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Rating:
If you're Van Morrison and you make an album like «Duets: Re-working The Catalogue», you're taking quite a risk, and you're aware of it.
One, because nowadays the noble art of the duet is prey to the worst chancers ever to have graced a stage.
Two, because you decide to revisit your less acclaimed repertoire, so no «Brown Eyed Girl», no «Astral Weeks», skipping over «Moondance», «Listen To The Lion» as if it didn't exist.
Three, because if I read on the cover that Joss Stone, Mick Hucknall, and Michael Bublé are also duetting with The Man, I do the math and tell myself that in recent years the redhead hasn't accomplished much, actually, and this lineup is a sign that the phase of decomposition has begun and I'd better stay away.
But I've never been good at drawing conclusions, and since I have a great affection for Van, in the end, I bought «Duets» and I'm glad I did. Now I'll explain why.
Because in «Duets» almost everything works, and what doesn't work you can already imagine.
It doesn't work – it never has – Joss Stone. «Wild Honey» seems to be a minor track of Van's, and certainly, Stone is not the one to lift its fate. On the contrary, I fear it ends up sinking it, resulting in me wanting to listen to the original that I don't know, so I rush to YouTube, listen to it, and it confirms my fear. Joss Stone: failed.
The same fate for Mick Hucknall, even if «Streets Of Arklow» is a beautiful piece, but only thanks to Van; poor Mick, whether he's there or not, doesn't change the essence, and his presence compared to Morrison is thinner than tissue paper. Mick Hucknall: failed.
That's where what doesn't work ends: two tracks out of sixteen, not bad.
Now comes the beautiful part. In these cases, the beautiful part is when a track that I've never liked or always left me indifferent is transformed into a gem; or a track that I already appreciated ends up being appreciated even more.
Going in order …
There are surprises inside «Duets».
Let's put it this way: euphemistically, «Born To Sing: No Plan B» disgusts me moderately, I've listened to it a few times, never bought it, and Van will understand me. However, the current version of the title track in the company of Chris Farlowe isn't half bad. I might even listen to that album again and perhaps change my mind!
There are many beautiful songs inside «Duets».
Above all, «Higher Than The World» with George Benson and «Fire In The Belly» with a superb Steve Winwood, and when it's said that class isn't water, it's not always a cliché; just as it's not a cliché that good blood doesn't lie, so «Rough God Goes Riding» with his daughter Shana has its own reasoning, and even more than one.
There is healthy fun inside «Duets».
«Whatever Happened To PJ Proby» (guess with whom), «The Eternal Kansas City» with Gregory Porter, and especially «Get On With The Show» with Georgie Fame – someone who long ago could have been as famous as Van but didn't make it though he would have deserved it – are bits of carefree blue-eyed soul as only Van can make, and it makes one wonder what could have happened if Jackie Wilson were still among us: there would have certainly been an electrifying «Jackie Wilson Said» Van and Jackie wouldn't have spared us, and even St. Peter would have temporarily closed the gate to let loose on any dance floor up there.
There are beautiful songs inside «Duets».
For example, «Some Peace Of Mind» with Bobby Womack and «If I Ever Needed Someone» with Mavis Staples.
Let's put it this way, Bobby and Mavis are so good they don't look out of place next to Van, and it feels like listening to some outtake from the good Marvin Gaye or the entire Staples family, with many greetings and affection to the late Roebuck “Pops”.
There are more than beautiful songs inside «Duets».
«Irish Heartbeat» was a marvel from the first collaboration with the Chieftains, but the rereading, moreover faithful, together with Mark Knopfler leaves one speechless. Van is always Van; then it will be Mark's touch or the sensitivity for the green hills of Ireland that over recent years has nurtured him with unsuspected inspiration; be it what it may, listening to it is enough to leave one speechless.
Then Taj Mahal arrives and starts «How Can A Poor Boy?». A slow, dark blues as murky as the waters of the Mississippi Delta. Van lets his friend take the spotlight, and such a harmonica solo hasn't been heard since the times when Muddy Waters roamed with James Cotton; then Van remembers his past with Them when he was grinding rhythm and blues and pulls out another guitar solo that's worth noting. A stunning piece, and it goes on for about seven minutes of pure and simple pleasure.
Summing it up, inside «Duets», there are plenty of reasons to prompt you to take out your wallet.
Then there's me as well, and I suspect I no longer understand a damn thing.
Because Michael Bublé may be an innocuous fool, but a track like «Real Real Gone» is a burst of life and joy more northern than blue-eyed soul, which could impetuously leak out from the precious grooves of «Tupelo Honey» or «Saint Dominic’s Preview», and thank goodness the soul resonates again as God commands, with a rhythm section that hammers properly and a horn section that pumps and resounds grandly. And when in the end, Van and Michael launch into a brief improvisation, it almost seems to hear the thoughts of the two, so this guy's not bad, I thought he was half-assed but... you thought I was just a fool, right? But I do it only for the money, because if I always had to make music like tonight, there's no way I could afford the limo and the penthouse in Times Square!
Maybe I've never been good at summing things up, but I'm starting to look at Bublé with different eyes.
Great album, «Duets», really.
Tracklist and Lyrics
06 Carrying A Torch (00:00)
I'm carryin' a torch for you
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it costs
To keep carryin' a torch
Flame of love it burns so bright
That is my desire
Keep on liftin' me, liftin' me up
Higher and higher
You're the keeper of the flame
And you burn so bright
Baby why don't we re-connect
Move into the light
I've been going to and fro on this
And I'm still carryin' a torch
You must know how much it's worth
When I'm carryin' a torch (alright)
Baby you're the keeper of the flame
And you burn so bright
Why, why, why, why, why, why don't we re-connect
And move on further, into the light
I've been calling you on the phone
`Cause I'm carryin' a torch (yeah)
I can do it all on my own
`Cause I'm carryin' a torch
I'm carryin' a torch for you, baby
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it's worth
Because I'm carryin' a torch (one more)
I'm carryin' a torch for you, baby
I'm carryin' a torch
You know how much it's worth
Because I'm carryin' a torch
07 The Eternal Kansas City (00:00)
Chorus (choir singing)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city)?
(van singing)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Train down to st. louis
Get me there alright
Over to the city there, you know that one
Where the farmer's daughter digs the farmer's son
Dig your charlie parker
Basie and young
Witherspoon and jay mcshann
They will come
Oooowoooowoooo
Chorus (van and choir in background)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Lady liberty in waiting
You know she lights the way
Her name is billie, she's a holiday
And the city is eternal -- hey, can't you see?
It's inside of you and it's inside of me
Oooowoooowoooo
Chorus (van and choir in background)
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city ?
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
Wild thing
You know the way to kansas city (choir only)
Thank you man (van)
You know the way to kansas city
Sing it (van)
You know the way to kansas city (van and choir)
Hit it (van)
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
Baby can't you sing it one time (van)
(choir)
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
14 Irish Heartbeat (00:00)
Oh won't you stay
Stay a while with your own ones
Don't ever stray
Stray so far from your own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Dont care nothing for your soul
That you share with your own ones
Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones
Just one more day
One more day with your own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing bout your soul
That you share with your own ones
There's a stranger
And he's standing at your door
Might be your best friend, might be your brother
You may never know
I'm going back
Going back to my own ones
Come back to talk
Talk a while with my own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing 'bout your soul
You share with your own ones
Oh won't you stay
One more day with your own ones
Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones
This old world is so cold,
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own ones
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