Athena Lyrics
Athena, I had no idea how much I would need her
In peaceful times I hold her close and I feed her
My heart starts palpitating when I think my guess was wrong
But I think I will get along
She's just a girl – she's a bomb
Athena, all I ever want to do is please her
My life has been so settled and she is the reason
Just one word from her and my troubles are long gone
But I think I'll get along
She's just a girl – she's a bomb
[Chorus]
Just a girl, just a girl[x3]
She's just a girl
[Verse 2]
Athena, my heart felt like a shattered glass in an acid bath
I felt like one of those flattened ants you find on a crazy path
I would of topped myself to give her time she did not need to ask
Was I a suicidal psychopath?
She's just a girl – she's a bomb
Consumed, there was a beautiful white horse I saw on a dream stage
He had a snake the size of a sewer pipe living in his rib cage
I felt like a pickled priest who was being flambed
You got me requisitioned Blondie
She's just a girl – she's a bomb
I'm happy, I'm ecstatic
Just a girl, just a girl[x3]
She's just a girl
[Verse 3]
Look into the face of a child
Measure how long you smiled
Before the memory claimed
How long would children remain
How long could children remain
Athena, you picked me up by my lapels and screamed "leave her"
It felt like waking up in heaven on an empty meter
And now you are stuck with a castrated leader
And I hate the creep, I didn't mean that
[Bridge]
She's a bomb
I just said it
She is a bomb
I didn't mean it, please
She's a bomb
[Outro]
Athena, I had no idea how much I need her
My life has been so settled and she is the reason
Just one word from her and my troubles are long gone
But I get along
She's just a girl, she's a bomb[x2]
About
A demo of “Athena” was recorded during sessions for The Who’s previous album Face Dances and was originally titled “Theresa” – written by guitarist Pete Townshend about being shot down by American actress Theresa Russell. He explained:
I got drunk as usual, but I had taken my first line of cocaine that very evening before meeting her and decided I was in love When I came to do the vocal on the following day I was really out of my mind with frustration and grief because she didn’t reciprocate.
By the time the song was fleshed out for It’s Hard, Townshend was married to Karen Astley and Russell had married film director Nic Roeg, so he changed the name to “Athena” to hide the fact Russell was the inspiration behind it.
“Athena” was released as the lead single of It’s Hard and found top 40 success in Canada, the US and the UK in late 1982.
In 2010, frontman Roger Daltrey shared he was not satisfied with the final version of the track.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Roger Daltrey told News Of The World in 2010:
No, I never liked that song. It’s a great record. I think what happened with that song, it was originally called ‘Theresa’ and then Pete was talking to me about Nick Roeg’s girlfriend and how he fancied her, and that song was written about her – but then it changed into ‘She’s a bomb’ and I think I’ve got a psychological problem with it. I listened to it on the record the other day, and it’s a great record; there’s so much energy on that thing but I still don’t think there’s a center to that song. The fact that he changed the title in that and didn’t stick to what it was supposed to be lost its center to me.
- 1.Athena
- 3.Cooks County
- 4.It’s Hard
- 5.Dangerous
- 11.A Man Is a Man
- 12.Cry If You Want
