You Better You Bet": The Who's Last Top 10 Hit and the Challenges of Face Dances
The Who released the lead single "You Better You Bet" from their album Face Dances on February 27, 1981. This marked their first release following the death of drummer Keith Moon in 1978. The album featured Faces drummer Kenney Jones and became the band's final top 10 hit in the UK, remaining a beloved track among fans. The recording and release of Face Dances was a challenging time for The Who, as they were dealing with the loss of Moon and personal struggles, including Pete Townshend's marital issues and relationship with a younger woman. Townshend wrote the song for his paramour over several weeks of partying, aiming to create a great song for her. Roger Daltrey praised the song, comparing its vocal style to Elvis, but expressed dissatisfaction with the lineup change that brought in Jones as the new drummer. Daltrey felt that Jones disrupted the band's chemistry and preferred Moon's dynamic presence. Despite this, he acknowledged Jones' initial brilliance on tour but noted that his drumming style didn't quite fit with The Who's sound. Daltrey expressed a desire to re-record some tracks from Face Dances but highlighted "You Better You Bet" as one of his favorite songs.