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Squeeze Box (song)
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"Squeeze Box"
Yugoslavian single sleeve
Single by The Who
from the album The Who by Numbers
B-side
"Success Story"
Released
November 1975 (US)
16 January 1976 (UK)
Recorded
30 May 1975
Studio
Shepperton soundstage, Surrey, England
Length
2:42
Label
Polydor (UK)
MCA (US)
Songwriter(s)
Pete Townshend
Producer(s)
Glyn Johns
The Who US singles chronology
"Postcard"
(1974) "Squeeze Box"
(1975) "Slip Kid"
(1976)
The Who UK singles chronology
"The Real Me"
(1974) "Squeeze Box"
(1976) "Who Are You"
(1978)
Alternative cover
US single sleeve
"Squeeze Box" is a song by The Who from their album The Who by Numbers. Written by Pete Townshend, the lyrics are couched in sexual double entendres. Unlike many of the band's other hits, the song features country-like elements, seen in Townshend's guitar finger picking.
"Squeeze Box" was a commercial success, peaking at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 16 in the US Billboard Hot 100. The song is also their only international number-one hit, reaching No. 1 in Canada, and No. 2 on the Irish singles chart.
Contents
1 Background
2 Live performances
3 Chart performance
3.1 Weekly charts
3.2 Year-end charts
4 Personnel
5 Laura Branigan version
6 Poison version
7 Pop culture references
8 References
Background[edit]
"Squeeze Box" was originally intended for a Who television special planned in 1974.[1] In the planned performance of the song, the members of the band were planned to have been surrounded by 100 topless women playing accordions as they played the song.[1]
A demo of the song featured a farfisa organ-based arrangement, as well as bluegrass banjos. Authors Steve Grantley and Alan Parker compared this early version to The Beatles' 1968 song, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da".[2] This demo appeared on Pete Townshend's demo collection, Scoop.[2]
"Squeezebox" is a slang term for accordions and related instruments. The song's lyrics consist mostly of sexual innuendo. Although Pete Townshend later said that the song originated as a dirty joke, he said that there was no double entendre, claiming "It's not about a woman's breasts, vaginal walls, or anything else of the ilk."[2] The Who's bassist, John Entwistle also commented on the lyrics, saying "I dunno. Most songs have double meanings or no meaning at all. 'Squeeze Box' isn't that dirty. It doesn't say 'tits.'"[2] Lead singer Roger Daltrey, however, acknowledged the double meaning, saying, "There's nothing wrong with a bit of 'in-and-out,' mate!"[2]
"Squeeze Box" was released as the first single from The Who by Numbers in 1975 in America and 1976 in Britain. It became an international hit, becoming the band's first Top 10 hit in Britain since 1972's "Join Together".[2] Despite this, Pete Townshend did not think highly of the song, and was astonished at its chart success.
"Intended as a poorly aimed dirty joke. I had bought myself an accordion and learned to play it one afternoon. The polka-esque rhythm I managed to produce from it brought forth this song. Amazingly recorded by The Who to my disbelief. Further incredulity was caused when it became a hit for us in the USA."[1]
Roger Daltrey, however, spoke positively of the song, praising its simplicity.
It's so refreshingly simple. An incredibly catchy song. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is and I love it for that.[2]
Live performances[edit]
The song was first performed live at the New Bingley Hall in Stafford on 3 October 1975, and remained in the set for the rest of the 1975–1976 tour, until drummer Keith Moon's final North American concert at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on 21 October 1976. The band later played it again in the last leg of the 1982 Tour. The song was performed live again in 2014 during The Who Hits 50! tour.
Chart performance[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1975–76)
Peak
position
Australia 45
Canadian RPM[3] 1
Ireland 2
New Zealand 26
UK 10
US Billboard Hot 100 16
US Cash Box Top 100[4] 11
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (1976)
Position
Canada[5] 21
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 99
Personnel[edit]
Roger Daltrey – lead vocals
Pete Townshend – guitar, backing vocals
John Entwistle – bass, backing vocals
Keith Moon – drums
Laura Branigan version[edit]
Laura Branigan recorded a version of this song for her second studio album, Branigan 2, in 1983.
