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Rating: ONE LAST SIGH OF FAREWELL, GOODBYE
or the sunset over the London of Roxy Music
Here's one of those records that I eloquently like to call Time Machines.
With the flaming flash of "Street Life" I am catapulted into London of 1973, groups of boys and girls run down the street throwing sequins, glitter, and feather boas in my face, inevitably smudging blue eyeshadow on my eyelids. Freedom and excess are the watchwords, Andy McKay's saxophone doesn't invite me, it FORCES me to shake my hips to the frantic voices of Bryan Ferry. The falsetto in "Just Like You" is a sweet whisper that, contrasting with the distortions of the great Phil Manzanera, paints a boulevard that takes me forward in time a few more years to the funky vibe of Amazona.
I'm still running on a road that turns cobblestone beneath my feet and I find myself in the Middle Ages: I enter a church, and everything calms down while I listen to a prayer for voice and piano that envelops the pain and desperate salvation of my soul. It's "Psalm," and my spirit is filled with vibrant divinity...
But it's after a bubbly "Serenade" that the true masterpiece arrives... with "A Song For Europe," I'm no longer in London but across Europe, and visions of the past frustrate my peace, dissolving before my eyes a love distant as a faded photograph. A cold, painful, and anguished lyrical chant accompanies me from a café in the shadow of Notre Dame to Venice, where the gondola carries my obsessions to Rome... I hear the explosion of an orchestra and Latin verses recite the nostalgia of memories that melt into enchantment... but maybe I never moved from that café in Paris along the Seine, and I can't accept that what time has taken from me has vanished like the power of this tormented saxophone.
...But here I am teleported back to London on the lightning bolt of Mother of Pearl... I almost convince myself it's better to get up and dance to forget the past, when I realize it's no longer 1973 but 1873, I'm at the court of Oscar Wilde and a dandy, part crooner part Casanova, sings out the delightful refinements of mother of pearl, embodiment of a beloved woman or everything that is exquisitely ambiguous, just like in the reflection of "Maybe yes, maybe no" in d'Annunzio's work: "looking for love in a looking glass world it's pretty hard to find".
...Until "Sunset," the metaphorical sunset par excellence: love, memories, music, travels in time and space, but also the ability Ferry has to amaze and move, everything is beginning to fade away... it's truly goodbye, and the group is aware of being at the "end of my day, my decline"... the last destination seems like a dissolve of a 1950s Hollywood film, during which I'm walking in backlight on a path that takes me to Avalon...
Now I'm alone in my room and I have "Stranded" in my hands, the last Roxy Music album, or at least the last of the Roxy Music that makes reality vibrate. The English band is only on their third album and from the following Country Life onwards, it's just decadence, the one the group perhaps narrated since their dazzling start in 1972.
From "A Song For Europe":
"And here by the Seine Notre-Dame casts a long lonely shadow... There's no more time for us, nothing is there for us to share but yesterdays...
Ecce momenta, illa mirabilia quae captabit in aeternum memor... modo dolores sunt in dies, non est reliquum vero tantum comminicamus perdita.
Tous ces moments perdus dans l`enchantement qui ne reviendront jamais..."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Street Life (03:29)
Wish everybody would leave me alone -yeah
They're always calling on my telephone
When I pick it up there's no one there
So I walk outside just to take the air
Come on with me cruising down the street
Who knows what you'll see, who you might meet
This brave new world's not like yesterday -
It can take you higher than the milky way
Now I'm blinded I can really see - yeah
No more bright lights confusing me - no
Don't ask me why I'm feeling blue
'Cause loving you is all I can do
Hey good-looking boys - gather around
The sidewalk papers gutter-press you down
All those lies can be so unkind,
They can make you feel like you're losing your mind
Street Life
Street Life
Street Life
What a Life
Back to nature boys - Vasser girls too
Watch what you say, or think, or do
Continental-style strasse girls might
But you know exactly if it´s wrong or right
Education is an important key - yes
But the good life's never won by degrees - no
Pointless passing through Harvard or Yale
Only window shopping - it's strictly no sale
Week end starts Friday soon after eight
Your jet black magic helps you celebrate
You may be stranded if you stick around
- And that's really something...
03 Amazona (04:16)
(Ferry/Manzanera)
Amazona
Is a zone where
There is no doubt
No more fall-out -
Why don´t you step
Through the mirror and see?
From Arizona
To Eldorado
Sure is a mighty long way.
Hey little girl
Is something wrong?
I know it´s hard
For you to get along
The bell-tower rings
It tolls a hollow sound
But your castles in Spain
Still may be realised
And longings more profound.
You see - every cloud
Has a silver lining
And sometimes paradise
Around your corner lies.
In Amazona everything is nice
Little one - come take my hand?
I´ll try to help you there -
I´ll take you there.
Amazona´s
Getting closer
Oh soon you´ll see.
