Bargain (song)
| "Bargain" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Who | |
| from the album Who's Next | |
| Released | 14 August 1971 |
| Recorded | April - June 1971, Olympic Studios, London |
| Length | 5:34 |
| Label |
Decca (US) Polydor (UK) |
| Songwriter(s) | Pete Townshend |
| Producer(s) | The Who, Glyn Johns |
| Who's Next track listing | |
|
9 tracks
|
|
"Bargain" is a song written by Pete Townshend that was first released by The Who on their 1971 album Who's Next. It is a love song, although the intended subject of the song is God rather than a woman. The song has been included on several compilation and live albums. It was also included on several of Townshend's solo projects. Critics have praised the song's lyricism and power, as well as the performance of the band on the song. Townshend acknowledged during the Who's concert at the Prudential Center in Newark on March 19, 2016 that this is his favorite song on the album.
"Bargain" is a love song. The opening lines are:
The lyrics are typical love song lyrics in which the singer says he will give up everything to win his love, and that the singer would consider that a bargain. However, the lyrics do not identify who the subject of the singer's love is. Townshend has stated the song was influenced by Indian mystic Meher Baba and that the subject of the song is God. Townshend has stated "The song is simply about losing one's ego as a devotee of Meher Baba. I constantly try to lose myself and find him. I'm not very successful, I'm afraid, but this song expresses how much of a bargain it would be to lose everything in order to be at one with God."
"Bargain" begins with a gentle acoustic guitar part played by Townshend. A drone is played softly in the background. The energy picks up with Keith Moon's drum fills and Townshend's rhythm guitar chords before Roger Daltrey begins to sing the lyrics. Daltrey sings most of the lyrics energetically and powerfully, but there is a gentler section sung by Townshend. In this gentler section, backed by John Entwistle's bass guitar, Townshend starts by singing:
The line "I know I'm worth nothing without you" in particular shows the influence of Meher Baba's teachings. Other themes of the song include the search for self-identity and the balance within the human psyche of the id and the ego.
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Wikipedia