Janis Joplin aveva la voce roca, graffiante. Era la fine degli anni '60 e le leggende dicevano che erano stati l'abuso di fumo, alcool e droga a renderla tale.
Bonnie Tyler ha la voce roca, graffiante. Ma le leggende che l'accompagnano agli albori degli anni '80 sono un po' diverse... Si racconta che la giovane inglese Gaynor Hopkins, prima ancora di rendersi conto che per sfondare ci sarebbe stato decisamente bisogno di un nome nuovo, se ne stesse in ospedale dopo un'operazione alle corde vocali. Aveva, com'è facile immaginarsi, il divieto assoluto di parlare. Ma come si può stare zitti quando ti propinano una ciotola di fragole senza panna! Gaynor urlò e quell'urlo fu la sua benedizione...
La differenza che passa tra questi due racconti è direttamente proporzionale a quella tra le due epoche in cui sono ambientati.
Quando viene pubblicato "Faster Than The Speed Of Night" ci troviamo infatti nel pieno della nuova ondata che sconvolse la musica dopo gli anni '70. E' il 1983, e il terzo fortunatissimo album in studio di Bonnie Tyler può essere considerato uno dei migliori esempi delle mode musicali del momento.
Nasce infatti una musica leggera, di facile ascolto e senza pretese. Nelle discoteche di tutto il mondo non si balla più sulle note delle grandi orchestre disco fatte di ottoni e percussioni strabordanti. La nuova musica è elettronica e per fare successo è necessario vestirsi come extraterrestri in libera uscita.
Sarebbe inutile riaprire i dibattiti riguardanti il cambiamento... Quindi cerchiamo di non notare il cespuglio di peli cotonati che questa donna portava in testa e concentriamoci sul contenuto del disco, frutto del sodalizio con l'abile produttore Jim Steinman (lo stesso che riporterà Bonnie in testa alle classifiche di tutto il mondo l'anno successivo con la celebre "Holding Out For A Hero").
L'album si apre con la rilettura di "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" dei Creedence Clearwater Revival. La batteria elettronica, le chitarre elettriche e la potente interpretazione appaiono come un'ottima dichiarazione d'intenti. La differenza con l'originale è abissale; il classico di John Fogerty e soci viene stravolto in una power-ballad da stadio perfettamente in bilico tra rock e pop, come tante se ne sentiranno negli anni seguenti.
Il pezzo successivo, quello scelto per dare il titolo all'intera opera, è la prima delle due tracce firmate da Steinman. "Faster Than The Speed Of Night" non cambia genere, ma amplifica in modo eccezionale gli spunti di partenza, grazie agli elaborati arrangiamenti e alla strepitosa prova dei musicisti. Un brano di enorme impatto energetico, da ascoltare tassativamente ad altissimo volume.
Massimo dei voti anche per la successiva "Getting So Exciting", sensuale e riuscitissimo pezzo soft-dance frutto di un accuratissimo lavoro di produzione.
La canzone immortale del disco è "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", dalla penna di Steinman, destinata a rimanere uno dei lenti più famosi della decade. Di nuovo stupiscono la cura dell'arrangiamento e la potenza dell'impatto emotivo, tra i cori sospesi delle strofe e l'apertura dei refrain.
Dopo il divertente disco-reggea di "It's A Jungle Out There" inizia però una fase calante. L'album ripiega su un rock FM di facile presa e poco originale ("Goin' Through The Motion", "Tears", "Take Me Back"), anche se supportato dall'interpretazione, sempre eccezionale.
"Straight From The Heart", intensa ballata di Bryan Adams, riesce comunque a chiudere degnamente l'opera.
"Faster Than The Speed Of Night" è un disco di musica alla moda e sicuramente sente il peso degli anni, ma una volta capito questo lo si può apprezzare come espressione di un'epoca, oltre che per gli indubbi talenti che vi hanno lavorato.
Il successo di Bonnie Tyler, com'è facile da capire, terminò di botto dopo pochissimi anni (basti pensare che incise senza creare alcun clamore "Save Up All Your Tears" e "The Best" prima che diventassero due hit mondiali ad opera rispettivamente di Cher e Tina Turner).
A lei il sapersi accontentare di essere rimasta, nel bene e nel male, uno dei simboli di un fenomeno musicale, forse non il più glorioso, ma di certo uno dei più brillanti quanto a varietà e spensieratezza.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (04:09)
Someone told me long ago
There's a calm before the storm
I know
And it's been coming for some time
When it's over so they say
It'll bring a sunny day
I know
Shining down like water
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
Coming down on a sunny day
Yesterday and days before
Sun is cold and rain is hot
I know
It's been that way for all my time
Til forever on it goes
Fill the circle fast and slow
I know
And it can't stop my wonder
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
Coming down on a sunny day....
