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The Who - Behind Blue Eyes - Guitar Lesson

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The Who - Behind Blue Eyes - Guitar Lesson

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The Who - Behind Blue Eyes guitar lesson video
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Behind Blue Eyes

"Behind Blue Eyes" is a song by English rock band The Who, released as the second single from their 1971 album Who's Next. Written by Pete Townshend for his ambitious Lifehouse project, the track contrasts a delicate clean-guitar verse with a powerful distorted rock climax, making it an excellent study in dynamic control. Its memorable chord progressions and expressive lead work make it a rewarding piece for electric guitarists at an intermediate level.

  • The song was originally composed by Pete Townshend as part of his ambitious, unfinished Lifehouse multimedia rock project.
  • The track reached No. 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100 after entering the chart in November 1971.
  • The song has been covered by many artists, with Limp Bizkit's version introducing it to a new generation of rock listeners.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Townshend switched to Fender Stratocasters from the mid-1970s onward, using their stock single-coil pickups for clarity and chimey top-end that cut through massive stadium volumes when paired with his Hiwatt amps. The Strat's responsiveness to his dynamic, windmill attack made it ideal for The Who's power chord precision.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While Townshend primarily used Les Paul Deluxes with mini-humbuckers, the Standard's full humbuckers would deliver a tighter, more compressed midrange that contrasts with his preferred P-90 aggression. A Standard represents a warmer, less cutting variation of his classic mod-era tone.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom shares the Deluxe's mini-humbucker character that Townshend favored for a focused midrange, though its premium construction would offer slightly more sustain than his typical gigging instruments. Townshend valued stock electronics and destructive live performance over luxury features.

Marshall JTM45
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Marshall JTM45

Townshend famously pushed Marshall JTM45s to their limits in the late 1960s, driving them into aggressive overdrive that influenced Marshall's louder amp designs. His volume demands and hard-hit playing style directly contributed to Marshall developing more powerful heads to match his revolutionary stage presence.

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