Make your lungs hold breath inside.

Roger Daltrey at Woodstock, where they performed
almost the entire thing even though no one there
had heard any of it before.

We probably watched Ken Russell's film adaptation of Tommy (1975) in the early 1980s. I found it unsettling, which is only appropriate.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 36:09
Pace: 9:00

In the 1990s, a local theater produced the musical adaptation, and even cast an actual p*dophile as Uncle Ernie.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 53°
Climate: sunny! 
Mood: grateful

Tommy - The Who (1969)

Do You Think It's Alright?

Fiddle About

Pinball Wizard

There's a Doctor

Go to the Mirror!

Tommy Can You Hear Me?

Smash the Mirror

Sensation

Miracle Cure

Sally Simpson

I'm Free

Welcome

Tommy's Holiday Camp

We're Not Gonna Take It

You Better You Bet (162 bpm)

While it makes sense that Tommy would work as a musical -- it is entirely sung through, and comprehensible as such -- I believe the themes are so painful that depicting the story, visually, is unbearable. I can only enjoy the album.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 162 lbs. (-0-)

When I got home, I had zero interest in running, It was overcast and cool and windy and I thought, no. An hour later the skies had cleared and so had my mood.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

So, how to conclude. The first side was experiential, inside the mind of a traumatized child. Three expansive instrumentals. Side two is all plot driven. Brief, interstitial moments (Extra! Extra! Read all about it!) which propels the narrative to its conclusion. 

If I were listening to the entire thing I might find that sloppy -- a thoughtful, digressive musical journey, followed by a rush to tie up the plot -- but taken as two albums they are separate, and complimentary.

You're gonna hit the road.

When I was in the Twin Cities last month, I heard the finale to The Who's Tommy as part of the 1969 playlist. I have learned a great deal about the creation of this particular album thanks to Andrew Hickey and his 500 Songs podcast.

Distance: 4.25 miles

Duration: 38:45
Pace: 9:07

One of my brothers got big into this when I was maybe twelve years old. Sounds about right. I listened first, put the story together in my mind. It was very upsetting. But it made sense.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: overcast & perfect
Mood: good

I felt that learned a great deal about abuse and trauma and how the mind works from this album, and it came at an appropriate time in my life. I mean, it is a simple story, simply told. Sometimes we need those. And I just love the music.

Tommy - The Who (1969)

Overture

It's a Boy

1921 (156 bpm)

Amazing Journey

Sparks

Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)

Christmas

Cousin Kevin

The Acid Queen

Underture

Perfect side for running, by the way. The entire thing. Very rhythmic but also a lot instrumentals to let your mind wander freely. The Hawker should go before Acid Queen, though. I think they changed that for the movie.

One of Hickey's observations is that it is difficult to follow because different members of the band - Daltrey, Townshend and even Entwistle - they take turns singing various songs without any consistency to which characters they are singing for. This never bothered me, because I couldn't much tell the difference between their voices when I first heard it, and just followed the words.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 162 lbs. (-3.0)

As for what it has to say about hero worship, I dig that, too. We are relieved and even joyful when Tommy overcomes his inability to respond to the world around him, but that's no excuse to become a self-styled guru and capitalistic huckster.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Audition week. Audition month, actually. We don't always get things right just because we take more time. But it helps.

Next up: Disc Two!

The road that stretches out ahead.

A weekend journey to St. Paul to see my niece’s senior year spring play. As it happened, this was also the weekend of the largest civil protest in recent American history so I made plans to attend that, too.

And we brought our shoes. I wanted to run this morning, but managed to do absolutely everything possible to ensure I would have not only a headache, but a killer migraine.

I had two beers over a late, post-show dinner, and no water. I retired last night not only after midnight, but after midnight Central Time. To me it was 1:30 am.

The pillow was too thick, it was chilly so I wore my PJ bottoms to bed and had three blankets. I woke up maybe an hour later, practically baking and with terrible head pain.

I have also not brought any pain medication nor Dramamine. And I got sick to my stomach. It was bad. Fortunately, my sister-in-law gave me some extra strength OTC migraine medication and I was able to finally sleep. I felt bad, missing out on morning time with my brothers family, I finally got up around noon.

Distance: 3.3 miles

Duration: 29:54
Pace: 9:03

The No Kings event at the Minnesota State Capitol Building was epic. The last time I visited the capitol was in 2015, that’s where they put the finish line for the Twin Cities Marathon.

It was a rogues gallery of MN progressive pols, including Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her. Sen. Bernie Sanders also present, and Jane Fonda, too. Performers included Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers and … Tom Morello? I think?

After standing for four hours (including the bus ride there) I thought of taking a nap. I mean, I barely slept last night. But the weather was so nice. In fact, if I had taken a run this morning, it would have been thirty degrees. Tomorrow morning will also be thirty degrees.

Route: Fairview & Summit to the Mississippi and back 
Temperature: 54°
Climate: clear with light clouds
Mood: positive

1969 Playlist

Skylarking - Horace Andy

Do What You Wanna - Ramsey Lewis Trio

Two of Us (Naked Version) - The Beatles

Sex Machine - Sly & the Family Stone

Only the Strong Survive - Jerry Butler

We're Not Gonna Take It - The Who

Sugar, Sugar - Archies

Stretches: I need to do better with this.
Water: yes

Big river.

I suited up, and took a gorgeous pre-sunset run down Summit Avenue to the Mississippi. Many other runners were out, too.

Listening to the finale from Tommy … Andrew Hickey is currently covering the late-60s Who with an emphasis on the creation of that album. My brother turned me onto that when I was twelve or thirteen, and I am still a big fan. I think I will use that as an album for running when the year runs have concluded.

Tommy sings, “Here comes Uncle Ernie to show you to your very own machine.” Surely, Tommy realized it was him after his senses were restored (if they were even truly gone) and yet, gave him a job at his camp. The Uncle Ernies of the world always get a pass. Even those who play him on stage.