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know
Have you ever seen the rain?
Coming down on a sunny day
Have you ever seen the rain?
Have you ever seen the rain?
Have you ever seen the rain?
Have you ever seen the rain?....
02 Faster Than the Speed of Night (06:45)
(Jim Steinman)
Producer for Bonnie: Jim Steinman
I don't want to let another minute get by
They're slipping through our fingers, but we're ready to fly
The night'll be our cover and we'll huddle below
We got the music in our bodies and the radio
And when the morning arrives it'll all be gone
Disappearing in (to) the crack of dawn
We better make our move now before the sun is awake
It's time to put up or shut up and to pick up the pace
And I don't want to let another minute get by
Love is going to get us while the moon is in the sky
We may be running out of night, but never running out of steam
We're acting on a hunch, and we'll be acting out a dream
There really isn't any time to lose
They're going to catch us if we wait until it gets too light
You're such a pretty boy
Let me show you what to do, and you'll do it
But you gotta move faster
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
It's all we ever wanted
And all we'll ever need
And it's slipping through our fingers
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
It's all we ever wanted
And all we'll ever need
And it's slipping through our fingers
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Let me show you how to drive me crazy
Let me show you how to make me feel so good
Let me show you how to take me to the edge of the stars and then back again
You've gotta show me how to drive you crazy
You've gotta show me all the things you want to happen to you
We've gotta tell each other everything we always wanted someone to do
I don't want to push you now and I don't want to rush
We're getting closer every second now, but close is not enough
The night'll be our cover and we'll huddle below
We got the music in our fingers and the radio
There really isn't any time to lose
We're going to lose it if we wait until it gets too light
You're such a pretty boy
Let me show you what to do, and you'll do it
But you gotta move faster
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
It's all we ever wanted
And all we'll ever need
And it's slipping through our fingers
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
It's all we ever wanted
And all we'll ever need
And it's slipping through our fingers
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
Faster than the speed of night
04 Total Eclipse of the Heart (06:59)
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you're never coming 'round
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit restless
And I dream of something wild
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit helpless
And I'm lying like a child in your arms
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit angry
And I know I've got to get out and cry
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
But then I see the look in your eyes
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
'Cause we'll never be wrong
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
(All of the time)
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
(Forever's gonna start tonight)
Once upon a time I was falling in love
Now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
(Turn around bright eyes
Turn around bright eyes)
(Turn around)
Every now and then I know you'll never be the boy
You always wanted to be
(Turn around)
But every now and then I know you'll always be the only boy
Who wanted me the way that I am
(Turn around)
Every now and then I know there's no one in the universe
As magical and wonderous as you
(Turn around)
Every now and then I know there's nothing any better
There's nothing that I just wouldn't do
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
And I need you now tonight
(And I need you)
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
(If you'll only)
Well be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
(And we'll never)
'Cause we'll never be wrong
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Love is like a shadow on me all of the time
(All of the time)
I don't know what to do, I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
(Forever's gonna start tonight)
Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
Nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
(Turn around bright eyes
Turn around bright eyes
Turn around).
08 Take Me Back (05:21)
(Billy Cross) Producer for Bonnie: Jim Steinman You said it's over now It's just not right You said there's a better place for you to be It's not with me Then you turned and walked away I can't believe what I see And I can't go to sleep at night when I think of how it used to be She can't give you what I've got And she can't stop your pain And she can't love you the way I do God I want you back again Maybe she could try with money Or she could buy you clothes But baby when it's dark and you're home at night Does she ever hold you close She takes you out in style She treats you right She gives you all the things I never could, she's so good But don't you think of me Baby late at night And I just can't take it boy, together we could be so right She can't give you what I've got And she can't stop your pain And she can't love you the way I do God I want you back again Maybe she could try with money Or she could buy you clothes But baby when it's dark and you're home at night Does she ever hold you close Take me back (Ooh you're gonna need me) (Ooh you're gonna need me) Take me back (Ooh you're gonna need me) All those things we did before Whatever happened to them And all those things I've been living for Gotta start 'em all over again You said it couldn't last That we were meant to part A guy like you and a girl like me didn't stand a chance - not from the start But then you looked at me I had to ask you why As I see and try to find out why you left me for those hungry eyes She can't give you what I've got And she can't stop your pain And she can't love you the way I do God I want you back again Maybe she could try with money Or she could buy you clothes But baby when it's dark and you're home at night Does she ever hold you close Take me back Ooh you're gonna take me Take me back Ooh you're gonna take me Take me back Ooh you're gonna take me Take me back...
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