and synthesizers), along with a number of Creator/{{Motown}} tunes.

* ProgressiveEraMontage: Since the 2012/13 Quadrophenia And More tour, "The Rock" features one on the video screens, showing a montage of events that have taken place from the era of the story up to the present including the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon's resignation, the deaths of Music/ElvisPresley, Keith Moon and [[Music/TheBeatles John Lennon]], Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister of England, Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding, the Berlin Wall coming down, Desert Storm, Waco, Princess Diana's death, Columbine, the new millennium, 9/11, John Entwistle's death, Hurricane Katrina and the Occupy Wall Street movement.

** Trevor McDonald as The Newsreader (at the end of "Cut My Hair")

** Stephen Fry as the Hotel Manager ("Bell Boy")

* EpicRocking: "Quadrophenia" is 6:14 long, "I've Had Enough" 6:15, not to mention "Doctor Jimmy" (8:37), "The Rock" (6:38) and "Love, Reign o'er Me" (5:49). In live performances, "5:15" could last 10 minutes or longer, courtesy of [[LeadBassist John Entwistle's bass solo]].

** On the 1996/97 and 2012/13 live performances of the album, second guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete's younger brother) would sing the role of The Bus Driver on "The Dirty Jobs".

** This would present a problem with performing the record live. During the original 1973-74 tour, Roger Daltrey would often take time between songs to describe what was going on in the story. For the early dates on the 1996-97 tour, they had Phil Daniels (the actor who played Jimmy in [[Film/{{Quadrophenia}} the film]]) as a live narrator onstage. For the rest of the tour, the narration segments were pre-filmed, with Alex Langdon as Jimmy.

*** For the 2012/13 tour, they used archival footage to allow guest appearances from the late Keith Moon ("Bell Boy") and John Entwistle ("5:15").

** Pete Townshend sings lead on "I'm One" and co-lead on several other songs. Although Roger Daltrey sang it on the album, Pete would usually handle lead vocals on "Drowned" in conert, often performing it solo, just himself and an acoustic guitar.
** On the 1996/97 and 2012/13 live performances of the album, second guitarist Simon Townshend (Pete's younger brother) would sing lead on "The Dirty Jobs".

** Trevor McDonald as The Newsreader

** Pete Townshend sings lead on "I'm One" and co-lead on several other songs. Although Roger Daltrey sang it on the album, Pete would usually handle lead vocals on "Drowned", often performing it solo, just himself and an acoustic guitar.

* EpicRocking: "Quadrophenia" is 6:14 long, "I've Had Enough" 6:15, not to mention "Doctor Jimmy" (8:37), "The Rock" (6:38) and "Love, Reign o'er Me" (5:49). In live performances, "5:15" could last 10 minutes or longer, courtesy of John Entwistle's bass solo.

* ProgressiveEraMontage: Since the 2012/13 tour, "The Rock" features one on the video screens, showing a montage of events that have taken place from the era of the story up to the present including the Vietnam War, Nixon's resignation, the deaths of Music/ElvisPresley, Keith Moon and [[Music/TheBeatles John Lennon]], Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister of England, Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding, the Berlin Wall coming down, Desert Storm, Waco, Princess Diana's death, Columbine, the new millennium, 9/11, John Entwistle's death, Hurricane Katrina and the Occupy Wall Street movement.

** [[Series/TheYoungOnes Adrian]] [[Series/{{Bottom}} Edmondson]] as The Ace Face ("I've Had Enough", "Bell Boy")

** Pete Townshend sings lead on "I'm One" and co-lead on several other songs. In live performances, he would often sing "Drowned" solo, with just himself and a guitar.

* EpicRocking: "Quadrophenia" is 6:14 long, "I've Had Enough" 6:15, not to mention "Doctor Jimmy" (8:37), "The Rock" (6:38) and "Love, Reign o'er Me" (5:49). In live performances, 5:15 could last 10 minutes or longer, courtesy of John Entwistle's bass solo.

* ProgressiveEraMontage: ** Since the 2012/13 tour, the song "The Rock" features one on the video screens, showing a montage of events that have taken place from the era of the story up to the present including the Vietnam War, Nixon's resignation, the deaths of Music/ElvisPresley, Keith Moon and [[Music/TheBeatles John Lennon]], Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister of England, Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding, the Berlin Wall coming down, Desert Storm, Waco, Princess Diana's funeral, Columbine, the new millennium, 9/11, John Entwistle's death, Hurricane Katrina and the Occupy Wall Street movement.

