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Six years in prison is a long time. Time passes slowly, damnably slow, with a thousand thoughts in one's head, torments, moments of despair, of weakness. You also have all the time to think about your past, evaluate positives or negatives, and a sense of revenge surfaces, a feverish desire to get out and rise again, to embrace your instrument and bring out the best in yourself in front of the world... Of course, I can only imagine this, having never been to prison, and I hope it never happens, who knows, but I think this was the state of mind of Arthur Lee during that period.
Back in 1967, Lee was only 22 years old and with his band, Love, brought to light his most profound and important work, the album "Forever Changes," now considered a "masterpiece" by industry insiders and music enthusiasts in general. At the time, however, no one paid attention to it; in the era of the "summer of love," of cheerful, happy, carefree music, few or none noticed the beauty of this work, which indeed sold very little and was only later reevaluated and elevated to a great album. Well-crafted songs, well-played, but surrounded by a deep sense of melancholy, uncertainty, that stood apart from the lifestyle and thinking of the youth of that period; moreover, the album was poorly promoted live, with few dates and few songs from the album performed live by the band, mainly due to Lee's desire not to stray too far from Los Angeles and surroundings, afraid of not being able to easily obtain heroin, which he (like the others in the band) was a heavy user of.
Out of prison in 2001, Lee wanted to get back in the game, get on stage, and bring his magnum opus to light, having fun and leaving a bad period of his life behind. He hired a band, the Baby Lemonade, excellent musicians who had always loved and appreciated Love's music, and a Swedish orchestral section, directed by composer Gunnar Norden, eager to finally tour the entire album around the world, something never done before. The concerts started in England, precisely with the date at Milton Keynes, an ideal choice as it was in that country that the album reached number 24 on the chart, the best position the work ever achieved, while the date recorded to later appear on the disc was the one at the Royal Festival Hall on January 15.
Lee and company were greeted with great applause as they took the stage; Lee thanks the audience, and the band immediately starts with the initial acoustic arpeggio of "Alone Again Or," a wonderful opening song, characterized by the soft singing of the leader, enriched by the great work of the orchestral section, the mariachi brass, and the band's excellent work that faithfully reproduces the studio original. "A House Is Not A Motel" begins with its powerful progression, revitalized by a wonderful guitar interplay between Lee and the precise Squeezebox, who also launches into a powerful solo that delights the audience. The delicacy and purity of "Andmoreagain" are, in my view, exceptional; soft, enveloping, delicate, and sung in a heartfelt and vivid manner by the Memphis musician, an exceptional performer with a voice worthy of the golden years of the past. Lee, always as thin as a rail and visibly aged from a life always lived to the fullest, seems rejuvenated and revitalized by being on stage doing what he does best; he sings the songs with heart, always with that desire to astonish and enchant the audience present, who cheer and love him. "The Red Telephone," another classic track from the album, appears even better in live version, as does the masterful "Live And Let Live". After the carefree "Bummer In The Summer," it's time for the fantastic "You Set The Scene," which starting with a brisk rhythm, transforms into a delicate ballad from another time; the pace slows, the song transforms and unfolds on different paths, the work of the horns and violins is excellent, nothing is left to chance, all well-studied and exciting. There's still time for other band classics, "Seven And Seven Is," one of the highlights of the album "Da Capo," and "My Little Red Book," a historic Bacharach track already present on the Love's self-titled debut album, always performed impeccably by the various musicians.
I can only recommend you to seek out this album, very well done and faithful to the studio original, touching, emotional, conveying joy but at the same time that positive melancholy that enhances the songs. Lee died a few years later from an incurable and violent illness, but the legacy left to us is enormous, and for this, as fans of good music, we will be forever grateful...
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Alone Again Or (04:20)
Yeah, said it's all right
I won't forget
All the times I've waited patiently for you
And you'll do just what you choose to do
And I will be alone again tonight my dear
Yeah, I heard a funny thing
Somebody said to me
You know that I could be in love with almost everyone
I think that people are
The greatest fun
And I will be alone again tonight my dear
Yeah, I heard a funny thing
Somebody said to me
You know that I could be in love with almost everyone
I think that people are
The greatest fun
And I will be alone again tonight my dear
02 A House Is Not a Motel (04:06)
At my house I've got no shackles
You can come and look if you want to
In the halls you'll see the mantles
Where the light shines dim all around you
And the streets are paved with gold and if
Someone asks you, you can call my name
You are just a thought that someone
Somewhere somehow feels you should be here
And it's so for real to touch
To smell, to feel, to know where you are here
And the streets are paved with gold and if
Someone asks you, you can call my name
You can call my name
I hear you calling my name yeah all right now
By the time that I'm through singing
The bells from the schools of wars will be ringing
More confusions, blood transfusions
The news today will be the movies for tomorrow
And the water's turned to blood, and if
You don't think so
Go turn on your tub
And it it's mixed with mud
You'll see it turn to gray
And you can call my name
I hear you call my name...
