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Pete Townshend — Evolution (w/ Ronnie Lane)
Album: Who Came First
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Total ratings: 289









Released: 1972
Length: 3:42
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Well, once I was a stone, many years ago
Into a pool was thrown, many years ago
Time went by and the pool ran dry
Excavated was I, and tempered and beat in the fiery heat
By the hand of a man, whose name was Dan, Dan the blacksmith

Well once I was a daisy, many years ago
In pastures green and lazy, many years ago
But I was et by a goat who fell in a moat
And forgetting to float he sunk like a lead and stayed until dead
And was relieved to find just how kind it all was

Well, once I was a bullfrog, had to struggle for survival
And once I was a carp and lived in waters on the meadow
And once I was a mynah bird, quoting verses from the Bible
I said pretty boy, pretty boy, Saint Luke

(Guitar solo)

Then I was born a human baby, many years ago
I remember I was born unto a lady, many years ago
All our hopes were piled on the back of a child
Who turned out to be wild, sent the devil a prayer
Caused the parson to swear so I took my leave
To lie and thieve, on my way to jail

Well, I've been a tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor
Known good times and disaster
But now I have a teacher and my teacher has a master
And the master is perfection, so he'll help us get there faster
Don't need no proof, 'cause that's the truth, and I'll drink to that!
Comments (58)add comment
 bobzane wrote:
what ever happened to the jumpsuit and Doc Martins look?

 
It eventually morphed to flannel, crappy jeans, and work boots look. Pete was 20 years ahead.
Posted 8 years ago by LowPhreak    [ Reply ]
{#Good-vibes}PLONK!
Posted 9 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Pete's famous "house painting" outfit!
Posted 9 years ago by boober    [ Reply ]
Was Bob Dylan in the same studio doing Blood On The Tracks? Pete's solo career goes way back huh?
Posted 9 years ago by hempmandan    [ Reply ]
Hi Bill,

   An amazing coincidence has just happened today,  you just played Pete Townsend -Evolution (w Ronnie Lane)
.. we had just played, at our studio in Manchester UK, a video we shot in a back garden in Yorkshire of Des Horsfall
and Kuschty Rye ... a recording of   'Stone'  by Ronnie.  Pete Townshend has also commented that he  'Love's it'
of Des's version .  See the video here, introduced by Kate Lane : 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLSaeva-fo&feature=youtu.be
Radio Paradise is the constantly played station of choice at www.big-shed.co.uk
 everyone who shoots here becomes a convert !  thanks Bill and Rebecca 

 cheers,  Justin
Posted 10 years ago by justinwindle    [ Reply ]
Pete in his Droog suit.
Posted 10 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
rp Thanks for this Pete Townshend - loved this in the 70s and love it still!  got an extended cd of this back in the 90s and just love this album!  Also a few saturdays ago 1983 a merman i should turn to be .....ah the 70s


Nothing is everything....

Parberella
 
Posted 10 years ago by Parberella    [ Reply ]
 Emwolb wrote:
Guess this one wasn't good enough for Rough Mix
 
This album came out several years before "Rough Mix".
Posted 10 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Guess this one wasn't good enough for Rough Mix
Posted 11 years ago by Emwolb    [ Reply ]
sounds like Dewey Cox.
Posted 11 years ago by govna    [ Reply ]
Fairly poor quality piece, nevertheless perhaps worth including in an eclectic play list, but your story about the production of the image on the cover, like all your stories and comments Bill, really interesting and insightful. It really enhances the listening experience on Radio Paradise, keep it up Bill, we love your narration of history and life.
Posted 11 years ago by kdarwish    [ Reply ]
I love the sly humour in this song.
Posted 11 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]
Plonk! {#Good-vibes}
Posted 11 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]

It’s funny how you’ll hear a song and instantly recognized it as something you own or have in your collection as opposed to something you've just heard before…. but I really started to doubt myself on this one... until I looked to see who it was and… ah… this non Pete vocal is kind of a trick question lol….But anyway great vinyl!{#Guitarist} I paid extra for it many o’ years ago at “2nd Time Around” record store while at Ball State University.. lol


Posted 12 years ago by 3Dave    [ Reply ]
I see what you did there.  Playing Monkey to Man and then showing that picture of Pete.
Yes, I know the song is called Evolution but I like the whole Monkey in a jump suit look that Pete has going there.  :-)
Posted 12 years ago by AvoidingWork    [ Reply ]
what ever happened to the jumpsuit and Doc Martins look?
Posted 12 years ago by bobzane    [ Reply ]
 toterola wrote:
I remember another of Pete's solo efforts with Ronnie Lane, an album called "Rough Mix". Me and my friends wore the grooves off that disc learning to play along with it.

