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Rating:
The argument of "it was better before" doesn't hold up with Scritti Politti by Green Gartside and David Gamson, who release their unmatched masterpiece in 1985. Green Gartside, political commitment and Gramscian writings, drugs and culture, always tidy living room and a skeleton perpetually with a book in hand. Someone who writes a pop album in '82 and slips in a piece dedicated to a deconstructionist philosopher. Or who writes lines like "The weakest link in every chain, I always want to find it/The strongest words in each belief, and find out what's behind it". Someone who in '78 was convinced he had said it all, while others were kicking him in the butt to move forward. Strictly after a community assembly where the new programs are explained.
Masterpiece, as was said. In the year of "Songs to Remember" comes out "Thriller" and it's half a revolution. Here's the emaciated leader trying again on the second attempt over the long haul, perhaps with some pop doses in addition; even better if made in the Jackson household. Gartside unleashes a timeless falsetto, supported by barrage of sequencers and futuristic arrangements. Mind you, we are still talking about pop: a pop certainly more commercial (my god, what a bad word!) than the debut album, but certainly no less refined. Can commercial and refined go together? Of course, they can. Try not to shake your booty to Perfect Way or Don't Work That Hard. Or not to swoon over the heavenly intro of Absolute, keyboard-heavy keys and heavily pumped bass. Dance culture was the proposal back then, a long dance floor on which our sweaty feet dried on the verses of The Word Girl - "then your blood and your flesh turned into word", to celebrate the deepest essence of the female genre.
Sure, today it's not easy to watch the video for Perfect Way, with that swaying blonde tuft that seems to pop out of the screen. But knowing that shortly after the same lanky guy could sing A Little Knowledge - again, love as knowledge, "now I know that loving you is not knowing you" - soothes all the curses thrown towards those terrible Eighties.
Because all of us have at least once in our life prayed in bed like Aretha Franklin.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Small Talk (03:39)
Small talk small talk small talk
Ooh we're tired of prophesying
We heard the word was good but it's stupefying
Small talk get up and do some death defying small talk
I heard a whisper
that careless talk costs more than you bargained for
In seventh heaven if a thing's worth doing it's worth doing badly
Small talk oh baby it's so inconsequential
Everybody heard enough about your big potential
Small talk oh no information given small talk
Small talk oh well your such a little socialite
We heard your chit chat now you get it up and get it right
Small talk oh show us what your made of baby small talk
03 Absolute (04:25)
Absolute on power drive I need you so to keep me alive
Absolute I long for you a girl to make a dream come true
Absolute a principal to make your heart invincible to love
Ooh love you ... holy girl your lips of clay
Will whisper words of yesterday
Holy girl my paramour I know too much to be so sure
Holy girl you kiss away the meaning of the working day
For love / ooh love you ...
Where the words are worn away we live to love another day
Where the words are hard 'n' fast we talk of nothing new but the past
Where the words are vodka clear forgetfulness has brought us near
Absolute a principal to make your heart invincible
To love oh to love to love
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05 Don't Work That Hard (03:59)
I need love for the power got to understand
I need love for the power got the upper hand
I need love for the power use it oh so fast
I need love for the power love'll never last
And I don't work that hard not for love
Drowning in my teardrops
And I don't work that hard not for love
Drowning in my teardrops
Oh I'll be good want you so much
give me the word wrap it for love
Oh I'll be true oh I love you so much
give me the word and I'll honour and obey
I submit for approval got to understand
I submit for approval got the upper hand
I submit for approval use it oh so fast
I submit for approval n'love'll never last
I got a piece for the wicked use it oh so fast
I got a piece for the wicked love'll never last
I'm gonna work that hard oh for love
Even in my teardrops
I'm gonna work that hard oh for love
Even in my teardrops
06 Perfect Way (04:33)
I took a backseat a backhander I took her back to her room
I better get back to the basics for you
You gotta conscience compassion you got away with the word
You gotta heart full of complacency too
I don't have a purpose omission I'm empty by definition
I got a lack girl that you'd love to be
You wanna diva a deduction you wanna do what they do
Wanna do damage that you can undo
Apart from everyone away from your love
A part of me belongs apart from all the hurt above
I got a perfect way to make a new proposition
I got a perfect way to make a justification
I got a perfect way to make a certain a maybe
I got a perfect way to make the girls go crazy
I took a day job amendment I took a liking to you
I took a page out of my rulebook for you
You wanna message a confession you wanna martyr me too
You wanna margin of error for two
Maybe tomorrow the next letter or when the weather gets better
I've got to wait here for your moon to turn blue
I made an offer an exception I made a sense out of you
You took a good look at your book but I knew
In times of tenderness in terms baby so true
Until such time as I can understand all the things you do
Want to forgive you for all the things that you do
Wanna forget how to remember with you
Maybe tomorrow the next letter or when the weather gets better
I've got to wait here for your moon to turn blue
This is a perfect way to make a new proposition
This is a perfect way to make a justification
This is a perfect way to make a certain a maybe
This is a perfect way to make the girls go crazy
08 Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (04:48)
here's nothing I wouldn't be
To get to be together
There's nothing I wouldn't be
My heart depends on me
There's nothing I wouldn't do
Including doing nothing
There's nothing I wouldn't do
For you to be with me now sugar
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Nothing, oh nothing
Because baby, baooo
I'm a would be
W. O. O. D.
I'm a would be would be
B. E. E. Z.
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To make you want for nothing
There's nothing I wouldn't do
My heart belongs to you
There's nothing we shouldn't do
To get to be so happy
There's nothing we shouldn't do
Oh, let's forget taboo now sugar
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Nothing, oh nothing
Because baby, baooo
I'm a would be
W. O. O. D.
I'm a would be would be
B. E. E. Z.
Each time I love you
You know what I need to do
And each time I need you
Oh, baby you know, you know, know, kn-know
(I)
(Ooh!)
(Ooh!)
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Nothing, oh nothing
Because baby, baooo
I'm a would be
I'm a would be
W. O. O. D.
I'm a would be would be
B. E. E. Z.
There's nothing I wouldn't take
Oh, even intravenous
There's nothing I wouldn't take
To get to be approved
There's nothing I wouldn't be
Oh that's the gift of schizo
There's nothing that's new to me
I've seen it all before now sugar
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Each time I go to bed I pray like Aretha Franklin
Nothing, oh nothing
Because baby, baooo
I'm a would be
W. O. O. D.
I'm a would be would be
B. E. E. Z.
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