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Subject:can you relate to Magic Bus by the Who?
From:Leslie H Schwartz
Date:Wed, 6 Dec 2006 08:46:08 -0800

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Magic Bus
Author: Pete Townshend

Publisher:TRO-Devon Music, Inc. (BMI)

With its Bo Diddley beat and room for stretching out on guitar, Pete lived to
play 'Magic Bus' but John, anchored to a 'dub du-du du-du-dub dub' riff in 'A,'
hated it.  There wasn't much opportunity for Keith either, but he always looked
pleased as punch to be making silly faces and tapping away on his little wooden
block while Pete and Roger swapped those preposterous lines about trading the
magic bus in for 'two hundred English pounds.'
As a stage number, 'Magic Bus' became a crowd favourite if for no other reason
than it was quite unlike anything else The Who ever performed.  Like everything
else on the original Leeds album bar 'Substitute,' the version here is extended
well beyond its normal running time.  It's also a great showcase for Pete and
Roger is no slouch on harmonica.
The original recording was produced by Kit Lambert at IBC Studios, London in the
summer of 1968.  It was released as a single on September 18, 1968 and it
reached #26 in the U.K. charts.  [It was released earlier in the U.S., on July
27, 1968 and reached #25 in the Billboard charts and #10 in the Cash Box
charts.  Pete wrote the song in early 1966.  On November 20, 1968, Moon was
joined onstage during a 20-minute version of 'Magic Bus' by the Small Faces
drummer Kenny Jones and the once and future Who drummers performed it together. 
This was the last track on the original LP and was 7'30.  It is also the last
track on the remastered CD (track 14) where it clocks in at 7'22.  The original
performance at Leeds ran 9'41.  Other  live versions can be found on "Who's
Last" and the "Who's Better Who's Best" video. ]

This song appears on the following recordings:

30 Years of Maximum R&B
Greatest Hits
Live at Leeds
Magic Bus
Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy
Rarities Vol. II
The Kids Are Alright
The Story of The Who
The Who Collection
Who's Better, Who's Best
Who's Last

Thanks to Who Tabswe have guitar tabs for this song!

Lyrics:
Every day I get in the queue (Too much, Magic Bus)
To get on the bus that takes me to you (Too much, Magic Bus)
I'm so nervous, I just sit and smile (Too much, Magic Bus)
You house is only another mile (Too much, Magic Bus)

Thank you, driver, for getting me here (Too much, Magic Bus)
You'll be an inspector, have no fear (Too much, Magic Bus)
I don't want to cause no fuss (Too much, Magic Bus)
But can I buy your Magic Bus? (Too much, Magic Bus)

Nooooooooo!

I don't care how much I pay (Too much, Magic Bus)
I wanna drive my bus to my baby each day (Too much, Magic Bus)

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it ... (You can't have it!)
Thruppence and sixpence every day
Just to drive to my baby
Thruppence and sixpence each day
'Cause I drive my baby every way

Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus ...

I said, now I've got my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)
I said, now I've got my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)
I drive my baby every way (Too much, Magic Bus)
Each time I go a different way (Too much, Magic Bus)

I want it, i want it, I want it, I want it ...

Every day you'll see the dust (Too much, Magic Bus)
As I drive my baby in my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)

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