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Rating: Can a single song represent both your greatest success and your greatest misfortune? It seems like a paradox, but in some cases, that's exactly what happened... and the case of Extreme is perhaps one of the most striking in this sense.
Formed in Boston in 1985, after the necessary period of apprentice work, the four members arrived at their debut in 1989 with the self-titled album that hinted at great potential, in the form of an energetic hard rock indebted to the glam prevalent in those years but musically connected to deep funk roots. Despite not achieving significant success or reaching high levels of popularity, the record label decided to continue betting on them, so much so that the following year they released the second album, "Pornograffitti". Preceded by two singles, the album seemed destined for the same fate as the previous one, meaning going almost completely unnoticed, until... on March 23, 1991, "More than Words" was released on the market, and from there, the story changed, literally igniting the Extreme-mania, with constant airplay of the video on music TV networks, headlining tours around the world, a rockstar life...
The much-desired (and deserved) recognition therefore seemed to finally arrive... only to then turn into the group's greatest curse, from then on labeled as "the ones of More than Words", thus being reduced to a mere commercial product by MTV, with an easy and crowd-pleasing tune (or panties-ripper, as often the line between the two is thin...), completely losing sight of the group's true nature. In fact, never like in this work did the combination of the raw and explosive energy of hard rock with the contagious rhythm of funk appear so apt and perfectly blended, creating a true masterpiece. Tracks like "Decadence Dance", "Get the Funk Out", "It ('s a Monster)" highlight the band's ability to write adrenaline-fueled pieces, where the biting riffs of Nuno Bettencourt's six-string marry the ever-vibrant and pulsating bass of Pat Badger creating an engaging groove, supported by Paul Geary's drums and on which the defiant tone of charismatic Gary Cherone's voice reigns.
A melting pot of the most disparate ingredients, from the country style of the closing "Hole Hearted" to the jazz piano style of "When I First Kissed You", interspersed with the obligatory ballads: besides the well-known "More than Words", delighting the souls of the more romantic rockers is "Song for Love", accompanied by an orchestra and supported by the choruses and counter-choruses of which Extreme were true masters. In between, hints of rap ("When I'm President"), horns frequently make their appearance ("Li'l Jack Horny", the title track itself) and notable guest appearances: Pat Travers on the chorus in "Get the Funk Out" and especially Dweezil Zappa, author of the reinterpretation of "Flight of the Bumblebee" opening "He-Man Woman Hater", another explosive blend of funk-tinged metal. In short, many things that were there under everyone's ears, and are still present, clearly showing that Extreme were really much more than "the ones of More than Words"... and never mind if the album's lyrics all revolve around somewhat "raunchy" themes of a journey in a society guided by the "sex-politics" duo; after all, isn't this rock'n'roll too?!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Decadence Dance (06:49)
Trying so hard
To keep up with the Joneses
Running a rat
Racing won by our noses
Always put one foot
in front of the other
And dance to the beat
Of the decadent drummer
Just buy a brand new pair
Of Fred Astair shoes
Climbing to the top
Never gonna stop
It's the same old song and
One, two, three n' dec-a-dance
Dance, dance
Dance, dance
Dancing to the decadence
Dance, dance
Everybody decadancing
Dancing to the decadence
Dancing to the decadence
Dance, dance, dance
It's hard to stop
Once the music gets started
'til the soles of your feet
Harden up like your heart did
Stepping in time
With the sign of the timer
Seduced by the tune
Of the decadent dancer
The decadent dancer
Just buy a brand new pair
Of Fred Astair shoes
Climbing to the top
Never gonna stop
It's the same old song and
One, two, three n' dec-a-dance
Dance, dance
Dance, dance
Dancing to the decadence
Dance, dance
Everybody decadancing
Dancing to the decadence
Dancing to the decadence
Dance, dance, dance
02 Li'l Jack Horny (04:51)
Mother Goose
Never should haver ever let that Jack get loose
But that little boy blue
Keeps messing all the things he gets his hands into
Now look what you've done
Stuck in your thumb, pulled out a plum
Mama says, "Boys will be boys"
That's Li'l Jack Horny
Mama says "Boys will be boys"
That's Li'l Jack Horny
Jack and Jill
Went up and down and up and fooled around the hill
Now only time will tell
How late the rabbit will arrive in wonderland
Now look what you've done
Stuck in your thumb, pulled out a plum
Mama says, "Boys will be boys"
That's Li'l Jack Horny
Daddy says "Don't need no birth control"
That's Li'l Jack Horny
03 When I'm President (04:21)
"
I remember it well
I was just about three
My dad said, "Son
what do you want to be?"
It didn't ring no bells
But I said, "Daddy
I'm a bit too young
what do you want from me?"
I'm much older now
I'm almost a man
I can do anything
You bet I can
Raise a family
Now wouldn't that be grand
So sorry, but
I got bigger plans, yeah
I get to be anything
In the world today
Like a preacher, a teacher
A baseball player
Those kinds of things
I just don't care
I want to represent
The U.S.A.
The American Dream
Oh, as far as the eye o say can you see
I want to be
I want to be the leader of the country
(Chorus)
When I'm President
Things will be different
We'll start a new government
When I'm President
When I'm President
I said you can be in my cabinet
I'll be your heaven sent
President
First things first
We're gonna change the rules
Better listen up
All you boys and girls
Your Prez says
There'll be no after school
So vote for me now wouldn't that be cool
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now I know there's trouble
In the Middle East
I'll spend all the money
When I stop the Arms Race
On my brothers in the desert
Gonna have themselves a feast
And when that's done
Then we'll start on world peace
So go ask Alice
Oh, you know what he said
What did he say?
Remember, "I want to be elected!"
(Chorus)
Solo - Nuno
President
President
(Chorus *2)
Not gonna do it!
"
04 Get the Funk Out (04:24)
If ya don't like what ya see here
Nobody wants to take you prisoner
So, let me make it nice & clear, dear
The exit is right there
I don't mean to be rude, dude
But you better change your attitude (I don't like what I see here)
You're all invited to the party
You know you didn't have to come
No rotten apple's gonna spoil my fun
If you don't like what you see here
Get the funk out
We won't try to force feed you
Get the funk out
You can't please everybody
But everbody can not please me (I don't like what I see here)
That why I do what I want to
So why don't you do
Do it to too, do it to me hey
If you don't like what ya see
You can always leave the country (I don't like what I see here)
Yeah
You're all invited to the party
You know you didn't have to come
No rotten apple's gonna spoil my fun
If you don't like what you see here
Get the funk out
We won't try to force feed you
Get the funk out
If you don't like what you see here
Get the funk out
We won't try to force feed you
Get the funk out
05 More Than Words (05:34)
Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cause I'd already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words
Now that I've tried to talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands and touch me
Hold me close don't ever let me go
More than words is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cause I'd already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words
More than words
07 It ('s a Monster) (04:24)
Everbody was born in it
Shure as hell gonna die in it
Some people don't give a shit
Whether or not they're full of it
It's on my mind most of the time
That's when you find we all go blind
Then it will start to get in our hearts
It's gone too far, that's who we are
It's a monster
We all have within us
It's a monster
It's a monster
Turns us into sinners
It's a monster
It started when I played with it
It turned into a habit
And after that once you've been bit
You can't seem to get rid of it
It's on my mind most of the time
That's when you find we all go blind
Then it will start to get in our hearts
It's gone too far, that's who we are
It's a monster
We all have within us
It's a monster
It's a monster
Turns us into sinners
It's a monster
08 Pornograffitti (06:16)
Sex!
