S$# 050 Who | I Can See For Miles

I Can See For Miles is probably my favourite song by The Who. It's got all the great elements of a classic Who rocker – the soaring guitars of Pete Townshend (who wrote the song), John Entwistle's pounding bass, Keith Moon's great drumming, and excellent vocal from Roger Daltrey.

Released as a single in the fall of 1967, ICS4M reached no. 10 in the UK and no. 9 in the US, and all the way to no. 1 on the CHUM chart in Canada. It's also a standout track on their excellent album The Who Sell Out. Mind you, I wasn't aware of the song or the album way back when; I discovered them years later.

The group went to great lengths to record the song, as outlined in this excerpt from Wikipedia:

The recording of I Can See For Miles exemplified the ever-increasing use of studio techniques in the late 1960s. Not only was it recorded in separate sessions, it was recorded in a geographic range stretching thousands of kilometers. The backing tracks were recorded in London, the lyrics and overdubbing were performed in New York at Talentmasters Studios, while the record was finished with mastering in Los Angeles, at the Gold Star Studios.

ICS4M is about love betrayal, and one's ability to see beyond that:

I know you've deceived me, now here's a surprise
I know that you have 'cause there's magic in my eyes

I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah

If you think that I don't know about the little tricks you've played
And never see you when deliberately you put things in my way

Well, here's a poke at you
You're gonna choke on it too
You're gonna lose that smile
Beacuse all the while

I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah

You took advantage of my trust in you when I was so far away
I saw you holding lots of other guys and now you've got the nerve to say

That you still want me
Well, that's as may be
But you gotta stand trial
Because all the while

I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah

I know you've deceived me, now here's a surprise
I know that you have 'cause there's magic in my eyes

I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah

The Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal are mine to see on clear days
You thought that I would need a crystal ball to see right through the haze

Well, here's a poke at you
You're gonna choke on it too
You're gonna lose that smile
Beacuse all the while

I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
And miles and miles and miles and miles

I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles

I Can See For Miles is also available on several Who compilations.