03 Andmoreagain (04:05)
And if you'll see Andmoreagain
Then you will know Andmoreagain
For you can see you in her eyes
Then you feel your heart beating
Thrum-pum-pum-pum
And when you've given all you had
And everything still turns out
Bad, and all your secrets are your own
Then you feel your heart beating
Thrum-pum-pum-pum
And I'm
Wrapped in my armor
But my things are material
And I'm
Lost in confusions
'Cause my things are material
And you don't know how much
I love you
Oh, oh, oh...
And if you'll see Andmoreagain
Then you might be Andmoreagain
For you just wish and you are here
Then you feel your heart beating
Thrum-pum-pum-pum
And I'm
Wrapped in my armor
But my things are material
And I'm
Lost in confusions
'Cause my things are material
And you don't know how much
I love you
Oh, oh, oh...
07 Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale (03:57)
Verse 1:
What is happening and how have you been
Gotta go but I'll see you again
And oh, the music is so loud
And then I fade into the...
Verse 2:
Crowds of people standing everywhere
'Cross the street I'm at this laugh affair
And here they always play my songs
And me, I wonder if it's...
Verse 3:
Wrong or right they come here just the same
Telling everyone about their games
And if you think it obsolete
Then you go back across the street
Yeah, street, hey hey
Verse 4:
When I leave now don't you weep for me
I'll be back, just save a seat for me
But if you just can't make the room
Look up and see me on the...
Verse 5:
Moon's a common scene around my town
Here where everyone is painted brown
And if we feel that's not the way
Let's go paint everybody gray
Yeah, gray, yeah
08 Live and Let Live (05:13)
Oh, the snot has caked against my pants
It has turned into crystal
There's a bluebird sitting on a branch
I guess I'll take my pistol
I've got it in my hand
Because he's on my land
And so the story ended
Do you know it oh so well
Well should you need I'll tell you
The end-end-end-end-end-end-end-end
And...
Yes I've seen you sitting on the couch
I recognize your artillery
I have seen you many times before
Once when I was an Indian
And I was on my land
Why can't you understand
And so the story ended
Do you know it oh so well
Well should you need I'll tell you
The end-end-end-end-end-end-end-end
And...
Served my time
Served it well
You made my soul
Write the rules
In the sky
But ask your leaders
Why Why
Oh, the snot has caked against my pants
It has turned into crystal
There's a bluebird sitting on a branch
I guess I'll take my pistol
I've got it in my hand
Because he's on my land
And so the story ended
Do you know it oh so well
Well should you need I'll tell you
The end-end-end-end-end-end-end-end
And...
Served my time
Served it well
You made my soul
10 Bummer in the Summer (02:34)
Well I remember when you used to look so good
And I did everything that I possibly could for you
We used to ride around all over town
But they're puttin' you down for bein' around with me
But you can go ahead if you want to
'Cause I ain't got no papers on you
In the middle of the summer I had a job bein' a plumber
Just to pass till the fall it was you I wanna ball all day
Ah-we were walkin' along, honey, hand in hand
I'm a-thinkin' of you, mama, when you're thinkin' of another man
But you can go ahead if you want to
'Cause I ain't got no papers on you
(No, I don't I ain't got no papers on myself)
All alone on the bone when I didn't have a home
When I saw the way I was and I knew where I was supposed to be
I was twitchin' so I turned and it's really hard to learn
That everyone I saw was just another part of me
But you can go ahead if you want to
'Cause nobody's got no papers on you
(No, babe, it's just a falsehood)
11 You Set the Scene (07:50)
Where are you walking, I've seen you walking
Have you been there before?
Walk down your doorsteps, you'll take some more steps
What did you take them for?
There's a private in my boat and he wears
Pins instead of medals on his coat
There's a chicken in my nest and she won't
Lay until I've given her my best
At her request she asks for nothing
You get nothing in return
If you want she brings you water
If you don't then you will burn
You go through changes, it may seem strange
Is this what you're put here for?
You think you're happy and you are happy
That's what you're happy for
There's a man who can't decide if he should
Fight for what his father thinks is right
There are people wearing frowns who'll screw you up
But they would rather screw you down
At my request I ask for nothing
You get nothing in return
If you're nice she'll bring me water
If you're not then I will burn
This is the time and life that I am living
And I'll face each day with a smile
For the time that I've been given's such a little while
And the things that I must do consist of more than style
There are places that I am going
There'll be time for you to start all over
This is the only thing that I am sure of
And that's all that lives is gonna die
And there'll always be some people here to wonder why
And for every happy hello, there will be good-bye
There'll be time for you to put yourself on
Everything I've seen needs rearranging
And for anyone who thinks it's strange
Then you should be the first to want to make this change
And for everyone who thinks that life is just a game
Do you like the part you're playing
I see your picture
It's in the same old frame
We meet again...
You look so lovely
You with the same old smile
Stay for a while...
I need you so, oh, oh, oh, oh
And if you take it easy
I'm still teethin'
I wanna love you, but
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...
This is the time and life that I am living
And I'll face each day with a smile
For the time that I've been given's such a little while
And the things that I must do consist of more than style
There are places that I am going
There'll be time for you to start all over
This is the time and this is the time and
It is time, time, time, time, time, time, time, time, time...
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