The Who
Athena


Rock/Pop
7 inch, 2   Tracks
01 Athena Pete Townshend
02 A Man Is A Man Pete Townshend
Music Details
Product Details
Packaging Standard 45 sleeve
Sound Stereo
Extras Picture Disc
Musicians  &  Credits
Guitar Pete Townshend
Vocals Roger Daltrey
Bass John Entwistle
Drums Kenney Jones
Musician The Who
Producer Glyn Johns
Engineer Glyn Johns
Personal Details
Index # 3817
Owner Dave
Tags Pop Rock
User Defined
Purchased New
Notes
The Who's last studio album also marked their last Top 40 single as well, with "Athena" peaking at number 28 in October of 1982. Written by Pete Townshend and sung quite freshly by Roger Daltrey, its attraction may have come more from an audience who was sympathetic to the Who's last-ditch attempt at making a record than from the song itself. When dissected one aspect at a time, the song seems strong enough to be a hit single; lyrics that are poetic and rolled off the tongue to perfection by Daltrey, an anxious rhythm carried by the guitar and keyboard, and a good dose of the Who's wit and savoir-faire to see it through. As a whole, though, "Athena" sounds as if it may have been a little too contrived, like it may have been pushed into the '80s rock arena by a band that didn't want to call it quits just yet. Plainly, it's Roger Daltrey that makes the song sound the most Who-like, which is exactly what Townshend does for "Eminence Front," another single from the album. It's Hard has the band playing for the times indeed, but even a half-hearted attempt by the Who can have its strong points, and "Athena" reflects this more than any cut on the album. It's Hard made it to number 11 in the U.K. and to number eight in the United States, but a year later, in December of 1983, the Who officially announced their breakup. -- Mike DeGagne (allmusic.com)