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Rating: "King of the Road" is an album from 2000 by Fu Manchu. I don't think there's much more to say about it.
Those who already know the album will agree with me that there's not much to explain. For those who know Fu Manchu but not King of the Road, suffice it to say that this is a great album that won't disappoint. Who are Fu Manchu? For a fan of stoner rock, it's a gap that needs filling: Californians from Orange County, formed in 1990 from the ashes of the Hardcore Punk band Virulence, as I read on Wikipedia, Fu Manchu are one of the classics of American stoner rock (this I already knew).
Fu Manchu are usually identified as the "younger brothers" of Kyuss. This gives a good idea of the music in question, especially since Fu Manchu certainly reach the level of Kyuss, but it's also important to remember a fundamental difference: the heavy, fuzzy, chaotic, and dusty stoner rock of our guys doesn't aim for mystical-psychedelic experiences in the desert, but rather for having fun at the beach with beer, girls, rolled down windows, shirts of questionable colors and, in this case, driving big, thirsty, gaudy American cars. In other words, the things we, the young folks with three g's, like.
Sure, I've said things that have already been said: just as my description of the album resembles many others you can read, the songs that make up "King of the Road" are very similar to each other, in turn programmatically adhering to the other Fu Manchu albums. But, just as someone has already written on this site [Rivo in the review of California Crossing, note of the editor], if it seems like everything is the same, the limitation is of the genre, not the band. Always the same stuff but done well: this is "King of the Road". I hope the same holds true for my review that smells so much of déjà vu and an abundance of quotes. If you don't read this piece of mine, you won't miss anything, but if you don't listen to the album, you will. Instead of reading, if I were you, I'd give the King of the Road a listen.
King of the Road says you move too slow!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Hell on Wheels (04:48)
Cut yourself off from the pack
Flat out against the freaks
There's nothin' they won't try
Hot head - heavy foot they meet
It's been so many days
And we tried every way
We knew of a Masterplan
So put the keys in my hand
In my hand x2
At a time when you would think
All of a sudden it hits the streets
As they're swappin' the big block
Slow-motion - time has stopped
El Camaro never dies
Look closely you'll know why
Outrun 'em you know we can
So put the keys in my hand In my hand
Chorus: Hell On Wheels is no big deal
Road burnin' all across the land
Hell On Wheels is no big deal
Takin' 'em out of the Masterplan
An idea whose time has come
A land ride for everyone
Been like this for years on end
We'll let you know where and when
As he splits the road in two
Underdrive we never knew
Ourun 'em you know we can
So put the keys in my hand
In my hand
Chorus
In my hand X8
02 Over the Edge (05:01)
Keep it centered - keep it low
Keep it runnin' - let's go
Watch it climb - on its own
The more we see - the more we know
We know
Four wheels and a lift
What we gave - we get
The convoy was down
There was nothing left - no one around
We strapped ourselves in tight
We were the first - and we're alright
It's movin' way too fast
Now shut the doors - and hit the gas
Chorus: Soo over the edge
They said X2
I lift my head I soon realized
I remembered - back in time
What was rollin' along
Movin' circle - on and on
An image so small
We heard the word - we heard the call
Let's keep our story straight
It doesn't matter - it's way too late
Chorus X2
Repeat first
The more we see We know the more we know X4
03 Boogie Van (04:17)
Break - One Nine
Got your boots on
Gearjammer set
Boogey Van so far
How do you read me?
Three's and Eight's high
Some kind of joyride
Double-nickel right by
In here - everything I need
Style - built for speed
Mother Trucker runnin' low
Four wheels - overflow
Others passin' by
Still movin' down the line
So say~ the written word
Two down - now the Third
The greatest thing I've seen
Do y'all know what I mean?
Meeting Twenty was the plan
Me and my Boogey Van
Like most - Chevys coast to coast
People start to ride
Dream machine burnin' wides
Layin' a furious yard It smokes awful far
Highback chair is low
Rollin' faster off they go
Tires roll flare to flare
Custom shine everywhere
One-fifty I don't care
Half-way cross the land
Me and my Boogey Van
Movin' on down the line
Here we go one more time
04 King of the Road (04:03)
The universal eyes tell me where to go
White line movin' slow
Million miles an hour headfirst and alone
All I got is tuck and roll
All through my head
It's happenin' over again
Under forty over is U.F.O.
Hell bent stacked in rows
The galaxy is lined with hundreds more
Small town you bet we're sure
All through my head
It's happenin' over again
As the day is long They keep movin' on
Laughin' at the notion of a signal light
Knew we'd gone too far
No one knew what happened but it seemed alright
We quickly jumped in the car
All through my head It's happenin' over again
King of the Road says you move too slow!
05 No Dice (03:09)
No time-like now---Straight down
Mountainside---They went-they tried
Overload-2 down---I know
Bright green light---I seen-full flight
Chorus: No shoes-No shirt-No dice
I might know---Full view--we're told
Sounds allright/High fly---Down 9
Strange machine/This time---It climbs
I know where---Southbound-they said
Chorus X 4
06 Blue Tile Fever (05:30)
Takin' the next run
Rollin' right by
Takin' the last one
Chorus: X2 So look the other way That's what we heard 'em say
Blue Til.e Fever X2
It's brand new-like I told you
No one's seen - the things that they do
Hear the words - and know what they know
The crowd splits - wherever they go
It's all brand new - just like I told you X2
A grind back at the far end
Signs posted for all of you
Things were alright just when
Now here's what we're gonna do
Chorus
07 Grasschopper (03:51)
Days we roll
20 years - all 4 gears
Wherever they go
They go
Back for more
They know what's in store
The chrome it screams - whatever the speed
Wherever they go
They go
Chorus: Flat out for days gone by
No one knows how and why
Lawless it seems - on by'they scream
Clear the Road
There's no reason why
Stoppin' them don't even try
Lawless it seems - on by they scream
Clear the Road
Side by side
In pairs they ride
Across the road - makin' it known
Wherever they go
They go
Chorus
08 Weird Beard (03:32)
Hundreds - thousands - millions
will appear
He struggles to signal |
so says the weird beard
And he rides around
For a chance to see it all
Uncertain and unknowing
We're sure he will fall
So he quickly takes the high road to where is not know
He will return
Down a slide to his throne
Chorus: And he says - he says
Weird Beard
5 mile - 6 mile - 7 mile
wide
As he sped toward the mountain
An easy place to hide
11 Freedom of Choice (03:27)
nobody ever said that life was free
sink swim go down with the ship
but use your freedom of choice
i say it again in the land of the free
use your freedom of choice
in ancient rome there was a poem about a dog who had two bones
he picked at one he licked the other
he went in circles till he dropped dead
freedom of choice is what you got
freedom of choice is what
you want then if you got it you don't want it
seems to be the rule of thumb
don't be tricked by what you see
you got two ways to go
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By sanvalentino3
Fu Manchu have no rivals and they play it every time in the best way!
At almost 50 years old, finds himself running along the town’s bike path playing Air Guitar.