Sex on the brain
Pumped in my veins
Flowing from my head to my feet
Sex on TV
Rotation heavy
You and I are what we eat
Sex when I'm all alone
It calls me on the phone
Can't stop this ringing in my ear
Sex in excess
Filling all our senses
Keep saying there's nothing to fear
Can't you read the writing on the wall
Can't you seee the rising and the fall
All I see is pornograffitti
All I hear pornograffitti
See no, hear no
All I speak pornograffitti
All I fear pornograffitti
Speak no evil
Sex in 3D
No evil eyes see
Too much of it and you'll go blind
Sex education
Misinformation
Kiss me where the sun don't shine
Sex it surrounds me
Pornograffiti
It's all so constitutional
Sex is literate
Read all about it
But censor where you all can go
Can't you read the writing on the wall
Can't you see the rising and the fall
All I see is pornograffitti
All I hear pornograffitti
See no, hear no
All I speak pornograffitti
All I fear pornograffitti
Speak no evil
Sex sells
09 When I First Kissed You (04:00)
New York city, can be so pretty
from a bird's eye view
because up there, yeah that's where
I first kissed you
A modern day romance
a perfect performance
acting like two fools
saying silly things
whisper sweet nothings
like young lovers, only do
I was shaking
you were breathtaking
like the, Empire State
my voice was so far
not quite Sanatra
singing songs, so great
the clock struck one
the night's still very young
in the city, that never sleeps
the a whirlwind blew
when I first kissed you
nearly swept me, swept me off my feet
When I first kissed you
that's when I knew, OH
I was in, Love
Because up there, yeah that's where
I first kissed you
10 Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?) (03:38)
Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)
Sexy Suzi
Losing all her sleep
Feeling ver hungry
She's got her tongue in cheek
Sweet and sour
A bitter tasting treat
It's the only flavor
I think she likes to
She likes to eat
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day
Hard rock candy
Coated cavities
Licking lollipoppers
As long as she says pretty please
You'd better mind your manners
Little Red Riding Hood
Got a healthy appetite
So don't be scared big bad wolf
I think she doesn't
She doesn't bite
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day
Try this tongue twister on for size
Suzi sells seashells by the seashore
Suzi sells seashells by the what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day
11 He-Man Woman Hater (06:20)
"No Women Allowed!"
Let me tell you about this love and hate relation
Between a man and a woman
And so none of you all get the wrong interpretation
I can't live with them
I'm gonna die without them
Sooner or later
You'll be a he man woman hater
It's inevitable
And to become one
You've gotta really hate to love them
He man woman hater
He, he man woman hater
You know I love to hate cause I hate to love them
He man's behavior
Doesn't need no explanation
We all got a one track mind
He men have always had a sexual preoccupation
It's gonna be your place or it's gonna be mine
Sooner or later
You'll be a he man woman hater
It's inevitable
And to become one
You've gotta really hate to love them
He man woman hater
He, he man woman hater
You know I love to hate cause I hate to love them
He, he man woman hater
Can't live with em gonna die without 'em
12 Song for Love (05:55)
I lie awake with open eyes
My love just died
I'm cold inside
Can't face the thought to be alone
All by myself on my own
Love's come and gone
I look around and see the hearts that still are broken
I can't believe all of our hearts remain unopened
We can't go on and on with that same old song
So wipe off the frown and turn around and face each other
Come on, come on, let's sing a song
A song for you, a song for me, a song for love
All for one and one for all together
Singing a song for love
You and I are none without the other
Singing a song for love
You let the time pass by
Big boys don't cry
Believe that lie (Why do I?)
A broken heart that never mends
Is this the end
Listen my friend
These walls of hate that separate one from the other
Time to rebuild bridges of love one to another
Come on, come on, let's sing a song
A song for you, a song for me, a song for love
All for one and one for all together
Singing a song for love
You and I are none without the other
Singing a song for love
(Guitar Solo)
All for one and one for all together
Singing a song for love (Everyone, sing along!)
You and I are none without the other
Singing a song for love
Come on, yeah, come on, come on everybody
All for one, one for all
Singing, singing a song
You and I, you and I, can love to fly (?)
Singing, singing a song
(...?...)
Singing a song for love
13 Hole Hearted (03:39)
Life's ambition occupy my time
Priorities confuse the mind
Happiness one step behind
This inner peace I've yet to find
Rivers flow into the sea
Yet even the sea is not so full of me
If I'm not blind, why can't I see
That a circle can't fit in
Where a square should be
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
And this hole in my heart
Can't be filled with the things I do
Hole-hearted, hole-hearted
This heart of stone is where I hide
These feet of clay kept warm inside
Day by day, less satisfied
Not fade away before I die
Rivers flow into the sea
Yet even the sea is not so full of me
If I'm not blind, why can't I see
That a circle can't fit in
Where a square should be
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
And this hole in my heart
Can't be filled with the things I do
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
Should've known from the start
I'd fall short with the things I do
Hole-hearted, hole-hearted
Hole-hearted, hole-hearted
Hole-hearted, hole-hearted
Hole-hearted, hole-hearted, yeah
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Other reviews
By Jack Silver
Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar and Gary Cherone’s voice complete the album with raw yet perfectly rhythmic and precise sound.
'More Than Words' is a wonderful song that clashes with the rest yet enhances its content.
