Heaven and Hell (The Who song)

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"Heaven and Hell"

Single by The Who
from the album Live at Leeds
A-side	"Summertime Blues"
Released	July 11, 1970^[1]
Recorded	April 13, 1970 at IBC Studios, London England^[1]
Genre	Hard rock
Length	3:31
Label	Track (UK) Decca (US)
Songwriter(s)	John Entwistle
Producer(s)	The Who^[1]

"Heaven and Hell" is a song by English rock band The Who written by group bassist John Entwistle. The studio version (originally recorded for an April 1970 BBC session), which appeared on the B-side of the live "Summertime Blues" single, is currently available only on the Thirty Years of Maximum R&B boxed set and Who's Missing, though several live versions of the song exist on official releases. The song was one of many Entwistle B-side singles and one of his live staples.

Lyrical meaning[]

The song's lyrics talk of the places known as heaven and hell. The song describes heaven as "a place where you go if you've done nothing wrong." And hell as "a place where you go if you've been a bad boy."

John Entwistle stated his stance on heaven and hell in an interview:

The last lyric ballot of the song: 'Why can't we have eternal life, And never die, Never die?'
"I've always been obsessed with the idea of Heaven and Hell. Not obsessed that it's true, but just obsessed that it's sort of legend, there's such a person as the devil.^[2]

Live history[]

"Heaven and Hell" first appeared in 1968 and was used to start live shows during The Who's Tommy tours in 1969–70, including the shows recorded for Live at Leeds, Live at Hull, At Kilburn 1977 + Live at the Coliseum, and Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, although the version at Leeds was not released until the album's remastering.^[3] The band opened their early morning set at Woodstock with the song.

After 1970, the song was replaced by another Entwistle composition, "My Wife", in the act. It was briefly brought back in October 1975 during the beginning of the UK leg of The Who by Numbers Tour, but after that was never performed live again by The Who, although Entwistle continued to perform it at his solo shows regularly.

Entwistle solo versions[]

The song was re-recorded by Entwistle for his solo album, Smash Your Head Against the Wall, a longer version featuring a horn section. This version was included on the Entwistle compilation album So Who's the Bass Player? The Ox Anthology.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "The Who Official Website". Thewho.com. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
^ [1]
^ The Who At Kilburn 1977 booklet

show v t The Who singles
UK singles 1960s	"Zoot Suit" / "I'm the Face" "I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Daddy Rolling Stone" "My Generation" / "Shout and Shimmy" "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" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "The Last Time" / "Under My Thumb" "I Can See for Miles" / "Someone's Coming" "Dogs" / "Call Me Lightning" "Magic Bus" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two"
US singles 1960s	"I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Anytime You Want Me" "My Generation" / "Out in the Street" "Substitute" / "Waltz For a Pig" "The Kids Are Alright" / "A Legal Matter" "I'm a Boy" / "In the City" "Happy Jack" / "Whiskey Man" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "I Can See for Miles" / "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" "Call Me Lightning" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Magic Bus" / "Someone's Coming" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two" "I'm Free" / "We're Not Gonna Take It"
UK singles 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Let's See Action" / "When I Was A Boy" "Baba O'Riley" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "Relay" / "Waspman" "5:15" / "Water" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" " Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "I'm the Face"/"My Wife (Live)" "I'm One" / "5:15 (Soundtrack Version)"
US singles 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Behind Blue Eyes" / "My Wife" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "The Relay" / "Wasp Man" "Love, Reign o'er Me" / "Water" "The Real Me" / "I'm One" "Postcard" / "Put the Money Down" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Slip Kid" / "Dreaming from the Waist" "Substitute (Reissue)" / "I'm a Boy (Alternate Version)" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" "Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "My Wife (Live)"
UK singles 1980s	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "A Man Is a Man" "Twist and Shout (live)" / "I Can't Explain (live)" "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	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "It's Your Turn" "Eminence Front" / "One At A Time" "It's Hard" / "Dangerous"
Singles 2000s	"Real Good Looking Boy" / "Old Red Wine" "It's Not Enough"
Singles 2010s	"Be Lucky" "Ball and Chain"

show v t John Entwistle
Studio albums	Smash Your Head Against the Wall Whistle Rymes Rigor Mortis Sets In Mad Dog Too Late the Hero The Rock Music from Van-Pires Edge of the World
Live albums	King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert Ringo Starr and His Third All-Starr Band Volume 1 Left for Live
Compilations	Thunderfingers: The Best of John Entwistle So Who's the Bass Player? The Ox Anthology
Collaborations	One of the Boys Fabulous Poodles Rough Mix McVicar Un autre monde You'll Never Walk Alone The Iron Man When You're a Boy A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who Baptizm of Fire The Deep End, Volume 1
Songs	"I Believe in Everything" "My Size" "Do the Dangle" "Talk Dirty" "Too Late the Hero" "The Ox" "Boris the Spider" "Whiskey Man" "In the City" "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Heaven and Hell "Fiddle About" "My Wife" "Success Story" "Had Enough" "Trick of the Light" "905" "The Quiet One" "You" "It's Your Turn" "Dangerous" "One at a Time" "Twist and Shout" "The Real Me"
Related articles	The Who Quarwood John Entwistle's Ox's 1974–1975 tour