Tommy

Feel Me

Deaf, dumb and blind boy
He's in a quiet vibration land
Strange as it seems
His musical dreams, ain't quite so badTen years old with thoughts as bold
As thoughts can be
Loving life and becoming
Wise in simplicitySickness will surely take the mind
Where minds can't usually go
Come on the amazing journey
And learn all you should knowA vague haze of delirium creeps up on me
All at once a tall stranger I suddenly see
He's dressed in a silver sparked glittering gown
And his Golden beard flows nearly down to the groundNothing to say, nothing to hear
Nothing to see
Each sensation makes
A note in my symphonySickness will...

This song is basically young Tommy's anthem, describing his affected personality from his trauma. He isn't actually blind and deaf, rather, he depends on his sense of touch and imagination and he is 'blind' to the outside world. The song describes mental disability rather than physical disability, and all throughout his childhood, Nora and Frank make many fruitless attempts to talk and communicate with Tommy. 

This scene in the movie contrasts with the album's original idea, which was that the Captain had killed Nora's lover. However, Nora does the same and brainwashes Tommy into thinking he didn't see or hear anything, which in the same way leads to his mental disability. 

The next song on the album, 'Sparks' is an instrumental song and it showcases the fact that the deaf and blind Tommy can interpret the world around him as music. 

Tommy's parents are increasingly frustrated that he will never find religion in the midst of his isolation. They sing about their concerns in 'Christmas' and in the movie, we see a young Tommy at a Christmas party being completely unresponsive to his parent's calls. His mother and step father repeatedly say 'Tommy, can you hear me?'

And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?

At this point in the film, Tommy is a young adult and is now portrayed by Roger Daltrey, who continues to have a lifeless daze as he is dragged from scene to scene. 

We see a scene in which his mother takes him to a 'church' where Marilyn Monore is a god-like figure who can allegedly cure disabled people. Eric Clapton leads the scene as a priest-like character, wielding his guitar and looking absolutely bad ass. However, as the end, when Nora brings Tommy to touch the figure, he knocks over the statue and breaks it. This entire scene plays off a drug-fueled cult culture which is present in a lot sixties/seventies rock n' roll.

You talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine
Yeah, you talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine
Every time she starts to lovin'
She brings eyesight to the blind

Tommy's parents attempt to cure Tommy's mental state by bringing him to a character called 'The Hawker' who's wife gives Tommy drugs.  The Prostitute from "The Hawker" takes Tommy and after giving him hallucinogenics, tells his parents his mind is alive. However he is still deaf, dumb, and blind.

I'm the Gypsy
The acid Queen
Pay before we start
The Gypsy
I'm guaranteed
To tear your soul apart
Gather your wits and hold on fast
Your mind must learn to roam
Just as the Gypsy Queen must do
You're gonna hit the road