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Rating:
It was recorded on tape by a high school classmate of mine, complete with a dedication: "Smack, Simo," a tape I'm still very fond of. The intro of School on the original vinyl was scratched and produced five or six "stocks" while beneath the harmonica opened the show. The absence of the stocks on mp3 still feels like something's amiss. The same sense of disorientation felt with the opening of Crazy diamond, where the stocks are countless.
Anyway, "Bonsuar Parì e benvenù a la suaré de Supertrem." Oh, let's be clear, these guys are nothing transcendental, of whom I thought Hodgson was the bassist, only to find out he wasn't, but on the first or second album I swear it was written Roger Hodgson bass guitar. Hodgson, as a singer I mean, I've always liked more than Davies, with that voice reminiscent of a Bi Gis castoff type who I am, who I am, who I aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmortacci tua how high you go.
Coming to the album in question, a nice live, for those who don't know them at all it's a good opportunity to embrace all their best production, considering that soon after the two minds of the group would split. I modestly believe that, apart from the most famous songs, like the mentioned breakfast, the logical song, those that all revival radios play, the music of these gentlemen should be considered by this music-loving community, especially the younger ones, because they are, it's true, little songs, often mawkish and mellifluous, but they all have the common denominator of refinement and intelligence: the lyrics are refined, the melodies are refined, the choice and use of instruments are refined, just as smart and balanced are the four (or five, six?) in putting everything together in the shaker and creating a cocktail that never smudges.
The result is true pearls: Hide in your shell, in my view one of the absolute peaks of their production, the extraordinary ending of From now on, the carefree sweetness of You started laughing, the whispered Two of us, the light-hearted Dreamer, the futuristic Fool's overture, the melancholic Take the long way home.
Live, unlike other (and more celebrated) bands, they bring out their best. Their studio recordings sometimes sound dusty, stale, often cloying, like a dollhouse, while in the open air (maybe it's the magical air of Paris) the songs breathe, unfold, expand, fill the space, take shape and matter. And the paradox is that the stylistic perfection of the musicians is such that if you removed the audience's roars, you'd think it's a studio recording.
Who knows why certain bands, although deserving from an artistic point of view, after years no one pays attention to them anymore. They simply disappear. Maybe because these guys, throughout their career, have done nothing but produce simple songs with extreme skill and care. Easy-to-listen songs, maybe too easy. Someone used to say that if the poet struggles, the reader won't. I think the saying fits perfectly with Davies and company.
Happy 2008 to everyone.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 School (05:32)
I can see you in the morning when you go to school
Don't forget your books, you know you've got to learn the golden rule,
Teacher tells you stop your play and get on with your work
And be like Johnnie - too-good, well don't you know he never shirks
- he's coming along!
After School is over you're playing in the park
Don't be out too late, don't let it get too dark
They tell you not to hang around and learn what life's about
And grow up just like them - won't you let it work it out
- and you're full of doubt
Don't do this and don't do that
What are they trying to do?
- Make a good boy of you
Do they know where it's at?
Don't criticize, they're old and wise
Do as they tell you to
Don't want the devil to
Come and put out your eyes
Maybe I'm mistaken expecting you to fight
Or maybe I'm just crazy, I don't know wrong from right
But while I am still living, I've just got this to say
It's always up to you if you want to be that
want to see that
want to see that way
- you're coming along!
02 Ain't Nobody but Me (05:34)
Let me tell you a story that'll make a change,
Let me tell you when I'm way out of range;
It's about a man who's crueler than me,
So promise not to cause a scene,
Heaven help the one's you love,
There's no big need for stars above
Well, you can run, you, know he'll find you,
It don't matter now, just look behind you,
You had your warn, and you knew the score,
You got it wrong, and that means war;
So, why'd you have to treat me rough,
Your explanation's not enough.
-Ain't nobody but me,
Gonna lie for you, gonna die for you;
Ain't no fish in the sea,
Gonna sigh for you, gonna try for you,
Gonna lie for you, gonna die for you,
Wooh-
You see, I got a mental disposition,
Sometimes, I'm mean, sometimes I'm vicious;
I'm Dr. Jekyll, I'm Mr. Hyde,
So if you wanna stay alive,
Just give me all you've got to give,
And, then perhaps I'll let you live.
