Pioneering ’70s Rocker and Godmother of Punk Patti Smith, 78, Stuns Fans With a Mind-Blowing Cover of a Classic Hit by The Who
Photo by Elekes Andor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Surprise Throwback on Stage
Often hailed as the Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith has long been seen as a defining voice of her era. So it felt fitting when her recent concert featured her take on one of The Who’s most famous tracks: “My Generation.”
A video posted to Instagram by Leather Saints Archive captured the moment from Smith’s Nov. 22 show at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The clip showed Smith, now 78, singing and playing guitar as she tackled the 1965 classic. According to the caption, it marked her first time performing the song on her current tour. She was joined by a full band that included guest guitarist Charlie Sexton, known for his work with Bob Dylan.
Fans React to the Powerful Rendition
Reaction in the comments was immediate. One viewer called it a “mind blowing moment,” while another wrote, “Thank you for sharing this. May or may not have tears in my eyes.” Others praised her energy, with one person declaring, “She is ageless.” Another simply asked, “Could I love her more?”
Longtime followers of Smith know her connection to the song runs deep. She has been covering “My Generation” since the ’70s, and her 1976 single “Gloria” even included a live recording of the tune from Cleveland as its B-side.
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Pete Townshend’s Complicated History With ‘My Generation’
Although the song remains tied to The Who, not everyone in the band has enjoyed playing it over the years. Guitarist Pete Townshend admitted as much during a March 2025 episode of the Switched on Pop podcast.
“I hate playing it,” Townshend said. “Well, I think for the band members, for me and the band members, it became a burden.”
He explained that by their late 20s, the band was still closing shows with the track. “It felt to us that the conversation was over,” he said.
The Meaning Behind the Song’s Style
Townshend reflected on how the song’s message fit — or didn’t fit — the times. “When we first went to New York in 1967, there were kids who were being called up for Vietnam, but the Vietnam issue was over and we were still doing ‘My Generation’ on the stage,” he recalled. He added that the band’s trademark smashing of instruments continued throughout 1968, even as the cultural moment shifted.
Some listeners criticized the song early on, believing Roger Daltrey’s stuttered delivery mocked people with speech disorders. Townshend pushed back on that idea. “It wasn’t meant to be a piss-take,” he said.
Townshend Clears Up Misunderstandings
He pointed to the way bands handled serious questions in interviews at the time. “When you look at early interviews with The Beatles, what they did is every time they were asked a serious question, they made a joke,” he said. Townshend noted that while he tried to answer sincerely, there were topics he avoided. He added that the stutter in the song came from his own experiences: “It was meant to be that I grew up in this group of boys who took so much amphetamines that they couldn’t speak.”
Even with early criticism, “My Generation” grew into one of rock’s most recognizable anthems — and Smith’s recent performance showed that its impact continues to echo decades later.
