Honestly, if you were hanging around a studio in 1971, you probably would have seen a 23-year-old kid with multi-colored hair literally running from the drum kit to the mixing board. That was Todd Rundgren. He was fueled by a mix of Ritalin, marijuana, and a massive chip on his shoulder regarding other musicians' competence. The result? Todd Rundgren Something/Anything—a sprawling, 25-track double album that basically invented the "bedroom pop" ethos decades before the internet existed.
It’s a weird record. It’s a perfect record.
Most people know the hits. "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me" are permanent fixtures on any "70s Soft Rock" playlist. But those two tracks are just the tip of a very strange, very deep iceberg. This album is a document of a guy realizing he’s smarter than everyone else in the room and deciding to just be everyone in the room.
The One-Man Studio Revolution
For the first three sides of the double LP, Todd is the only human being you hear. He played the drums. He played the bass. He layered the guitars and sang every single harmony. This wasn't because he was a megalomaniac—well, maybe a little—but mostly because he was frustrated. He’d spend hours trying to explain a drum fill to a session guy, only to realize he could just sit down and do it himself in five minutes.
Recording mostly at I.D. Sound in Los Angeles, Todd treated the studio like a giant instrument. He wasn't just capturing songs; he was manipulating tape. He even included a "Money/Game" track where he walks the listener through how to spot studio flaws, like bad edits or "mushy" sounds.
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It’s incredibly meta.
You’ve got to remember that in 1972, this was unheard of. Sure, Paul McCartney had done a solo-solo album, but it felt like a demo. Todd’s work on Todd Rundgren Something/Anything sounded like a full, professional band. He proved that a single person with enough gear and enough caffeine could out-produce a major label's entire roster.
Why Side Four Changes Everything
Just when you get used to the "Todd-only" sound, the fourth side happens. He called it "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)." After an earthquake hit Los Angeles, Todd headed back to New York and decided he was tired of being alone.
He gathered a bunch of session guys and friends—including Rick Derringer and the Brecker Brothers—and recorded the final side live in the studio with almost no overdubs.
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The contrast is jarring. You go from the surgical, multi-tracked perfection of "I Saw the Light" to the loose, boozy, almost chaotic energy of "Piss Aaron" or the R&B medley. It’s like watching a documentary that suddenly turns into a live concert film. It shouldn't work. By all accounts of "album flow," it’s a disaster. But somehow, that messiness is exactly why it’s stayed relevant for over 50 years.
The Hits That Almost Weren't
- "I Saw the Light": Todd claims he wrote this in 20 minutes. He was trying to write a "hit" and intentionally used every songwriting cliché he could think of. It worked.
- "Hello It's Me": This was actually a remake. He’d originally recorded it with his old band, Nazz, as a slow, psychedelic ballad. For this album, he turned it into a soulful, mid-tempo groove that peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- "Couldn't I Just Tell You": This track is arguably the blueprint for Power Pop. If you like Big Star or The Raspberries, you owe this song a debt of gratitude.
The Drug-Fueled Prolificacy
We can't really talk about this album without mentioning the energy levels. Todd has been pretty open about using Ritalin during the sessions to keep himself going through the grueling process of recording every instrument. It explains the sheer volume of material. He wasn't just writing songs; he was "cranking them out," as he’s said in interviews.
Critics like Robert Christgau and magazines like Rolling Stone were floored by the sheer audacity of it. At the time, they compared him to a male Carole King, a label Todd actually grew to resent. He didn't want to be the "sensitive singer-songwriter." He wanted to be a sonic architect.
The Legacy of the "Todd Sound"
What’s fascinating is what happened after this album. Most artists would have taken that massive success and made Something/Anything Part 2.
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Not Todd.
He immediately pivoted into the bizarre, synth-heavy experimentalism of A Wizard, a True Star. He basically told his audience, "Thanks for the gold record, now watch me dismantle everything you liked about it." That’s the real genius of Todd Rundgren Something/Anything. It wasn't just a peak; it was a bridge. It showed he could do the "pop star" thing better than anyone, which gave him the license to be a weirdo for the rest of his career.
How to Truly Experience This Album
Don't just stream it on shuffle. That's a mistake. To understand what Todd was doing, you have to look at the structure he intended.
- Listen by Side: Side one is the "ear-catching" pop. Side two is the "cerebral" side. Side three is where he "gets heavy" with the guitar. Side four is the live party.
- Read the Liner Notes: If you can find an original gatefold or a high-res scan, read Todd's notes. He talks to the listener directly. It breaks the fourth wall in a way that makes you feel like you’re in the room with him.
- Check the Mistakes: Find the "Money" track and actually listen for the technical errors he points out. It’s a masterclass in 70s analog recording.
- Compare the Versions: Listen to the Nazz version of "Hello It's Me" right after the Something/Anything version. It’s the best way to see how much he grew as a producer in just a few years.
If you’re looking to build a vinyl collection, an original 1972 pressing is the way to go. The warmth of the analog tape on tracks like "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" just doesn't translate the same way on a digital file. It’s one of those rare double albums with almost no filler—just a guy with a lot of ideas and the ego to try all of them.