Pete Townshend Isolated Guitar Track On “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

This is a fun one. For everything that thinks they know how to play The Who’s iconic “Won’t Get Fooled Again” guitar part, think again. Here’s the original isolated guitar track in all its glory and you’ll probably gain new respect for Pete Townshend as a result of a listen.

One of the things about “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is that it’s deceivingly easy to play, so much so that one can overlooked all the intricate parts involved. As you listen, you’ll hear that each section actually has a very precise part that goes beyond the basic E-D-A pattern. It’s something that we’ve all heard for years and years, yet when put in the context of the track, easy to miss.

Then there’s the sound of the guitar. It’s actually from a 1957 Gretsch 6120 through a Fender 3×10 Bandmaster given to Townshend by Joe Walsh that gives it the magic.

When listening to the track you’ll hear that most of it is done with as a basic track with the rhythm section leakage in the background. There are a few punches that you’ll hear though, and these represent the totally clean sections without the leakage.

Note that the song seems to end at around 7:00, but that’s really the beginning of the famous middle synthesizer section. You’ll hear the guitar return for the ending at around 7:45.

Enjoy!

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