Who, The - I've Known No War Lyrics

It's Hard is such an underrated album. The new album is making me revisit the old tracks and it's all making sense now after all this time.

Wait, i thought you were fightin'; in the streets then, eh?

This song should have been the first song released from the album, and it should've been played throughout the entire 1982 tour. Rolling Stone magazine, in their review of the album, said it was one of the best songs the band ever did. In my view, it has become the most underrated song in the band's catalog. A massive error by the record label who generally picks the singles.

In an out of reach loft
The medals are lost
They belong to a lone broken sailor
His provinces now
Are the bars of the town
His songs and his poems of failure
For his grandchildren can't see the glory
And his own kids are bored with the story

Parke Puterbaugh of Rolling Stone magazine stated that the song was the key to the album, as he wrote in his 1982 review of It's Hard:

"'I've Known No War,' [is] a song that could become an anthem to our generation much the way 'Won't Get Fooled Again' did a decade ago. 'I've Known No War' is one conscientious objector's statement of defiant opposition, tempered by the realities of the present day. To wit, that a nuclear war, despite our best pacifistic inclinations, is in the hands of a few men who will simply decide to push a button, and that the ensuing annihilation will be sudden, certain and eternal".

fave who song, criminally slept on. townsend on those uplifting riffs

After reading Kenney Joneses autobiography I started listening to the Who's later(?) albums and I'm starting to appreciate them more and more.
I think Roger accused Pete of saving his best stuff for his solo work but listening back to some of these gems I can tell Pete had Rogers vocals in mind when he penned these tracks,....Thanks Pete.

It was actually Kenney Jones who complained more about that at the time, whether he said it or not in his autobiography. I understand the viewpoint, but the lyrics on "Empty Glass" and especially "Chinese Eyes" are so friggin' personal. I can't see a song like "Slit Skirts" being a Who song, even though I feel it's one of the 5 best songs Pete has written.

@Matt Smith I read Rogers and Kenney's biographies back to back and it was interesting to get their recollections of that period in time.
I think the track "gonna get ya" was mentioned as a possible Who track.

again the genius of Pete Townshend and strong voice of Roger and the kickass music of the mighty WHO

A song about generations who never enev experienced the post-war world. Generations that have zero value of any kind. Especially Millennials. Fucking waste of a generation.

But they were born in a war.....🤔

And....look at the cover art, prophets.

At this time, 111 comments and 333 subscribers. Wow.

S O N Z E I R A!!!!!
I LOVE THE WHO!!!!

This was my manhood album. I discovered it in 94 when I was at the age Pete was when he wrote the lyrics (around 35). It’s his coming of maturity album

Great lyrically. Good musically through the initial verses, but the interlude starting 3:10 isn't so compelling, and the song drags a bit while lacking a boffo ending.

They are the Best of the Best!!!

Awesome!

And if I ever do, the glimpse will be short!

Waaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr! I've never known War !!!!

Can someone help me? i'd like to know if the violons parts we hear in the intrumental section were taken from a classical music work of an old famous composer like Beethoven, Malher or Tchaikovsky?

I'm a bass player & John Entwistle has been the greatest influence on my playing since I was 16 years old. I'm 99.9% sure he is playing his Alembic 8 String Bass on this track. Does anyone have the isolated bass track from this session? I would love to hear it!

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!! pinche roll'on! aaaaaaaaaa viva el rock!

This Song "i've known no war" remenber me "song of a baker" from small faces!

I love The Who <3.

