Correva l'anno 1992; qui una band completava quel che sarebbe stato un successo internazionale, la prima ed ultima opera dei 4 Non Blondes. Il mondo stava cambiando, a quell'epoca; la Musica stava cambiando, progressivamente. E così, mentre il grande Kurt Cobain scalava le classifiche di mezzo mondo con Smells Like Teen Spirit, un piccolo gruppo di giovani amici era appena al debutto della loro carriera, probabilmente inconsci di scagliare un rapido dardo d'innovazione, una grande scossa al panorama musicale internazionale.
È un disco incredibile, quasi perfetto, che va ascoltato tutto e subito senza che il mondo esterno ti distolga da quel Capolavoro; è un grido, questo disco, e lascialo gridare in pace, non te ne pentirai. È altresì un disco molto vario, parlando di generi: quello predominante è senza dubbio il Rock, ma certo non si può dire che "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" è rock; c'è anche una forte traccia di blues, soprattutto nelle prime due tracce, come di dance, nell'ultima parte... E' un dolcissimo connubio (potremmo dire anche un saporitissimo minestrone!) tra generi che, per ogni canzone, per ogni melodia e per ogni nota costruiscono perfettamente e magistralmente il corpo dell'opera; la solida voce di Linda Perry guida incontrastata per parlare di svariati argomenti: sesso, droga, rabbia, rammarico, disperazione... ma bada, non farti condizionare tanto dalle parole: è un grido, ricorda! E devi prenderlo come tale.
Come ho già detto, il disco parte con una forte carica di blues: la magnifica "Train" apre la parata, e già le affascinanti grida della Perry e la complessità della struttura melodica di mettono in guardia. Quindi, di bene in meglio, si passa a "Superfly"; ti senti ormai mezzo rimbambito ed estasiato per l'eleganza dell'incipit che poi, sentita la terza canzone, non ne puoi più: qui infatti giace forse non la più bella, ma tuttavia la più azzeccata e, fra l'altro, la più famosa canzone di tutta l'opera: "What's Up?", insomma quella il cui irresistibile motivetto fa heyheyhey et cetera. Questa ti sfinisce proprio; in senso positivo, s'intende. Quindi, passata la bella "Pleasantly Blue" in cui ancora il blues è protagonista indiscusso, si passa a "Morphine & Chocolate": ecco la migliore, e non dire di no; essa conferisce una tale carica che non la trovi neanche in "Strange Kind of Woman" (e considera che io dei Deep Purple sono un fan che non t'immagini), una tale emozione che non la trovi nemmeno in "Dream On" degli Aerosmith (e chi ha sentito "Dream On" degli Aerosmith stenterà a credermi); provare per credere. Proseguendo si giunge dunque a "Spaceman", ottima canzone, la cosiddetta 'romantica' di turno, che sarebbe perfetta se il ritornello proseguisse con una strofa in più: questo certo non danneggia eccessivamente l'intera traccia, la quale per me è tuttavia una delle mie preferite, però scommetto che a chiunque verrebbe l'impeto di prendere carta e penna per riaggiustarne il testo e di telefonare alla Perry chiedendole anzi pretendendo di ricantare "Spaceman", e subito!, sennò son cazzi.
Passiamo quindi per la magnifica "Old Mr. Heffer", e qui si nota con sommo piacere un pò di blues e un pò di jazz, presente la squisita e immediata alternanza tra lo scatenato e gridato ritornello e brevi pezzi in cui le parole sono appena sussurrate in maniera alquanto maliziosa; di qui la ballabilissima "Calling All The People" che sa di Prince, Michael Jackson, di luci abbaglianti e di anni '80; e qui, già detto tutto. Anche ora, come in "Spaceman", però in misura maggiore, ti viene una sorta di rabbia: ancora il ritornello troppo breve e che ancora si ferma troppo bruscamente, uffa! Risultato? Altra telefonata a Linda Perry.
Si passa così dunque alla commovente e placida "Dear Mr. President", la più movimentata "Drifting" in cui aleggia un'atmosfera quasi irreale e, infine, la rokkeggiante "No Place Like Home "
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Train (03:43)
What ya gonna do child
when your thoughts are movin' slow
find another to show you where to go
you'll be searchin' for that train
and you'll see it's a train
What ya gonna do child
when your mommy goes away
she won't take you
she'll leave you astray
you'll be searchin' for that train
and you see yourself
searchin' for somebody else
but you know for sure it's that train
What ya gonna do child
when you leave it all behind
find another, to blow it in your mind
you'll be searchin' for that train
and you'll see it's a train
and you see yourself
searchin' for somebody else
but you know for sure it's that train
02 Superfly (04:37)
Here I am and I'm waitin'
on a chance to
make it right
Every word you say
makes my heart go bang bang
'cause it sounds so nice
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom
What can I do
to get you in the mood
baby I give up
I'm so misused
and you're so confused
it's such a drag
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom
Here I am and I'm waitin'
on a chance to
make it right
Do I turn you on
or maybe do I turn you off
could you just decide
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the golden rule
Well I've been alone
and you've been a fool
oh baby don't you know that's the way I like it
Let me take you away
on the wings of my Superfly
Maybe we'll celebrate
all the room in the sky
Heaven knows we'll go boom boom boom
04 Pleasantly Blue (02:28)
Every time you wake in the morning
and you start to cry
and I figure there's something up baby
but you don't tell me why
And I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
Hush hush you walk on by
you don't say a word
talk to me baby, talk to me baby
what haven't I heard
And I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
Oh no, here we go
what's wrong with you
come here baby, come to me baby
what can I do
Yea I know that's why I call you blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
'cause I figure something baby
that's why I call you pleasantly blue
05 Morphine & Chocolate (04:43)
Substitute my gloom with happiness
Substitute my sickness with health
Substitute my enemies with real good friends
morphine & chocolate are my
substitute, substitutes
morphine & chocolate can bring me up
can warm my heart for me whenever I want it
and every once in a while when I stop and think
morphine & chocolate are my
substitute, substitutes
and you can say "hey, we've really come a long way"
and you can say "hey, it can only be this way"
but, you might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
you might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
you might be careful, it really hurts when it's real
you'll go down, down, down, down... oooh!
set the alarm clock baby,
don't you miss the sun?
