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Rating: Year of Our Lord 1977. A revolution is underway in the music world. The so-called "intellectual" rock is experiencing a creative drought and is being swallowed by its own excesses. There's a sense of a need for a change of course, which leads to the early sounds of the New Wave and especially to the explosion of the punk phenomenon. But even hard rock is changing its skin and, in contrast to the latter, it's leaning towards melody and sound refinement.
Foreigner follows the path indicated by groups like Boston and Journey, along with whom they lay the foundations for the future AOR. The mastermind of the group is former Spooky Tooth Mick Jones, a decent guitarist and admirable composer, supported by multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, who was nurtured under the court of the Crimson King. On vocals, the talented Lou Grammatico (he's not the literary brother of Gyro Gearloose), a singer with a wonderful vocal quality, definitely comfortable in higher registers. The music offered by the group is a refined hard rock with captivating melodic openings, still presenting some residues of the seventies sounds. We are far from the formal elegance and polished arrangements of works that will come, but the self-titled debut album is a concentration of class and harmonic sense.
Songs with simple structures, yet versatile, and with a sophisticated radio impact. The guitars alternate between chiseled riffs and inspired phrases, without overdoing it. The equally measured keyboard interventions create a perfect blend, always in pursuit of the right atmosphere. The risk with this genre has always been to fall into repetitiveness, or even worse into banality, but that is absolutely not the case with this record. The formula proves to be successful and the group immediately achieves significant commercial and critical acclaim. The driving rhythm of the single "Feels Like the First Time" is an excellent calling card, which is confirmed by the airy melodies of the subsequent "Cold As Ice". But all ten tracks of the album have their own identity, starting with the progressive echoes of the ballad "Starrider", embellished by the admirable choruses. Foreigner manages to skillfully navigate from heavier tracks like "Long, Long Way from Home" (with McDonald's splendid sax solo here) to the pop-rock of "Woman Oh Woman" and "The Damage is Done".
Despite the band succeeding in improving on the excellent results achieved with this debut in their subsequent releases, I personally continue to consider it their most accomplished work. Certainly, Foreigner will later manage to create a more refined and distinctive sound, enhanced by even more professional arrangements, but without reaching the same compositional freshness and variety. I close with a quote that refers to the band's name and the feeling of freedom that listening to this record leaves me with.
“I love the clouds... the passing clouds... down there... wonderful” from “The Stranger” by Charles Baudelaire
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Feels Like the First Time (03:52)
I would climb any mountain
Sail across the stormy sea
If that's what it takes me baby
To show how much you mean to me
And I guess it's just the woman in you
That brings out the man in me
I know I can't help myself
You're all in the world to me
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
I have waited a lifetime
Spent my time so foolishly
But now that I've found you
Together we'll make history
And I know that is must be the woman in you
That brings out the man in me
I know I can't help myself
You're all my eyes can see
And it feels like the first time
Like it never did before
It feels like the first time
Like we've opened the door
It feels like the first time
Like it never will again, never again
It feels like the first time
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
Talkin 'bout it feels
It feels like the first time
Oh, it feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
Won't you open up the door
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
It feels like the first time
It feels like the very first time
02 Cold as Ice (03:23)
You're as cold as ice, you're willing to sacrifice our love
You never take advice, someday you'll pay the price, I know
I've seen it before, it happens all the time
You're closing the door, you leave the world behind
You're digging for gold, you're throwing away
A fortune in feelings, but someday you'll pay
You're as cold as ice, you're willing to sacrifice our love
You want paradise, but someday you'll pay the price, I know
I've seen it before, it happens all the time
You're closing the door, you leave the world behind
You're digging for gold, you're throwing away
A fortune in feelings, but someday you'll pay
(Solo)
Cold as ice - you know that you are
Cold as ice - as cold as ice to me
Cold as ice
You're as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know, yes I know
You're as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know, oh yes I know
You're as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know, oh yes I know
You're as cold as ice... (to fade)
03 Starrider (04:03)
(1st verse) " I stole a ride... on a passing star...
Not knowing where I was going, how near or how far."
" Through years of light... lands of future and past...
'Til the Heavenly gaze... was sighted at last. "
(Chorus) " Star-rider... [rider-RIDER-err]
... take me to the stars. "
" Star-rider... [rider-RIDER-err]
... show me where you are! "
(2nd verse) " Northern Lights flash by... and then they are gone...
and the old stars were dying... so the new ones were born."
" Ever on our own... celestial ways...
'Til the light of our years... shown the rest of our days. "
(Refrain/Bridge)
" Speed increasing, all control is in the hands of those who know! "
" Will they help us grow?... to one day peace - star*rider !!! "
(Repeat Chorus)
" Star-rider... [rider-RIDER-err]
... show me where you are."