I've known no war
And if I ever do I won't know for sure
Who'll be fighting whom
For the soldiers lonely tomb
Now opens as soon as the referee's gun starts to roar
I'll know no war

Galbraith took his pen
To break down the men
Of the German army defeated
On the nineteenth day
Of a spring day in May
Albert Speer was deleted
And as soon as the battle was over
I was born in victorious clover
And I've never been shot at or gassed
Never tortured or stabbed
And I'm sure - I'll never know war

I know I'll never know war
And if I ever do
The glimpse will be short
Fireball in the sky
No front line battle cries
Can be heard as the button is pushed
By a soul that's been bought
I'll know no war

In an out of reach loft
The medals are lost
They belong to a lone broken sailor
His provinces now
Are the bars of the town
His songs and his poems of failure
For his grandchildren can't see the glory
And his own kids are bored with the story
But for him they'd have burned behind netting
From the brink they were grabbed
And I'm sure
I'll never know war

I've known no war
And if I ever do I won't know for sure
Who'll be fighting whom
For the soldiers lonely tomb
Now opens as soon as the referee's gun starts to roar
I'll know no war

War - I've known no war
I'll never know war
And if I ever know it
The glimpse will be short
Fireball in the sky
No front line battle cries
Can be heard as the button is pushed by a soul that's been bought
And the armies remaining will judge without people or courts
And there's no point pretending that knowing will help us abort
I'll know no war

Awesome lyrics. Especially the part about the sailor. It's a sad but true true story from bars across Britain and America.

the guitar when it enters the crucial point - AWESOME

So sad. It was my last

Did they ever play this live?

Saw them at Deeside in 1981 February freezing stood on canvas over the ice rink but they were hot fucking awesome

The Vr Star Wars az utolsó Jedik :D

If you sit down and listen to the whole album . Kenny jones has tallent and his drumming fits with these songs. Probably the most underatted who album

Kenny took on the impossible and thankless job of trying to fill in for Keith. He did without complaint and if it weren't for Keith, we'd all be calling Kenny the greatest drummer in R&R.

Unfortunately Kieth Moon is missing from the album. Noone remebers what a bad mfrbhe was

This was the first album I ever bought with my own money.

ITS A SLOWER VERSION OF "JOIN TOGETHER".. THE WHO HATE THIS ALBUM, MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S THEIR LAST EFFORT WITH JOHN.

"...and his own kids are bored with the story. But for him they've have burned behind netting, from the brink they were grabbed." One of the greatest lyrics for any combat vet. But for them...

I love the WHO but this is the worst fk song !lol

What a great song this is. This album got overlooked.

But i think i will...

Daltrey's vocals are amazing on this tune.

No one else could have sung this song.

And it was Pete's favorite song off the album.

Nuclear powers should listen or study this song (many thanks for posting, love this song when it was released)

When they tell there homegrown to get outta town the US-we should be concerned.

It's Hard was the first Who album I ever bought.

Hell yeah! Very cool.  Yeah Leeds would be on mine, as well as Hendrix at the Fillmore. One of those early Zep concerts in Europe. Also might use it for on the days those guys died, go back and try to talk to 'em and say "Hey bud, might wanna go easy on that tonite!"

Yeah those three sound great i would probably take in Purple`s second line up, Free and early Tull with maybe an early Floyd thrown in.

All excellent choices!

BaronOfBayonne Rookie

Its a good > one !

always enjoyed this song.....the album cover may is by the far the worst for the who.....

Personally I think this is the best song on It's Hard. Very underrated song. A lot of people knock the Kenney Jones era of The Who. No, it's not anything like Moon era. But they had some good stuff here and there. This song is proof.

Best post Moon song, period

Pete Townshend agrees with your sentiments.

One of the few moments on "It's Hard" that breaks through and grabs your throat like vintage Who tunes.  Daltrey is amazing!

I wonder why they never played this amazing song live. It's incredible!

qmto they did

No they haven't.

I thought I remembered  them playing it too, but I looked at the set list from that concert, and they didn't. Not at Toronto either.

To political pc brigade

A Who 80's anthem that never was. How did everybody miss this?

i saw them in 89', on the 20th Anniversary of Tommy tour. it was great, but, I would have loved to see them in 69 or 70!

What I missed, by about 2 years, was Keith.

Cry If You Want is even better.  That was a very good album.

They were listening to Madonna.

Look at the cover photo, they didn’t miss a detail.