Love me some Townshend!

Even if he did bust Abbie Hoffman over the head with a guitar! {#Beat}
 

No doubt Hoffman earned it.
Posted 12 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
I remember another of Pete's solo efforts with Ronnie Lane, an album called "Rough Mix". Me and my friends wore the grooves off that disc learning to play along with it.

Love me some Townshend!

Even if he did bust Abbie Hoffman over the head with a guitar! {#Beat}
Posted 12 years ago by toterola    [ Reply ]
 lmic wrote:
Like Billy Bragg meets Dylan. Tres kewl.
 
More like Foghorn Leghorn meets Wacky Races, but not a hundredth as funny. Dire-issimo.

Posted 12 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
RIP Plonk!

Posted 13 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
ARMS concert LA. So fine a show. 
Posted 13 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
Where ELSE would you hear this? Interesting track, first listen.
Posted 13 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
Amazing! 8
Posted 13 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
 iscoot4peace wrote:

you can't quite make it out in the cover photo...but Pete is standing on eggs.  In the original photo shoot they suspended him over the eggs in a harness. 

life was a lot tougher before PhotoShop.

 
Indeed.  Related to your comment, I didn't know the name of the album and from looking at the cover art I thought it said "Who Cave First".  My bet was on the eggs. 

Posted 14 years ago by DaMoGan    [ Reply ]
 LowPhreak wrote:
My fave Pete albums are still "Rough Mix" and "White City (A Novel)" Check 'em out!
 
Absolutely!  When "Face the Face" comes on, with that nasty bass line, and then the drums kick in, I have to crank it up, roll the windows down, and drive WAY too fast.  And I love "Keep Me Turning" from the Rough Mix CD.  Some very good stuff on those two CDs!{#Bounce}
Posted 14 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
They almost gave him an orange suit to wear
Posted 14 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
Like Billy Bragg meets Dylan. Tres kewl.
Posted 14 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
Pete & Ronnie sounding very Dylanesque.
Posted 14 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
 Relayer wrote:
Hey Bill, we need to upload the album cover:


 
you can't quite make it out in the cover photo...but Pete is standing on eggs.  In the original photo shoot they suspended him over the eggs in a harness. 

life was a lot tougher before PhotoShop.

Posted 14 years ago by iscoot4peace    [ Reply ]
RIP Plonk..{#Good-vibes}
Posted 14 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
Great Guitar, fun stuff.
Posted 15 years ago by dBdwg    [ Reply ]
 Relayer wrote:
Hey Bill, we need to upload the album cover:

 
He's put on a few pounds since....but then again so have I.


Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
I don't care who is singing, this is {#Puke}
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
yeah, but, 'twere's Budgie, and Souxise ? and its a nice nice cut, but how 'bout Steve Goodman too?
Posted 16 years ago by Nettle    [ Reply ]
You can still hear Pete Townshend, But Pete Townshend cannot hear you.
Posted 16 years ago by esotericderek    [ Reply ]
Are we sure this isn't Dylan? Hehehehe.
Posted 16 years ago by djblitz    [ Reply ]
Pyro wrote:
Posted 16 years ago by LowPhreak    [ Reply ]
LowPhreak wrote:
My fave Pete albums are still "Rough Mix" and "White City (A Novel)" Check 'em out!
Posted 16 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
rickhoran wrote:
isn't this ronnie lane singing? cuz this is a faces song on first steps and it sure does sound like ronnie lane.
Yes. A Ronnie Lane song, sung by him with Townshend on guitar
Posted 16 years ago by AphidA    [ Reply ]
big_gare wrote:
I bought this "album" on vinyl when it first came out & this collaboration with Ronnie Lane is one of the great tracks on that record. Pete is a great songwriter & while Roger Daltry is a great interpreter of his lyrics, etc., this is a real nice departure.
This and "Rough Mix" (w/ Ronnie Lane) are both great! Some of my favorite of Pete's work.
Posted 16 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
My fave Pete albums are still "Rough Mix" and "White City (A Novel)" Check 'em out!
Posted 16 years ago by LowPhreak    [ Reply ]
isn't this ronnie lane singing? cuz this is a faces song on first steps and it sure does sound like ronnie lane.
Posted 16 years ago by rickhoran    [ Reply ]
A fun song. The other day I was listening to the version of Parvardigar Pete sings in German on Scoop 3. Tried to explain to my 16 year old son what Pete's Meher Baba thing was all about. Didn't do too good a job, but my boy is still a big Who fan.
Posted 16 years ago by drjimmy    [ Reply ]
Slightly reminiscent of Richard Thompson, and thats' an extremely good thing!
Posted 16 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
DeemerDave wrote:
I love Pete Townshend and the guitar work is great here but who the hell is singing (allegedly)? I know that's not Pete's voice. He just destroyed the song. 2
That would be the late Ronnie Lane, formerly of the Small Faces and subsequently,The Faces.
Posted 17 years ago by sharkartist    [ Reply ]
Hey Bill, we need to upload the album cover:
Posted 17 years ago by Relayer    [ Reply ]
I love Pete Townshend and the guitar work is great here but who the hell is singing (allegedly)? I know that's not Pete's voice. He just destroyed the song. 2
Posted 17 years ago by DeemerDave    [ Reply ]
I bought this "album" on vinyl when it first came out & this collaboration with Ronnie Lane is one of the great tracks on that record. Pete is a great songwriter & while Roger Daltry is a great interpreter of his lyrics, etc., this is a real nice departure.
Posted 17 years ago by big_gare    [ Reply ]
esotericderek wrote:
Good stuff. Too bad Pete had to sound so much like Dylan, though. Guess it took him a little while to find his own voice.
I don't THINK that's Pete singing...though I could be wrong (often am). Wouldn't it be ducky if I actually went and looked at the liner notes on the CD? Nahhhhh, too lazy today! AH! :)
Posted 17 years ago by pisceswind    [ Reply ]
Good stuff. Too bad Pete had to sound so much like Dylan, though. Guess it took him a little while to find his own voice.
Posted 17 years ago by esotericderek    [ Reply ]
Love it, Bill, and I believe I requested this ages ago -- thanks -- heard this for the first while immersed (WAY OVER MY HEAD MIND YOU) in Engineering School down in Rolla, Missouri in the heart of The Ozarks and sky high on RedWeed I recall it was at the Smith House, home of 4 guys named Smith, and we'd just jammed Dylan before this and God the Universe just seems so frickin' connected it's SCARY, dig...
Posted 17 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
ed wrote:
Has this album been released on c.d? I have an old cassette copy that I would love to replace with a disc. Have looked and haven't found it anywhere.
look here: https://www.amazon.com/Who-Came-First-Pete-Townshend/dp/B000GFRJ8U/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9476754-4722309?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1173895182&sr=1-1
Posted 17 years ago by cosinus    [ Reply ]
drekar wrote:
Nice! A little strange... but that's a good thing.
Posted 17 years ago by cosinus    [ Reply ]
Love hearing anything off this, Pete's first solo record. Trouble is I miss hearing Pete singing. I believe this is Ronnie Lane singing on this particular track.
Posted 17 years ago by sharkartist    [ Reply ]
never heard it before.. but W(here)TF is he singing this? at the bottom of a well?
Posted 17 years ago by harmaton    [ Reply ]
Awful, just plain awful. What's he trying to be - a Dylan clone? If so he's replicated the irritability of Dylan's whine right enough. Or is he trying to do some sort of blues? If so, he just doesn't have the voice or sensibility for it. Back to the Who for you, matey.
Posted 17 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Nice! A little strange... but that's a good thing.
Posted 17 years ago by drekar    [ Reply ]