A Quick One While He's Away

Song ratings

Rating	Comments	Author	Date
	Pete Townshend has only four songwriting credits on this album, but the argument could be made that he really has nine, as "A Quick One While He's Away" is actually six mini-songs combined into a nine-minute unified whole. This remarkable and fun track (always reminding me of Meat Loaf's "Paradise By the Dashboard Lights", which came along a dozen years later)tells the story of the lonely girl waiting for her man who is late in returning. While waiting, she find comfort in the company of the conniving Ivor the Engine Driver. The mini-songs, as short as they are, are striking and humorous, featuring everything from the a-capella beginning ("Her Man's Been Gone"), the wailing bluesy "Crying Town", the beautifully harmonized chant of hope ("We Have a Remedy"), the powerful drumming and steam-engine sounds of "Ivor", the exaggeratedly countrified "Soon Be Home", climaxed by one of The Who's greatest moments, "You Are Forgiven", where the hilariously discordant 'danging' of the oncoming train gives way to the joyful Beach Boy harmonies of 'cello cello cello...' (the books say that when The Who couldn't afford to hire actual cellos, they simply used the word cello for this part). The harmonies return with a vengeance in the 'you are forgiven' fadeout, capping a pretty extraordinary listen.	Bruce Beatlefan	January 14, 2008

Lyrics

Her Man's Been Gone

Her man's been gone
For nearly a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain't here

Her man's been gone
For nigh on a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain't here

Crying Town

Down your street your crying is a well-known sound
Your street is very well known, right here in town
Your town is very famous for the little girl
Whose cries can be heard all around the world

We Have A Remedy

Fa la la la la la
Fa la la la la
Fa la la la la la
Fa la la la la

We have a remedy
You'll appreciate
No need to be so sad
He's only late

We'll bring you flowers and things
Help pass your time
We'll give him eagle's wings
Then he can fly to you

Fa la la la la la
Fa la la la la
Fa la la la la la
Fa la la la la
Fa la la la la la
Fa la la la la la

We have a remedy
Fa la la la la la la
We have a remedy
Fa la la la la la la
We have a remedy
Fa la la la la la la
We have a remedy
Fa la la la la la la

(spoken)
We have a remedy.
We have!

Little girl, why don't you stop your crying?
I'm gonna make you feel all right

Ivor the Engine Driver

My name is Ivor
I'm an engine driver

I know him well
I know why you feel blue
Just 'cause he's late
Don't mean he'll never get through

He told me he loves you
He ain't no liar, I ain't either
So let's have a smile for an old engine driver
So let's have a smile for an old engine driver

Please take a sweet
Come take a walk with me
We'll sort it out
Back at my place, maybe

It'll come right
You ain't no fool, I ain't either
So why not be nice to an old engine driver?
Better be nice to an old engine driver
Better be nice to an old engine driver

Soon Be Home

We'll soon be home
We'll soon be home
We'll soon
We'll soon, soon, soon be home

We'll soon be home
We'll soon be home
We'll soon
We'll soon, soon, soon be home

Come on, old horse

Soon be home
Soon be home
Soon
We'll soon, soon, soon be home

We'll soon
We'll soon, soon, soon be home

We'll soon be home
Soon be home ...

You Are Forgiven

Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang

Cello, cello, cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello, cello, cello

I can't believe it
Do my eyes deceive me?
Am I back in your arms?
Away from all harm?

It's like a dream to be with you again
Can't believe that I'm with you again

I missed you and I must admit
I kissed a few and once did sit
On Ivor the Engine Driver's lap
And later with him, had a nap

You are forgiven, you are forgiven, you are forgiven ... (ad lib)

You are forgiven

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