Pete Townshend
Substitute (Live At Leeds)
Stage banter on Deluxe Edition only

[Pete Townshend]
(laughs) We'd like to play three hit singles from our past for you, and, uh—

[crowd shouting song titles, inaudible]

[Pete Townshend]
Uh, we don't do that one, sorry. Well, three selected hit singles, the three easiest! Uh… there's “Substitute,” which we like, very much—

[crowd cheering]

[Pete Townshend]
Thank you! That was our first… #4. And, uh, “Happy Jack,” which was our first—first #1 in Germany, (imitates German marching band music), and funny enough, our first big hit record in the States. And “I'm a Boy,” which according to the—

[crowd cheering]

Thank you!—which according to the Melody Maker was our first #1 in England, I think, for about half an hour. Alright, here we go, starting off with “Substitute”!

[Keith Moon]
All right, could you stop that? Put them cigarettes up!

[Verse 1]
You think we look pretty good together
You think my shoes are made of leather
But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall, but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
Look bloody young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah
[Chorus 1]
Substitute your lies for fact
I can see right through your plastic Mac
I look all white, but my dad was black
My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack

[Verse 2]
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It's a genuine problem, you won't try
To work it out at all, you just pass it by, pass it by

[Chorus 2]
Substitute me for him
Substitute my coke for gin
Substitute you for my mum
At least I'll get my washing done

[Chorus 1]
Substitute your lies for fact
I can see right through your plastic Mac
I look all white, but my dad was black
My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack