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Rating: 1972: Gentle Giant are now an established progressive band with two fantastic albums already under their belt, especially "Acquiring the Taste" which showcases all their great inventiveness. After several triumphant tours supporting Jethro Tull, even reaching our peninsula, they decide to create something different.
The third work of the English group is "Three Friends", a piece that many consider to represent their complete maturity. The record is a concept that tells the story of three friends who were schoolmates as kids and meet after many years recalling the times spent together and then recounting how their lives have passed in all this time.
It begins with the prologue that opens the scene introducing our three friends, informing us that although they used to always be together, their paths have divided because fate, changes, circumstances due to different opportunities and abilities of the three have separated them; musically, all the characteristics of the GG are present such as the particular and layered vocals, the odd time rhythms (typical of their way of conceiving prog) and, above all, Kerry Minnear's keyboards which, along with his vibraphone, are the absolute protagonists of the album.
The next song is "Schooldays" and, as the title suggests, it talks about the happy days the three friends spent when young before the abrupt encounter with life devoured their innocence. The atmosphere created is literally dreamy, in the literal sense, as the memories of the children remembering the carefreeness of running free by the sea are masterfully interpreted by magical instrumental parts, first sweet then more frantic, while leaving unaltered the feeling of dreaming.
With the next piece "Working All Day" comes the first of the three life stories which highlights more than anything the harsh impact with reality for the first of the three friends, who works all day feeling oppressed by his superiors without being able to get out from it: the dreams of youth have been shattered forever. The superb keyboard provides the backdrop, offering in the central part a solo at the limits of jazz truly delightful.
Then comes "Peel the Paint" the second story of one who chose a life as an artist, deluding himself that being free from chains would make him happy, but he too has to reckon with the passage of years. This is the toughest song of the lot in the sense that there's a real hard-rock guitar and sax riff in unison truly captivating; in the second part there's a jam that moves from blues to the most experimental prog: a true gem.
"Mister Class and Quality" deals with the life of the seemingly most fortunate of the three, having a nice house, a "big shot" job, and a beautiful wife; however, he wonders where he would be without his documents and elegant shirts, bitterly concluding that the world needs people like him to "give and take orders", once again the mocking result of our fate.
This masterpiece closes with "Three Friends" in which the magnificent chorus softly sings:
"Once three friends
Sweet in sadness
Now part of their past.
In the end
Full of gladness
Went from class to class."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Prologue (06:13)
Three friends are made, three lives are laughs and tears
Through years of school and play they share
As time stands still the days change into years
And future comes without a care.
But fate and skill and chances play their part
The wind of change leaves no good-bye
Three boys are men their ways have drawn apart
They tell their tales to justify.
02 Schooldays (07:37)
The bell rings
And all things
Are calling
The days past
The play's cast
Remember
September
When we were
Together
Together
Together
Schooldays the happy days when we were going nowhere
Schooldays the happy time when we were feeling no care
Schooldays when three said that we'd better be friends forever
How long is ever isn't it strange
Schooldays together why do they change
How long is ever isn't it strange
Did kites fly
And I spy
And you cry
To run fast
Or come last
You know how
We made vows
They're gone now
We made friends
We broke friends
No more friends
Schooldays the happy days when we were going nowhere
Schooldays the happy time when we were feeling no care
Schooldays when three said that we'd better be friends forever
How long is ever isn't it strange
Schooldays together why do they change
Remember,
Remember when we
Together
Went to the sea
Was it real or did we dream. The days of children gone.
Seagull's scream and pink ice cream and the deep blue sky
And the waves seem high and golden sand and the town
brass band play on
Wait for me
Wait for us always
Wait for me
Wait for us to come
Homework's dull. It's worth the pain to go out when I want
Mister Watson wants to see you in the master's room
It's about the work you should have done and I think you
must go now
Schooldays are gone
05 Mister Class and Quality? (03:22)
Look around my rooms and see the prizes I have showing
Working hard to build my life and plan the way I'm going
House and car and pretty wife - they've all been won by knowing
All been won by knowing
All been won by knowing.
Paperwork, white collared shirts - where would we be without them
Man of class and quality - I never shout about them
Choose my friends for my own ends.
You can't succeed without them
Can't succeed without them
Can't succeed without them.
Middleman sees straight ahead and never crosses borders
Never understood the artist or the lazy workers
The world needs steady men like me to give and take the orders
Give and take the orders
Give and take the orders
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By sanvalentino3
Listening to them is an all-encompassing experience, an almost titanic effort.
"Three Friends" is the most accessible long-playing of the early Gentle Giant.
