•
Rating: Some time ago, I was talking on the train with a guy about music and records, and I was particularly surprised when he confessed that he had about 50 records, all collections, like the best of U2, Dire Straits, Queen, Vasco Rossi, etc. When I asked if he had ever been curious to explore the individual discography of the artists whose best of he had enjoyed, he shrugged, saying there was no need, as probably the best stuff was in those albums he already had.
The age-old question about collections is whether they are exhaustive, whether they faithfully represent the artist, if they can be a good substitute for the entire discography. This almost never happens, mainly because collections are created ad hoc by record companies without the artists' input, and because summarizing careers that might be even decades-long in 15 songs is really difficult.
Personally, I use these types of albums (though rarely) a bit as a starting point to get a sense of the musical offering and, especially, for those artists whom I already know I won't be buying anything else from but whom I still want to have an important testament of. Kind of like what happened with this "Time flies" by Huey Lewis, whose discography I'm unlikely to explore, not because it's bad but because deep down I know that the 16 songs present here will be more than enough for me. Lewis’s music is like Malibu Beach music, not even too original, pleasant, like a refreshing drink on a hot summer day. There are sounds that can be "sipped," Lewis's are among them: in small doses to savor the sugar and fizz, obligatorily on the beach, preferably with shark spotting towers, here on our beaches it wouldn't work.
Huey Lewis has never been my cup of tea: too tidy, too handsome to play rock, more like a musician he has always seemed like a Wall Street stockbroker to me. Charming look, eternal smile, he seems like the classic American from jokes, where the Italian guy comes along and takes his money and girl. So, if you have short hair and want to play rock, you are allowed as long as you wear jeans, a white t-shirt, and a telecaster! However, I remember that the song The power of love, from the first Back to the Future, had a deadly groove and energy, classic pop-rock, with horns accompanying the motif, which I recall the summer jukeboxes played over and over, so when I saw this collection in the used section of a well-known record store in Naples at a bargain price, I didn't think twice and made it mine.
The first surprise is in the booklet and the CD design, where Huey is completely sweaty and worn out, intent on jumps and monkey-like somersaults, indicating that probably in live performances, his appeal is at least momentarily set aside. The music... well, the music is so light the disc risks flying away: simple and direct rock n' roll, mixed with a good dose of r n'b and a sprinkle of AOR, which was kind of like a mandatory spice in every production of the '80s. There's the already known The power of love but also another famous hit like I want a new drug or the opener The heart of rock n' roll. Your foot easily follows the rhythm and you'd never admit it to anyone, but you get the sudden urge to raise the horns to the sky as if AC/DC were playing!
Huey's version is the beach version of American auteur rock, one where social and engaged lyrics are replaced with words like "Heart," "Love," "Baby," etc. The main theme of this collection is frivolity and fun, supported by that healthy and robust rock n' roll that has its fathers in Chuck Berry and Little Richard and, truth be told, also by an excellent vocal performance by Huey, warm and expressive voice. In short, nothing to be passed down to future generations, it's only rock n' roll....
63 minutes of carefree fun, but every now and then it's needed....
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Heart of Rock & Roll (05:04)
New York, New York, is everything they say
And no place that I'd rather be
Where else can you do a half a million things
All at a quarter to three
When they play their music, ooh that modern music
They like it with a lot of style
But it's still that same old back beat rhythm
That really drives 'em wild
They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating
And from what I've seen I believe 'em
Now the old boy may be barely breathing
But the heart of rock and roll is still beating
L.A., Hollywood, and the Sunset Strip
Is something everyone should see
Neon lights and the pretty, pretty girls
All dressed so scantily
When they play their music, that hard rock music
They like it with a lot of flash
But it's still that same old back beat rhythm
That really kicks 'em in the...
