Comments on: Quick Official Statement on “2:42″

By: John Kerr

John Kerr — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:48:16 +0000

For some of us Scots and other Brits, this song is indelibly linked – by being played on Radio One without comment or introduction – to the resignation of Margaret Thatcher. The association spoils it a little. Did you have a song association for when the “Helicopter of Happiness (TM)” took W away?

By: Stacey

Stacey — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:50:22 +0000

You should Price Is Right his ass by bidding 2:43…he’d have like almost no chance.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:23:53 +0000

Now that I’ve had time to check my copy of “The Kids are Alright,” the full Townshend quote is

“…we had ten minutes on the album to fill when we’d finished. And so Kit [Lambert] turned ’round to me and said, ‘I think you should write something linear… something with continuity… perhaps a ten-minute song.’ So I said, ‘You can’t write a ten-minute song. I mean, rock songs are two minutes, fifty by tradition. It’s one of the traditions.’”

By: Kay

Kay — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:06:12 +0000

“Come now, Kay. It’s the best song Sixpence ever did.”

Of course, but there’s the opportunity to use the original, but instead… the probably barefoot, Takamine-wielding, wispy GIRL, going “Scouse? How ADORABLE!”

By: Martin Wisse

Martin Wisse — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:00:38 +0000

Might I just say that I hate “There she Goes” by The Las (or anybody else) with a bitter burning hatred? If that’s the perfect pop song, I’ll stick to heavy metal…

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:24:03 +0000

I remember the Townshend quote from the movie “The Kids are Alright” (Don’t flame me, that’s what Pete named the song, and that’s the name of the movie).

The quote is paraphrased here: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4448.

Personally, the playlist on my IPod that I listen to most is “Long Songs.” Everything on the list is 7′00″ or more long.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:34:03 +0000

…and in my rush to write that, I missed the “h” in Pete’s name. Sorry about that, Mr. TownsHend.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:31:18 +0000

Just checked my iPod and happily what I consider to be the second best pop song of all time (after “There She Goes” of course, which borders on the Divine) also clocks in at the mystical 2:42:

“Let My Love Open the Door” by Pete Townsend

By: John Scalzi

John Scalzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:18:03 +0000

Come now, Kay. It’s the best song Sixpence ever did.

By: Kay

Kay — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:14:24 +0000

“In any event, the utter pop perfection of “There She Goes” was known to many long before we wrote about its length, and hopefully this discussion will bring Lee Mavers out of his perfectionist cubby hole to write some more perfect pop songs before we all, like, die. It’s not too much to hope for.”

I think it would have, John, IF YOU HADN’T POSTED THE VIDEO TO THE AWFUL SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER ABOMINATION.

But no, Lee will just slink further into the Liverpudlian shadows. Although he did produce La’s soundalikes The Crescent.