What Happened on May 19th – My Generation

I think in every generation, people have had conversations about dealing with the gap between the generations.  I know I’ve been to business seminars where the keynote speaker discusses the fact that there are multiple generations in the workforce.  On May 19, 1965, Pete Townsend of the rock band, The Who was contemplating intergenerational conflict when he wrote My Generation.  The 1960s was probably one of the most significant periods for intergenerational conflict as it was a period where demographics and baby boom after the Second World War resulted in the largest generation of teenagers in history.  This large generation would set its own terms and this was no more so expressed than in the lyrics of “My Generation”.  The Who was about to split up but this song that Pete Townsend wrote on a train when he was twenty years old, kept them together and would be the catalyst to make them the most successful rock band of the era.

“My Generation”
People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-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-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to d-dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

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)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby