“Who Are You” is a significant song and album by the English rock band The Who, released in 1978. The song serves as the title track of their eighth studio album, which was released on August 18, 1978, in the UK and August 21, 1978, in the US through Polydor Records[2].
## The Song
The lyrics of “Who Are You” were inspired by a real incident experienced by Pete Townshend. After spending time drinking with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, Townshend was found by a policeman in a “Soho doorway.” The officer recognized him and agreed to let him go if he could safely walk away[3].
Townshend himself explained that the song was about meeting the Sex Pistols members after what he described as “an awful 13-hour encounter with Allen Klein.” While Townshend wrote the lyrics as “Who, who, who are you…”, Roger Daltrey’s aggressive performance changed it during recording[3].
The single was released as a double-A side with John Entwistle’s “Had Enough,” though “Who Are You” became more popular, reaching the Top 20 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart[3].
## The Album
*Who Are You* represented a more complex sound for The Who, featuring:
– Multiple layers of synthesizers and strings
– Pete Townshend’s most complicated arrangements
– Themes from Townshend’s unrealized *Lifehouse* project
– Lyrics reflecting on songwriting and music as a metaphor for life
The album came after a three-year hiatus following their previous release, *The Who by Numbers* (1975). During this period, the band members were working on various solo projects, while Keith Moon and Townshend struggled with substance abuse issues[2].
The recording sessions at Ramport Studios were described as “lackadaisical” by producers Glyn Johns and Jon Astley, with band members often preferring to drink and reminisce rather than work. This reflected the challenges the band was facing at the time[2].
Tragically, *Who Are You* was the last Who album released before drummer Keith Moon’s death in September 1978[3].
The album contains several notable tracks including “New Song,” “Had Enough,” “905,” “Sister Disco,” “Music Must Change,” “Trick Of The Light,” “Guitar And Pen,” and “Love Is Coming Down”[4].
More recently, the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band performed a cover of “Who Are You” in April 2025, with Ken Marino participating[5].