The Who Prep Giant ‘The Who Sell Out’ Reissue

The Who will rerelease their classic 1967 album The Who Sell Out as a giant reissue complete with studio outtakes, unreleased tracks, early takes, and Pete Townshend’s original demos for the LP.

The Super Deluxe edition of The Who Sell Out, due out April 23rd via UMe/Polydor, boasts 112 songs across five CDs and two 7-inch singles, including 46 unreleased tracks.

The Who Sell Out placed at Number 316 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. “The Who’s third record was their first concept album, a tribute to the U.K.’s offshore pirate-radio stations. The band strung the songs together with mock commercials (‘Heinz Baked Beans’) and genuine radio jingles,” we wrote of the LP. “It’s the Who’s funniest record — the sad love ballad ‘Odorono’ turns out to be an ad for deodorant. The band expanded its maximum-R&B sound with mini rock opera ‘Rael,’ giving a hint of things to come (Tommy was two years away), and ‘I Can See for Miles’ rode Pete Townshend’s thrashiest power chords into the Top 10.”

The first two discs are dedicated to both the mono and stereo versions of the album, as well as their respective single mixes, B-sides, and all the bonus tracks culled from the LP’s previous reissues.

The third disc, entirely unreleased, contains 28 unused takes from the album sessions, including an unearthed take on the 1968 non-LP single “Magic Bus.” The fourth disc, dubbed “The Road to Tommy,” highlights the band’s recordings between The Who Sell Out and their 1969 smash Tommy, as well as the unreleased “Facts of Life (aka ‘Birds and Bees’, backing track).”

Most notable is the first disc, exclusive to this edition: Fourteen of Townshend’s original demos recorded before The Who Sell Out. Ahead of the reissue, Townshend’s version of “Pictures of Lily,” another non-LP single from 1967, was released, along with his demo versions of “Kids! Do You Want Kids” and “Odorono.”

The two 7-inch singles are for “I Can See for Miles” and the Decca pressing of “Magic Bus.” The Super Deluxe also features an 80-page booklet with rare photos, track annotations, and new liner notes penned by Townshend, nine reproduced posters, and other ephemera from the era, a replica Who Fan Club letter, and more.

In addition to the Super Deluxe, The Who Sell Out reissue — available to preorder now — will also be released as a two-CD set as well as two-LP versions pressed on color vinyl (“Odorono“ red and “Baked Bean“ orange) for both the stereo and mono versions and more.

The Who Sell Out Super Deluxe Edition

CD One: The Who Sell Out – Mono Album1. Armenia City in the Sky2. Heinz Baked Beans3. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand4. Odorono5. Tattoo6. Our Love Was7. I Can See for Miles8. I Can’t Reach You9. Medac10. Relax11. Silas Stingy12. Sunrise13. Rael / Track Records run-off grooveBonus Tracks – Mono14. Pictures of Lily (original UK Track single mix)15. Doctor, Doctor (original UK Track single mix)16. The Last Time (original UK Track single mix)17. Under My Thumb (original UK Track single mix)18. I Can See for Miles (original UK Track single mix)19. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand (original US Decca single mix)20. Someone’s Coming (original US Decca single mix)21. Unused Radio London ad / Early Morning… (original 1967 mono mix)22. Unused Radio London bulletin link /Jaguar (original 1967 mono mix)23. Unused Radio London ad /Tattoo (early alternate mono mix)24. Rael (Talentmasters Studio, New York early rough mix)25. Sunn Amps promo spots26. Great Shakes ad

Tracks 21, 24 & 25 previously unreleased

CD Two: The Who Sell Out – Stereo Album1. Armenia City in The Sky2. Heinz Baked Beans3. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand4. Odorono5. Tattoo6. Our Love Was7. I Can See for Miles8. I Can’t Reach You9. Medac10. Relax11. Silas Stingy12. Sunrise13. RaelBonus Tracks – Stereo14. Rael Naïve (complete with organ coda ending)15. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand (US single version)16. Someone’s Coming17. Summertime Blues18. Glittering Girl19. Early Morning Cold Taxi20. Girl’s Eyes21. Coke After Coke22. Sodding About 2:5123. Things Go Better With Coke24. Hall of The Mountain King25. Jaguar26. Rael (remake; IBC version) / Track Records outro

Track 14 previously unreleased

CD Three: Studio Sessions 1967/681. Glittering Girl (Take 4) (2018 remix)2. Girl’s Eyes (Take 2) (2018 remix)3. The Last Time (Take 8)4. Under My Thumb (Take 3) (2018 remix with full ending)5. Our Love Was (Take 2)6. Relax (4-track to 4-track mix with Pete vocal)7. Relax (Takes 1 and 2)8. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand (Takes 1 & 9)9. Relax (Remake Take 4)10. I Can See for Miles (full version)11. Medac (Take 11)12. Odorono (Take 3) (2018 remix)13. Heinz Baked Beans (Takes 1 & 3) (2018 remix)14. Top Gear (Takes 1 & 2) (2018 remix)15. Premier Drums (Takes 1 & 3) (2018 remix)16. Charles Atlas (Take 1)17. Rotosound Strings (Take 1) (2018 remix)18. Track Records (2018 remix)19. John Mason Cars (Takes 1 – 3) / Speakeasy / Rotosound Strings / Bag O’ Nails (2018 remixes)20. It’s a Girl (aka ‘Glow Girl’) (Takes 1 & 3)21. Mr Hyde (1st stage mix Take 1)22. Little Billy (Takes 1 & 3)23. Mrs Walker (aka ‘Glow Girl’) (4-track to 4-track mix, take 7)24. Call Me Lightning (Take 1 backing track, stereo mix & jam)25. Dogs (Take 3)26. Melancholia (Take 1)27. Shakin’ All Over (Take 3)28. Magic Bus (Take 6)

Most tracks on CD 3 include studio chat, all tracks previously unreleased in this form.

CD Four: The 1968 Recordings (‘The Road to Tommy’)1. Glow Girl2. Faith in Something Bigger3. Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde4. Call Me Lightning5. Little Billy’s Doing Fine6. Dogs7. Melancholia8. Fortune Teller9. Facts of Life (aka ‘Birds And Bees’, backing track)10. Magic Bus (single version)11. Call Me Lightning (US/UK mono single mix)12. Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde (UK mono single mix)13. Dogs (UK mono single mix)14. Magic Bus (mono, longer version)

Track 9 previously unreleased

CD Five: Pete Townshend Original Demos1. Kids? Do You Want Kids2. Relax3. Glow Girl4. Glow Girl (Version 2)5. Inside Outside USA6. Jaguar7. Little Billy8. Odorono9. Pictures of Lily10. Relax (Version 2)11. Melancholia (2018 remix)12. Thinking of You All the While (‘Sunrise’ Version 2)13. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hands14. I Can See for Miles

All previously unreleased and exclusive to the Super Deluxe Edition.

Bonus 7-Inch Discs:

Track UK 45:I Can See for Miles (early mono mix with single-tracked vocal)Someone’s Coming (original UK Track single mix with single-tracked vocal)

Decca USA 45:Magic Bus (US/UK mono)Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde (original US Decca single mix)