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Dopo il successo planetario di "Born In The U.S.A" e la pubblicazione del "Live 1975/1985" per Bruce Springsteen si accentua la crisi familiare con Julianne Philipps che porterà al divorzio e al matrimonio successivo con Patti Scialfa: da qui nasce "Tunnel of Love", album intimista che affronta tematiche universali come l'amore e i suoi risvolti e serve da strumento per creare una scissione tra quelli che si erano avvicinati solo per moda e quelli che davvero volevano e vogliono capire la poetica di questo immenso artista.
Il disco si apre con "Ain't Got You" che riprende sotto certi aspetti il filone di "Dancin In The Dark" e prosegue con "Tougher Than The Rest", molto bella e riproposta poi in "Chimes of Freedom"; in "All That Heaven Will Allow" si distingue una voce cristallina che riprende le sue sonorità rock In "Spare Parts", pezzo rock del disco; la prima parte termina con "Cautious Man" che ricorda vagamente atmosfere nebraskiane e con una stupenda "Walk Like A Man" in cui torna prepotentemente in primo piano il rapporto con il padre. La seconda parte inizia con la title-track, bella canzone che risente però della presenza massiccia del sintetizzatore, e che fa da preludio a due canzoni che affrontano le tematiche della doppia identità e del tradimento, "Two Faces" e "Brilliant Disguise"; in "One Step Up" la voce di Bruce è da brividi e disegna un vero capolavoro seguito da due canzoni piuttosto malinconiche che si stagliano perfettamente in quella che è l'anima compositiva del disco ("When You're Alone" e "Valentine's Day").
In definitiva un disco in cui le sonorità rock sono rare (non a caso Bruce scioglierà la Band alla fine del tour) e in cui si affaccia un pop crepuscolare ma mai invadente, fatta eccezione per la presenza a tratti massiccia del sintetizzatore e una sovrapproduzione comunque ben controbilanciata.
p.s In conclusione considerando tutte le sfumature il disco merita leggermente più di 4 stelle
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Tougher Than the Rest (04:35)
Well it's Saturday night,
you're all dressed up in blue
I've been watching you a while,
maybe you been watching me too
So somebody ran out,
left somebody's heart in a mess
Well if your lookin' for love,
honey I'm tougher than the rest
Some girls they want a handsome Dan
or some good lookin' Joe
There are some girls
who like a sweet talking Romeo
Well around here baby,
I learned you get what you can get
So if you're rough enough for love,
Honey I'm tougher than than rest
Your road is dark,
It's a thin, thin line
But I want you to know,
I'll walk it for you any time
Maybe your other boyfriends,
they couldn't pass the test
Well if your rough and ready for love,
Honey I'm tougher than the rest
Well it ain't no secret,
I've been around a time or two
Well I don't know baby,
maybe you been around too.
Well there is another kinda dance honey,
all you got to do is say yes
And if you rough and ready for love,
then I'm tougher than the rest
If you're rough enough for love
then I'm tougher than the rest.
03 All That Heaven Will Allow (02:39)
I got a dollar in my pocket
there ain't a cloud up above
I got a picture in a locket
that says baby I love you
Well if you didn't look then boys
then fellas don't go lookin' now
Well here she comes a-walkin'
all that heaven will allow
Say hey there mister bouncer
now all I wanna do is dance
But I swear I left my wallet
back home in my workin' pants
C'mon Slim slip me in man
I'll make it up to you somehow
I can't be late I got a date
with all that heaven will allow
Rain and storm and dark skies
well now they don't mean a thing
If you got a girl that loves you
and who wants to wear your ring
So c'mon mister trouble
we'll make it through you somehow
We'll fill this house with all the love
all that heaven will allow
Now some may wanna die young man
young and gloriously
Get it straight now mister
hey buddy that ain't me
'Cause I got something on my mind
that sets me straight and walkin' proud
And I want all the time
all that heaven will allow
07 Tunnel of Love (05:12)
Fat man sitting on a little stool
Takes the money from my hand while his eyes take a walk all over you
Hands me the ticket smiles and whispers good luck
Cuddle up angel cuddle up my little dove
We'll ride down baby into this tunnel of love
I can feel the soft silk of your blouse
And them soft thrills in our little fun house
Then the lights go out and it's just the three of us
You me and all that stuff we're so scared of
Gotta ride down baby into this tunnel of love
There's a crazy mirror showing us both in 5-D
I'm laughing at you you're laughing at me
There's a room of shadows that gets so dark brother
It's easy for two people to lose each other in this tunnel of love
it ought to be easy ought to be simple enough
Man meets woman and they fall in love
But the house is haunted and the ride gets rough
And you've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above
if you want to ride on down in through this tunnel of love
09 Brilliant Disguise (04:17)
I hold you in my arms
As the band plays
What are those words whispered, baby
Just as you turn away
I saw you last night
Out on the edge of town
I want to read your mind to know
Just what I've got in this new thing I've found
So tell me what I see
When I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise
I heard somebody call your name
From underneath our willow
I saw something tucked in shame
Underneath your pillow
Well, I've tried so hard baby
But I just can't see
What a woman like you
Is doing with me
So tell me who I see
When I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise
Now look at me, baby
Struggling to do everything right
And then it all falls apart
Oh, when out go the lights
I'm just a lonely pilgrim
I walk this world in wealth
I want to know if it's you I don’t trust
'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself
Now, you play the loving woman
I'll play the faithful man
But just don't look too close
Into the palm of my hand
Oh, we stood at the altar
The gypsy swore our future was bright
But come the wee wee hours
Well maybe, baby, the gypsy lied
So when you look at me
You better look hard and look twice
Is that me, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise
Tonight our bed is cold
I'm lost in the darkness of our love
God have mercy on the man
Who doubts what he's sure of
11 When You're Alone (03:24)
Times were tough
And love was not enough
So you said, "sorry Johnny, I'm gone gone gone"
You said my act was funny
But we both knew what was missing, honey
So you let out on your own
Now that pretty form that you've got, baby
Will make sure you get along
But you're gonna find out some day, honey
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you ain't nothing but alone
Now, I was young and pretty
On the mean streets of the city
And I fought to make 'em my home
With just the shirt on my back
I left and swore I'd never look back
And, man, I was gone gone gone
But there's things that'll knock you down you don't even see coming
And send you crawling like a baby back home
You're gonna find out that day, sugar
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you ain't nothing but alone
Well, I knew some day your running would be through
And you'd think back on me and you
And your love would be strong
You'd forget all the bad
And think only of all the laughs that we had
And you'd want to come home
Now it ain't hard feelings or nothing, sugar
That ain't what's got me singing this song
It's just nobody knows, honey, where love goes
But when it goes it's gone gone
And when you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you ain't nothing but alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you're alone
When you're alone you ain't nothing but alone
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Di AJM
Bruce Springsteen scrive l'album più personale ed autobiografico comparso fino a quel momento.
Un ultimo saluto con il groppo in gola e gli occhi lucidi ma sforzandosi di sorridere.
