Bootleg that features the penultimate concert of the Mark II from the '70s. Unfortunately, the recording is not impeccable; in fact, at times it is decidedly poor, but the energy that bursts out of the stereo speakers is incredible.

It kicks off with a powerful "Highway Star": it's a shame that Gillan's voice can't be heard throughout the first verse, but at the beginning of Blackmore's solo, the audio adjusts itself. Ritchie's glaring mistake towards the end of the solo, yet he manages to make up for it during the rest of the concert… "Smoke On The Water" is somewhat lackluster: the band doesn't seem too convinced, and the piece goes by without infamy or praise. Nevertheless, it continues with an excellent version of "Strange Kind Of Woman," with the band seeming to enjoy playing one of the pieces that, in my opinion, best embodies the fun side of purple.
What stands out is Gillan's voice, which emerges incredibly powerfully: his interpretation of "Child In Time" has such dramatic power that it genuinely makes the listener uncomfortable. It might have been the sadness of the approaching "separation" (the Purple had already decided that Gillan and Glover would leave at the end of that Japanese tour), but the result is literally jaw-dropping. Regarding "Child In Time," it's mandatory to mention the intense middle section, with Blackmore and Lord truly excelling at their craft.

"Lazy," usually introduced at that time by a somewhat psychedelic intro from Jon Lord, is fantastic: the interplay between the organ and guitar immediately conveys joy, making it impossible not to tap your foot… then, when Ritchie's Fender comes in, it's truly delightful! It then continues with Ian Paice's drum solo and "Space Truckin'," a track that becomes more enjoyable with time!
This time, there's also space for a Roger Glover solo, but the true frenzy begins when Blackmore and Lord wildly abuse their instruments to reach a final orgy where sounds and noises blend.

It ends with "Black Night," too bad for Ritchie's guitar, which is barely audible…

Tracklist and Lyrics

01   Highway Star (00:00)

Yeah---

Nobody gonna take my car, I'm gonna race it to the ground
Nobody gonna beat my car, it's gonna break the speed of sound
Ooh it's a killing machine
It's got everything
Like a driving power, big fat tires and everything

I love it, and I need it, I feed it
Yeah it's a wild hurricane
Alright, hold tight, I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my girl, I'm gonna keep her to the end
Nobody gonna have my girl, she stays close on every bend
Ooh she's a killing machine
She's got everything
Like a moving mouth, body control and everything

I love her, I need her, I seed her
Yeah she turns me on
Alright, hold tight, I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my head, I got speed inside my brain
Nobody gonna steal my head now that I'm on the road again
Ooh I'm in heaven again
I've got everything
Like a moving ground, an open road and everything

I love it, I need it, I feed it
Eight cylinders all mine
Alright, hold tight, I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my car, I'm gonna race it to the ground
Nobody gonna beat my car, it's gonna break the speed of sound
Ooh it's a killing machine
It's got everything
Like a driving power, big fat tires and everything

I love it, and I need it, I feed it
Yeah it's a wild hurricane
Alright, hold tight, I'm a highway star
I'm a highway star
I'm a highway star

02   Smoke On The Water (00:00)

We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time

Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place in town
When some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground

Smoke on the water
A fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Dragging kids out the ground

When it all was over
We had to find another place
Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race

Smoke on the water
A fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

We ended up at the grand hotel
It was empty, cold and bare
And with the rolling truck stones thing just outside
We made our music there

With a few red lights and a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know I know we'll never forget

Smoke on the water
A fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

03   Strange Kind Of Woman (00:00)

There once was a woman
A strange kind of woman
The kind that gets written down in history
Her name was Nancy
Her face was nothing fancy
She left a trail of happiness and misery
I loved her
Everybody loved her
She loved everyone and gave them good return
I tried to take her
I even tried to break her
She said, I ain't for takin' won't you ever learn
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
I spent my money as I took my turn
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
Ooh, I got a strange kind of woman, yes I have
She looked like a raver
But I could never please her
On Wednesday mornings boy you can't go far
I couldn't get her
But things got better, she said
Saturday nights from now on, baby, you're my star
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
I spent my money as I took my turn
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
Ooh, I got a strange kind of woman
Ooh, my soul, I love you
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
I spent my money as I took my turn
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
Ooh, I got a strange kind of woman, yes I have
She finally said she loved me
I wed her in a hurry
No more callers and I glow with pride
I'm dreaming
I feel like screaming
I won my woman just before she died
I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you
I spent my money as I took my turn
I want you, I need you, ha ha ha
Ooh, I had a strange kind of woman, yeah
She was so fat
She was the worst thing you've ever seen
Ooh, my soul, I love you, baby

04   Child In Time (00:00)

Sweet child in time you'll see the line
The line that's drawn between the good and the bad
See the BLIND man shooting at the world
Bullets flying taking toll
If you've been bad, Lord I bet you have
And you've not been hit by flying lead
You'd better close your eyes and bow your head
And wait for the ricochet

05   Lazy ~ The Mule (00:00)

06   Space Truckin' (00:00)

Well we had a lot of luck on Venus
We always had a ball on Mars
Meeting all the groovy people
We've rocked the Milky Way so far
We danced around with Borealis
We're space truckin' 'round the the stars
Come on let's go Space Truckin'
Come on
Space Truckin'

Remember when we did the moonshot
And Pony Trekker led the way
We'd move to the Canaveral moonstop
And every 'naut would dance and sway
We got music in our solar system
We're space truckin' round the stars
Come on let's go Space Truckin'

The fireball that we rode was moving
But now we've got a new machine
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah the freaks said
Man those cats can really swing
They got music in their solar system
They've rocked around the Milky Way
They've danced around the Borealis
They're Space Truckin' everyday



Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Space truckin'
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Space truckin'
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Space truckin'
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Space truckin'

07   Black Night (00:00)

Black night is not right
I don't feel so bright
I don't care to sit tight
Maybe I'll find on the way down the line
That I'm free, free to be me
Black night is a long way from home

I don't need a dark tree
I don't want a rough sea
I can't feel, I can't see
Maybe I'll find on the way down the line
That I'm free, free to be me
Black night is a long way from home

Black night, black night
I don't need black night
I can't see dark night
Maybe I'll find on the way down the line
That I'm free, free to be me
Black night is a long way from home

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