"Sea and Sand" is a song by The Who. It was released on the group's

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

rock opera album '' Quadrophenia'', where it is the second track of the third side of the record.

Lyrics and music

The first song to take place once ''Quadrophenias narrative moves to

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

, "Sea and Sand" portrays opera protagonist Jimmy's affinity for the beach as an escape from the unpleasant realities of home and life, as well as his memories from past

mod Mod, MOD or mods may refer to: Places * Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band * M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...

gatherings at Brighton. With singing by both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, slow dreamy parts and fast angry parts, and a coda that reprises the early Who single "

I'm the Face The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

", "Sea and Sand" is almost a mini-opera unto itself, and is one of the album's most characteristic tracks. It is one of four songs on the album to reference the mod movement. "Sea and Sand" also marks a point of reflection in the narrative. After the protagonist leaves home, he is left on the beach. He reflects about his inadequacy in love and inability to fit in at home or with the other tickets and faces within the Mod subculture. The song also speaks to Townshend's growing alienation from his band and the music scene as a whole. As such, it serves as a telling sign of the years to come and the state of the Who during and directly after this period.

Reception

While not released as a single, the song gained significant airplay on progressive rock radio; Richard Neer of WNEW-FM in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

labeled it the album's best. "Sea and Sand" remains a fan favourite, and the line "Here by the sea and sand/Nothing ever goes as planned" is a well-remembered Who lyric. Indeed, following The Who's 1996 performances of ''Quadrophenia'' at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

, fans sung that and other lines from the song as they were leaving the arena.

Covers

The song was memorably treated by keyboardist Page McConnell of the jam band

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...

in their 1995 concert album, '' Phish: New Year's Eve 1995 - Live at Madison Square Garden''. An acoustic version was released in 2001 on the album ''The Legends Collection: Acoustic".The Legends Collection: Acoustic review
Allmusic. Retrieved August 7, 2016.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sea And Sand 1973 songs The Who songs Song recordings produced by Glyn Johns Songs written by Pete Townshend Song recordings produced by Pete Townshend