Lawsuits And Drugs: The Story Behind “Substitute” by The Who

After the success of “My Generation,” The Who put themselves in the position to be one of the major players in the rock world, joining The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Dave Clark Five. The band disagreed with their producer, Shel Talmy, as the release of their next single “Circles” was planned. Pete Townshend felt he was repackaging American black R&B music and using gimmicky outfits as a crutch while he pretended to be “wild and free.” After recording a demo, he started writing a song about it and decided it should be the band’s next release. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Substitute” by The Who.

You think we look pretty good together
You think my shoes are made of leather
But I’m a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall, but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young, but I’m just back-dated, yeah

An Homage to Smokey Robinson

“Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones inspired Townshend to create a guitar riff that rivaled Keith Richards’ strong song opener. Townshend saw his band’s role as a “substitute” for The Rolling Stones. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Tracks of My Tears” was also an inspiration, with its prominent use of the word “substitute.”

In 2012, Townshend wrote in his memoir Who I Am the song “Substitute” began as an homage to Smokey Robinson by way of The Rolling Stones’ “19th Nervous Breakdown.”

(Substitute) your lies for fact
(Substitute) I can see right through your plastic mac
(Substitute) I look all white, but my dad was black
(Substitute) my fine linen suit is really made out of sack

The Rhythm Guitar in the Verse

Townshend shared his reactions to records for a magazine article. One of the songs he listened to had a very familiar rhythm in the verses. Robb Storme and the Whispers’ “Where Is My Girl” was released in November 1965. In 1971, Townshend told Rolling Stone magazine, “The stock, downbeat riff used in the verses I pinched from a record played to me in Blind Date, a feature in Melody Maker. It was by a group who later wrote to thank me for saying nice things about their record in the feature. The article is set up so that pop stars hear other people’s records without knowing who they are by. They say terrible things about their best mates’ latest, and it all makes the pop scene even snottier and more competitive. Great. The record I said nice things about wasn’t a hit despite an electrifying riff. I pinched it. We did it, you bought it.”

I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It’s a genuine problem, you won’t try
To work it out at all, you just pass it by, pass it by

The Demo

Townshend set up two tape recorders in his London flat so he could now record in stereo. He recorded a version with an acoustic 12-string punching out the three-chord riff. He told Rolling Stone he “sang with an affected Jagger-like accent.”

(Substitute) me for him
(Substitute) My Coke for gin
(Substitute) you for my mum
(Substitute) at least I’ll get my washing done

Lawsuits and Drugs

The Who were not having much fun at this point in their career. Lawsuits from their record company were bogging things down, and money was not plentiful for the other three band members. Townshend was receiving the benefits of being the lone songwriter. Townshend wrote about the rhythm section pairing up during this time, “Keith [Moon] and John [Entwistle] had forged a drug-fuelled alliance with a wizened, charismatic Parisian chemist-cum-dealer. At several shows in March, they had turned up red-eyed and glowing, excluding Roger [Daltrey] and me from their decadent orbit. We also found ourselves on the outside of a conspiracy. It turned out that Keith and John were flirting with the idea of leaving The Who and writing their own songs, playing more surf-inspired music, and having more fun.”

I’m a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall, but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young, but I’m just back-dated, yeah

Keith Moon Was Sure He’d Been Replaced

Drummer Keith Moon was suffering from drug-induced paranoia when he insisted he hadn’t appeared on the recording. The other band members had to point out the parts of the song where his shouting was audible as he played his monster drum fills.

I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It’s a genuine problem, you won’t try
To work it out at all, you just pass it by, pass it by

Townshend the Producer

Townshend stepped in as producer when the band and producer Talmy parted ways. Robert Stigwood released the record on Reaction Records. Townshend wrote, “The record charted quickly. Shel responded by bringing legal action against Stigwood’s distributor, Polydor, and providing a legal affidavit claiming that he deserved the lion’s share of the royalties.” Talmy sued for breach of contract and won. He would receive royalties from the band for five years, which was quite a large amount.

(Substitute) me for him
(Substitute) My Coke for gin
(Substitute) you for my mum
(Substitute) at least I’ll get my washing done
(Substitute) your lies for fact
(Substitute) I can see right through your plastic mac
(Substitute) I look all white, but my dad was black
(Substitute) My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack

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Photo by Wilson Lindsay/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images