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Rating: Here I am again, Debaserians!
Unfortunately, time is scarce now even to write a review, but I see that there is no shortage of excellent musical highlights (for example the review of the Whitesnake bootleg..!). Anyway, for once I'm choosing to review an official album, given my previous focus on "bootleg & Co."
The album in question is "Live: The 1971 Tour" by a band that has been and always will be fundamental for me, the legendary Grand Funk Railroad; the album is the result of many years of work by an American producer, whose name I can't remember, who intended to release the entire GFR show at Shea Stadium that same year on disc. Unfortunately, not finding all the necessary mixes resulted in this live compilation, if we can call it that, from that fantastic tour; the musical context is quite simple: in 1971 (and there is also a poll that demonstrates this) Grand Funk was the biggest band in the United States, just look at the sales, which were 4 gold records in a single year, and moreover, breaking the Beatles' record at the New York Stadium, shattered in just two days (compared to the Fab Four's 4!!) But let's move on to the album review....
The album is introduced by a short instrumental of "Also Sprach Zarathustra", after which the wild "Are You Ready" takes off, where the three musicians immediately showcase their extraordinary talent; the third track is already a previously unreleased one for that era, we're talking about "Footstompin' Music" which would appear on the next album "E Pluribus Funk": even if not definitive, this version is extremely enjoyable with Mel Schacher truly doing everything with his bass. The next track is one of the band's must-haves, "Paranoid", which, in addition to being very catchy, contains some highly refined solos, especially Mark Farner's guitar solos, who also goes wild on vocals. We leave Detroit's Cobo Hall, where these first four tracks were recorded, to arrive at NY's Shea Stadium, from which comes a splendid performance of the medley "I'm Your Captain/Hooked On Love/Get It Together", the three iconic tracks from their album "Closer To Home". In the background, we can hear the crowd's wild cheers in response to these savage live performances from a band that truly gave their all on stage. We return to Cobo Hall to make way for the interminable performance of "T.N.U.C" (19 minutes of madness!!) where enormous space is given to the drums of the great Don Brewer, who for about a quarter of an hour does everything he possibly can with his drums: EXTRAORDINARY! And since one improvisation leads to another, here is the famous "Inside Looking Out", introduced by a speech from Mark to the crowd, which truly sums up the energy of this band, which for over 15 minutes unleashes long solos and crowd engagements with an audience in constant delirium. At the end of the song, Don Brewer's hoarse "goodnight" leaves space for the crowd's chants calling them back to the stage: could such a show end that way?? Not at all, and indeed the band returns on stage for two more encores: the first, from Shea Stadium, is the Stones' cover "Gimme Shelter", while the last track on the setlist is the furious "Into The Sun": both tracks are about 8 minutes long, just for a change.....
In essence, this album should be seen as a revisitation of the "Live Album" from 1970, enriched with more classics... I still feel like saying that it's an album every rock enthusiast, the kind made with guts, should get. After all, 15 euros for 80 minutes of good music isn't even too much..........
SEE YOU SOON, ADIOOOOOS!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Are You Ready (03:11)
Are you ready? You can trust me all the way.
Are you ready? Well, then let me hear you say
That you're ready, and the world will know it's right.
Yes, you're ready, and you know it's out of sight.
Now you're ready, well, then what you waitin' for?
If you're ready, you just open up your door
'Cause I'm ready, for everything you got.
Yes, I'm ready, come and get it while it's hot.
03 Footstompin' Music (05:24)
Come on everybody, we're gonna' have a good time, yeah,
Gimmie' all the love that's in ya', I'm gonna' give ya' mine.
I wanna' hear some hand clappin', I want you to get in the groove,
We're gonna' play this footstompin' music, everybody get up and groove, yeah.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Does everybody want to?
Does everybody want to?
Does everybody want to?
Does everybody want to?
Does everybody want to?
Does everybody want to?
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Come on right now.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Everybody.
Oooo-Oooo, Oooo-oooo.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Oh, yeah.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Yeah.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Oooooooooooo-ooo.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
Ooo-Ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo-ooo, Ooo.
