• Voto:
Amo molto la musica di Ben Harper e The Will To Live (Virgin, 1997) è il disco in cui più mi identifico, perché trasmette amore per la vita e per l'umanità e infonde un piacevole senso di pace. Come dice Ben nella canzone che ha dato il nome all'album, We must all have / The will to live / You got to have / The will to live... ricordatelo sempre anche voi!
Su Ben Harper credo sia inutile soffermarsi. Lasciatemi però raccontare quello che più mi ha colpito della sua biografia: il nonno liutaio, con il quale ha passato gran parte dell'infanzia nel negozio di strumenti musicali di famiglia. Avete mai visto un liutaio all'opera? Vi garantisco che è qualcosa di veramente affascinante... Mi piace pensare che il modo in cui Ben suona la sua Weissenborn, tenendola appoggiata sulle gambe e "accarezzando" con lo slide le sue corde, come se si prendesse cura di lei per ottenere in cambio quel suono inconfondibile, dipenda proprio da questo. Visione molto romantica, lo so...
Il disco si apre subito alla grande con la chitarra e la batteria di Faded, alle quali si unisce la voce meravigliosamente afona, sussurrata e intima che contraddistingue Ben Harper. Si susseguono poi canzoni dai temi più disparati - politica, razzismo, amore, religione - ma tutte molto profonde e intrise di poesia. Sembra che la musica di questo artista non passi nemmeno dalle orecchie, ma tocchi direttamente il cuore. Il mio pezzo preferito è Roses From My Friends, sia per il ritmo sia per il testo: The stones from my enemies / These wonds will med / But I cannot survive / The roses from my friends. Il genere è quello "Ben Harper": una miscela unica di stili (blues, rock, folk, gospel...) che derivano dalla formazione musicale di questo artista, influenzata da miti quali Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan e Muddy Waters, e dal suo tocco personale. Inutile inoltrarsi in una lunga descrizione, questo cd va ascoltato tutto d'un fiato, nel più totale silenzio, a occhi chiusi e si racconterà da solo.
Se non vi ho convinti ad ascoltarlo o se lo avete già sentito e non vi è piaciuto, non rinunciate però all'emozione di partecipare a un'esibizione live di Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, ma vi avverto... sarà amore a prima nota :-)))
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Faded (04:48)
You so easily amuse
Like a pantomime
Such a silent crime
You so easily abuse
Lack of confindence
It's your best offense
You so easily confuse
You can't deny it
Still you try to hide it
Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection
Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems
You so hastily defy
When you think you need it
You find a way to bleed it
You so hastily deny
Pleading innocence
It's your best defense
You so hastily reply
The moment (that) you said it
Already regret it
Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection
Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems
You so easily amuse
You so easily abuse
Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection
Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems
Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection
02 Homeless Child (03:51)
Homeless Child
Nowhere here
to call my home
no one near
to call my own
all that's left
is for me to roam
somebody please
help me hang on
Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child
There is no night
and there is no day
it is all
one shade of gray
some will pass
and some will stay
is this the end
or just one more day
Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child
Sure not much
but it's my best
I just need
some place to rest
if you could just
let me be your guest
I won't burden you
for very long
Homeless child
homeless child
what is left
for the homeless child
04 Roses From My Friends (06:24)
I could have treated you better
But you couldn't have treated me worse
But it's he who laughs last
It is he who cries first
Sometimes I feel I know strangers
better than I know my friends
Why must a beginning
be the means to an end?
The stones from my enemies
these wounds will mend
But I cannot survive
the roses from my friends
When the last word has been spoken
and we've bleared witness to the final setting sun
All that shall remain is a token
of what we've said and done
When all we've had has been forsaken
And distant church bells no longer ring
That's the sound of a heart taken
and the story of tears from a king
The stones from my enemies
these wounds will mend
But I cannot survive
the roses from my friends
This may be the last time I see you
Forgive me for holding you close
This may be the last time I see you
So of this moment I will make the most
This may be the last time I see you
But if you keep me in your heart
together we shall be eternal
If you believe
we shall never part
The stones from my enemies
These wounds will mend
But I cannot survive
the roses from my friends
05 Jah Work (04:54)
Tell me do you really know
your brother man
cause a heart speaks louder
than a color can
and why would you even
shake a man's hand
if you're not going
to help him stand
Jah work
Jah work
Jah work is never done
Every man's actions
belong to he
if prepared for thereafter
to each his destiny
some people believe
and some people know
some people deceive
and some people show
Jah work
Jah work
Jah work is never done
You must do the heaviest
so many shall do none
you have got to stand firm
so many shall run
some they rest their head at night
some get no sleep at all
if you listen close to what you see
you will hear the call
06 I Want to Be Ready (04:02)
How I am strong
Is to know what makes me weak
How I am found
Is to know just whom I seek
The gift of a blessing
The burden of a sin
Oh, turn, turn to him
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
Nailed across
From hand to hand
For the sin
Of every woman and man
And all upon his earth
Is all within his plan
And I know
This shall be my journey home
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
Ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
Covet no silver
Oh, covet no gold
Reach your empty
Hands for him to hold
Up in his kingdom
Glory shall be proclaimed
Ah, sing the song
And praise his name
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
Ready
I want to be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
Ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
Ready to put on my long, white robe
08 Ashes (03:52)
ashes to ashes
and dust to dust
that's what has become
of our love and trust
love has no direction
cause love has no aim
love can leave you
as fast as she came
meeting is such sweet sorrow
cause someday we may have to part
hush don't you make a sound
you're gonna let me down
good things come
to those who wait
but good things are gone
from those who are late
all that i am
is all i can give
but with or without you
my life i must live
meeting is such sweet sorrow
cause someday we may have to part
hush don't you make a sound
you're gonna let me down
living ain't easy
since you've been gone
no one else can please me
or make me feel home
forgetting ain't easy
you stay on my mind
thoughts of us haunt me
can't leave them behind
09 Widow of a Living Man (04:10)
mama why does he treat me so cold
So cold, so cold
Why do I feel so old
So old, so old
How long has he treated me unkind
Unkind, unkind
Oh, have I always been so blind
So blind, so blind
I'm a widow, I am a widow
Of a living man, of a living man, of a living man
Why can't the times stay the same
Stay the same, stay the same
Now I am begging him to change
Please change, please change
What about all the plans we've made
The plans we've made, Lord I pray
Now I am so afraid, I'm so afraid, I'm so afraid
I'm a widow, I am a widow
Of a living man, of a living man, of a living man
I'm a widow, I am a widow
Of a living man, of a living man, of a living man
mama why does he hurt me so
He hurts me so, he hurts me so
I'm gonna need some place to go
Some place to go, some place to go
He's no longer some kind woman's son
Kind woman's son, kind woman's son
Mama, I think I had better run
I'd better run, I'd better run
I'm a widow, I am a widow
Of a living man, of a living man, of a living man
I'm a widow, I am the widow
Of a living man, of a living man, of a living man
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