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Rating: What a great band, these Uccelli di Cortile (?), sometimes found as Backyardbirds in some Italian reissue, rummaged from the shelves of a flea market. I could start this review with a nice "they were the training ground for guitarists like Clapton, Beck, Page," the problem is that this far from negligible characteristic is now more than well-known (at least I hope so...).
Nostalgically interesting is the very brief presentation of on-stage and behind-the-scenes photographs in the scant booklet, with the former minor idols of the beat, now, obviously, turned into old men pre-retirement. Just one of the guitarists is a new entry, probably the son of one of them, or at most the grandson of the waiter who used to bring them coffee from the bar downstairs while they recorded "For Your Love", forty years earlier.
Recorded in 2006 at the B.B. King Blues Club in the heart of New York City, this electrifying live performance is a good example of how to play blues rock without appearing excessively old-fashioned or nostalgic. Released quietly, probably without particular ambitions, this LP also has a modest and essential graphic design: the historic logo on the cover with a motion photo of nighttime New York behind it, framing this performance.
The band starts with the famous "Train Kept A Rollin'", and immediately one notices a clean production and a lead voice that, without ever being a top of the genre, doesn't show the passing years, appearing warm and present. The setlist, without great surprises, features great tracks like "Heart Full Of Soul", a little masterpiece from days gone by, "Shapes Of Things", the mini-hit "For Your Love, a Page-like "Dazed And Confused" until the conclusion of "Happening Ten Years Time Ago", and many greetings.
We agree, the few who have had the chance to listen to this live might agree that we are not talking about "Irish Tour" or "Wheels Of Fire," the one just passed is an honest commemorative LP, without particular flair but without evident moments of boredom. And the group? Good instrumentalists, maybe a bit weak in the rhythm section, with a fairly ordinary drum and a diligent bass without virtuosities.
Surely the work serves to remember a band, now gone, particularly "full of soul", historically important but rediscovered only by enthusiasts (fanatics?) of the genre.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Train Kept a Rollin' (03:39)
Aboard a train
I met a dame
She was a hipster
Man a real gone dame
She wasn't pretty
For New York City
As we strut down on that ol' fairlane
With a heave and a ho
I just couldn't let her go
Get along
Sweet little woman get along
On your way
Get along
Sweet little woman get along
On your way
With a heave and a ho
I just couldn't let her go
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
With a heave and a ho
I just couldn't let her go
I made a stop round Albuquerque
She must'a thought I was real gone jerk
Got off the train at El Paso
A' looking so good I couldn't let her go
With a heave and a ho
I just couldn't let her go
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
The train kept a rollin' all night long
With a heave and a ho
I just couldn't let her go
03 Drinking Muddy Water (03:54)
(Chris Dreja / Keith Relf / Jim McCarty / Jimmy Page)
Ah, ah, ah, ah...
Well I've been running and a-hiding,
Trying to lose my mind.
Well I've been running and a-hiding,
Trying to lose my mind.
Ever since you told me,
That you weren't my kind.
Ah, ah, ah...
Drinking muddy water,
I don't know how long for.
I been drinking muddy water,
I don't know how long for.
Since I been running, babe,
I been treating you like a dog.
05 Heart Full of Soul (02:39)
(Graham Gouldman)
Sick at heart and lonely,
deep in dark despair.
Thinking one thought only
where is she tell me where.
And if she says to you
she don't love me
just give her my message
tell her of my plea
And I know if she had me back again
well I would never make her sad.
I've gotta heart full of soul.
She's been gone such a long time
longer than I can bear
but if she says she wants me
tell her that I'll be there
And if she says to you
she don't love me
just give her my message
tell her of my plea.
10 Shapes of Things (02:42)
Shapes of things before my eyes,
Just teach me to despise.
Will time make men more wise?
Here within my lonely frame,
My eyes just hurt my brain.
But will it seem the same?
Come tomorrow, will I be older?
Come tomorrow, may be a soldier.
Come tomorrow, may I be bolder than today?
Now the trees are almost green.
But will they still be seen?
When time and tide have been.
Fall into your passing hands.
Please don't destroy these lands.
Don't make them desert sands.
Chorus, Lead.
Soon I hope that I will find,
Thoughts deep within my mind.
That won't disgrace my kind.
