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Rating: After reviewing the first act of the legendary concert held by Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac at the Boston Tea Party theater in February '70, to which I refer for completeness and introduction, it is necessary to continue the analysis of this monumental contribution to the rock-blues music by the complex founded by the legendary Peter Green.
The sweet opening arpeggio couldn't have a more fitting title, "World in Harmony," which automatically leads one to think: "if only things really went this way on this troubled earth," so persuasive is the Green-Kirwan duet, who perhaps realizing they had somewhat lulled the audience decided to switch to stronger methods with one of the most famous pieces of their enviable repertoire: "Oh Well," which after McVie's splendid entrance, tell me if the gritty vocal intervention doesn't remind you of Zappa, with whom they were certainly in contact at the time? When you tire of replaying the track from the group's absolute masterpiece "Then Play On," and not accidentally included in the introductory vinyl edition of the concert (the "modest" one containing only 7 tracks), rest assured that what follows will take you directly to paradise, the Paradise of music lovers, naturally! Clearly, I'm writing about "Rattlesnake Shake" version two, in the sense that a memorable version is already contained on the first CD, so those wanting to quickly delve into the album, considering the track's length, might commit the Sacrilege of skipping it, perhaps because they've already heard the first version: now this would be a COLOSSAL MISTAKE! On the contrary, to understand what this group was, little-known in our country, which at the time was quite backward (alas) and still taking its first steps (literally those early steps), but of absolute worth, you MUST listen to the second version of the "Rattlesnake Shake" (that red, white, and black striped, slightly venomous snake, if you catch my drift), which besides Green's hypnotic leading theme is another musical argument of such quality as to confirm, should you have any doubts (perhaps remnants after listening to the first album, who knows), that: "God really exists!" The only thing I add is to wish you the fortune to witness something like this live: a truly endless piece, whose finale is something to pass on to future generations, and it fills me with pride to be able to review it, so much so that I'd end here, moved.
Instead, after such a beginning, namely three tracks of such quality and lasting 33 minutes, it seems difficult to continue, in every sense. The path chosen by Green and company, it seems to me, was the right one, namely relying on their guiding spirit, their muse Elmor James, resurrecting two captivating rhythm & blues tracks "Stranger Blues" and "Red Hot Mama," certainly much appreciated by the audience whose involvement at this point would have had to reach its peak. So, to break the tension a bit, Fleetwood Mac introduces a truly amusing and slightly unconventional piece, the playful and mocking "Teenage Darling" penned by Jeremy Spencer, the backing guitarist (forgive the term, but how else could I title someone who stood beside Green, who was already dueting with Kirwan?), whose contribution to these concerts is truly noteworthy, and incidentally, he too would leave the group shortly after Green, leaving the remaining lineup significantly weakened.
Another stark contrast is the transition to the wild "Keep A-Knocking," a rock & roll by another father of American rhythm & blues: Richard Wayne Penniman, and then "Jenny Jenny," another r&r laced by Green as if it were a painting to give a second perspective, a second life, something I'd say he manages quite well, taking you with him to the School of Guitar, where Clapton was also present as a pupil, who will be given a small role in the concluding "Encore Jam," an instrumental piece over 13 minutes long composed and improvised by all three guitarists (Kirwan, Spencer, and Green) and which, in my humble opinion, represents a pinnacle of the genre, or to put it in practical terms, a conversation between virtuosos of the instrument as rarely heard before (and also in the future, I believe, unless any of you can indicate something on this level that I would be delighted to compare). In short, a jam session (literally = a jam of sounds) to conclude, I won't write in beauty, but more: in wonder for your ears, another legendary album! It is clear that after such abundance, the minimum standard is to desire to delve into the third chapter of the saga, am I wrong? Almost prompted by the faded closure of the last track, for reasons I don't know, but which can be traced back to it being recordings in an era when stereophony was still in its diffusion............ Nonetheless, the technical quality of the CD, or rather HDCD, is remarkable, in fact, it amazes the writer, particularly fond of the repetitive graphics of this album compared to the first though with different colors.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Oh Well (03:26)
Can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing, I aint pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh well
Now when I talk to God
I know he understands
He said "stick by me and I'll be your guiding hand"
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh well
03 Sandy Mary (05:11)
There's a girl I love, Sandy Mary is her name
There's a girl I love, Sandy Mary is her name
She got those bony bare looks
Enough to drive a vegetarian insane
She do not read so well, made the teacher go back to school
Do not read so well, make the teacher go back to school
A bony bare baby, yes, and I'm her bony bare fool
When we're lovin' - Sandy Mary
Get so high - feel so ready
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Feel my love come, to you fallin'
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Feel my love come to you fallin', now
Sandy Mary, Sandy Mary -
Now, baby, you're the one for me, yeah
Sandy Mary, Sandy Mary -
Now, baby, you're the one for me
You got just what it takes
To make a flesh-eater out of me, yeah
break:
When we're lovin' - Sandy Mary
I get so high - feel so ready
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Feel my love come, to you fallin'
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Hold me baby - hold me darling
Feel my love come, to you fallin'
Hold me baby - hold me darling
There's a girl I love, Sandy Mary is her name
There's a girl I love, Sandy Mary is her name
Got those bony bare looks
Enough to drive a vegetarian insane
Sandy Mary, Sandy Mary - now, baby, you're the one for me
Sandy Mary, Sandy Mary - now, baby, you're the one for me
You got just what it takes to make a flesh eater out of me
05 Green Manalishi (15:26)
Now, when the day goes to sleep and the full moon looks
The night is so black that the darkness cooks
Don't you come creepin' around - makin' me do things I don't want to
Can't believe that you need my love so bad
Come sneakin' around tryin' to drive me mad
Bustin' in on my dreams - making me see things I don't wanna see
break:
'Cause you're da Green Manalishi with the two prong crown
All my tryin' is up - all your bringin' is down
Just taking my love then slippin' away
Leavin' me here just tryin' to keep from following y
06 Black Magic Woman (06:03)
Written by Peter Green.
Got a black magic woman
I got a black magic woman
Yes, I got a black magic woman
Got me so blind I can't see
But she's a black magic woman
And she's tryin' to make a devil out of me
Don't turn your back on me baby
Don't turn your back on me baby
Yes, don't turn your back on me baby
You're messin' around with your tricks
Don't turn your back on me baby
'Cause you might just break up my magic stick
break:
You got your spell on me baby
You got your spell on me baby
Yes, you got your spell on me baby
You're turning my heart into stone
I need you so bad, magic woman, I can't leave you alone
Yes, I need you so bad
Well, I need you darling
Yeah, I need you darling
Yes, I want you love me
I want you love me
Whoa, I want you love me, ah
Whoh, yeah
Oh, whoa, baby
Yes, I need your love
Oh, I need your love so bad
I want you love me
07 Rattlesnake Shake (24:14)
Written by peter green.
Baby, if you got to rock
I got to be your rockin' horse
Baby, think you'd like to roll
Maybe your diggin' it more
They're shakin' the world
When it's time to crash
But when I get home tonight
I guess I got to shake myself
You need some love
You must have the blues
Ain't but the one thing
A good man can do
He do the shake
The rattlesnake shake
Man, do the shake
Yes, and jerk away the blues
Now, jerk it
Break:
Now, I know this guy
His name is mick
Now, he don't care when he ain't got no chick
He do the shake
The rattlesnake shake
Yes, he do the shake
And jerks away the blues
Now, jerk it
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Other reviews
By silvietto
"Face the hypnotic solo of a certain Peter Green, and realize that 'God exists!'"
"This concert was an event of immense value, the swan song of this historic band."