04 Paranoid (06:03)
Did you ever have that feeling in your life, that someone was watching you?
He don't have no reason, that's right. But, still he's there watching you.
Someone is waiting just outside the door, to take you away.
Everybody knows just what he's there for, to take you away.
But, you don't know why he's been waiting.
But, you don't know why he's been waiting.
Spent too much time anticipating.
Spent too much time anticipating.
Did you ever think it could be you, that's just outside the door?
There's just one way to find out if it's true. So, what you waiting for?
Oh, get yourself together now, my friend, and step outside the pad.
If there's no one waiting for you there, my friend, I think you should be glad.
But, who wasn't there that you should look out for?
But, who wasn't there that you should look out for?
Get back inside your wall, and shut the door.
Get back inside your wall, and shut the door.
You don't have nobody, don't need nobody, can't love nobody,
You're better off by yourself.
You ain't feelin' too bad, you're driving me mad, and say you're bad,
You're better off by yourself.
You don't have nobody, don't need nobody, can't love nobody,
You're better off by yourself.
You ain't feelin' too bad, you're driving me mad, and say you're bad,
You're better off by yourself.
Ahhhhh ...
07 Get It Together (02:46)
Got to get it together.
Got to get it together.
Got to get it together.
Got to get it together.
Got to get it together.
Get together now, baby.
Got to get it together.
Get it, get it, get it together.
Got to get it together.
I'll tell you right now, get it together.
Got to get it together.
Everybody has to get it.
Got to get it together.
and so on ...
08 T.N.U.C. (17:12)
You won't find me, knockin' at your door.
I've known forever, you don't love me no more.
If you don't want to lay there, with your mouth shut tight,
I'm gettin' myself together, yes, I'm leavin' tonight
You ain't gonna' find nobody, to treat you like I do.
I been down on my knees, you treat me like a fool.
Now, I know what you're tryin' to do, awww, it ain't gonna' happen.
'Cause I just done got hip to you, I'm gonna' walk out laughin'.
09 Inside Looking Out (15:30)
I'm sitting here lonely like a broken man.
I serve my time doin' the best I can.
Walls and bars they surround me.
But, I don't want no sympathy.
No baby, no baby,
All I need is some tender lovin'.
To keep me sane in this burning oven.
And, when my time is up, you'll be my reefer.
Life gets worse on God's green earth.
Be my reefer, got to keep smokin' that thing.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I said now baby ... baby ..., let me smoke it ... smoke it ...
Makes me feel good ... feel good, yes, I feel good ... ahhhhh ...
Yes, I feel alright ... feel alright ..., yes, I feel alright ... feel alright ...
Yes, I feel alright ... Ahhhhh ...
Ohhhhh ...
Ice cold water is runnin' through my veins.
They try and drag me back to work again.
Pain and blisters on my mind and hands.
I work all day making up burlap bags.
The oats they're feeding me are driving me wild.
I feel unhappy like a new born child.
Now, when my time is up, you wait and see.
These walls and bars won't keep that stuff from me.
No, no, baby,
Won't keep that stuff from me.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I need you right now mama.
I need you right now baby.
Right by my side, honey.
All night long.
Make me feel alright ...
Yes, all ..., yes, all ..., yes, all ... alright.
You better come on up and get down with me.
I'll make you feel real good, just you wait and see.
Make me feel alright ..., yes, I feel alright ...
Yes, all ..., yes, all ..., yes, alright.
10 Gimme Shelter (08:44)
Oooo, oooo, oooo.
Oooo, oooo, oooo.
Oooo, a storm is threatenin', my very life today.
If I don't get some shelter, oh, I'm gonna' fade away.
CHORUS
War children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
War children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Oooo, see the fire sweeping, up every street today.
Burns like a red-coal carpet, mad bull lost it's way.
CHORUS
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Oooo, a storm is threatenin', my very life today.
If I don't get some shelter, oh, I'm gonna' fade away.
War children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
I said a love sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away.
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away, kiss away, kiss away.
CHORUS
CHORUS
Love sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away.
Love sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away.
War children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Love sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away.
War children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
Love sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away.
(repeat alternation to fade)
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