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Dopo l'esordio già ottimo ma passato quasi inosservato del 1965 i Bee Gees cominciano a far parlare di sé l'anno successivo con l'album "Spicks And Specks": lo stile, anche se a tratti abbastanza approssimativo e con qualche caduta di stile, è già più maturo, variegato e personale; la bella titletrack diventa una grande hit in Australia e, grazie all'interessamento di personaggi come Brian Epstein e Robert Stigwood, si aprono le porte del mercato internazionale per i fratelli Gibb. 1967, i tempi sono maturi, Barry, Robin e Maurice sono delle autentiche fucine di idee e di suoni, hanno ormai messo a punto il loro sound e la grande occasione verrà sfruttata nel miglior modo possibile.
Melodie semplici ma raffinate, stupendamente efficaci ed evocative, atmosfere leggere e sognanti, delicati influssi psichedelici e arrangiamenti orchestrali praticamente onnipresenti, a tratti barocchi senza mai essere pomposi e ridondanti: questi sono i tratti caratterizzanti dello sfolgorante esordio internazionale dei Bee Gees: 1st di nome, 3rd di fatto, l'album viene trainato ad un apprezzabile successo commerciale da singoli come "To Love Somebody", una ballata passionale a tinte quasi soul, che già anticipa lo stile dei successivi album "Horizontal" e "Idea" e soprattutto due capolavori come "New York Mining Disaster 1941" e "Holiday". La prima racconta in prima persona le emozioni e le speranze di un minatore intrappolato sottoterra, che mostra la foto della moglie ad un collega; dallo stile quasi folk/cantautorale, crea un forte senso di empatia e partecipazione, mentre la seconda è puro pop psichedelico: organo, carillon, orchestrazioni, cori, cantato trasognato e malinconico, atmosfere liquide che sembrano uscire da un sogno.
Con singoli di tale fattura, il resto dell'album avrebbe potuto essere un mero riempitivo come spesso accadeva all'epoca, e invece è proprio qui che "Bee Gees 1st" fa la differenza: ogni canzone è una sorpresa, una piccola invenzione; la luce dell'ispirazione illumina tutto l'album, il neoclassicismo quasi epico di "Turn Of The Century", "Close Another Door", in cui beat e psichedelia si rincorrono a vicenda, l'allegro divertissement folk "Red Chair Fade Away", l'affascinante pop barocco di "Cucumber Castle", il delizioso piano-pop di gusto tipicamente british di "Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy", i sinistri cori gregoriani che inframezzano l'enigmatica "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You", reminescenze di beat giovanile ("In My Own Time", "Please Read Me") e suggestive ballate ("One Minute Woman", "I Can't See Nobody").
Anche continuando a sfornare ottimi dischi negli anni successivi, i fratelli Gibb non riusciranno più a raggiungere vette così alte: questo album impregnato di stile, ispirazione, eleganza e creatività rimarrà la perla più preziosa della loro carriera, oltre che uno dei massimi capolavori della musica pop; addirittura in anticipo rispetto ai Beatles di "Abbey Road" e ai Kinks di "Village Green Preservation Society". Meraviglia da riscoprire.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Holiday (02:57)
Ooh you're a holiday , such a holiday
Ooh you're a holiday , such a holiday
It's something I thinks worthwhile
If the puppet makes you smile
If not then you're throwing stones
Throwing stones, throwing stones
Ooh it's a funny game
Don't believe that it's all the same
Can't think what I've just said
Put the soft pillow on my head
Millions of eyes can see
Yet why am I so blind
When the someone else is me
It's unkind, it's unkind
de de de de de de de de de de de de de
de de de de de de de de de de de de de
Yet millions of eyes can see
Yet why am I so blind
When the someone else is me
It's unkind, it's unkind
Ooh you're a holiday , ev'ry day , such a holiday
Now it's my turn to say , and I say you're a holiday
It's something I thinks worthwhile
If the puppet makes you smile
If not then you're throwing stones
Throwing stones , throwing stones
de de de de de de de de de de de de de de
07 Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts (02:20)
He smiled and rubbed the stubble on his chin
He sure shall find the weariness and dreariness of life that's growing thin
Yet he didn't have so very far to go
With a pencil in his hand he will travel on as planned
With a mere step in the mountain to a light
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
Oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Even in the morning when he slept
Something odd is missing
There's nothing very much to talk about
And nothing very much to see
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Talks about the place he'd like to go
And you never see the worrying and hurrying and that makes a person slow
Yet you wouldn't think he'd be so hard to find
Yet he looks so very busy but there's nothing on his mind
And his wavy hair continues not to grow
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
Oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
08 New York Mining Disaster 1941 (02:13)
Verse 1:
In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jones.
Verse 2:
I keep straining my ears to hear a sound
Maybe someone is digging underground
Or have they given up and all gone home to bed?
Thinking those who once existed must be dead?
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jones
Verse 3 (repeat of verse 1):
In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jo - o - o - o - ones
09 Cucumber Castle (02:06)
There were the trees, see the grass, a thing gets inspired.
Said "This is the place I will try," and he did.
Stood in the dark ,sat a man who beckoned him in,
But leaving his grass was a sin, but he did.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
He saw the light in the cellar reflect in his eyes,
Yet early that morning was he to receive a surprise.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Said 'Are you leaving or are you receiving my friend,
Doest need any money till then" and he did .
He said "I'm the owner,not you, and this is my stead,
So give it to me now I'm dead, and he did , said:
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
12 I Can't See Nobody (03:47)
I walk the lonely streets; I watch the people passing by.
I used to smile and say hello. Guess I was just a happy guy.
Then you happened,girl, this feeling that posessses me.
I just can't move myself. I guess it all just had to be.
(Chorus)
I can't see nobody...no, I can't see nobody.
Mine eyes can only look at you...you.
I used to have a brain; I used to think of many things.
I watched the falling rain and listened to the sweet birds sing.
Don't ask me why, little girl. I love you and that's all I can say.
You're ev'ry ,ev'ry breath I take.You are my nights; my night and day.
(chorus...)
Every single word you hear...is coming from this heart of mine.
I never felt like this before...a love like yours so young and fine.
And now as I try to forget you...it doesn't work out any way.
I loved you such a long time ago...but in my eyes you'll always be.
Every single word you hear...is coming from this heart of mine.
I loved you such a long time ago...don't know why...
And I don't know why...baby...
(chorus...)
(chorus...)
13 Please Read Me (02:19)
Many years ago I was a simple man
A simple man, no worries me;
I never lied
Please read me.
Not much conversation ever came from me,
I never saw reality;
I never tried.
Please read me.
Ah....
Maybe I've been lying on your couch too long
I'll stay if you can see me through, explain why
Please read me. Please read me. Please read me.
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