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Rating: "Rides Again" is the second album by James Gang, a U.S. trio that, along with Mountain, Grand Funk, and others, valiantly stood up to the English dominance in the emerging hard rock scene (meaning Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and all those guys) at the turn of the late '60s and early '70s.
However, James Gang doesn't just mean distorted guitars and piercing screams: in the diverse nine-song set that constitutes this work, there's room for an organ-driven ballad, an acoustic piece with orchestra, an acoustic blues, a country rock garnished with a deserved steel guitar, an instrumental, and even a suite!
Among the genuinely rock songs, the opener "Funk #49" stands out, in which guitarist Joe Walsh experiments with his version of distorted, raucous funk, while drummer Jim Fox adds resonant tribal percussion to further fuel the lively, danceable atmosphere. This track is quite famous at least in the United States, and at the time it dazzled as a single. Walsh still performs it even at his concerts with the Eagles.
The second and last genuinely rock episode is titled "Woman", and is an up-tempo in shuffle rhythm, standard fare with Walsh's gritty vocals, his obligatory guitar solo, and little else.
The splendid suite (rock) "The Bomber" has a particular story: in its central part, it contains a brief revisitation of the "Bolero" by classical musician Ravel, whose heirs at the time couldn't find anything better than to sue the band for unauthorized use of the illustrious ancestor's music. Thus, the track had to be edited, removing the Bolero part and thus shortening it by a couple of minutes. Nowadays, one can encounter both versions of the suite, easily distinguishable by their subtitles: the one with Bolero has three, the other edited one only two, namely "Closet Queen", the initial and final hard rock in Who style, and "Cast Your Fate To the Wind", which is the long central instrumental insert, with long and skillful slide guitar notes, dragged and echo-laden. A remarkable cover of this James Gang gem can also be enjoyed on the 1994 solo album by Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, titled "Candyman".
In the brief and unassuming instrumental "Asshton Park", Walsh has fun with an overtly echo-repeated effect applied to the sound of his instrument, played in a muted and detached style.
"Tend My Garden" is the episode where Walsh sets the electric guitar aside in favor of a lush Hammond organ. The ballad flows with meaning and emotion, dominated by the magnificent double-keyboard instrument, which, even when handled by a guitarist and therefore not by a virtuoso, always makes a great impression thanks to its inimitable sound.
The end of the album is entirely acoustic, with a trio of serene songs, the first of which, "Garden Gate", is the acoustic blues mentioned at the start; Walsh plays it with the dobro, a guitar with a metal body capable of particularly attractive tones.
"Thanks", on the other hand, is pure country rock, featuring Rusty Young of Poco, a luminary of the pedal steel guitar, as a guest.
The pretentious final number "Ashes The Rain And I" sees both Walsh and bassist Dale Peters on acoustic guitars accompanied by a full, pompous orchestra that somewhat sabotages the arrangement, which is already quite hyper-emotional and therefore has a rhetorical flavor.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Funk #49 (04:06)
Sleep all day, out all night
I know where you're goin'
I don't think that's actin' right
You don't think it's showin'
Jumpin' up, fallin' down
Don't misunderstand me
You don't think that I know your plan
What you try'n'-a hand me?
Out all night, sleep all day
I know what you're doin'
If you're gonna act that way
I think there's trouble brewin'
04 The Bomber (07:04)
When I became of age, my mama sat me down
She said, "Son, you're growing up, it's time you looked around."
So I began to notice some things I've never seen before
That's what brought me here knockin' at your back door
A closet queen, a bus stop fiend
It wants to shake my hand.
I don't want to be there, she decides she can
It's Apple Dan, he's just the man to pick fruit off your branches
I can't sleep and we can't keep this cattle off our ranches
(instrumental break)
It's too strong, something's wrong, I guess I lost the feeling
I don't mind the games you play, but I don't like you dealing
The cards looked bad, the luck's been had and there's nothing left to smoke
We'll all be back tomorrow for the punchline of the joke
05 Tend My Garden (05:39)
Would you like to come home with me?
I can think of things to show ya
Thinkin' that I'd like to know ya, uh
Mornin' milkman's comin'
Get up, greet my day
Evenin' brings the sun in
Still I find my way
Change of plans, makin' a landin' to see ya
And I do wanna be your man, oh, yeah
Sunday, highway drivin'
It all looks about the same
Nowhere, just arrivin'
Still I play the game
I'm home grown, growin' my own and I need ya
Need ya to beg my pardon, to tend my garden
Flowers, she's sittin' for poses
She wants me to sing my song
Hours, she's like a stoned Moses
Guess I'll sing along
08 Thanks (02:20)
Thanks
written: J. Walsh
Thanks to the hand that feeds ya
Give the dog a bone
Thanks to the man that gives you
Haven't got your own
That's the way the world is
Get just what you can
Wake up again tomorrow
A little less a man, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, yeah
Yes to the man above you
Hope you pass the test
No to the man below you
Leave him with the rest
That's the way the world is
Get just what you can
Wake up again tomorrow
A little less a man, yeah, oh, yeah
Everybody knows, everybody goes
To think about today
But that ain't the way it should be
It's changin' every way, yeah
Thanks to them that feed you
Give the dog a bone
Thanks to them that give you
You haven't got your own
That's the way the world is
Get just what you can
Wake up again tomorrow
A little less a man
Yeah, oh, yeah, mmm....
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