" Star-rider... [rider-RIDER-err]
... take me to the stars!"
(Lead Guitar)
(Repeat Bridge)
" Speed increasing, all control is in the hands of those who know! "
" Will they help us grow?... to one day peace - STAR*RIDER !!! "
04 Headknocker (03:05)
He drives a '57 coupe
Walks with a stoop
Swears James Dean isn't dead
He's a dedicated rocker
A real headknocker
Don't look at his lady again
'Cause if he catches you messin'
He's gonna teach you a lesson
Don't let me say it again
Headknocker, headknocker
Comin' on strong, a real showstopper
Headknocker
He might like to fight, oh but boy does he love to play
Ooh, headknocker, headknocker
Ooh, headknocker
He's got an old fender strat
Plays behind his back
While he sings out Louie, Louie
He's a backseat mauler
A barroom brawler
I think he's gonna blacken your eye
If that don't teach you a lesson
Might show you his Smith & Wesson
Don't let me say it again
06 Long, Long Way From Home (02:56)
It was a Monday
A day like any other day
I left a small town
For the Apple in decay
It was my destiny
It's what we needed to do
They were telling me
I'm telling you
I was inside looking outside
The millions of faces
But still I'm alone
Waiting, hours of waiting
Paying a penance
I was longing for home
I'm looking out for the two of us
I hope we'll be here when they're through with us
I was inside looking outside
Oh the millions of faces
But still I'm alone
Waiting, hours of waiting
I could feel the tension
I was longing for home
I'm looking out for the two of us
And I hope we'll be here when they're through with us
I'm coming home
Monday, sad, sad Monday
She's waiting for me
But I'm a long, long way from home
Sad, sad Monday
She's waiting for me
But I'm a long, long way from home
Sad, sad Monday
Oh she's waiting for me
But I'm a long, long way from home
08 At War With the World (04:26)
Never had no need
For any military aid
And I never took charge of the light brigade
I got no castle to defend or attack
But still I seem to be picking up flack
I am the captain of this body of mine
I'll send fear into the enemy lines
On the ground, in the air or at sea
They're all pointing a finger at me
I'm at war with the world
That's the way it must be
I'll fight while I can
To put an end to this misery
I'm at war with the world
I'll have to fight to be free
Yes I'm at war with the world
Nobody's capturing me
Never have no need
For any military aid
Never took charge of the light brigade
I got no castle to defend or attack
But still I seem to be picking up flack
War with the world, with the world
I'll have to fight to be be free
Yes I'm at war with the world, with the world
Nobody's capturing me
War with the world
What do they want from me?
War with the world
Why don't they let me be?
09 Fool for You Anyway (04:17)
Well I miss you honey
A little more every day
And I know if I kissed you
You'd be comin' back home to stay
'Cause I know I was wrong
But how long do I have to pay?
You know you belong here beside me
I'm a fool for you anyway
I'm a fool for you anyway
'Cause I'm a fool for you anyway
Well I cried for you so long
My river of tears ran dry
And I tried to be so strong
But grew weaker as time went by
You know your love left a mark on me
I don't think it will fade away
I'll sit here and wait 'til you come home
'Cause I'm a fool for you anyway
I'm a fool for you anyway
Fool for you anyway
You know your love left a mark on me, on me
I don't think it will fade away
I'll sit here and wait 'til you come home
'Cause I'm a fool for you anyway
'Cause I'm a fool for you anyway
I'm a fool for you anyway
Fool for you anyway
Fool for you anyway
'Cause I'm a fool for you anyway
A fool for you anyway
Fool for you anyway
I'm a fool for you anyway
10 I Need You (05:11)
(L.Gramm/M.Jones)
Selling your soul ain't the right way of givin'
Oh with you I could change
This misguided goal I've been livin'
Anything, anything, you might need or desire
Just call on me, 'cause my heart's on fire
And I need you
Do you need me too?
Yes I need you, yes I need you
Many is the time I've cursed the Lord's creations
Ah but you touched my hand
I loved this new sensation
It was very strange, what a change
Of you I did not tire
So call on me, my heart's on fire
Well I need you
Do you need me too? need me too?
Yes I need you, ah
Yes I need you
Oh I need you
And I need you
Say you need me too
Yes I need you
Oh I need
Say you need me too
Yes I need you
And I need you
Oh I need
Yes I need you
Oh I need
Say you need me too
Say you need me too
Say you need me too
Say, say baby
Say you need me too
Yes I need you
Oh I need you too
And I need you
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