The curious and fortunate Jon and Vangelis project takes shape at the end of the Seventies following previous scattered collaborations between two skilled musicians: one is the British Jon Anderson, a singer now free from Yes and eager to experiment with new musical paths, the other is the Greek Vangelis, who has been involved in experimentation for quite some time but has always been open to collaborations with artists from various backgrounds.
The debut "Short Stories" was released in 1980 and was immediately a commercial success, thanks to the perfect fusion between Vangelis's sweet yet captivating music and Anderson's angelic vocal abilities; the formula, moreover, is simple: the Greek prepares the music, the Brit, in the second phase, completes the tracks with the vocal parts. This methodology, seemingly cold and mechanical, generates pieces that are meticulously detailed yet quite different from each other.
The entire album is based on a backdrop of dreamlike and angelic atmospheres, onto which sudden and pressing electronic shifts break in. The devastating and violent flow of “Curious Electric” contrasts with the sweetness of the following “Each and Everyday/Bird”, while “I Hear You Now” has a tune so catchy it climbed the charts of the time. “The Road”, “Far Away in Baghdad”, and “Love Is/One More Time” partly anticipate future sounds, while the brief “The Road” serves to precede the album's final (and best) track, "A Play Within a Play,” able to encapsulate its essence through structure and alternation between movement and stillness.
As often happens in early works (and especially in particular projects like this one), there is a discernible desire to keep many paths open, to change direction frequently, even at the expense of unity of purpose. It is no coincidence that subsequent works, although of equal quality, indicate a more coherent path and a more solid expressive thread, as confirmed by the excellent “The Friends of Mr Cairo” from 1981.
Finally, in 1983, the duo's best effort arrives, “Private Collection”: Vangelis further smooths the edges and softens the melodies, Anderson's voice becomes almost ethereal. Five perfect pieces, plus a long final track, “Horizon,” so memorable it deserves a prime spot in the music of that decade.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Curious Electric (06:41)
Sitting here in the television
Looking at the tube
Sitting next to me
He's not been very well lately
He told me so
He's been crying
A little bit
And I ain't lyin'
But we're sitting it out
Watching "Match of the Day".
You know we've all gotta go anyway
I said we've all gotta go anyway
And I wouldn't mind being last in line
To see such joy and fruitfulness.
When everyone discovers short stories
04 I Hear You Now (05:14)
After the first embrace from you my senses knew
The look of love was in your eyes
and after we first make love our senses tingle to
The touch oh how we hypnotize
Oh, to get the feeling on and on
Oh, just to get the feeling
Holding you closer in my arms we drift to heaven
Bringing in the morning light
And after all is said and done there's only us
We can make it right
So, our love will carry on and on
Now our love will be free, be free.
And when we play, love don't delay, I hear you now
For what was then, is what is now, anyhow
As I became a guest of love's tune hear again
We'll carry on together like today.
After the first embrace from you I want you too
After the first embrace from you I want you too
05 The Road (04:34)
There's a road that takes me back
There the light has seen your face
To the place where I belong
There at last where I will wander
By the lake where time stands still.
There's a road I see before me
Made by the man who tells the tale
There's a road that travels all ways.
There's a road that's here I see
In the midst of all creation
There's a road for you and me.
09 Thunder (02:13)
Oh, sevens worth a say, like a lie, five and one
My favourite died in pain, by a guy, son of a gun
He jumped through the horse I guess,
Disappeared, no mess
Hell! We'll just have to rest, follow me down,
If you caan, Follow slowly.
Thus enter as we may, by a hole, in the floor.
Deep darker than the black, seemed to hear,
Many a rat.
Tried harder as I fought, Thought my life,
Finally brought.
Knees trembling in my legs,
Wish to get out, out and about
Out and about.
Hre, now, fear, let me free
Now, here, now.
Don't leave me fast here, oh please
You won't let me live again!!
This way.
come, don't be so afraid, by the fire, sit beside
Change all your whims and cares
To the tide of the night
This thought occurred to me,
Did the ghost, disappear
Fire deep my heart my soul, chase him off,
Very clear, very clearly.
10 A Play Within a Play (07:03)
You me, me you, when will we be,
Love goes on, no hurry, tell me,
That I know whatever has to be.
Since dreams have their reasons anyway
All the good love stories, have their glory
Yours the winds flowing on and on and on and on
And on and on
Let the winter winds of old
Take the water to the sea
As the maan turned into light
Like the forest of the west
They were caarrying the fire
Like the boats that sail the waves
In the gardens of belief
Meditate us turn the ky
For if trouble shares your tears
Rereturning once again and again and again and again
Rereturning once again and again and again and again
For the many to be sure
That's why children seem to know the reason why
True knowledge of believing is believing
I'll find a truth and then believe it to the end
It seems so easy as my life and I begin to know why
Are we to everything a play within a play.
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