Poison version[edit]
"Squeeze Box"
Single by Poison
from the album Hollyweird
B-side
"Hollyweird"
Released
March 4, 2002[7]
Length
2:29
Label
Cyanide
Songwriter(s)
Pete Townshend
Producer(s)
Thom Panunzio
Poison singles chronology
"Rockstar"
(2001) "Squeeze Box"
(2002) "Shooting Star"
(2003)
Poison did a version of the song and released it as the second single from the album Hollyweird in March 2002. The song was re-released in 2007 on their album Poison'd, where all the tracks are cover songs. Bobby Dall said on the cover of "Squeeze Box":
. . . Actually, that was Rikki’s idea. When we came into rehearsals . . . to break the ice for the new record . . . before we started fightin’ and arguin’ about songs, we went through a list of covers and remakes. . . . It was the song that stuck and I think it fits perfectly for our band. It has a great melody and a great vocal, but it's also kinda sparse and undefined . . . it was kinda like an open palette for us.[8]
Pop culture references[edit]
This section indiscriminately collects miscellaneous information. Please compress this material to remove any irrelevant or unimportant information. (June 2017)
The song is featured in the Freaks and Geeks episode "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers", where Mr. and Mrs. Weir preview a Who album to see if there are any objectionable lyrics.
In The Simpsons episode "A Tale of Two Springfields", Homer reminds the Who of some of their songs, but mistakenly terms "Squeeze Box" as being an example of "the Angry Defiant Who".
An episode of Two and a Half Men which featured a spoof version of CSI, "Stiffs", used "Squeeze Box" as the theme song, parodying the practice of the CSI franchise of using songs by the Who as theme songs.
An episode of That '70s Show is named after the song.
In a 2005 episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? during a game of Scenes from a Hat, Ryan Stiles mentions the song's bridge as a "bad song to sing while making love".
In a deleted scene from Austin Powers in Goldmember, the Mike Myers character "Goldmember" references "Squeezebox" in the scene where he says "fazha" for the word "father."
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c "The Hypertext Who : Liner Notes : The Who By Numbers". Thewho.net. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Grantley, Steve; Parker, Alan. The Who by Numbers: The Story of the Who Through Their Music. Helter Skelter.
Jump up ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
Jump up ^ "Cash Box Top 100 2/28/76". 50.6.195.142. 1976-02-28. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
Jump up ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
Jump up ^ Billboard 25 December 1976: TIA-6
Jump up ^ Graham Needham (2002-03-04). "Discography | Poison | Mama's Got A Squeezebox | American CD single (5") [Sweet Cyanide Music Inc - n/a]". Poisond Info. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
Jump up ^ [1] Archived 13 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
show
v
t
e
The Who by Numbers
Songs
Side one
"Slip Kid"
"However Much I Booze"
"Squeeze Box"
"Dreaming from the Waist"
"Imagine a Man"
Side two
"Success Story"
"They Are All in Love"
"Blue, Red and Grey"
"How Many Friends"
"In a Hand or a Face"
Supporting tours
The Who Tour 1975
The Who Tour 1976
My Generation
A Quick One
The Who Sell Out
Tommy
Who's Next
Quadrophenia
The Who by Numbers
Who Are You
Face Dances
It's Hard
Endless Wire
show
v
t
e
The Who singles discography
UK singles 1960s
1964
"Zoot Suit" / "I'm the Face"
1965
"I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman"
"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Daddy Rolling Stone"
"My Generation" / "Shout and Shimmy"
1966
"Substitute" / "Circles"
"A Legal Matter" / "Instant Party"
"The Kids Are Alright" / "The Ox"
"I'm a Boy" / "In the City"
"La-La-La-Lies" / "The Good's Gone"
"Happy Jack" / "I've Been Away"
1967
"Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor"
"The Last Time" / "Under My Thumb"
"I Can See for Miles" / "Someone's Coming"
1968
"Dogs" / "Call Me Lightning"
"Magic Bus" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
1969
"Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two"
US singles 1960s
1965
"I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman"
"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Anytime You Want Me"
"My Generation" / "Out in the Street"
1966
"Substitute" / "Waltz For a Pig"
"The Kids Are Alright" / "A Legal Matter"
"I'm a Boy" / "In the City"
1967
"Happy Jack" / "Whiskey Man"
"Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor"
"I Can See for Miles" / "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand"
1968
"Call Me Lightning" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
"Magic Bus" / "Someone's Coming"
1969
"Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two"
"I'm Free" / "We're Not Gonna Take It"
UK singles 1970s
1970
"The Seeker" / "Here For More"
"Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell"
"See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy"
1971
"Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself"
"Let's See Action" / "When I Was A Boy"
"Baba O'Riley"
1972
"Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It"
"Relay" / "Waspman"
1973
"5:15" / "Water"
1975
"Squeeze Box" / "Success Story"
1978
"Who Are You" / "Had Enough"
" Trick of the Light" / "905"
1979
"Long Live Rock" / "I'm the Face"/"My Wife (Live)"
"I'm One" / "5:15 (Soundtrack Version)"
US singles 1970s
1970
"The Seeker" / "Here For More"
"Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell"
"See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy"
1971
"Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself"
"Behind Blue Eyes" / "My Wife"
1972
"Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It"
"The Relay" / "Wasp Man"
1973
"Love, Reign o'er Me" / "Water"
1974
"The Real Me" / "I'm One"
"Postcard / Put the Money Down"
1975
"Squeeze Box" / "Success Story"
1976
"Slip Kid" / "Dreaming from the Waist"
"Substitute (Reissue)" / "I'm a Boy (Alternate Version)"
1978
"Who Are You" / "Had Enough"
"Trick of the Light" / "905"
1979
"Long Live Rock" / "My Wife (Live)"
UK singles 1980s
1981
"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One"
"Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You"
1982
"Athena" / "A Man Is a Man"
1984
"Twist and Shout (live)" / "I Can't Explain (live)"
1988
"Won't Get Fooled Again (EP)" ( "Won't Get Fooled Again (live)" / "Bony Moronie (live)" / "Dancing in the Street (live)" / "Dance it Away (live)" )
US singles 1980s
1981
"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One"
"Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You"
1982
"Athena" / "It's Your Turn"
"Eminence Front" / "One At A Time"
1983
"It's Hard" / "Dangerous"
Singles 2000s
2004
"Real Good Looking Boy" / "Old Red Wine"
2006
"It's Not Enough"
Singles 2010s
2014
"Be Lucky"
show
v
t
e
Poison
Bret Michaels
Rikki Rockett
Bobby Dall
C.C. DeVille
Matt Smith
Richie Kotzen
Blues Saraceno
Studio albums
Look What the Cat Dragged In
Open Up and Say... Ahh!
Flesh & Blood
Native Tongue
Crack a Smile... and More!
Power to the People
Hollyweird
Poison'd!
Live albums
Swallow This Live
Great Big Hits Live! Bootleg
Seven Days Live (CD)
Live, Raw & Uncut (CD)
Compilations
Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986–1996
Poison – Rock Champions
Best of Ballads & Blues
The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock
Poison – Box Set (Collector's Edition)
Double Dose: Ultimate Hits
Videos
Sight for Sore Ears
Flesh, Blood, & Videotape
Swallow This Live: Flesh & Blood World Tour
Seven Days Live
Poison Greatest Video Hits
Nothing but a Good Time! Unauthorized
Poison Video Hits
The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock (DVD)
Live, Raw & Uncut (DVD)
Singles
"Cry Tough"
"Talk Dirty to Me"
"I Want Action"
"I Won't Forget You"
"Rock and Roll All Nite"
"Nothin' but a Good Time"
"Fallen Angel"
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
"Your Mama Don't Dance"
"Unskinny Bop"
"Something to Believe In"
"Ride the Wind"
"Life Goes On"
"(Flesh & Blood) Sacrifice"
"So Tell Me Why"
"Stand"
"Until You Suffer Some (Fire and Ice)"
"Body Talk"
"Shut Up, Make Love"
"Be the One"
"Power to the People"
"The Last Song"
"Rockstar"
"Squeeze Box"
"Shooting Star"
"We're an American Band"
"What I Like About You"
"SexyBack"
Solo albums
A Letter from Death Row
Glitter 4 Your Soul
Songs of Life
Freedom of Sound
Rock My World
Custom Built
Jammin' with Friends
True Grit
Related articles
Discography
Bret Michaels discography
Samantha 7
Devil City Angels
A Letter from Death Row (film)
The Surreal Life
Rock of Love
Season 1
2
3
Celebrity Apprentice 3
Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It
Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars
show
v
t
e
Freddy Fender
Studio albums
Before the Next Teardrop Falls (1974)
Are You Ready for Freddy? (1975)
Since I Met You Baby (1975)
Rock 'n' Country (1976)
Your Cheatin' Heart (1976)
If You're Ever in Texas (1976)
If You Don't Love Me (1977)
Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad (1977)
Swamp Gold (1978)
Tex-Mex (1979)
The Texas Balladeer (1979)
Favorite Ballads (1991)
La Música de Baldemar Huerta (2002)
Live albums
Recorded Inside Louisiana State Prison (1975)
Compilation albums
The Best of Freddy Fender (1977)
The Freddy Fender Collection (1991)
His Greatest Recordings (1978)
Singles
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls"
"Since I Met You Baby"
"Secret Love"
"The Wild Side of Life"
"You'll Lose a Good Thing"
"Vaya con Dios"
"Living It Down"
"The Rains Came"
"Squeeze Box"
"Please Talk to My Heart"
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