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A mere five years have passed since Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord went on June 4, 1969, to the Ivy Lodge Club in Woodford, London, to listen to Episode Six and seek confirmation of the praises sung by their friend (and member of Episode Six), Mick Underwood, in favor of a then-little-known singer named Ian Gillan.
Six albums - from the first "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" to the latest studio album "Who Do We Think We Are" - have been released, becoming a delightful feast for critics and the public alike, united by the pleasure of finally paying attention to a band capable of naturally transfiguring a simple riff and a neat harmonic structure into an epic and exuberant sound, which will shape the distinctive traits on which to build its own unmistakable sound emblem. A simplicity accompanied by a brilliant capacity for improvisation (mostly on guitar and keyboards) during live performances, helping the band to distance itself from overzealous but commendable "forms of noise" typical of bands like Pink Floyd or even Cream, showcasing awe-inspiring performance and compositional skills that are, in any case, undeniable. The indisputable professional calibre of Deep Purple's Mark II, which has brought together professional musicians with an uncontrollable inclination to always look forward, and which, unfortunately, over time, cemented the internal disagreements between Blackmore (supported by Lord), Gillan, and Glover, leading the latter two to leave the band.
The fact remains that none of the remaining members ever thought such a situation would lead to a definitive breakup, preparing for auditions of new musicians as well as listening to the numerous demo tapes arriving at the record label. The first choice falls on Glenn Hughes, bassist and vocals for Trapeze - already active with some albums - making Blackmore consider moving forward with the band without the need for a singer-diva, if it weren't for the silent determination of Lord to further explore the knowledge of that young provincial with a passionate and roaring voice who until then worked in a boutique in Redcar (Yorkshire) and who will go down in history as David Coverdale.
With the last recruitment and after regaining determination, flair, and vibrancy, the new Deep Purple enter the studio in November 1973 to finally put on tape the much-anticipated successor to the honest "Who Do We Think We Are," which will see the light in the following February. There is no doubt that it is Purple's intention to set things straight right away with the rousing introduction of the title track, almost as if to claim they are back to stay. The song develops around extraordinary duets between guitar and keyboard, with the support of the powerful rhythm section, alternating Coverdale's roars and Hughes' modulated shouts tackling a lyric (initially titled "The Road") that recalls fires and curses (The sky is red, I don't understand, past midnight I still see the land. People are sayin' the woman is damned, she makes you burn with a wave of her hand. The city's a
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Burn (06:03)
The sky is red, I don't understand,
Past midnight I still see the land.
People are sayin' the woman is damned,
She makes you burn with a wave of her hand.
The city's a blaze, the town's on fire.
The woman's flames are reaching higher.
We were fools, we called her liar.
All I hear is "Burn!"
I didn't believe she was devil sprung.
She said, "Curse you all, you'll never learn!
When I leave there's no return."
The people laughed till she said, "Burn!"
Warning came, no one cared.
Earth was shakin', we stood and stared.
When it came no one was spared.
Still I hear "Burn!"
You know we had no time,
We could not even try.
You know we had no time.
You know we had no time,
We could not even try.
You know we had no time.
The sky is red, I don't understand,
Past midnight I still see the land.
People are sayin' the woman is damned,
She makes you burn with a wave of her hand.
Warning came, no one cared.
Earth was shakin, we stood and stared.
When it came no one was spared.
Still I hear "Burn!"
02 Might Just Take Your Life (04:40)
I got more than I asked for,
There ain't nothin' I need.
I took all till I had more,
I'm always takin' the lead.
Old man shakin' dice down on the street,
Try'n to make a livin' somehow
But I'm really sure about gettin' things sorted out
And I'm gettin' ready right now.
You can't hold me,
I have told you.
Might just take your life,
Might just take your life.
I've been called by many names
And all of them are bad.
I can take it all the same,
It's all I've ever had.
I've got somethin' that you can't get
But one thing you can see:
Gettin' there ain't easy
But it sure was hard for me.
You can't hold me,
I have told you.
Might just take your life,
Might just take your life.
Every time I take a look
There's someone close behind.
They never used to make a pass,
The things that crossed their minds.
Now they tell me that it's all right
And they want to be my friend.
They're ridin' on my back.
When is it goin' to end?
You can't hold me,
I have told you.
Might just take your life,
Might just take your life,
Might just take your life.
Got more than I asked for,
Got more than I need.
