The Who – Athena

• 0
  General Comment:Magnificent a masterpiece

  Flag isacon April 21, 2013   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:sometimes poetic, sometimes very awkward language.... but whatever. i think it's a great song. the whole "she's just a girl" is something any rejected male may think, but a the same time the juxtaposition of "she's a bomb" tearing/ blowing his world apart with her rejection.

  Flag greenerblueson September 30, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  Memory:Here is what Wikipedia says about the song “Athena.”
  
  Pete Townshend wrote this song after an encounter with actress Theresa Russell. He promptly fell in love with her, and his frustration of being rejected is contained in this song. In this context, associated with an issue with a film director, it became a subplot of the much later The Lifehouse Chronicles.
  
  Townshend initially changed the title to "Athena" to disguise who the song was really about.
  
  It is this last line that holds the key to finding out the truth. Actually Townshend recorded the song "Theresa" as a demo to disguise what the song "Athena" is really about, and to protect his publishing rights.
  
  The truth is that the song “Athena” is written about my poster “Athena.” The poster has the picture of an atomic mushroom cloud on it. When the poster is held upside down the photo reminds me of a woman’s wedding dress. That is why the lyrics go “She’s just a girl, She’s a bomb.”
  
  This true story is what Pete Townshend’s psychoderelict CD is based on.

  Flag Kerrywilburyon July 09, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  My Opinion:If you want to see why Pete fell for Theresa Russell, then you need to rent "Wild Things". This movie is a few years old, but dang! Theresea Russell looked some sort of awesome in that film...
  
  As a bonus: Denise Richards and Neve Campbell also made quite an impression...
  
  

  Flag BladeRunneron July 02, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:can anybody enlighten me as to what "it felt like waking up in heaven on an empty meter" means??
  
  apparently its poetic.... so i want to be able to appreciate it! lol

  Flag poeticradiographicsoundon April 12, 2009   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    +1

    It means that you've just been blown away by an Atomic Bomb! Your time has just run out.

    Flag Kerrywilburyon July 09, 2009  
• 0
  My Interpretation:I have loved this song since the 80's! I've rediscovered it since adding it to my iPod, but when I hear this song, to me it sounds like falling in love and all the insecurities, passion, frustration, and happiness that go along with it. It makes no sense, just like love, which will drive you crazy in good and bad ways. Athena goes from being a bomb, to just a girl, to a creep, all in the course of the song, and that is love! I never knew what the lyrics were in the 80's, not all of them anyway, but having read them online, and now the story behind it, I'm so glad it meant what I thought it did! It's the epitome of that crazy little thing called love!

  Flag JoyceNGAon April 02, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I love this song. It's catchy. Of course, not their best work or anything, but I LOVE this song. And thankfully, it only has like, four or five guitar chords, which helps to make it halfway playable because I suck at guitar. I had no idea which album it was on until now.. I can't speak for the rest of the album, but I do like this song. Besides. I tend to like the taboo albums by groups anyway. xD

  Flag BlueSilveron March 01, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• -1
  General Comment:I love the Who but I think this is a terrible song.

  Flag aic22on August 22, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:soldier of funk, i thought the exact same thing! this is a good song. not that well known, but was a Top 30 hit back in 1982 for The Who.

  Flag Richie45069on June 27, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Apparently, this is about Pete Townshend falling in love with actress Theresa Russell at a party or something. The next day, when he told her about it, she rejected him. This song is about...precisely that!
  
  Anyway, this seems one of the more poppy songs by the Who - perhaps even bearing a passing resemblance to their older stuff, like "Legal Matter". Still, I played this to death 2 years ago, so I guess I'm more cynical about it now. I'd take it over Eminence Front in any case.
  
  Man. It's Hard really sucked.

  Flag Arkyopterixon March 05, 2007   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    Ms. Russell rejected Mr. Townshend because she was already in love with another man, the director Nicolas Roeg, whom Pete had wanted to helm his Lifehouse film. Despite knowing that she was committed to someone else, he thought his rock star status might allow him to steal her away. No such luck. No wonder the LH project fell apart yet again.
    
    For me, this back story elevates the song from pop schmaltz into an ode to unrequited love.
    
    "It's Hard", while no masterpiece, is an underrated record from a time when The Who was struggling for relevance. I'm a little biased, though as I saw them on this tour; The Clash, touring Combat Rock, opened for them. Nothing but good memories.

    Flag DJAdjectiveon May 11, 2011  

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!