** [[Music/PinkFloyd David Gilmour]] as The Bus Driver (The Dirty Jobs) and would also play guitar on several other songs.
** Gary Glitter as The Godfather (The Punk Meets The Godfather, I've Had Enough)
** [[Series/TheYoungOnes Adrian Edmondson]] as The Ace Face (I've Had Enough, Bell Boy)
** Stephen Fry as the Hotel Manager (Bell Boy)

*** For the 2012/13 tour, they used archival footage to allow guest appearances from the late Keith Moon (Bell Boy) and John Entwistle (5:15).

* ProgressiveEraMontage: ** Since the 2012/13 tour, the song "The Rock" features one on the video screens, showing a montage of events that have taken place from the era the story takes place in up to the present including the Vietnam War, Nixon's resignation, the deaths of Music/ElvisPresley, Keith Moon and [[Music/TheBeatles John Lennon]], Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister of England, Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding, the Berlin Wall coming down, Desert Storm, Waco, Princess Diana's funeral, Columbine, the new millennium, 9/11, John Entwistle's death, Hurricane Katrina and the Occupy Wall Street movement is shown.

* SpecialGuest: In 1996, the band performed the record in Hyde Park with a number of special guests:

** [[Music/PinkFloyd David Gilmour]] as The Bus Driver on The Dirty Jobs (he would also play guitar on several other songs)
** Gary Glitter was The Godfather (The Punk Meets The Godfather, I've Had Enough)

*** For the 2012/13 tour, they used archival footage to allow appearances from the late Keith Moon (Bell Boy) and John Entwistle (5:15).

** This would present a problem with performing the record live. During the original 1973-74 tour, Roger Daltrey would often take time between songs to describe what was going on in the story. For the early dates on the 1996-97 tour, they had Phil Daniels (the actor who played Jimmy in the film) as a live narrator onstage. For the rest of the tour, the narration segments were pre-filmed, with Alex Langdon as Jimmy.

** Pete Townshend sings lead on "I'm One" and co-lead on several other songs.

* EpicRocking: "Quadrophenia" is 6:14 long, "I've Had Enough" 6:15, not to mention "Doctor Jimmy" (8:37), "The Rock" (6:38) and "Love, Reign o'er Me" (5:49).

-->We're the slaves of the "phony fucking" leaders

* AlliterativeTitle: "'''B'''ell '''B'''oy".

* BeYourself: This is what Jimmy's epiphany at the end amounts to. One of the more mature uses of the trope (interesting, considering it's about the trials of youth, and the trope is mostly "for kids")

* DarkReprise: "The Rock" is almost a note-for-note reprise of the TitleTrack.

* {{Instrumentals}}: The TitleTrack and its reprise, "The Rock". If you ignore the foreshadowing lyrics, "I Am The Sea" can count as one, at least until the end (though that can actually be considered as part of "The Real Me".)
* InVinoVeritas[/]JekyllAndHyde: "Dr. Jimmy" is all over these tropes. The song makes reference to reckless gambling and raping women, but it isn't clear if he actually does this or is [[MadnessMantra just rambling or hallucinating]].

** "Love, Reign o'er Me" has two: the first is Roger Daltrey's explosive "LOOOOOOOOVE!!!" followed by Keith Moon's drum solo finally climaxing in a booming horn sting.

----

[[caption-width-right:350:''Can you see the real me?'']]

->''"Why should I care if I have to cut my hair?\\
I've got to move with the fashion or be outcast\\
I know I should fight, but my old man is really alright\\
And I'm still living at home, even though it won't last\\
[[MythologyGag Zoot suit, white jacket with side vents five inches long]]\\
I'm out on the street again, and I'm leapin' along\\
Dressed right for a beach fight, but I just can't explain\\
Why that uncertain feeling is still here in my brain"''
-->-- "Cut My Hair"

->''"I am not the actor/this can't be the scene\\
But I am in the water/as far as I can see"''
-->-- "Drowned"

** "Zoot Suit" ("Cut My Hair")

!! The Dirty Tropes:

* {{Foreshadowing}}: "Helpless Dancer," "Bell Boy," "Is It Me?" and "Love, Reign O'er Me" are foreshadowed in the title track.

* ItRunsInTheFamily: When Jimmy asks his mom about his problems in "The Real Me" this is the only thing she tells him.

* InVinoVeritas: "Dr. Jimmy" is all over this trope, and combines it with...
* JekyllAndHyde: Via the above, Dr. Jimmy is this all over. The song makes reference to reckless gambling and raping women, but it isn't clear if he actually does this or is [[MadnessMantra just rambling or hallucinating]].

** Averted with John Entwistle; this was the first Who album since ''My Generation'' on which he had no lead vocal (as well as the first on which he contributed to none of the song-writing).

* TitleTrack: Though it's an {{Instrumental|s}}.