If ever there was a song to embody The Who at their most powerful, it would be "Heaven and Hell", penned by John Entwistle, and brought to life kicking and screaming by his energetic bandmates. Anybody unfamiliar with The Who could be shown this performance and by its end, grasp the band's importance.
But as much as I love the song's live performance, I'm more interested in its lesser known studio form, recorded as part of Entwistle's solo album "Smash Your Head Against the Wall".
"Heaven and Hell" in studio form is an ironic contrast to its live performance. Could you ever picture The Who performing a song of such apathetic lethargy? Entwistle has crafted a bluesy number sounding as if were heavily stoned and then dragged through the mud.
The lyrics aren't that important: this is nothing more than a childlike description of Paradise and Perdition. The song's power is a result of Entwistle's languid vocals and some fantastic noodling on both electric and bass guitars. Who would've thought that he could craft a song of such cynicism and surprising power?
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