Got more than I asked for,
Got more than I need.
Got more than I asked for,
Got more than I need.
03 Lay Down, Stay Down (04:21)
I don't care if my lady's gone
as long as you give me just what I want.
I've been losin' my direction,
got to find a new connection.
You have wasted the love I tasted,
now I'm really gettin' hungry more and more.
Been a long time, had a bad sign.
Tell me what am I fighting for?
Let me know you feel it,
you know I really need it.
Keep on pushin' for more,
lay down, stay down.
I got something to find,
there's one thing I really need.
I'm gonna tell you right now,
lay down, stay down.
Lookin' for trouble, I guess that's right.
When I was young I was taught to fight.
It's been long gone since I had known,
now I'm headin' for some more.
Let me know you feel it,
you know I really need it.
Keep on pushin' for more,
Lay down, stay down.
I got something to find,
there's one thing I really need.
I'm gonna tell you right now,
lay down, stay down.
Let me know you feel it,
you know I really need it.
Keep on pushin' for more,
lay down, stay down.
I got something to find,
there's one thing I really need.
I'm gonna tell you right now,
lay down, stay down.
04 Sail Away (05:50)
If you're driftin' on an empty ocean
With no wind to fill your sails
The future your horizon
It's like searchin' for the Holy Grail
You feel there's no tomorrow
As you look into the water below
There's only your reflection
And you still aint got no place to go
(Chorus):
Time will show
When I don't know
Sail away tomorrow
Sailin' far away
To find it steal or borrow
I'll be there someday
Now woman I keep returnin'
To sing the same old songs
The story's been told, now I'm gettin' old
Tell me where do I belong
Feels like I'm goin' to surrender
Hard times I've had enough
If I could find a place to hide my face
I believe I could get back up
(Chorus)
06 What's Goin' on Here (04:58)
Roll me over slowly I've been drinkin' all night
Help me make a move, I can't stand the light
Wake me, shake me, don't slam the door
I ain't been so bad, I just can't recall
Spent the night chasin' up a listed old flame
Lyin' on the floor I can't remember her name
I can't stay here
There's something wrong here
What's goin' on here?
Went downtown had a long way to go
How I got there I don't know
Found myself sittin' in a west-side bar
Tried to leave but I could not go far
High class woman tryin' to give me a line
Should have left early when I felt so fine
I can't stay here
There's something wrong here
What's goin' on here?
When they closed up the bar
You know they left me for dead
And I can't remember a thing that I said
Must have called the police to take me away
They said "Forty days", now I've got to pay
Spent the night chasin' up a listed old flame
Lyin' on the floor I can't remember her name
I can't get together why they're messin' with me
Keep on lookin' round, tell me where can I be
I can't stay here
There's something wrong here
What's goin' on here?
07 Mistreated (07:30)
I've been mistreated, I've been abused.
I've been struck downhearted, baby, I've been confused
'Cause I know, yes, I know I've been mistreated.
Since my baby left me I've been losing my mind, you know I have.
I've been lonely, I've been cold.
I've been looking for a woman to have and hold
'Cause I know, yes, I know I've been mistreated.
Since my baby left me I've been losing, I've been losing,
I've been losing my mind, baby baby babe.
I've been mistreated, I've been abused.
I've been looking for a woman, yeh, I've been confused
'Cause I know, yes, I know I've been mistreated, ooh o-o-oh.
Since my baby left me I've been losing, losing,
I've been losing my mind, baby baby babe.
Oh oh oh, oh woman, oh woman, oh woman.
I've been losing my mind.
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Other reviews
By Jy
We are immediately 'attacked' by the deadly riff of the title track, BURN.
This piece is a lava flow of pure hard rock, where one can notice a devastating rhythmic carpet by Paice and a series of truly unmissable guitar-keyboard duels.
By matteowolf
It’s Burn, one of the most powerful hard-rock tracks, a heroic gallop that seems to be Blackmore’s first real nod to his Renaissance-Music project.
This very slow blues... starts with a masterful Blackmore riff, continues with Coverdale’s wonderful and heart-wrenching singing, perfectly aligning with the lyrics about a broken heart.
By luludia
If rock’n’roll is a good and proper thing, the hard stuff of the seventies is just a game of ‘mine is bigger than yours.’
That scream is a beautiful thing, otherwise it ends like in certain nightmares where you want to scream, but you can’t.
