Take 5: Great Roger Daltrey Tracks That Aren’t on Who Albums

Singer Roger Daltrey co-founded The Who with Pete Townshend in 1964. Daltrey is the power and distinctive voice on most of the group’s hits, from “My Generation” to “Who Are You.” But London-born Daltrey (who turned 80 last March) didn’t step outside The Who until the group had been together for nearly a decade. In between recording sessions and tours with The Who, Daltrey has cultivated a musical identity outside the group, something working with other musicians (and other times with his Who band mates). Here are five notable Roger Daltrey tracks that are not strictly part of The Who’s catalog.

“Giving it All Away” from Daltrey (1973)
By 1973, both guitarist Pete Townshend and bassist John Entwistle had recorded and released solo albums (Keith Moon would release Two Sides of the Moon in 1975). Working with a small formation of top-flight British musicians (and no Who members) Daltrey recorded his self-titled solo debut, a collection of original tunes written by Leo Sayer with David Courtney. The album’s single was “Giving it All Away,” something of a stylistic departure for Daltrey. The song reached #5 on the UK singles charts.

“Free Me” from McVicar (1980)
The Who’s film production company released a dramatic motion picture, McVicar, in 1980. The movie was a dramatization of the life of John McVicar, armed robber and later writer. Centering on McVicar’s time in and out of prison, the film starred Daltrey in the title role. He recorded a soundtrack as well, and the single penned by Russ Ballard nearly cracked the U.S. Top 40.

“Under a Raging Moon” from Under a Raging Moon (1985)
Daltrey’s sixth solo album featured a who’s who of British rock, with songwriting by many of Daltrey’s friends. A highlight of the album is its closing track, a thunderous tribute to the late Keith Moon. “Under a Raging Moon” features no less than seven drummers, including Stewart Copeland (The Police) Carl Palmer (Emerson Lake and Palmer), Martin Chambers (Pretenders) and others.

“Fire” from The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend (1989)
When Pete Townshend made The Iron Man, he sought to create a soundtrack for the Ted Hughes story that drew upon a wide range of artists. John Lee Hooker, Nina Simone and Billy Nichols are among the musical cast. Roger Daltrey played a major role as well, and his character sings a cover of the late sixties classic “Fire,” originally by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. For this recording Daltrey was actually backed by The Who (then featuring drummer Kenney Jones).

“Going Back Home” from Going Back Home by Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey (2014)
Wilko Johnson is one of those artists whose name might not be well known to the general public, but he’s revered among rock musicians. Guitarist for legendary pub rockers Dr. Feelgood and Ian Dury’s Blockheads, Johnson was also a sometime actor, appearing in Game of Thrones. In 2014 he collaborated with Roger Daltrey to make this highly acclaimed album of classics from his repertoire. A major hit in the UK, the album would be one of Johnson’s last projects before his death.