"Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by their guitarist and principal songwriter Pete Townshend. It is the opening track on their fifth studio album, Who's Next (1971), and was released as a single in several European countries in November 1971, though in the UK and US it was only available on the album

. The title "Baba O'Riley" is a combination of the names of two major influences on Townshend at the time: Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual master, and Terry Riley, an American minimalist composer. The song's distinctive repeating synthesizer pattern was inspired by Townshend's attempt to translate Meher Baba's vital signs into music, using a Lowrey organ's marimba repeat feature, and by Riley's minimalist style

. Originally part of Townshend's abandoned rock opera project Lifehouse , "Baba O'Riley" was intended to depict a Scottish farmer's journey to London. The song was initially much longer but was edited down for the album. The famous violin solo at the end was played by Dave Arbus of East of Eden in the studio, though in live performances Roger Daltrey typically plays harmonica instead

. The song is widely regarded as one of The Who's greatest works and a classic rock staple. It has been recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll

. The lyrics include the phrase "teenage wasteland," which has often been mistaken as the song's title. This phrase was inspired by the desolation Townshend observed among youth at events like Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival

. In summary, "Baba O'Riley" is a landmark rock song that blends spiritual inspiration with innovative musical techniques, symbolizing a turning point in The Who's sound towards hard rock