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The album "Kimono My House" is a clear example of how, very often, some artists in their careers are capable of producing many decent works, but only one great masterpiece. Sparks, in 1974, had this flash of genius and produced this record which, despite its gradual obscurity, was (and remains) a milestone in its genre, now called glam-rock.
First of all, let's say that when you say Sparks, you are mainly referring to the brothers Ron and Russel Mael, Californians transplanted to London, respectively the keyboardist (and leading songwriter) and singer of the group. The two, to their fortune, were accompanied by three excellent performers, among whom guitarist Adrian Fisher stood out. The brothers were not only great musicians but also two stage performers. Just take a look at the album cover to glimpse their characteristics, among which Ron's unsettling resemblance to Adolf Hitler stands out. A resemblance not coincidental, as it is precisely to the era of the decadent German cabaret that Sparks' music refers. With the multi-award-winning musical film Cabaret, produced just a few years earlier, an artistic trend began intending to reevaluate the culture, ultimately alternative and underground, present in the smoky venues of Berlin and Munich during the rise to power of Nazism. Music also did not escape the trend, and "Kimono My House" is the most enlightening example of it because it knew how to fuse rock canons, even hard ones, with the murky and decadent atmospheres typical of German cabaret shows.
The album starts with three tracks that, at the time, left even the most demanding listeners breathless and that are the three pearls of the production: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us," an energetic and slightly hard western duel, which hides the metaphor of the Aryan with the Jew, "Amateur Hours," a seductive rock'n'roll, and the great "Falling in Love With Myself Again," whose rhythm is directly taken from the typical Bavarian beer hall songs. Standing out is Russel Mael's falsetto voice, which did not hide his admiration for Marlene Dietrich and her "Blue Angel," which he mimicked, and Adrian Fisher's guitar, clean and light. In full normality, the rhythm section and Ron Mael's keyboards, whose great merit was composing all the tracks of the then LP. Other notable pieces are "Talent Is an Asset," almost a xylophone rhythm dance, "Hasta Manana Monsieur," another pure cabaret piece, and "Thank God It's Not Christmas," an ironic rock paced by the text, then anti-conformist. Less successful are the others and the two bonus tracks, now inevitable on all reissued CDs.
Ultimately, a successful mix of atmospheres, of simple and decisive rock with marked colors and a decidedly Central European background, which made it an absolute and, unfortunately, unique masterpiece of the glam-rock scene. Many musicians who later became more famous (such as, for example, Queen, which I hear in every note, even if many of you will say no) have been inspired by this album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us (03:06)
Zoo time is she and you time
The mammals are your favourite type, and you want her tonight
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You hear the thunder of stampeding rhinos, elephants and tacky tigers
This town ain't big enough for the () both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave
Flying, domestic flying
And when the stewardess is near do not show any fear
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You are a khaki-coloured bombadier, it's Hiroshima that you're nearing
This town ain't big enough for both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave
Daily, except for Sunday
You dawdle in to the cafe where you meet her (she meet you) each day
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
As 20 cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you do
This town ain't big enough for the () both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave
Shower, another shower
You got to look your best for her, and be clean everywhere
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
The rain is pouring on the foreign town, the bullets cannot cut you down
This town ain't big enough for the () both of us
And it ain't me who's gonna leave
Census, the latest census
There'll be more girls who live in town though not enough to go round
Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat
You know that this town isn't big enough, not big enough for both of us
this town isn't big enough, not big enough for both of us
(And) I ain't gonna leave
02 Amateur Hour (03:41)
The lawns grow plush in the hinterlands
The perfect little setting for the one night stands.
The drapes are drawn and the lights are out
It's the time to put in practise what you've dreamed about.
Well she can show you what you must do
To be more like people better than you.
Amateur hour goes on and on
When you turn pro you know
she'll let you know
Amateur hour goes on and on
When you turn pro
you know she tells you so.
Girls grow tops to go topless in
While we sit and count the hairs that blossom from our chins.
Our voices change at a rapid pace
I could start a song a tenor and then end as bass.
So choose your partners everyone
If you hesitate the good ones are gone.
Amateur hour goes on and on
. . .
Dance
laugh
wine
dine and talk and sing
But those cannot replace what is the real thing
It's a lot like playing the violin
You cannot start off and be Yehudi Menuhin.
So Amateur hour goes on and on
. . .
05 Thank God It's Not Christmas (05:09)
What do I hear, what do I hear?
Chit-chat, and clinking glass
Cheap talk, a lady's laugh
After hour
What do I see, what do I see?
