•
Rating:
In 1974, Deep Purple released the album Stormbringer. At the time, the band was comprised of the Mark III lineup: Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, David Coverdale on vocals, John Lord on keyboards, Glenn Hughes on bass (and backing vocals), and the timeless Ian Paice on drums.
This album opens with the title track "Stormbringer," a decidedly intense, epic, and imposing piece, unlike (as we will see later) other tracks within this album. Stormbringer has definitely been the album's most successful track, just as happened with the previous album's title track "Burn"; it is curious that these two songs are placed first in the tracklist of their respective albums. After the four minutes of Stormbringer, the second track "Love Don't Mean A Thing" begins, which is definitely much more calm compared to the previous one. Indeed, in this song Blackmore's guitar repeats a mellow clean riff, which allows Hughes' bass to have a very prominent and marked part. We reach the point of Holy Man... Another relatively mellow and relaxed track with a chorus that, once it gets into your ears, doesn't leave. Of note in this track are the fabulous vocals of Coverdale and Hughes. The fourth track is Hold On, which begins with a keyboard intro and develops into a well-driven rock blues, always heavily marked by Coverdale's bass. In the chorus, one can hear an excellent vocal interplay between Coverdale and Hughes. It's time for Lady Double Dealer, the fifth track on this album. In my opinion, this is the best song on the record; a fine piece of driven and intense hard rock, characteristic of Purple. Blackmore's style is clearly audible in the main riff. Undoubtedly one of the best tracks from Purple Mark III. You Can't Do It Right is the sixth track on the album and mirrors the structure of Love Don't Mean A Thing and Holy Man. A very calm song with a brilliant and fairly complex bass riff of which I am madly in love. We then move on to High Ball Shooter, a solid rock piece reminiscent of earlier tracks; in this track too, Blackmore's heavy influence on riff-writing can be heard; finally, in this song (yes, we had to wait until the seventh track), a keyboard solo worthy of Jon Lord can be heard. The Gypsy opens the eighth chapter of Stormbringer and is yet another calm song on this album. A very expressive track with the double vocals of Coverdale-Hughes practically always in action. The track Soldier Of Fortune closes this album. A sweet Blackmore-style ballad with Coverdale's voice giving the best of expressiveness. Surely, after Lady Double Dealer and Stormbringer, this is the most beautiful track of the album. It is curious that these three tracks were written by Blackmore and Hughes without anyone else's help.
I conclude by saying that Stormbringer is an excellent CD that every Purple enthusiast should own. Clearly, it is not comparable to the milestones of Mark II, but it has its own merit.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Stormbringer (04:06)
Comin' out of nowhere
Drivin' like rain
Stormbringer dance
On the thunder again
Dark cloud gathering
Breaking the day
No point running
'Cause it's coming your way
Ride the rainbow
Crack the sky
Stormbringer coming
Time to die
Got to keep running
Stormbringer coming
He's got nothing you need
He's gonna make you bleed
Rainbow shaker
On a stallion twister
Bareback rider
On the eye of the sky
Stormbringer coming down
Meaning to stay
Thunder and lightning
Heading your way
Ride the rainbow
Crack the sky
Stormbringer coming
Time to die
Got to keep running
Stormbringer coming
He's got nothing you need
He's gonna make you bleed
Coming out of nowhere
Drivin' like a-rain
Stormbringer dance
On the thunder again
Dark cloud gathering
Breaking the day
No point running
'Cause it's coming your way
04 Hold On (05:06)
You're sweeter than the morning
When the sun is shining down on me
There is nothing you can say
That could make me go away you see
But you keep saying to me baby
Hold on--I feel I'm getting ready
Hold on--I feel I'm rockin' steady
Hold on--I'm gonna make it with you woman
Hold on--You got to gimme some love, gimme some love
I held back before
But your love took me easily
You got the power
I knew was gonna creep up on me
The more I give
Your love keeps comin' on strong
Although it's mine now
I know it won't be for long
There's something in the saying
That a woman needs a little more time
I'm getting tired of waiting for you
Giving me some kind of sign
Hold on--I've got to love you when I want to
Hold on--You've got to love me when I want you to
Hold on--I ain't gonna let you leave me baby
Hold on--No never no more
I know the game you're playing
And I guess you think I'm easily led
You think the words you're saying
Are really going through my head
I'm gonna take you home
And give you all I can
I'll prove to you, baby
That really I'm a man
Hold on--I know I'm feeling ready
Hold on--I know I'm rockin' steady
Hold on--Guess I've made it with you woman
Hold on--I've got you giving me love
Something that you give me
Keeps me hangin' on
No use me stayin'
There's nothing to be done
I'm gonna take you home
And give you all I can
I'll prove to you woman
That really I'm a man
Hold on--I only want to take you higher
Hold on--You are the root of my desire
Hold on--C'mon baby light my fire
Hold on
08 The Gypsy (04:02)
Tell me gypsy can you see me
In your crystal ball
I'm asking you what can I do
My back's against the wall
And I can't hold on much longer
So I've come to you my friend
For now my life seems at an end
I came to see you once before
One hundred years ago
You took my hand and broke the spell
That should have let me go
But my years have gone so slowly
So I'm here again my friend
For now my life is at an end
09 Soldier of Fortune (03:13)
I have often told you stories about the way
I lived the life of a drifter waiting for the day
When I'd take your hand and sing you songs
And may be you would say
Come lay with me and love me
And I would surely stay
But I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill going round
Guess I'll always be
A soldier of fortune.
Many times I've been a traveller
I looked for something new
In days of old when nights were cold
I wandered without you
Those days I thought my eyes
Had seen you standing near
Though blindness is confusing
It shows that you're not here.
Now I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill going round
Guess I'll always be
A soldier of fortune
Yes, I can hear the sound
of a windmill going round
I guess I'll always be
a soldier of fortune.
I guess I'll always be
a soldier of fortune.
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By Deep-Frenk
"Stormbringer is a real piece of crap!" (Ritchie Blackmore)
"Soldier Of Fortune assumes for Mark III the same importance that 'Child In Time' had for Mark II."
