In the world of music, there are artists who "feel the album," and while composing, playing, and recording it, they realize what they have in their hands. Then there are artists who, even before a single note is born, already know that what is to come will be, must be, the masterpiece of their career. They isolate themselves, apply themselves, concentrate, throw themselves into it body and soul, squeeze themselves like citrus fruits, and once they bring forth the fruits of such immense sacrifices, you find them bearing the marks of their effort, perhaps with much less weight or hair, or with dark circles that truckloads of foundation can hardly cover... And then there are those like Todd Rundgren, who from '69 to '71 churned out five albums, each better than the last, and he doesn’t have a wrinkle on his face; in fact, he becomes more handsome... "But how the devil does he do it," the "ordinary artist" might wonder... Maybe the devil has something to do with it...
An immense variety of styles... All mixed together... With soul reigning supreme... A flair that surprises you... And a wisdom you can't explain.
"Long Flying Robe" is better than "Saturday In The Park" by Chicago. This cheerful little march has echoes of the Beach Boys, a typical ingredient in Rundgren's recipes, widely used in this ballad album. And to think that, in America, but also here, when a few years ago, an album by those Five For Fighting made the rounds, someone had the barbaric audacity to shout a miracle! "A Long Time, A Long Way To Go" is soul in falsetto, very delicate. Michael Bolton, in the presence of the melodic line and interpretation of these two and a half minutes of diamond, should consider his artistic depth akin to that of a cheese slice, then write a letter in his own hand declaring the uselessness of his existence, and put an end to it. But instead the noose is around Todd's neck...
Alternates blues verses with gentle gospel choruses in "Hope I'm Around". Gavin DeWho? "DeGrOw" (!)? "Grow"? "Grow up"? The one singing calls himself "Runt", "Dwarf"... The cool jazz, Burt Bacharach, and the autumn leaves: "Be Nice To Me" is one of those melodies that make you feel euphoric and melancholy at the same time, sad and happy, lively and sleepy... These are the melodies that make you want to throw away cigarettes (or joints, for those who like them) and light a nice vanilla aromatic cigar, to take off your spiked leather jacket and wear a beige trench coat in the style of Dick Tracy, to put a vintage Borsalino on your mohawk. Which damn Michael Bubblégum! From autumn straight to the spring of "Chain Letter"; Todd starts with only an acoustic guitar, but soon the song electrifies and layers up, filling with sounds, pulses, echoes, counter-songs, and becomes a frenzy of vibrations... The cool jazz of "Boat On The Charles" becomes chill out, between bongos and xylophones; then his falsettos and choirs give life to a watercolor that would not have looked out of place inside "Pet Sounds."
The rock n' roll of "Parole" and the pop blues played by surfers in "Bleeding" may not add much, but remain four more pearls of absolute beauty, on the piano... "The Ballad (Denny & Jean)" is accompanied by a delicate mellotron and little bells: an absolutely clean melody. "Wailing Wall" is piano, voice, and a noose: more delicate than Carole King, truer than the first (and the second) Elton John, reaching the divine peaks of Burt and the one Todd idolized as muse and teacher, Laura Nyro. With "The Range War", the (so to speak) Dwarf shows he not only knows how to write delicate love songs on the piano, but also excellent pop music. "Remember Me" is the final farewell, among liquid notes... "Please remember me" Todd invokes, bidding us goodbye... Forget him? But whenever thinking of him, the "ordinary artist" can't sleep at night! Forget him? There's going mad over it, and perhaps that would be the only way not to think about it anymore...
Todd Rundgren, with the ease and nonchalance of someone not aware of it at all, makes one album more beautiful than the next... Year in and year out. And he doesn't have a wrinkle. And he is not a dwarf. He is a giant.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 We Gotta Get You a Woman (03:09)
Leroy, boy, is that you?
I thought your post-hangin' days were through
Sunk-in eyes and full of sighs
Tell no lies
You get wise
I tell you now, we're gonna pull you through
There's only one thing left that we can do
We gotta get you a woman
It's like nothin' else to make you feel sure you're alive
We gotta get you a woman
We better get walkin', we're wastin' time talkin' now
Leroy, boy, you're my friend
You say how and I'll say when
Come and meet me down the street
Take a seat
It's my treat
You may not ever get this chance again
That empty feeling's just about to end
We gotta get you a woman
It's like nothin' else to make you feel sure you're alive
We gotta get you a woman
We better get walkin', we're wastin' time talkin' now
Talkin' 'bout life and what it means to you
It don't mean nothin' if it don't run through
I got one thing to say, you know it's true
You got to find some time to get this thing together, 'cause
We gotta get you a woman
It's like nothin' else to make you feel sure you're alive
We gotta get you a woman
We better get walkin', we're wastin' time talkin' now
Talkin' 'bout things about that special one
They may be stupid, but they sure are fun
I'll give it to you while we're on the run
Because we ain't got time to get this thing together, 'cause
We got to get together with a woman who has been around
One who knows better than to let you down
Let's hope there's still one left in this whole town
And that she'll take some time to get this thing together, 'cause
Get this thing together, 'cause
Get this thing together, 'cause
We gotta get you a woman
We gotta get you a woman
We gotta get you a woman
And when we're through with you
We'll get me one too
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By mien_mo_man
Nothing Rundgren has released in his now forty-year career is incapable of making one fall in love with his music.
'Runt' is a debut, the second debut of his career, and it can be acceptable as is. Todd, it is perfectly clear, is destined to be a star.