Some sunken hideaway
Where people go to play
After hour
There I'll spend the night
Meeting fancy thins
At bistros and old haunts
Trying very hard to sin
Then it is day end in a way
The pattern's much the same
In-spots, a matinee
Every day
Blend with the crowd, blend with the loud
Hypnotic ebb and flow
Until the day goes slowly
Into night
See the same old crowd
At bistros and old haunts
'Til the lights grow dim,
The not-so-subtle hint to be gone
Chorus:
Thank God it's not Christmas
When there is only you
And nothing else to do
Thank God it's not Christmas
Where there's just you to do
The rest is closed to public view
Caroling kids, caroling kids
A trifle premature, in tones so rich and pure and crystaline
Call for the day, the popular day
It's fast approaching now
But will the mood allow
One dissent
If this were the Seine
We'd be very suave
But it's just the rain
Washing down the boulevard
(Chorus)
Popular days, the popular ways
Are for the chosen few
Not meant for me and you
Obviously
Popular nights, poplar rites
Great things to say and do
Aren't said or done by you
Obviously
If this were Seine
We'd be very suave
But it's just the rain
Washing down the boulevard
07 Talent Is an Asset (03:27)
Albert is smart, he's a genius
Watch Albert putter, an obvious genius
someday he will reassess the world
and he'll still have time for lots of girls
when he grows up he'll remember us
When he grows up we are sure that he'll remember us
We made sure that Albert wore his mac,
we kept all the strangers off his back
(Go away)
everythings relative
(Go away Albert mother said to me)
we're Albert's relatives, and he dont need any non-relatives
talent is an asset, youve got to understand that
talent is an asset and little Albert has it
talent is an asset and Albert surely has it.
One day he'll sever his apron strings
All of the while he'll be scribbling his genius things
Look at Albert isnt he a sight
growing, growing at the speed of light.
(Go away)
everythings relative
(Go away Albert mother said to me)
we're Albert's relatives, and he dont need any non-relatives
Talent is an asset and little albert has it
(go away)
Talent is relative (go away)
thats hypothetical (go away)
we are his relatives (go away)
thats parenthetical (go away)
spare your superlatives (go away)
theres the receptacle (go away)
theres the receptacle (go away)
leave Alberts study room (go away)
leave alberts happy home (go away)
leave alberts neighrbourhood (go away)
leave alberts city too (go away)
leave alberts comfy seat (go away)
leave alberts country (go away)
leave alberts continent (go away)
leave alberts hemisphere (go away)
leave alberts planet too (go away)
leave alberts universe (go away)
no one must see him now (go away)
only the medical (go away)
no one must come near him (go away)
dont be too cynical (go away)
dont be too critical (go away)
cancel the magazines (go away)
theyre much too political (go away)
dont buy him any jeans (go away)
theyre much too casual (go away)
talent is relative (go away)
thats hypothetical...
08 Complaints (02:54)
Nothing in the world is perfect
grin and bear it silently or yell into my ear
Complaints, its my department
complaints, its my department
everything you wear's too tight and clashes with the candlelight
just give it back, no questions asked
and nothing in the world is perfect
grin and bear it silently or yell into my ear
complaints, its stereophonic
complaints, its ironic
how they chatter, how they bore us
like some avant gardish chorus
just give it back, no questions asked
Well i'll dive off the mezzanine
if one more points at crooked seam
a sign of shoddy workmanship
of asianic hands that slipped
just give it back no questions asked
Nothing in the world is perfect
Grin and bear it silently or yell into my ear
Complaints, there's to many hours
Complaints, the bosses cower
Two weeks free from all complaining, it was due to our complaining
Take her to Spain and hear her complain
and now she says that she's expecting
and thats my fault for not protecting
Her from all the risks of passion
shes complaining, she's old fashioned
just give it back, no questions asked
complains, complaints
complaints, its my department
complaints, its my department
complaints, its stereophonic
complaints, its ironic
complaints, theres too many hours
complaints, the bosses cower
09 In My Family (03:49)
That's how it's gonna be
In my family
From the biggest branch to the smallest leaf
Still you're gonna see similarity
In my family
That's how it's gonna be
That's how its gonna be
'Cause it's my family
Gonna live to see post-senility
Lots of time to spend with my family
In my family
That's how it's gonna be
There you got your Rockefeller
There you got your Edward Teller
J. Paul Getty is a splendid fellow, but
None of them would be in my family
In my family
That's how it's gonna be
Family
It's like any other family
Big and small
It's like any other family
Thats how it's gonna be
Before and after me
Manufacturing many, many me's
Gonna hang myself from my family tree
In my family
That's how it's gonna be
10 Equator (04:43)
I always thought that i had quite a gift
as a judge of human character
this is the day and the time and the place
and i wonder, wonder where you are
surely we set it for 3pm, surely we said it was march the 10th
Equator, equator
You said you'd meet me there
You must be just around the bend
Well all of the gifts are now melted or dead
and im sorry, sorry in advance
ill make it up to you, that i can promise you
if i am given just half the chance
God you'll be laughing, i look a mess
but you see i've been half way 'round this place
Equator equator
you said you'd meet me there
Equator equator
you said youd be right there
equator equator
Oh yeah
Equator equator
doo doo doo doo
Equator equator
doo doo doo doo doo doo
Equator equator
Oh yeah!
Equator equator
you said youd meet me there
you must be just around the bend
I've got to stop here and rest for a moment
I'm sure that you're not far away
You always walked just as slow as you talked
letting me think I could have my way
I wasn't fooled for a second, girl
I knew it was you who controlled our world
Equator equator
you said youd meet me there
equator equator
you siad youd be right there
equator equator
oh yeah
Equator Equator
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