I'm feeling really warm hearted baby
don't know I'm feeling like someone
I'm fearing for my life again and I am
fearing for my heart
morphine & chocolate could never
substitute my art!
And that's real love baby
And that's real love baby
And that's real love baby
06 Spaceman (03:40)
Starry night bring me down
Till I realize the moon
It seems so distant yet I felt it pass right through
And I see what I see a new world is over me
So I'll reach up to the sky
And pretend that
(Chorus)
I'm a spaceman
In another place and time
I guess I'm looking for a brand new place
Is there a better life for me?
Subtle wind blow me gone
Let me rest upon your move
I trust I'll end up sleeping cradled in my doom
And I feel what I feel
I can't grasp what is not real
So I'll get myself real high
And imagine
(Repeat Chorus)
I remember in my mind
They say I'm daydreaming
Is it all that it seems
Or am I all the things I'm looking for? ?ooh!
And I see what I see a new world is over me
And I'll reach up to the sky
And imagine
(Repeat Chorus)
07 Old Mr. Heffer (02:16)
Stumbled my way on the darkest afternoon
I got a beer in my hand
and I'm draggin' a stoagie too
the back of my brain is tickin' like a clock
I simmer down gently but boil on what the f----
get back 'cause I'm feelin' good tonight
get back 'cause I'm feelin' right
trouble is a word that starts with a capital T
I refer myself to the word 'cause I'm so keen
little do they know I'm struttin' such a style
it makes the trouble in me all worth the while
so get back 'cause I'm feelin' good tonight
get back ' cause I'm feelin' right
there goes Billy and Susie walkin' hand'n hand
I quickly caught up slurring yo what's the plan
they had fear in their eyes and bellies that ran like dogs
I barreled down laughter screaming Susie
you forgot your clogs
well, Old Mr. Heffer
I'm really pleased to meet you
I didn't mean to scare your blue-eyed child
but Billy wouldn't talk to me
and Susie wouldn't look at me
it made me so doggone crazy
I had to chase them for a mile
all I wanted was change for a buck
well I'm back and I'm feelin' good tonight
yea I'm back and I'm feelin' right
so get back 'cause I'm feelin' good tonight
get back 'cause I'm feelin' right
Jesus
08 Calling All the People (03:17)
How can you tell
when your wellness is not well
make no mistakes now
please do excuse
my itchy attitude
I'm feelin' righteous
why, why are we always asking why
to lamely try to justify
for what it is a lack of drive
Calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes to break through
Where is it at
when your moral is a hat
full of money
can you explain
why the messy kitchen sink
is so confusing
why, why are we always asking why
to lamely try to justify
for what it is a lack of drive
Calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes
calling all the people
have you nothin' brewin'
time to flap your big fat mouth
let's rap how we be doin'
say might what you say
that's really all it takes to break through
calling all the people
10 Drifting (03:31)
What a wonderful hesitation
who would bear to feel sorry for me
dropped another pill just to calm me
collapsed to my knees and fell fast into sleep
there I was drifting
way out into the sunshine
expecting to crash but I'm tied to a string
look at me I'm a tangled puppet
I might be a mess but I'm sure can survive
find myself awake counting sad days
1-2-3 that's too many for me
dropped another pill just to find me
reached for my hand but it was already there
then I started believin'
that I fell out of a tiny raindrop
that lost its way when I decided to roam
chasing me was a hungry dweller
but I had escaped it by pretending to die
come follow me
you won't expect the illusion you'll see
it's my imagination
hand me your eyes
I will put them in front of mine
you'll see a little better
you'll see a little better
what a wonderful destination
where I am now
I can no longer see
dropped another pill just to kill me
collapsed to my knees and fell fast into sleep
And there was
And there was
there I was drifting
way out into the sunshine
expecting to crash but I'm tied to a string
look at me I'm a tangled puppet
I might be a mess but I'm sure can survive
but I had escaped it by pretending to die
11 No Place Like Home (03:08)
When I wake up in my house
I get dressed then I get lost
I don't know which way to go
I guess I'll have a cup of Joe
Where the hell was I anyways
So I end up on the street
Walkin' talkin' to my own beat
In a fog, in a haze
I've been trippin' out for days
Can you help me find my way home
1-2-3
Don't rock the boat now, just let it slide
Groovy people walking back and forth, that's right
So I hop on to this bus
Destination reads please save us
Not a soul that I know
To be found in this dark hole
Can you help me find my way home
Can you help me find my way home
I'm so tired of looking for the door
Please help me find my way
Please help me find my way
I can't find the door
Where am I now, where am I now
I find myself just out there floating
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Altre recensioni
Di Betizurekin
Potrebbe essere un testo autobiografico nel quale quasi tutti potrebbero riconoscersi.
Un disco che può anche apparire piacevole ma che suona un po’ come la consacrazione della sola Linda Perry e delle sue potenti corde vocali.