Journey's over
We're almost there
04 Psalm (08:04)
(Ferry)
Try on your love
Like a new dress
The fit and the cut
Your friends to impress
Try on your smile -
Square on your face
Showing affection
Should be no disgrace
Try out your God
Hope He will send
Kindness from strangers
On whom you depend
Try on His coat
A mantle most fine
Myriad colours
His harmony-thine
Believe in me
Once seemed a good line
Now belief in Jesus
Is faith more sublime
Head in the clouds
But I can´t see the Lord
Short of perfection
I´ll try to be good
I´ll stand at His gate
I´ll wait for His sign
Then I´ll walk in His garden
When it´s my time
Drink from His cup
Hush now don´t you cry
His quiet waters
Will never, never run dry
Nearing death´s vale
He´s here by my side
He leads me to paradise
A mountain so high
Don´t be afraid
Just treasure His word
Singing His praises
I know that I´ll be heard
He´s gonna take you by the hand
He´s gonna make you feel so good
Open up your eyes
And then you´ll see all that you should
Forget all your troubles
You will feel no pain
He´s all that you need
He´s your everything
When I´m feeling all at sea
Deliverance is that distant shore
I will not be worried
Someday His house will be my home
For ever more
05 Serenade (02:59)
(Ferry)
Darkness falls
Around your window pane
A light still burns
But just a smouldering flame
Is it the end of another affair
An open engagement with gloom
Or will you be smiling
When the sun conjures up
A broken spell au clair de lune?
Silhouette
As you draw the shade
Cloak of night
You know it´s tailor-made
G-Plan gymnastics
By an everglow fire
Could never mean the same
As summer enchantment
By an old mill steam
From courtly love to costly game
Maybe I´m wrong for seeming
Ungrateful, unforgiving
Oh how it hurts now you´re finally leaving
I couldn't take anymore ......
Now´s the time!
Let´s hide away
Sacred hours
Saved from yesterday
Boo-hoo willows weep around you still
Mirror reflections of dew
But waterfall pages of an open book
Could shower new horizons soon
Call the tune
Will you swoon
As I croon
Your serenade
06 A Song for Europe (05:46)
(Ferry/Mackay)
Here as I sit
At this empty cafe
Thinking of you
I remember
All those moments
Lost in wonder
That we´ll never
Find again
Though the world
Is my oyster
It´s only a shell
Full of memories
And here by the Seine
Notre-Dame casts
A long lonely shadow
Now - only sorrow
No tomorrow
There´s no today for us
Nothing is there
For us to share
But yesterday
These cities may change
But there always remains
My obsession
Through silken waters
My gondola glides
And the bridge - it sighs ...
I remember
All those moments
Lost in wonder
That we´ll never
Find again
There´s no more time for us
Nothing is there
For us to share
But yesterdays
Ecce momenta
Illa mirabilia
Quae captabit
In aeternum
Memor
Modo dolores
Sunt in dies
Non est reliquum
Vero tantum
Comminicamus
Perdita
Tous ces moments
Perdus dans l`enchantement
Qui ne reviendront
Jamais
Pas d´aujourd´hui pour nous
Pour nous il n´y a rien
A partager
Sauf le passé
07 Mother of Pearl (06:52)
Turn the lights down
(Way down low)
Turn up the music
(Hi as Fi can go)
All the gang's here
(Everyone you know)
It's a crazy scene
(Hey there just look over your shoulder)
Get the picture? Yes
(No no no no)
Walk a tightrope
(Your life-sign-line)
Such a bright hope
(Right place, right time)
What's your number?
(Never you mind)
Take a powder
(But hang on a minute)
(What's coming round the corner?)
Have you a future? Yes
(No no no no)
Well, I've been up all night again
Party time wasting is too much fun
Then I step back thinking
Of life's inner meaning and my latest fling
It's the same old story
All love and glory, it's a pantomime
If you're looking for love
In a looking glass world
It's pretty hard to find
Oh, mother of pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Divine intervention
Always my intention
So I take my time
I've been looking for something
I've always wanted but was never mine
But now I've seen that something
Just out of reach glowing very Holy grail
Oh, mother of pearl
Lustrous lady of a sacred world
Thus even Zarathustra
Another time loser
Could believe in you
With every Goddess a let down
Every idol a bring down, it gets you down
But the search for perfection
Your own predilection
Goes on and on and on and on
Canadian Club love
A place in the Country
Everyone's ideal
But you are my Favorita
And a place in your heart, dear
Makes me feel more real
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't change you
For the whole world
You're highbrow, holy
With lots of soul
Melancholy shimmering
Serpentine sleekness
Was always my weakness
Like a simple tune
But no dilettante, filigree fancy
Beats the plastic you
Career girl cover
Exposed and another
Slips right into view
Oh, looking for love
In a looking glass world
Is pretty hard for you
Few throwaway kisses
The boomerang misses
Spin round and round
Fall on featherbed quilted
Faced with silk
Softly stuffed eider down
Take refuge in pleasure
Just give me your future
We'll forget your past
Oh, Mother of Pearl
Submarine lover
In a shrinking world
Oh, lonely dreamer
Your choker provokes
A picture cameo
Oh, Mother of Pearl
So so semi precious
In your detached world
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
Oh, Mother of Pearl
I wouldn't trade you
For another girl
08 Sunset (06:04)
(Ferry)
Oh look at the sun - it's all a-glow
Slow burning star - sinking low
Heaven knows where you go
Out of sight, out of minds eye, no
Aw such a shame - you must leave
All day long you were a friend to me
Still - the moon´s company
Until morning when larks will sing
Horizon´s appointment you´ll keep
For sunswept flamingos must sleep
Scenes like these from my dreams
Cover cutting-room floors all over .....
Warm heart we spin slowly from view
Why are you sad - do you disapprove?
How we´ve wasted our time
Sunset - end of my day - my decline
Postscript you trace colours the sky
Red-letter light fades, is filed away
Sunburst fingers you raise
One last sigh of farewell - goodbye
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