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Rating:
"Strike while the iron is hot!": This is what the executives at Chrysalis Records must have thought in the wake of the success of "Photo-Finish," with which the genius from Ballyshannon returned to the "power trio" of his beginnings, alongside the loyal McKenna and McAvoy in the rhythm section. For this reason, exactly one year later, in 1979, this Top Priority was officially released, a name proposed, in turn, by the record company to make the most of the magic moment of Rory and his bandmates.
From a stylistic point of view, this album doesn't differ much from the previous one, but the overall quality of the platter remains excellent: the start, in fact, is explosive with the compelling Hard Rock of "Follow Me," which would soon become one of Rory's major live hits.
This is followed by another intense track like "Philby," dedicated to the figure of the well-known British agent who lived during the 1930s and 1940s, Kim Philby, who later enlisted in the service of the then USSR. The track features a unique (but not too much) electric sitar, specifically a Coral, lent to him by none other than the illustrious Pete Townshend of The Who, with which Rory crafts a couple of fairly short but intense solos, as per his usual style.
"Wayward Child" is another fast-paced Hard Rock piece, as well as another track loved by his audience in its Live version. Similarly impactful is the duo "At The Depot" and "Just Hit Town," two equally fast tracks that this time decidedly nod to the dear old Rock 'N' Roll of Chuck Berry and his associates, whom Rory held in great admiration.
However, there is also room for excellent Rock/Blues with the enveloping "Keychain" (also listen to the Live version featured on "Stage Struck"), and especially with "Off The Handle," which is undoubtedly one of the true jewels of the album, where Rory's guitar takes on decidedly fiery characteristics with at least a couple of stunning solos reminiscent of some "Hard Blues" tracks by AC/DC from the "Bon Scott era," particularly "Night Prowler," to which this piece bears a structural resemblance.
But the crowning masterpiece is undoubtedly "Bad Penny," another masterful example of Hard Blues that literally oozes passion and good vibrations from every pore, with decidedly notable Southern Rock accents.
Finally, "Public Enemy No.1" closes the album, which in reality neither detracts from nor adds to another excellent Hard Rock album that would be followed by the already mentioned "Stage Struck" the following year. The 1980s would prove a difficult period for him, mainly from a health perspective (especially due to the plague of alcoholism, which would tragically claim his life on June 14, 1995), but artistically, it would yield two more excellent albums, "Jinx" in 1982 and "Defender" in 1987.
Lastly, it's worth noting the presence in the 2018 CD reissue of two more excellent tracks, "Hell Cat" (also included in "Stage Struck") and "The Watcher," both of which are worth listening to and enjoying.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Follow Me ()
I want to plant to the star in the sky,
One you can find at the end of the night.
I want to climb a ladder to space,
Leave without trace, `cos now is the time.
Things are gonna be so clear,
When I`m light years from here,
In some other space.
Let me take the tear from your eye,
Leave it behind, stay by my side.
Won`t you follow me where I`m bound,
Time`s for borrowing now.
Won`t you follow me, time is tight,
Before things swallow me down.
I`ve been locked in this cage,
Gonna break away, before it`s too late.
I`m gonna re-write the page,
Take the stage, and live tomorrow today.
You`ll find the dreams you mislaid,
They won`t run away, all the dues have been paid.
Yes, it`s time to depart, go with your heart,
Follow the flame.
Won`t you follow me where I`m bound,
Time`s for borrowing now.
Won`t you follow me, time is tight,
Before things swallow me down.
Won`t you follow me where I`m bound,
Time`s for borrowing now.
Won`t you follow me, time is tight,
Before things swallow me down.
Won`t you follow me where I`m bound,
Time`s for borrowing now.
