•
Rating:
"Live In Japan" is the faithful testimony of the concerts held by the former Beatle during the twelve dates of his Japanese tour in the distant December of 1991. Those unique concerts represented Harrison's first live appearances since 1974, the year of the uncertain release "Dark Horse". For his return to the stage, George chose Japan, second only to the United States in Beatlemania passion, which welcomed the English musician with affection and renewed enthusiasm.
The album in question represents a solid and enjoyable collection of his greatest hits alone and with the Beatles. Alongside Harrison, we find his friend Eric Clapton and his solid band of the period, including musicians of the caliber of Chuck Leavell, for years now with the Rolling Stones, Steve Ferrone, currently the permanent drummer for Tom Petty, the keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, now a member of Toto, the excellent guitarist Andy Fairweather-Low, and the percussionist Ray Cooper. Much credit for the positive result goes precisely to Clapton's cohesive group, which, among other things, also carved out its own personal moment within the concerts. George Harrison, for his part, appears in good shape although his voice, over the years, has unfortunately lost something.
The proposed repertoire is naturally remarkable and represents a kind of personal greatest hits. The lion's share goes to the songs drawn from the Beatles' repertoire. The immortal "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" are obvious presences, while "Piggies" is an unexpected recovery from the "White Album". The performances of the dear and beautiful "If I Needed Someone", "I Want To Tell You", "Old Brown Shoe", and "Taxman", presented with a text slightly adapted to the political situation of the time, are good. Of the solo repertoire, the pieces from the successful "Cloud 9" stand out, a sort of artistic rebirth for George, "My Sweet Lord", a prayer set to music always well received by the audience, the Dylan-esque "Give Me Love", and the splendid "Isn't It A Pity". There is also room for the rare "Cheer Down" written with his friend Tom Petty, for the dedication to John Lennon of "All Those Years Ago", and for the lively "Dark Horse". When all the memories seem exhausted, in the end comes the anticipated "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", ennobled by a Clapton in a state of grace, and the inevitable and somewhat banal final goodbye of "Roll Over Beethoven".
At the end of the listening, one realizes that this album adds or takes away nothing new from Harrison's career. The true magic of this work remains encapsulated in the eternal melody of "Isn't It A Pity" which, with its nostalgic tail full of regret for an era that is gone forever, renews with each listening the ever-living memory of a great composer, a good musician, and a unique person who left us too soon.
Tracklist and Lyrics
03 Taxman (04:20)
(One, two, three, four, one two)
Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
(If you drive a car car) I'll tax the street
(If you try to sit sit) I'll tax your seat
(If you get too cold cold) I'll tax the heat
(If you take a walk walk) I'll tax your feet
Taxman!
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Don't ask me what I want it for
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Now my advise for those who die
(Taxman!)
Declare the pennies on your eyes
(Taxman!)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one, but me
(Taxman!)
06 Something (05:21)
Something in the way she moves
Attracts me like no other lover
Something in the way she moves me
I don't want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
Somewhere in her smile she knows
That I don't need no other lover
Something in her style that shows me
I don't want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
You're asking me will my love grow
I don't know, I don't know
You stick around now it may show
I don't know, I don't know
Something in the way she knows
And all I have to do is think of her
Something in the things she shows me
I don't want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
07 What Is Life (04:46)
What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you anytime of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What I know, I can do
If I give my love now to everyone like you
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make ev'rything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you any time of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
Oh tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
What is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side
Oh tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me who am I without you by my side
08 Dark Horse (04:15)
You thought that you knew where I was and when
But it looks like they've been foolin' you again
You thought that you'd got me all steaked out
But baby looks like I've been breaking out
I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course
I'm a blue moon
Since I stepped from out of the womb
I've been a cool jerk
Looking for the source
I'm a dark horse
You thought you had got me in your grip
Baby looks like you was not so smart
And I became too slippery for you
But let me say that was nothing new
I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course
I'm a blue moon
Since I picked up my first spoon
I've been a cool jerk
Looking for the source
I'm a dark horse
I thought that you knew it all along
Until you started getting me not right
Seems as if you heared a little late
But I warned you when
We both were at the starting gate
I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course
I'm a blue moon
Since I stepped from out of the womb
I've been a cool jerk
Who's looking for his perks
I'm a dark horse
I'm a dark horse
Running on a dark race course
I'm a blue moon
Since I stepped from out of the womb
I've been a cool jerk
Cooking at the source
I'm a dark horse
09 Piggies (03:02)
Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in.
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in.
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking.
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon.
10 Got My Mind Set on You (04:34)
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
But it's gonna take money
A whole lotta spending money
It's gonne take plenty of money
To do it right child
It's gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It's gonna take patience and time, ummm
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right child
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
And this time I know it's for real
The feelings that I feel
I know if I put my mind to it
I know that I really can do it
I got my mind set on you
Set on you
I got my mind set on you
Set on you
But it's gonna take money
A whole lotta spending money
It's gonna take plenty of money
To do it right child
It's gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It's gonna take patience and time, ummm
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
I got my mind set on you
And this time I know it's for real
The feelings that I feel
I know if I put my mind to it
I know that I really can do it
But it's gonna take money
A whole lotta spending money
It's gonna take plenty of money
To do it right child
It's gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It's gonna take patience and time, ummm
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it
To do it right
Set on you
Set on you
Loading comments slowly
