Inspiration Behind My Generation:
After his Packard was towed, Pete Townsend reflected upon his life experiences growing up in Great Britain. The lyrics were inspired by the Queen Mother of England and by the Moses Allison song Young Man’s Blues. At the time My Generation was composed, Townsend was lost, struggling to find his place in this world. These are the emotions that spawned My Generation.
Biblical Application:
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand, Isaiah 41:9-10.
Exegesis of My Generation:
People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we g-get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Pete is frustrated by the oppression he is experiencing. He doesn’t like the direction society is heading. Wishing to die before he grows old.
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
This is a microscopic depiction of Pete’s generation.
Why don’t you all fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a big s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Questioning what’s going on in society is taboo. Authority figures see this as a sign of pessimism and rebellion. Don’t make such a fuss about current events. This is a glimpse of Pete’s generation.
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
This is how Pete sees his generation.
Why don’t you all fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to dig what we all s-s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a big sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Pete feels like society is trying to silence him. Perhaps, Pete is referring to the mentality, lets just sweep things under the rug and hope everything goes away instead of dealing with it.
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
My, my generation
My, my, my, my generation
The repetitive chorus underscores Pete’s perspective of his generation.
People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Pete feels like he is being held back, stopping cultural progress. This is how he sees things.
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
My, my, my, my g-g-gen-generation
Talkin’ about my generation
My generation
This is my generation, baby
My generation
This is my generation
This is my generation
This is my generation
The final 3 stanzas are an extended chorus. Pete is a voice singing about how other people his age see what is going on within his generation.
Final Thoughts:
As an individual part of Generation X, my thoughts on society are that work ethic is dying. Whether this is due to apathy, a lack of discipline or widespread egocentrism, most people would rather talk than work. Despite this current trend, I still believe that work ethic can be saved if individuals are held accountable and pushed to reach new heights.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 