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Love Ain't for Keeping
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Wikipedia article
"'Love Ain't for Keeping'" is a song written by Pete Townshend and originally released by the Who on their 1971 album 'Who's Next.' Its themes include the joy of physical love, the power of nature and the need to live for the moment.
Music and lyrics
At two minutes and ten seconds, "Love Ain't for Keeping" is the shortest song on 'Who's Next'. It is also one of the lightest songs on the album, and one of the few not to use synthesizers. However, an earlier version of the song, recorded in New York City with Kit Lambert producing, was more of a hard rock song, and included synthesizers as well as electric guitars (with Leslie West guesting on lead guitar). The hard rock version appears on reissues of 'Odds and Sods' and on the deluxe version of 'Who's Next', and was used as the concert opener for Who live shows for some shows in 1971. A live recording, from a concert at the Young Vic in 1971, appears on the deluxe version of 'Who's Next'.
"Love Ain't for Keeping" was originally conceived as part of Townshend's abandoned 'Lifehouse' project, and the demo version (which, like the hard rock version, includes synthesizers) appears on 'Lifehouse Chronicles'. The song (referring to the best-known version on 'Who's Next') has been described as "a blues-tinged country love song." The lyrics project optimism and contentment and the themes of the song include the peaceful joy of physical love, the power of nature and the need to live for the moment, indeed to share love rather than "keep" it. For example, the lyrics include:
:'Rain is coming down'
:'But I know the clouds will pass'
:'...'
:'Lay down beside me'
:'Love ain't for keeping.'
The song has a bouncy tempo. The instrumentation of "Love Ain't for Keeping" is dominated by multitracked acoustic guitars, played by Townshend, including an acoustic guitar solo. Keith Moon's drumming is more restrained than usual. Moon plays a Ludwig drum kit on this song, rather than his usual Premier kit. John Entwistle's bass playing is also relatively restrained. Allmusic critic Tom Maginnis describes Roger Daltrey's vocal as using a "clear, soaring voice," and singing sweetly for the line "Lay down beside me/Love ain't for keeping." "Love Ain't for Keeping" segues into the following song on 'Who's Next', "My Wife."
Critical reception
'Rolling Stone' described "Love Ain't for Keeping" as "faintly pretty but negligible."
Other versions
A version of "Love Ain't for Keeping" appeared on the 1998 reissue of The Who's 'Odds and Sods' album. Townshend included a version of the song on his solo album 'The Lifehouse Chronicles'. Milton Mapes covered the song on the 2004 album 'Who and Who'.
Personnel
*Roger Daltreylead vocals
*Pete Townshendbacking vocals, acoustic guitar
*John Entwistlebass guitar
*Keith Moondrums
References
Category:1971 songs
Category:The Who songs
Category:Songs written by Pete Townshend
Category:Song recordings produced by Glyn Johns
Category:Song recordings produced by Pete Townshend
Category:Folk rock songs
Category:Country rock songs
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