They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating
And from what I've seen I believe 'em
Now the old boy may be barely breathing
But the heart of rock and roll is still beating
D.C., San Antone and the Liberty Town
Boston and Baton Rouge
Tulsa, Austin, Oklahoma City
Seattle, San Francisco, too
Everywhere there's music, real live music
Bands with a million styles
But it's still that some old rock and roll music
That really, really drives 'em wild
They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating
And from what I've seen I believe 'em
Now the old boy may be barely breathing
But the heart of rock and roll is still beating
In Cleveland, Detroit
Heart of rock and roll
05 Trouble in Paradise (04:32)
Billy's home, he just back from LA
Plenty of lines but nothing to say
Seen this movie and it don't end nice
Looks like trouble in paradise
He used to be cool he used to laugh a lot
Down at the brothers in the parking lot
now he's sick, and he's scared and he's paying the price
(Chorus)
Trouble in paradise
Trouble in paradise,
Momma said he always was so nice
Trouble in paradise
American son he's not very old
An American dream that's never been sold
The smile on his face is his last disguise
We've got trouble in paradise
There's a scream inside that shouts here I am
Some people say you we've got to do all we can
Me I don't know you see I've been there myself once or twice
(Repeat Chorus)
06 The Power of Love (03:54)
The power of love is a curious thing
make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
more than a feeling, that's the power of love
Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream
make a bad one good make a wrong one right
power of love that keeps you home at night
Chorus 1 :
You don't need money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes
but it might just save your life
That's the power of love
That's the power of love
First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it it might make you mad
But you'll be glad baby when you've found
that's the power makes the world go'round
Chorus 2 :
And it don't take money, don't take fame
don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden it can be cruel sometimes
but it might just save your life
They say that all in love is fair
yeah, but you don't care
But you know what to do
when it gets hold of you
and with a little help from above
you feel the power of love
you feel the power of love
Can you feel it ?
Hmmm
Chorus 3 :
It don't take money and it don't take fame
don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
you won't feel nothin' till you feel
you feel the power, just FEEL the power of love
That's the power, that's the power of love
You feel the power of love
you feel the power of love
feel the power of love
09 Workin' for a Livin' (02:39)
Somedays won't end ever and somedays pass on by,
I'll be working here forever, at least until I die.
Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't
I'm supposed to get a raise week, you know damn well I won't.
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'.
Hey I'm not complaining 'cause I really need the work
Hitting up my buddy's got me feeling like a jerk
Hundred dollar car note, two hundred rent.
I get a check on Friday, but it's all ready spent.
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'.
Ooh, Workin' for a livin'
Ooh, taking what they giving
Ooh, Workin' for a livin'
Ooh, ooh
Bus boy, bartender, ladies of the night
Grease monkey, ex-junky, winner of the fight
Walking on the streets its really all the same
selling souls, rock n' roll, any other day
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'.
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'.
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
11 Stuck With You (04:26)
We've had some fun, and yes we've had our ups and downs
Been down that rocky road, but here we are, still around
We thought about someone else, but neither one took the bait
We thought about breaking up, but now we know it's much too late
We are bound by all the rest
Like the same phone number
All the same friends
And the same address
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
'Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
We've had our doubts, we never took them seriously
And we've had our ins and outs, but that's the way it's supposed to be
We thought about giving up, but we could never stay away
Thought about breaking up, but now we know it's much too late
And it's no great mystery
If we change our minds
Eventually, it's back to you and me
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
'Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
We are bound by all the rest
Like the same phone number
All the same friends
And the same address
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
'Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
(yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you
I'm happy to be stuck with you
Happy to be stuck with you.
12 I Want a New Drug (04:45)
Yeah-eah!
I want a new drug
One that won't make me sick
One that won't make me crash my car
Or make me feel three feet thick
I want a new drug
One that won't hurt my head
One that won't make my mouth too dry
Or make my eyes too red
One that won't make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
When I'm alone with you
I want a new drug
One that won't spill
One that don't cost too much
Or come in a pill
I want a new drug
One that won't go away
One that won't keep me up all night
One that won't make me sleep all day
One that won't make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
When I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you, baby
I want a new drug
One that does what it should
One that won't make me feel too bad
One that won't make me feel too good
I want a new drug
One with no doubt
One that won't make me talk too much
Or make my face freak out
One that won't make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you
When I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
Loading comments slowly