It's a strange thing. I've been a Wholigan since way back when and for many years looked upon their latter two albums with embarrassment. But with the passage of time they are becoming two of my favorite. Masterful and nuanced songwriting.

kizilbash110 Very much agreed! Not a bad song on Face Dances

I love Who's Next, such a beautiful album, although in the history of this band there are so many brilliant masterpieces.

I agree. This song and one life's enough and emenence front are the shiz

@Patrick Ross Good thing all three songs are in that order on It's Hard.

Agree !! Also if you get a chance to check out Pete Townshend's SCOOP album, there are some great demos and early versions of some of these songs. "It's Hard" chorus actually used to say "I just want to be popular" :0

My friend past away hours ago,unexpectedly . I used to play this for him most times I would see him. Rest in peace Bill Kraus 04/24/1956-01/07/2016

sorry, God bless!

God bless you, I hope your hangin' in well.

This song and I cannot understand why was has never been fully appreciated as the masterpiece it truly is. Never given air play, should have been released as an A side single and marketed as an anthem that speaks words beyond volume. It's never too late and I hope someday given the same attention as say Baba O' Riley, My Generation, because as far as i'm concerned it's just as good and in this modern era for its time maybe even better

Wallace Reid maybe a bit too long?

Agreed. Very powerful song.

Fucking a man !!!

Heard it this very day on satellite radio. Turned it up good and loud

true it's satellite radio (no commercials) but still, I heard it on the radio technically. I agree with you, I wish FM would take more chances and play more of the catalogue

Amen brother. It's a kickn jam.

Last 5 seconds

Master of the power chord Townsend continues to amaze.

What a powerful song, never received any radio airplay.

This song should have made it huge for the 80s. How it went obscure blows me away ! Pete's lyrical , musical arrangements and Power Chords have never ceased to amaze me !

Roger.......
O MELHOR VOCALISTA DO MUNDO!!!!!!!😎😎😎😎😎

Great tune from one of my favorite Who albums

One of the coolest songs from What I always called/considered The"Kenny Jones"Who                                                                                                                        signed,Ronnieronn'67.

Ain't no Kenny Jones about it, the band was just as good.

Happy Birthdaty, Pete!

The only Song avalaible in this last album of the Who. So sad !

One of the few relatively undiscovered Who songs...

You know for so few comments on a song that should have made it's mark and it didn't ?  Well Great beat, hook and well I think people didn't get it, understand it and appreciate a song that never got it's due. 

Growing up in the late 70s, my dad coming home from Vietnam, and the 80s, we really thought there would be no more war. We weren't thinking that war makes profit. We were stupid!

You weren't/aren't stupid. It's the warmonger politicians who are stupid. :P

The weapons manufacturers are only the enablers, they fill the need for those who want to start a war, and there will always be someone who wants to start one.

This is for me,"It s' hard" best song. Never played on stage by The Who, Great vocals by Roger Daltrey. The problem with that album, is the song s' orders and a couple that do not seem to fit in (Cooks County). The rest is very good. 

There is a live version of this song, on the remastered, expanded edition of this album.

The Who never played this song live. Maybe you are talking about Cry if You Want, played once as recently as last year.

+Luileadolfo You're probably right.

Great beat

I just had a thought while listening to this. During the break, which is kind of understated, there's a section of Pete's "Football Fugue" which would fit nicely. It would give this song an extra and unexpected dynamic and it would certainly match up with the imagery of the lyrics "...now opens as the referee's guns start to roar..."

Good point. Reading the album liner notes to Another Scoop, Pete did not mention any connections between the two songs. Maybe he did not realize his own inventions? You have a good ear!

This song swings.

I totally agree with you, Gates. It's like they found their legs again on this one after losing Keith Moon.

I have this on tape and have been listening to this album for years while on the treadmill...

thanks The Who, thanks for this music

I would totally agree. You never hear any of the songs being played anywhere. It even does not have much of a following here on you tube...look at the views.