Tommy/Trivia

• Black Sheep Hit: "Pinball Wizard" was added to the album as an afterthought, supposedly to gain the favor of New York Times music critic Nik Cohn, who was noted to be a fan of pinball. Pete Townshend even admitted that it was "the most clumsy piece of writing I'd ever done"; he refused to believe there was any merit to it until the producer and the rest of the band said it sounded like a hit.
• Breakaway Pop Hit: "Pinball Wizard" served as this for both the original album and the 1975 film.
• Executive Meddling: Ken Russell insisted on casting Oliver Reed in the movie, and consequently expanded his character's role to replace that of Tommy's father in the album.
• Hey, It's That Voice!: In one recording of the soundtrack, Uncle Ernie is played by none other than the gypsy king Clopin. (Paul Kandel, to be more specific.)
• Hey, It's Those Guys!: Besides Elton and Nicholson, Tina Turner, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, and Arthur Brown all make appearances. John Entwistle and Pete Townshend even play themselves!
  • The Cameo: Director Ken Russell has one as a cripple.
• Shout-Out: In the film version of "Eyesight to the Blind", a religious cult led by Preacher Man Eric Clapton brings out a statue of Marilyn Monroe in her pose from The Seven Year Itch hoping that her touch can cure Tommy. This whole scene is pure, unadulterated Faux Symbolism.
  • In the 1993 musical, Captain Walker is the Papa Wolf killing his wife's lover in self-defense, which is an ironic shout-out to the 1975 film in which the lover does the same to Tommy's dad in self-defense.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Roger Daltrey was taught real sign language so that he would be able to use it in the gesture song scene in the film. Unfortunately (arguably due to some more Executive Meddling), it ended up just being a parody of sign language instead.
  • George Lucas could've directed the movie. Yes, that George Lucas. He wasn't available due to working on American Graffiti at the time he was asked.
  • Rod Stewart could've been the Local Lad for the movie. He turned the role down after Elton John advised him not to take it (and after Elton had turned it down himself). Elton later said that Stewart never quite forgave him for that.
    • Some rumors have gone around about Tiny Tim being considered for that role as well.
  • David Bowie was considered for the role of the Acid Queen at some point.
  • The whole thing was originally going to be about a girl who was reincarnated.