Billion Dollar Babies vs. Quadrophenia

I thought of doing a poll, but decided to go for the more timeless format.

Anyway, both 1973 releases. The first thing that hit me was that Bell Boy and Elected are essentially the same song. Who cribbed from who?

Epic production on both albums. Synths? Check. Horns? Check. Piano? Check? Slightly excessive and melodramatic last song? Check. Little theatrical sections all over the place? Check (where's the Billion Dollar Babies movie?). Both bands coming to the end of a winning streak? Check.

No More Mr. Nice Guy is probably the more timeless single. Who comes out ahead?

"Elected" was the Coop's fall '72 single; the Who record didn't come out for another year or so.

Would Billion Dollar Babies have been nearly as good if Ezrin wasn't involved? I don't entirely mean that as a slam, but more of an observation.

Quadrophenia is arguably Entwistle's finest hour.

Finding it hard to pick between these, but it dawns on me that they are both from the same year, and looking at http://rateyourmusic.com/list/GeirH/my_top_60_albums_of_1973 it seems that I have ranked "Billion Dollar Babies" a bit ahead of "Quadrophenia".

Both are marvellous albums though.

Billion Dollar Babies by a million miles

The weird thing about the question of who copied who for the riff of Elected: Elected is a remake of an old Alice Cooper song "Reflected" that's pretty definitely a Who rip off. But the original AC song "Reflected" doesn't have the bit that turns up on Elected/Quadrophenia. Even though Elected came out before Quad, I wonder how both bands ended up w/the same riff at the same time. Weird. And it seems odd for Townsend to be copying Alice Cooper, though I guess it's possible. Xpost.

My gut reaction was Quadrophenia, but after thinking about it for about 10 seconds, I've gotta go with Billion Dollar Babies. Still, it's hard to vote against what's probably my favorite Who album.

I have to vote for "Billion Dollar Babies", here Coop gets his thing across better and more succinctly than The Who manage on "Quadrophenia". A lot more of the tracks are still in Alice's live set, whereas Pete'n'Rog only play "5:15". Entwhistle's bass playing may be some of his best, but otherwise his presence isn't felt nearly as much as it is on "Who Are You". Fuck I am waffling waffling waffling...

Not a single song from Quadrophenia ever stuck with me, so I vote Billion Dollar Babies. Fans should check out the double CD deluxe edition from 2001. Great live tracks and outtakes.

Quadrophenia, easy.

I was with Paul Weller (not literally) when he said he wasn't bothered about Q's music but the book that came with it was great.

So, yeah, the book in Quadrophenia gets my vote, as I haven't got or heard BDBabies.

Now, if it had been "Killer"......

Not a single song from Quadrophenia ever stuck with me

I don't think that was the intention either. Isn't "Quadrophenia" essentially all the same "song" anyway?

Ha ha I thought Bill was gonna say "Neither one can hold an inverted candle to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath!"

as I haven't got or heard BDBabies.

You're mad, Mark

"I was with Paul Weller (not literally) when he said he wasn't bothered about Q's music but the book that came with it was great."

Hmm, I always had a suspicion he was an idiot judging from his music, but now I'm convinced.