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Rating: Before tackling yet another chapter of the Purple saga, it is legitimate to ask: what reason does a band on the verge of a forty-year career have to continue releasing albums lacking in bite and far from the works that made them iconic? Moreover, since they are not the band of the moment, we cannot even hypothesize a contractual obligation, given that this is a band that, despite having an innumerable amount of masterpieces behind them, does not currently constitute a significant element for the music market. Unfortunately, we cannot offer a satisfactory answer, but after leaving you with this dark dissertation, let's begin to analyze this album with the eccentric title: the opening is entrusted to the explosive "House of Pain," a carefree hard rock piece closer to the Aerosmith of yesteryear rather than the "purple" we know: the central bridge is enriched by an inspired solo from Morse, a guitarist with an expressiveness out of the ordinary, capable of uplifting even the least successful compositions. The following "Sun Goes Down" echoes the dark atmospheres of historical tracks such as "Bloodsucker" and "Perfect Strangers," simplifying their structure and flattening their emotional peaks: the result is pleasant but certainly not memorable.
With "Haunted," the band surprises us by presenting an elegant display of inspired class, revealing a particular skill in crafting ballads, a type of song never sufficiently valued in the group's history: this solution, whether for stylistic choice or to spare vocal efforts for an aging Gillan, will prove to be the winning card of this album.
The subsequent "Silver Tongue," "Razzle Dazzle," and "Pictures Of Innocence" are pure episodes of musical craftsmanship, simple and captivating frameworks on which to showcase Morse's guitar elegance and the class of the new recruit Don Airey on keyboards, replacing the legendary Jon Lord.
Even "Never a Word" and "Doing It Tonight" are as pleasant as they are lacking in impact, both demonstrations of musical versatility, unfortunately not supported by a convincing structure.
"Walk On" deserves special mention, a blues with melodic accents that closely recalls the melancholy of a poignant "Wasted Sunsets": Ian Gillan delivers one of his most heartfelt interpretations, deviating from his usual timbres to favor an unexpectedly “Coverdalian” style, thus enhancing the melodic context of the piece.
The title track, a rock number performed in irregular time with progressive digressions, does not stray from the group's usual stylistic canons, resulting in a commendable outcome, even if not illuminating as the flagship song of an album.
Thus, "Bananas," like many of the publications from Deep Purple over the last fifteen years, adds nothing to the artistic journey they embarked upon in the now Jurassic 1968, confirming the technical skill and grit of a band that has said much in the history of rock, but perhaps has tried to say more than necessary.
"Bananas" proves to be a well-done work by a band that has little left to communicate but does so with a lot of class.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 House of Pain (03:34)
Have you ever had a woman that could make you crazy
Have you ever had a woman that could drive you mad
Have you ever had a woman give you so much trouble
And the best lovin' you ever had
My friends all say I'm losing it big time
But I know where I've got to go
I'm going back there again
I'm going back there again
I'm going back there again
Back to the house of pain
Have you ever had a rock that just keeps on rollin'
Have you ever seen a train comin' down the track
Have you ever jumped into the cold, cold river
And know there's no turning back
My friends all say I'm crazy, baby
But I know where I must go
I'm going back there again
I'm going back there again
I'm going home
Back to the house of pain
Have you ever had a weight that was much too heavy
Have you ever had a burden that was yours alone
Have you ever spent a night when you kept on waiting
Staring at the telephone
My friends all say I'm crazy
But I know where I've got to go
I'm going back there again
I'm going back there again
I'm going back to my woman
Back to the house of pain
03 Haunted (04:22)
I hear the beating of your wings
As if you're playing on my strings
In mysterious ways
You draw me in
To a love
Beyond all understanding
Beyond my reach
So far away
But it seems
Like only yesterday
I'm Haunted
Haunted
Is that what you wanted
All that's left
Is the ghost of your smile
It stays awhile
Then fades away
I hear your footsteps on the ground
Tempting me to turn around
It's just the echo
Of a disenchanted lover
Shuffling aimlessly
Homeward bound
To empty rooms
And picture frames
And Friends
Who can't recall our names
I'm Haunted
Haunted
Is that what you wanted
All that's left
Is the ghost of your smile
It stays awhile
Then fades away
04 Razzle Dazzle (03:28)
I don't have the time of day
I don't know what day I is
Someone's falling on my head
Get up:get up
We're going out on the raz
Razzle dazzle
Call it what you want
To me it don't matter
It's where I belong
It's a matter of distinction
A real fine line
Between an orgy of destruction
And a wonderful time
This room's so cold and bare
There's nothing here for me
I've got to find some heat somewhere
Get up:get up
We're going out on the raz
Razzle dazzle
Call it what you want
It really doesn't matter
When I'm bangin' on a gong
While someone's holding out
To a willing congregation
And we can all forget about
The state of the nation
Can't hear a thing
But I see your lips are moving
I'm working on my thinking
And I think it's improving
I'm going to get the blame
So I might as well deliver
If only I can swim across
This weird human river
I know I started out
With the best of intentions
Some blinding inspiration
And a few not-to-mention
And now I'm looking deep
Into the last dying embers
Shouting what are we doing here
And nobody remembers
I've lost a friend or two
I don't know where they have gone
Only one thing I can do
Get up:get up
I'm going out on the raz
Razzle dazzle
Call it what you want
To me it don't matter
It's where I belong
It's a matter of distinction
A real fine line
Between an orgy of destruction
And a wonderful time
05 Silver Tongue (04:04)
All right...I'm standing here on moving station
All the world is traveling by
To strange outlandish destinations
There they go, I wonder why
I may be crazy
But I'm no stupid
I get along
I use my silver tongue
You know I can dream in any language
Flying on my magic bed
And I don't need to work my passage
All I do is use my head
I may be crazy
But I'm no stupid
Sometimes I ramble
The I'm Lucid
I might seem lazy
But I'm hurting no-one
I get along
I use my silver tongue
I know exactly what you're thinking
But you don't know what's in my mind
You went too fast and now your sinking
Because you forgot to read the signs
09 Never a Word (03:46)
Never a word, a word so true
Passed between us, me and you
Heard you found your pot of gold
That's the story i've been told
Never a word was said in vain
Some were never said again
Some were lost in lovers heat
Some lay fallen at our feet
All day all night, I think of you and only you (x2)
Never a word escaped my lips
Silenced by your finger-tips
All this time so hard to breathe...Hard to breathe
10 Bananas (04:50)
I've got nothing to say today
I used my words up yesterday
I'm just lying here in the sun
Watching you guys having fun
Seven days and seven nights
Working till you got it right
Don't help me I'll help myself
I'll pull some crackers off the shelf
She had her hair done yesterday
Now she's coming out to play
First you pull and then you push
Two in the hand and one in the bush
Oh, my love is
So excited
When I say we've
Been invited
Now we're going
To the palace
Dressing up for
Tea with Alice
Some will rise and some will fall
Some will come to nothing at all
The strangest people have the power
To lead me to my darkest hour
How can you be sure it's me
When it's payment on delivery
Oh, my love is
So excited
When I say we've
Been invited
Now we're going
To the palace
Dressing up for
Tea with Alice
Now my love is
Richer than rich
'Cause I studied
Mathematics
Graduated
Without honours
Everyone has
Gone Bananas
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