Little Billy - The Who, 1974
Little Billy was the fattest kid in his class
Always the last in line
All the other little kids would laugh at him
Said he'd die before his time
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Little Billy didn't mind
Most of the kids smoked cigarettes
Just to prove that they were cool
The teacher didn't know about the children's games
And Billy always followed the rules
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Little Billy didn't mind
Billy was big on the outside
But there's an even bigger man inside
Ten million cigarettes burning every day
And Billy's still doing fine
Now Billy and his classmates are middle-aged
With children of their own
Their smoking games are reality now
And cancer's seed is sown
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Little Billy's didn't mind
Most of them smoke maybe forty a day
A habit Billy doesn't share
One by one they're passing away
Leaving orphans to Billy's care
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Little Billy doesn't mind
Ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha
Little Billy's doing fine
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The Who ranks solidly in the pantheon of classic rock 'n roll bands. For my money, they edge out the Stones and the Beatles. Starting in 1965, with the anthem "My Generation", The Who lead the way for several decades of rock bands. Pete Townsend's windmill arm, and guitar smashing, combined with Rogers Daltrey's microphone swinging are quintessential stage antics for any live rock band.
This odd little song from the Who's "Odds 'n Sods" album was written by Pete Townsend for the American Cancer Society. It apparently never made it out of the office of the record executive it was submitted to. I'm not sure what the American Cancer Society was supposed to do with it anyway.
Here is a quick look at The Who's discography.
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