Eminence Front - Wikipedia

1982 single by the Who

"Eminence Front"
Cover of the cancelled UK single
Single by the Who
from the album It's Hard
B-side	"One at a Time"[2]
Released	December 1982
Recorded	1982
Studio	Turn Up-Down Studio at Glyn Johns' home in Surrey, England
Genre	Arena rock[1] funk[2]
Length	5:39
Label	Polydor (UK)Warner Bros. (US)
Songwriter	Pete Townshend
Producer	Glyn Johns
The Who singles chronology
"Athena" (1982) "Eminence Front" (1982) "It's Hard" (1983)
Promo music video
"Eminence Front" on YouTube

"Eminence Front" is a song by the English rock band the Who, written and sung by lead guitarist Pete Townshend. It appears on the band's tenth studio album It's Hard (1982). The single entered US Billboard Hot 100 on 25 December 1982, reaching number 68.[3][4]

Background and recording

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In the song, Townshend sings about the delusions and drug use of the wealthy and hedonistic. The lyrics describe a party in which people hide from their problems behind a façade. Townshend has introduced the song in live performances with: "This song is about what happens when you take too much white powder; it's called 'Eminence Front'."[5] In an interview, Townshend explained:

"Eminence Front" was written around a chord progression I discovered on my faithful Yamaha E70 organ. I hesitate to try to explain what it was about. It's clearly about the absurdity of drug-fueled grandiosity, but whether I was pointing the finger at myself or at the cocaine dealers of Miami Beach is hard to recall.[6]

Release

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"Eminence Front" was scheduled to be released as a single in the UK by Polydor Records in 1982; the catalog number was WHO 7 but the single was never released. The picture sleeve, by Richard Evans, depicted a 1930s Art Deco house in Miami, Florida.[7] The single in its picture sleeve was finally released in 2017 as part of the Who's box set The Polydor Singles 1975–2015.[8] It was released as a promotional 12-inch single in both the US and UK, and as a 7-inch single in the US and Canada.

Critical reception

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In a wholly negative review of It's Hard, Robert Christgau gave faint praise to "Eminence Front" as the album's high point, sarcastically noting how the aging Townshend "discovers funk. Just in time. Bye."[2] Cashbox said that it "rides along on Pete Townshend's cleanly slicing guitar and the band's patented synth sound" as well as a "strong bottom" from the drums and bass guitar.[9] Rolling Stone ranked the song as the Who's tenth best song, stating, "'Eminence Front' showed they could connect Townshend's new wave-influenced solo work with the classic sound of Who's Next."[6]

Personnel

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The Who

• Pete Townshend – lead vocals, lead guitar, Yamaha E70 organ, backing vocals
• Roger Daltrey – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• John Entwistle – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Kenney Jones – drums

Additional personnel

• Tim Gorman – Rhodes piano

In popular culture

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In 2025, "Eminence Front" appeared in the critically acclaimed psychological thriller series Severance; first during the reveal trailer for the second season, and in the ending credits of the third episode "Who is Alive?".[10]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1982–1983)	Peakposition
US Billboard Hot 100[11]	68
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[12]	5

References

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1. ^ Sheffield, Rob (27 September 2022). "100 Best Songs of 1982". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2023. ...one final blast of greatness with "Eminence Front", one of their meatiest, beatiest arena-rousers...
2. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (25 January 1983). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017.
3. ^ "Discography". thewho.com. Archived from the original on 14 March 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2009.
4. ^ "Billboard". Billboard.
5. ^ The Archivist (11 October 2011). "Video Classics: Eminence Front". Wnew.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
6. ^ a b Browne, David; Fricke, David; Dolan, Jon; Grow, Kory; Gehr, Richard; Greene, Andy; Hermes, Will (3 March 2016). "The Who's 50 Greatest Songs: 10. 'Eminence Front' ('It's Hard', 1982)". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ "THE POLYDOR SINGLES BOX 1975–2015". thewho.com. The Who. 25 January 2016. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
9. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 4 December 1982. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
10. ^ Weiss, Josh. "Why The Who's 'Eminence Front' Was A Brilliant Choice For 'Severance'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 17 April 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
11. ^ "The Who Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
12. ^ "The Who Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.

External links

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• "Eminence Front" at Discogs (list of releases)

v t e It's Hard
Songs	Side one "Athena" "It's Your Turn" "Cooks County" "It's Hard" "Dangerous" "Eminence Front" Side two "I've Known No War" "One Life's Enough" "One at a Time" "Why Did I Fall for That" "A Man Is a Man" "Cry If You Want"
Other	Who's Last All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
My Generation A Quick One The Who Sell Out Tommy Who's Next Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It's Hard Endless Wire WHO

v t e The Who singles
UK 1960s	"Zoot Suit" / "I'm the Face" "I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Daddy Rolling Stone" "My Generation" / "Shout and Shimmy" "Substitute" / "Circles" "A Legal Matter" / "Instant Party" "The Kids Are Alright" / "The Ox" "I'm a Boy" / "In the City" "La-La-La-Lies" / "The Good's Gone" "Happy Jack" / "I've Been Away" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "The Last Time" / "Under My Thumb" "I Can See for Miles" / "Someone's Coming" "Dogs" / "Call Me Lightning" "Magic Bus" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two"
US 1960s	"I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Anytime You Want Me" "My Generation" / "Out in the Street" "Substitute" / "Waltz For a Pig" "The Kids Are Alright" / "A Legal Matter" "I'm a Boy" / "In the City" "Happy Jack" / "Whiskey Man" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "I Can See for Miles" / "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" "Call Me Lightning" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Magic Bus" / "Someone's Coming" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two" "I'm Free" / "We're Not Gonna Take It"
UK 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Let's See Action" / "When I Was A Boy" "Baba O'Riley" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "Relay" / "Waspman" "5:15" / "Water" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" " Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "I'm the Face"/"My Wife (Live)" "I'm One" / "5:15 (Soundtrack Version)"
US 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Behind Blue Eyes" / "My Wife" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "The Relay" / "Wasp Man" "Love, Reign o'er Me" / "Water" "The Real Me" / "I'm One" "Postcard" / "Put the Money Down" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Slip Kid" / "Dreaming from the Waist" "Substitute (Reissue)" / "I'm a Boy (Alternate Version)" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" "Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "My Wife (Live)"
UK 1980s	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "A Man Is a Man" "Twist and Shout (live)" / "I Can't Explain (live)" "Won't Get Fooled Again (EP)" ( "Won't Get Fooled Again (live)" / "Bony Moronie (live)" / "Dancing in the Street (live)" / "Dance it Away (live)" )
US 1980s	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "It's Your Turn" "Eminence Front" / "One At A Time" "It's Hard" / "Dangerous"
2000s	"Real Good Looking Boy" / "Old Red Wine"
2010s	"Be Lucky" "Ball and Chain"

v t e Dallas Mavericks
Founded in 1980 Based in Dallas, Texas
Franchise	History All-time roster Draft history 1980 Head coaches Seasons Current season
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