02 Philby ()
Now ain't it strange that I feel like Philby, there's a stranger in my soul
I'm lost in transit in a lonesome city, I can't come in from the cold
I'm deep in action on a secret mission, contact's broken down
Time drags by, I'm above suspicion, there's a voice on the telephone
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Well it sure is dark in this clockwork city, contact's never gonna show
I've got a code which can't be broken, my eyes never seem to close
Well, I'm standing here in the silent city, shadows falling down
I'm disconnected but I don't need pity, the night's gonna burn on slow
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Now ain't it funny that I feel like Philby, a stranger on a foreign shore
I've got my plans and I must move quickly, there's a knock upon the door
Still in transit and I'm close to danger, my cover can't be blown,
It's getting strange and it's getting crazy, tell me, what is going on?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Four o'clock and nothing's moving, six o'clock and the daylight's stirring
Morning comes, must be moving on
All night long my mind's been burning, makes me feel such a long, long way from home, home
Now ain't it strange that I feel like Philby, there's a stranger in my soul
I'm lost in transit in a lonesome city, I can't come in from the cold
03 Wayward Child ()
Well you always were a problem
Always running wild
Trouble is your middle name
You know you're the wayward child
You always get your feet wet
You always play with knives
Watch that you don't cut yourself
You know you're the wayward child
They call you the wayward child
Well you've always gone your own way
Sometimes you play with fire
Well can you run forever
Before you run right out of time
Will you run right out of time
Nothing's gonna change you
It ain't no use
Well who is gonna tame you
Tie you in a noose
Well no one's gonna change ya
Ain't no use
And no one's gonna tame you
Tie you in a noose
Well you always were a problem
Never meek and mild
Life is just a street fight
Well you know you're the wayward child
You always get your feet wet
You always play with knives
Watch that you don't cut yourself
You know you're the wayward child x3
04 Keychain ()
I need a keychain
to lock up all this trouble
I need a fast train
leaving on the double
I'm going some place
that's hard to follow
Got that feeling
that i should be long gone
I'm as bad as i can get
I'm playing Russian roulette
I need a keychain
baby right now
I'm playing no games
this ain't no water pistol
Ain't it insane
there's no chance of missing
No one holds me
you ain't got my number
If you see me
just run for cover
Well i'm as wild as i can get
I'm playing Russian roulette
I got no keychain
,baby, right now
Well I'm in a guided missile
and i'm lost in the sky
I won't be returning untill
things feel right
I got a poison pen letter
Ain't that all i need
some pretty woman's
trying to make a ghost of me
I got a keychain
to lock up all my sorrow
i need some fast plane
I'm leaving in a hurry
I'm going some place
where you can't follow
I got that feeling
that i shouldn't be long gone
I'm as mad as i can get
i'm playing Russian roulette
Need a keychain, baby, of mine
05 At the Depot ()
Well, I'm hanging round the depot boys,
Trying to get a job,
I`m so sick and tired of being laid off.
No silver lining, no rainbow's end,
Bills in my mail-box, that's all they ever send,
All they ever send.
Well, I'm hanging round the corner, boys,
Holding up the well,
Feeling kinda sloppy, waiting for a call.
Running out of patience, running out of cool,
Don't turn on the radio, I don't want to hear the news,
Don't want to hear the news.
Yeah...
Well, you sure look good,
Baby, sure look neat,
Sure make sense from your head to your feet.
You don't want to know me now,
But you're gonna change your mind,
I'm going to Fat City, gonna do things in style.
Well, you sure look good,
Baby, sure look neat,
Making all the ice melt when you walk down the street.
You don't want to know me now,
But you`re gonna change your mind,
I'm going to Fat City, gonna do things in style.
Yeahhh...
Well, my motor won't run men,
I'm sure it's on the blink,
Ain't had no gasoline since God knows when.
I'm waiting for that woman, ain't she ever gonna show?
Don't keep me waiting, I got some place else to go,
Some place else to go.
Well, I'm hanging round the depot, boys,
Can't get a job,
I'm so sick and tired of being laid off.
No silver lining, no rainbow's end,
Blues in my mail-box. that's all they ever send,
All they ever send,
All they ever send.
Yeahhhhh....
06 Bad Penny ()
Well, like a bad penny you've turned up again,
You're in my sights, there's a mist on my lens.
I think you know how it was when I tripped and fell,
Well, you double-dealed me, baby and I broke like a shell.
Like a bad penny you've sure lost the glow
But I'm out of reach, your smile's sure gone cold.
Well, it can't ever be like it was then,
Well, don't you fool with me, baby,
Don't you mess with my plans.
Some stormy nights, your memory haunts me,
You won't go away.
Well, like a bad penny you have turned up in the change,
Try to fit into the picture, you can't get inside the frame.
I think you know I'm still sore, but I'm on the mend,
Times sure have changed, it won't happen again.
Well, like a bad penny spins around and around,
Well, you won't know what's gone wrong when it all falls down,
You got to learn from now on to stop playing games,
You ought to keep on moving, you got to spin on your way.
Some lonely nights, I hear you calling,
Won't you go away?
Well, like a bad penny you have turned up again,
You're in my sights, there's a mist on my lens.
I think you know how it was when I tripped and fell,
Well, you double-dealed me, baby, I cracked like a shell.
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