-Ain't nobody but me,
Gonna lie for you, gonna die for you,
Ain't no fish in the sea,
Gonna sigh for you, gonna try for you,
Gonna lie for you, gonna die for you;
Gonna sigh for you, gonna try for you,
Gonna lie for you, gonna die for you.-
(HUSH) Now baby, stop your crying,
(OH YES) I know that I've been lying,
(HUSH) Now baby, stop your crying
(OH YES) I know that I've been lying
(HUSH) Now baby, stop your crying
(OH YES) I know that I've been lying
(HUSH) Now baby, stop your crying
(OH YES) I know that I've been lying
AAAaaa
03 The Logical Song (03:55)
When I was young
It seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees
Well they'd be singing so happily
Oh joyfully, oh playfully watching me
But then they sent me away
To teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh responsible, practical
And then they showed me a world
Where I could be so dependable
Oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical
There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am
I say now watch what you say
Or they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh fanatical, criminal
Oh won't you sign up your name
We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh presentable, a vegetable
Whoa (tick, tick, tick, yeah)
But at night when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am, who I am, who I am, who I am
04 Bloody Well Right (07:25)
So you think your schooling's funny
I guess it's hard not to agree
You say it all depends on money
And who is in your family tree
Right, you're bloody well right
you got a bloody right to say
Right, you're bloody well right
you know you got a right to say
Ha-ha you're bloody well right
you know you're right to say
Yeah-yeah you're bloody well right
you know you're right to say
Me, I don't care anyway!
Write your problems down in detail
Take them to a higher place
You've had your cry - no, I should say wail
In the meantime hush your face
Right, quite right, you're bloody well right
05 Breakfast in America (02:57)
Take a look at my girlfriend,
She's the only one I got,
Not much of a girlfriend,
I never seem to get a lot,
Take a jumbo, across the water,
Like to see America,
See the girls in California,
I'm hoping it's going to come true,
But there's not a lot I can do,
Yeah!
Could we have kippers for breakfast,
Mummy dear, Mummy dear?
They got to have 'em in Texas,
'Cause everyone's a millionaire
I'm a winner, I'm a sinner,
Do you want my autograph?
I'm a loser, what a joker,
I'm playing my jokes upon you,
While there's nothing better to do,
Yeah!
Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-doo-de-dow-de-dow, de
Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-de-doo-de-dow
Na na na, nana na na na na...
Don't you look at my girlfriend, (Girlfriend)
She's the only one I got,
Not much of a girlfriend, (Girlfriend)
I never seem to get a lot (What's she got? Not a lot)
Take a jumbo, across the water,
Like to see America,
See the girls in California,
I'm hoping it's going to come true,
But there's not a lot I can do,
Yeah!
Ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-doo-de-dow-de-dow, de
Ba-ba-ba-dow, ba-bow-dum-doo-de-dow-de-dow
Hey oh, hey oh, hey oh, hey oh,
Hey oh, hey oh, hey oh, hey oh,
Na na na, nana na na na nana...
06 You Started Laughing (04:03)
When you're in heaven
What you gonna do?
You're gonna sit around a cloud and say
"Hey what a lovely view"
Is there a reason
Why you're like you are?
Is there a reason you'll be leaving?
Is my love out of season?
I wouldn't mind but to me that is treason
You started laughing
When I held you in my arms
You started leaving
When I told you of my charms
I was in love with you
And then you said we're through
And then I said boo hoo
Was my tie not on straight?
Was it something I ate?
07 Hide in Your Shell (06:56)
Hide In Your Shell
Hide in your shell cos the world is out to bleed you for a ride
What will you gain making your life a little longer?
Heaven or Hell, was the journey cold that gave your eyes of steel?
Shelter behind painting your mind and playing joker
Too Frightening to listen to a stranger
Too Beautiful to put your pride in danger
You're waiting for someone to understand you
But you've got demons in your closet
And you're screaming out to stop it
Saying life's begun to cheat you
Friends are out to beat you
Grab on to what you scramble for
Don't let the tears linger on inside now
Cos it's sure time you gained control
If I can help you, if I can help you
If I can help you, just let me know
Well, let me show you the nearest signpost
To get your heartback and on the road
If I can help you, if I can help you
If I can help you, just let me know.
All through the night as you like awake and hold yourself so tight
What do you need, a second-hand-movie-star to tend you?
I as a boy, I believed the saying the cure for pain was love
How would it be if you could see the world through my eyes?
Too Frightening- the fire's getting colder
Too Beautiful- to think you're getting older
You're looking for someone to give an answer.
But what you see is just an illusion
You're surrounded by confusion
Saying life's begun to cheat you
Friends are out to beat you
Grab on to what you can scramble for
Don't let teh tears...
... just let me know
I wanna know...
I wanna know you...
Well let me know you
I wanna feel you
I wanna touch you
Please let me near you
Can you hear what I'm saying?
Well I'm hoping, I'm dreamin', I'm prayin'
I know what you're thinkin'
See what you're seein'
Never ever let yourself go
Hold yourself down, hold yourself down
Why d'ya hold yourself down?
Why don't you listen, you can
Trust me,
There's a place I know the way to
A place there is need to feel you
Feel that you're alone
Hear me
I know exactly what you're feelin'
cos all your troubles are whithin you
please begin to see that I'm just bleeding to
Love me, love you
Loving is the way to
Help me, help you
- Why must we be so cool, oh so cool,?
Oh, we're such damn fools..
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