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Rating: I would have liked to review the 4 masterpieces of the Jeffersons, but clearly, having arrived a bit late, all I can do is review their first work. Of course, it's an album that cannot compete with the LPs made with Slick and Dryden, but in my opinion, it still deserves reevaluation.
In this first album dated 1966, the Jeffersons are not yet in their classic lineup with Grace Slick on "vocals" and Dryden on drums. Instead, we have Signe Anderson and, believe it or not, Skip Spence on drums. The latter, originally a guitarist, left the group after the album's release to create the great Moby Grape, a famous Acid-Rock-Blues band from San Francisco.
Let's immediately say that Anderson, though inferior to Slick, performs excellently, endowed with a powerful and inspired voice, she gives us tracks with a strong blues flavor like "Blues For An Airplane" and "Chauffeur Blues".
Meanwhile, the sound machine of Kaukonen and Casady gives us a glimpse of the future sound of the Jeffersons in tracks like "It's No Secret" and "Let's Get Together" (but also listen to Casady's bass in "Chauffeur Blues") that would be revisited many times live by the group in a memorable version at Woodstock. The track that strikes me the most for its rhythm and the devastating effects of Kaukonen's guitar is "Let Me In", certainly the most inspired and innovative track on the record. There are also classics that were covered a bit by everyone at the time like "Tobacco Road" with Balin and Tolley pushing their registers to the maximum.
An album to be rediscovered, also because it was the one that somewhat started the whole movement. Let's not forget that on a national level, the Jeffersons were the first to secure a contract with a major record company, RCA. After them, all the greats followed, from the Grateful Dead to Quicksilver.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Bringing Me Down (02:24)
You're bringing me down
And you know it ain't right
You've been running around, love
Staying out all night
Get outta sight
Don't hang around
You're bringing me down
Well, the things you're doing
Or playing your games
Well, you better get wise now
Or things gonna change
'Cause you're bringing me down
And you know it ain't right
You've been running around, love
Staying out all night
Get outta sight
Don't hang around
You're bringing me down
Well, you used to tell me
My love was your flame
But I had you last evening
No, it wasn't the same
'Cause you're bringing me down
And you know it ain't right
You've been running around, love
Staying out all night
Get outta sight
Don't hang around
You're bringing me down
You're bringing me down
And you know it ain't right
You've been running around, love
Staying out all night
Get outta sight
Don't hang around
You're bringing me down
Well, your love used to echo
From my feet to my brain
Ah, but now it just whispers
Well I think you're to blame
'Cause you're bringing me down
And you know it ain't right
You've been running around love
Staying out all night
Get outta sight
Don't hang around
You're bringing me down
Yeah, you're bringing me down (down, down, down)
Yeah, you're bringing me down (down, down, down)
Ah, you're bringing me down (down, down, down)
Yeah, you're bringing me down
04 It's No Secret (02:39)
It's no secret
how strong my love is for you
It's no secret
when I tell you what I'm gonna do
'cause I love you, yes I love you
It's no secret
everybody knows how I feel
It's no secret
when I say my love is real
'cause I love you, yes I love you
It's no secret
when you got me jumping up and down
It's no secret
'cause my heart is chained and bound
I love you, yes I love you, Yearh
It's no secret
everybody knows how I feel
As I get older
the year sake get's heavy for you
wow
It isn't any young girl
I feel like my whole life is through
yearh, when I stop feeling how strong my love is for you
wow
I know I'll be empty watching your love like I do
It's no secret (no)
when you got me jumping up and down
It's no secret
'cause my heart is chained and bound
I love you, yes I love you, Yearh
It's no secret
everybody knows how I feel
It's no secret
everybody knows how I feel
It's no secret
05 Tobacco Road (03:29)
I was born in a bunk
In the middle of Tobacco Road
Mother died and my daddy got drunk
Left me here to die or grow
Grew up in a dusty shack
And all I had was a'hangin' on my back
Only you know how I loathe
But it's home
This place called Tobacco Road
The only life I've ever known
Only you know how I loathe
Tobacco Road
I'm gonna leave and get a job
Save some money, get rich I know
With the help and the grace from above
Bring Dynamite and a crane
Bring it back to Tobacco Road
Blow you up, start all over again
Build a town be proud to show
The only life I've ever known
Give the name Tobacco Road
Cause it's home
Oh I despise and disapprove you
But I love ya, 'cause it's home
06 Come Up The Years (02:32)
I ought to get going
I shouldn't stay here and love you
More than I do
Cause you're so much younger than I am
Come up the years, come up the years
And love me, love me love me
A younger girl keeps hanging around
One of the loveliest I've ever found
Blowin' my mind, stealin' my heart
I ought to get going
Somebody help me 'fore I fall apart.
I shouldn't stay here and love you
More than I do
Cause you're so much younger than I am
Come up the years, come up the years
And love me, love me love me
And I've been happy to go right along
The things she's doing keep turning me on
I know it's time that I said goodbye
I know I can't leave no matter how hard I try.
I ought to get going
More than I do
I shouldn't stay here and love you
Come up the years, come up the years
Cause you're so much younger than I am
And love me, love me love me
07 Run Around (02:41)
One time ,run around,
Don’t look and for me to go your way
You left me here with out anything to love
I’ll tell you
I’ve….. had…. enough of your hands running round my brain,
And… I’ve….. had have enough of the way that you cause me pain
So slow down, run around your other side,
Walk with me instead tonight
We could be near like we use to be before
Ahh girl, …I.. need more of the times that you turned me round
And ….There’s …no time to turn away love I’ve found
So couldn’t we forget about today , start again from where we were
We use to dance out to space without a care
And our laughter come ringing and singing we rolled round the music,
Blinded by colors come crashing from flowers that sway as you stay here by me .
Slow down, run around
Your love is soft
Walk with me instead tonight
We could be near like we use to be before
Ahh girl, ..I… need more of the times that you turned me round
And ..there’s…. no time to turn away love I’ve found
Run around
Lifetime run around
Don’t look back and for me to go your way
You left me here with out anything to love
I’ll tell you …
I’ve ..had enough of your hands running round my brain,
And I’ve had have enough of the way that you cause me pain
Well run around.
09 Don't Slip Away (02:34)
Almost been a year since we've been together
Seems so long ago since you drifted away
Suddenly the past has fallen in behind us
Now all I know is I want you to stay
Don't slip away, oh no, don't slip away
Now that you're here we should just let it happen
Some things are best if they're only forgotten
You know I'm sorry, but what can I say?
The best years are after tomorrow
But time for changing should begin with today.
Don't slip away, oh no, don't slip away
Now that you're here we should just let it happen
You can't hide what we shared with each other
I know you still care and feel the same way
I'm sure there's more love in your heart than you're showing
Now it depends on what you have to say.
Don't slip away, oh no, don't slip away
Now that you're here we should just let it happen.
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