# Why did Roger Daltrey stutter in "My Generation"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104 "2003-05-05T02:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/1 "2003-05-05T02:02:04Z")
He did it in the record, he did it on Ed Sullivan show (and also when introducing the song), but he doesn’t stutter. Was the stuttering an attempt to heighten the idea that the song was sung by a very youthful person just finding their voice? Or was it just to give the audiences something to shout? (You know, at the line, “Why don’t you all just f-f-f-f-f-…-fade away?”) Or was there some other reason? (E.g., they were singing it in a club, tried it that way and got a strong response from the crowds, so they stuck with it; something like that?) Bugged me for years. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/2 "2003-05-05T02:12:27Z")
[http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/MyGeneration.htm](http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/MyGeneration.htm) > [@](#): > > The original was a slow “talking” blues without a stutter. Pete reworked it into its present form with the help of manager Chris Stamp. According to Pete in a 2002 message, the “stutter” was inspired by John Lee Hooker’s “Stuttering Blues.” As to claims that the stutter was meant to represent the speech pattern of a Mod taking speed pills, Pete called it “an unconcious reference.” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/3 "2003-05-05T02:32:49Z")
\<\\> 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mcolville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@mcolville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcolville)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/4 "2003-05-05T02:38:32Z")
Back in the day, Daltry and Townsend claimed it was anything except a drug reference. Nowadays, Townsend has no problem saying “It’s a drug reference.” Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/5 "2003-05-05T10:50:29Z")
A friend says he’s making fun of old people with the stutter, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure that makes any sense. Do old people stutter more than young people? Even older folks who develop mental illnesses such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons don’t stutter excessively, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/6 "2003-05-05T12:07:42Z")
Because Pete told him to. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/7 "2003-05-05T12:08:23Z")
I thought it was just meant to wind you up into thinking that he was going to sing _why don’t you all just fuck off_, but then he said fade away, and it was like “gotcha ya.” ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/8 "2003-05-05T14:06:41Z")
Because it’s cool. Duh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/9 "2003-05-05T14:53:04Z")
Heh. I dated a guy once who HATED my taste in music (I’m not a Who fan, particularly, but used to listen to a lot of classic rock stations in college). We were in my car once, listening to “My Generation” on the radio, and suddenly the BF burst out with, “Oh my God, WHY the hell would they let HIM sing??” (thinking, of course, that R. Daltry was just a guy who stuttered). 😃 Then there was the time we were listening to Eric Clapton’s “Let it Rain”, and he said, “Is this the Partridge Family?” ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/10 "2003-05-05T15:17:23Z")
I always liked it. “Just because we g…g…g…get around”. It creates some interesting musical tension before the band comes in with the “talking 'bout my generation” refrain. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/11 "2003-05-05T17:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auntie em \* > \*\*Then there was the time we were listening to Eric Clapton’s “Let it Rain”, and he said, “Is this the Partridge Family?” \*\* Let that be a lesson to ye, Eric me lad. When ye play booblgum, ye sound jest like Keith Fookin Partridge. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/12 "2003-05-05T18:41:39Z")
Digs, that was hilarious! Eric Clapton SUCKS when in the bubblegum mode. Add that fuckin’ “You Look Wonderful Tonight” to his list of crap. One more tune like that and I’m takin’ his Rock and Roll Membership away. Permanently. Foolish lad. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/13 "2003-05-05T18:46:08Z")
Heh. He said, “Booblegum.” Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/14 "2003-05-05T18:46:08Z")
Heh. He said, “Booblegum.” Heh. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/15 "2003-05-05T19:19:51Z")
groo: If I remember Rolling Stone’s Encyclopedia of Rock ‘n’ Roll History correctly, the stutter was a reference to British Mods, who allegedly stuttered because they were into speed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/16 "2003-05-05T19:30:52Z")
IIRC (possibly from the trivia on the _Quadrophenia_ DVD) Daltry simply stuttered during a take. Not that he stuttered as a rule, but it just happened that once. They thought it was cool, so they left it in. ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/17 "2003-05-06T19:33:51Z")
Wow! I’m gratified that this question was answered so quickly, but Jonny L.A. has left me guessing. The “Mod on speed” answer seems the most likely, given the cite. Thanks for answering, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/18 "2003-05-06T19:59:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*IIRC (possibly from the trivia on the _Quadrophenia_ DVD) Daltry simply stuttered during a take. Not that he stuttered as a rule, but it just happened that once. They thought it was cool, so they left it in. \*\* This is the stock answer given by classic rock stations. Daltry went in unrehearsed and the guys liked how it sounded. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/19 "2003-05-06T22:09:08Z")
I’d always heard that the stutter was in keeping with Pete Townshend’s habit of writing about characters with certain physical afflictions. (“That deaf, dumb and blind kid…”) For what it’s worth… ---
**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-roger-daltrey-stutter-in-my-generation/173104/20 "2003-05-15T06:00:52Z")
Randy Bachman does stutter-why he did on “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.” I’ve heard Daltry speak-he doesn’t stutter. But then, stutterers usually do not stutter when singing. No one knows why.