12 Rack My Mind (05:51)
(Chris Dreja / Jim McCarty / Jeff Beck / Keith Relf / Paul Samwell-Smith)
Baby I got a problem,
Don't know what to do.
Baby I got a problem,
I don't know what to do.
Can't find the words to describe you, woman,
None I got will do.
I gonna search a dictionary,
I find new words to use.
Gonna search a dictionary,
Find new words to use.
Woman you defy me,
Ain't no words to choose.
Baby I'm rackin' my mind,
Baby I'm rackin' my mind,
Now I can't [ ?].
Baby rackin' my mind,
I can't find,
Any words.
Tell me woman,
Got a hold on my mind.
My, my, my, my, my, mind,
You sure are the strangest kind.
Got no words for you baby,
Ain't no words I can find.
Now I know what to call you,
Know what to call you, baby.
I know what to call you,
Know what to call you,
You're the world's worst woman,
The devil ever made.
Now I know you baby,
Now I know you girl,
Now I know you baby,
[You find some other guy ?]
I know baby,
I sure raise my eye.
13 Over Under Sideways Down (03:08)
(Chris Dreja / Jim McCarty / Jeff Beck / Keith Relf / Paul Samwell-Smith)
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Cars and girls are easy come by in this day and age,
Laughing, joking, drinking, smoking,
Till I've spent my wage.
When I was young people spoke of immorality,
All the things they said were wrong,
Are what I want to be.
(Hey)
Over under sideways down,
(Hey)
Backwards forwards square and round.
(Hey)
Over under sideways down,
(Hey)
Backwards forwards square and round.
When will it end, when will it end,
When will it end, when will it end.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
I find comment 'bout my looks irrelativity,
Think I'll go and have some fun,
'Cos it's all for free.
I'm not searching for a reason to enjoy myself,
Seems it's better done,
Than argued with somebody else.
(Hey)
Over under sideways down,
(Hey)
Backwards forwards square and round.
(Hey)
Over under sideways down,
(Hey)
Backwards forwards square and round.
When will it end, when will it end,
When will it end, when will it end.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Over under sideways down...
15 For Your Love (03:26)
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
I'd give you everything and more, and that's for sure.
For your love.
I'd bring you diamond rings and things right to your door.
For your love.
To thrill you with delight,
I'll give you diamonds bright.
There'll be things that will excite,
To make you dream of me at night.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love, for your love,
I would give the stars above.
For your love, for your love,
I would give you all I could.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
I'd give the moon if it were mine to give.
For your love.
I'd give the stars and the sun 'fore I live.
For your love.
To thrill you with delight,
I'll give you diamonds bright.
There'll be things that will excite,
To make you dream of me at night.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
16 Still I'm Sad (01:43)
(Paul Samwell-Smith / Jim McCarty)
See the stars come joining down from the sky,
Gently passing, they kiss your tears when you cry.
See the wind of summer blow your hair upon your head,
See the rain, the falling rain, it's rain.
Still I'm sad.
Oh my flowers, my tears just falling two days,
we are driving the night to find they are lost.
Flower, flower the wind is blowing,
time into my heart.
When the wind blows hard, we are apart.
Still I'm sad,
Still I'm sad.
Still I'm sad.
18 I'm a Man (05:10)
(Ellas McDaniel (better known as Bo Diddley) (1955))
Note: Many different recordings of the song exist, each with differing lyrics. I have tried to collate the important lyrics here - inevitably some lines will be missed out, and the order of verses changed. The studio version consists solely of the middle three verses. Other recordings, in particular the 'Five Live Yardbirds' and the BBC sessions versions, start with the first verse and also include the last verse (both in '{ }' braces).
{
Now when I was a little boy,
At the age of five,
I had somethin' in my pocket,
Kept a lot of folks alive.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.
}
All you pretty women,
Stand in line,
I can make love to you baby,
In an hour's time.
Now i'm a man
I spell M-A-N...man.
The line I shoot,
Will never miss,
Make love to you baby,
You can't resist.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.
Goin back down,
To Kansas to,
Bring back a little girl,
Just like you.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.
{
Now I'm a man,
Made twenty-one,
You know baby,
We can have a lot of fun.
I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.
}
© Arc Music Corp. (BMI)
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