Editing Won't Get Fooled Again (section)

{{short description|1971 single by the Who}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = Won't Get Fooled Again
| cover         = Won't get fooled again.jpg
| alt           = 
| type          = single
| artist        = [[the Who]]
| album         = [[Who's Next]]
| B-side        = I Don't Even Know Myself
| released      = {{Start date|1971|06|25|df=y}} (UK)
| recorded      = April–May 1971
| studio        = * [[Rolling Stones Mobile Studio|Rolling Stones Mobile]], [[Stargroves]], England
* [[Olympic Studios|Olympic]], London
| genre         = *[[Hard rock]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxmLCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA158|title=Good Night and Good Riddance: How Thirty-Five Years of John Peel Helped to Shape Modern Life|last=Cavanagh|first=David|date=2015|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571302482|page=158}}</ref>
*[[progressive rock]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-who-whos-next-track-by-track/|title = The Who's 'Who's Next': A Track-by-Track Guide| date=14 August 2021 }}</ref>
| length        = * 8:32 (album version)
* 3:36 (single edit)
| label         = [[Track Records|Track]] (UK)<br />[[Decca Records|Decca]] (US)
| writer        = [[Pete Townshend]]
| producer      = * The Who
* [[Glyn Johns]] (associate producer)
| prev_title    = [[See Me, Feel Me]]
| prev_year     = 1970
| next_title    = [[Let's See Action]]
| next_year     = 1971
}}
"'''Won't Get Fooled Again'''" is a song by the English [[rock music|rock]] band [[the Who]], written by guitarist and primary songwriter [[Pete Townshend]]. It was released as a single in June 1971, reaching the top 10 in the UK, while the full eight-and-a-half-minute version appears as the final track on the band's 1971 album ''[[Who's Next]]'', released that August. In the US, the single entered ''Billboard'' on 17 July, reaching No. 15.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-who/chart-history/hsi/|title=Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref>

Townshend wrote the song as a closing number of the ''[[Lifehouse (rock opera)|Lifehouse]]'' project, and the lyrics criticise revolution and power. The track is known for a staccato keyboard figure, played on a simple home organ with a "rhythm" feature that produced a synth-like effect. The Who tried recording the song in New York in March 1971, but re-recorded a superior take at [[Stargroves]] the next month using the organ from Townshend's original demo. Ultimately, ''Lifehouse'' as a project was abandoned in favour of ''Who's Next'', a straightforward album, where it also became the closing track. It has been performed as a staple of the band's setlist since 1971, often as the set closer, and was the last song drummer [[Keith Moon]] played live with the band.

As well as being a hit, the song has achieved critical praise, appearing as one of ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s [[The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]]. It has been covered by several artists, such as [[Van Halen]], who took their version to No.&nbsp;1 on the ''Billboard'' [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Album Rock Tracks]] chart. It has been used for several TV shows and films and in some political campaigns.