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Rating:
My machine gun is a double bass that shoots you in the face
sang Demetrio Stratos in '74, and that's probably what the beautiful Lauryn Hill thought when she released this MTV Unplugged a couple of years ago.
A committed and "substantial" album for the former pop-easy listening queen (formerly of the Fugees), who transitioned, over the course of a couple of albums, from pure entertainment to composing these songs of anger and revolt. Songs that talk about civil rights, politics, the situation of women—basically, "heartfelt" and, if I may say, "committed" songs. It's not "commitment de noantri" flaunted by our four domestic singers to promote their albums at Live8, or the pseudo donations made to pseudo organizations with the proceeds from pseudo sales, etc. Lauryn's commitment seeps out of every note played on this album, songs like speeches and "sweaty" notes that speak of struggle and revolution. For our heroine, who consciously moved from the golden limousines of the POP world to the barricades of political song, today she doesn't need much. Having renounced the luxuries of a life as a pop star, imagined dull and empty (or at least that's how we like to imagine it), the revolutionary Hill wields the guitar like a machine gun, and on a bare stage without tricks and without lights, she sings her stories with the soul and interpretation of a tired but fierce Amazon.
Her out-of-tune notes and rare moments where her voice falters are beautiful and "felt," giving the performance of the songs a warmth and a sense of truth that's even more engaging... truly goosebump-inducing moments. For once, a singer who takes the "reverse" path, unlike most who start off as "rockers and damned" only to settle down, with time and age (and let's say it, thanks to a substantial bank account) into more relaxed and calm registers (just look at the National Blasco, for instance) at best. Critics and philosophers at worst.
The album is perhaps excessively long and wordy, putting to the test those who only get by with American slang, yet it still deserves our applause.
So, a round of applause to the courage and greatness of this Artist who dared to question herself by taking the most challenging and risky path an artist can take: two lights, a voice, and a guitar. There's no cheating here, no mega productions, no strobe effects, no spotlights or mega TV promotions, no four rotating stages or crummy "campivolos".
Here you're bare: whether you have a soul or not, you feel it here. No kidding.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Mr. Intentional (06:58)
Yeah, yeaaayh, yeah heh, yeah heh, yeah heh...
See the road to hell, is paved with good intentions
Can't you tell, the way they have to mention
How they helped you out, you're such a hopeless victim
Please don't do me any favors, Mr. Intentional
All their talk, it's seasoned to perfection
The road they walk, commanding your affection
They need to be needed, deceived by motivation
An opportunity, to further situation
Why they're so important, is without explanation
Please don't patronize me, Mr. Intentional
Oh, ohhh, ohh ohhh
We give rise to ego, by being insecure
The advice that we go, desperately searching for
The subconscious effort, to support our paramour
To engage in denial, to admit we're immature
Validating lies, Mr. Intentional
Open up yours eyes, Mr. Intentional
Stuck in a system, that seeks to suck your blood
Held emotionally hostage, by what everybody does
Counting all the money, that you give them just because
Exploiting ignorance, in the name of love
Stop before you drop because that's just the way it was
Please don't justify me, Mr. Intentional
Oh one-dimentional, Mr. Intentional
Ohhh, oh don't you do me any favors
Ohhh, ohhhh, ohh ohhhh
Wake up you've been sleeping
Take up your bed and walk
Stop blaming other people
Oh it's nobody else's fault
Accept the truth about you
You know that life goes on without you
And your expensive misinventions
Disguising your intentions
Don't worship my hurt feelings, Mr. Intentional
Oh, oh oh oh
See I know you can't help me, Mr. Intentional
The only help I need to live, is unprofessional
The only wealth I have to give, is not material
And if you need much more than that, I'm not available
Please don't entertain me, Mr. Intentional
Oh I don't need your sympathy, Mr. Intentional
Stay away from me, Mr. Intentional
So one-dimentional, Mr. Promotional, Mr. Emotional, Mr. Intentional
Ohhh ohhhh, ohhhh
05 Oh Jerusalem (08:54)
Oh Jerusalem yeah, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem...
Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
Cuz everybody you know is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...behind education and philosophy
But it's a hopeless explanation to describe the situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, cuz I'm morally defect
By reason of the god inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
Cuz I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God thru my facade only material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou mayest be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, a generations so aloof
Only followin' the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thine heart
And lean not to thine own understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths
Be not wise in thine on eyes,
Or you can't follow Him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated cuz he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, when we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Will reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness
That thou mayest be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem providing you no protection.
Abide in Me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the Vine, ye are the branches,
He that live in Me and I in him,
The same bring forth much fruit
For without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen Me
Do whatsoever, you asking My Name He may give to you
But in vain they call My Name
teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know knoweth the heart,
what man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...for why would you die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth(sp?)
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and His word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem... (fade)
10 Just Like Water (06:09)
Moving down the streams of my lifetime
Pools of fascination in my sleep
Cooling off the fire of my longing
Warming up my cold with in his heat
Melting down the walls of inhibition
Evaporating all of my fears
Baptizing me to complete submission
Desolving my condition with his tears
It's just like the water
I ain't felt this way in years
It's just like the waters, the water
I ain't felt this way in years
Coursing thru my senses he's prevailing
Floating thru the space of my design
Drowning me i find my inside sailing
Drinking in the mainstream of his mind
Filling up the cup of my emotions
Spilling over into all I do
If only I could get lost in his ocean
Surviving on the thought of loving you
It's just like the water
I ain't felt this way in years, in years
It's just like the water, the water
I ain't felt this way in years
Bathing in the fountain of his essence
He causes my expression to remain
Humbled on the mountain by his presence
Washing my intentions with his name
Sealing all the floodgates of his passion
Saving all his liquid for his own
Moisturizing me to satisfaction
In my imagination, oh no
He's pouring out his soul to me for hours and hours
Drawing out my nature with his hands
Yearning, I'm so thirsty for his power
Burning to be worthy of his land
It's just like the water
I ain't felt this way in years, in years
It's just like the waters, the water
I ain't felt this way in years
Cleaning me, he's purging me, and moving me around
He's bathing and he's cleaning me, and moving me around
Around, and around and around.... and around
Washing me, cleaning me, moving me around
He's purging me, he's been cleaning me and moving me around
And around ........ and around
12 Just Want You Around (04:36)
I just want you around,
I just want you around
I just want you around,
I just want you around
Thought that I had lost you
I could hardly make a sound
When I thought I couldn't hold you
Knew the world had let me down
Should have took the time and told you
You keep my feet on the ground
I hope that you can hear me
Cause I know it's not profound
I just want you around,
I just need you around
I just want you around,
I just need you around
When I thought I was without you
I got used to being down
Was my fault I used to doubt you
But that ain't me next time around
Please believe me when I tell you
Cause all my words are bound
This is my cross so let me bear it
I was lost but now I am found, found, found
I just want you around,
I just need you around
I just want you around,
I just need you around
Took this love for granted
Kept my feelings under ground
Should have watered what I planted
Should have known what I had found
I'm not used to being lonely
I don't like the way it sounds
You're the only one I know yeah
Who don't turn my upside down
I just want you around,
I just need you around
I just want you around,
I just need you around
(Repeat to end)
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