• Voto:
Il gruppo "the Cream" pone il proprio lavoro come pietra angolare del passaggio tra blues e rock, finalizzatosi in Inghilterra nella metà degli anni '60. In realtà la critica musicale più recente, parla di una scena revival che, in un contesto già progressive, cerca di recuperare l'ispirazione e l'equilibrata energia che contraddistingue il blues, uscendone dai suoi consolidati schemi. Quale che sia la visione che si voglia abbracciare tra le due, queste innegabilmente convergono sulla fine del blues, con il rock che sceglierà le strade aperte dalla chitarra di Hendrix o della psichedelia dei Floyd, che nel loro intersecarsi generalo un flusso di correnti che la musica leggera non conoscerà mai più.Se è vero che alcuni caratteri ne sono tutt'oggi riconoscibili, è altrettanto vero che possiamo individuare come punto d'inizio il 1966, quando il genio che polverizza gli Yardbirds prende forma nelle realizzazioni dei suoi inventori.
In un' intervista rilasciata nell'aprile di quest'anno, Jack Bruce spiega ad Ernesto De Pascale come "... i Cream volevano essere un gruppo di puristi”contemporanei” e credo che questo non lo abbia capito nessuno e pochi lo hanno saputo leggere nel nostro repertorio anche se l’imprimatur del primo album mi pare chiaro".
Nella sua riflessione si coglie facilmente l'amarezza di quel grande musicista cui l'esperienza the Cream non hai concesso spazi d'espressione tali da permettergli di mantenersi all'apice della scena al suo termine, eppure è un'analisi certamente lucida. In effetti l'intuizione di un trio che suonasse blues ma in modo "elettrico" ha la podestà di Ginger Baker, il sound raggiunto nel suo momento più maturo gli inimitabili caratteri di (slowhand) Eric Clapton; in realtà, quando quest'ultimo assume con la benedizione del presidente della casa discografica anche quel ruolo di vocalist originariamente a Bruce destinato, il progetto the Cream segna al contempo l'inizio del suo successo commerciale e della sua fine.
The BBC sessions raccoglie 22 brani inediti e un booklet con foto ed interviste dell'epoca, tutt'altro che esaustivo. Certamente non è il miglior disco del gruppo e per qualità della registrazione è senza dubbi il peggiore. Le canzoni suonano "sporche" e non forniscono spunti di particolare rilievo rispetto alle versioni degli albums regolari. Certamente chi si volesse avvicinare ai Cream da profano dovrebbe dare la priorità a lunghi e ripetuti ascolti di "Disraeli Gears" e "Wheels of Fire", con il primo in particolare, omogeneo e tutto da studio, che sprigiona una tale ricchezza di suoni e colori che difficilmente può non tramutarsi in passione per chi lo ascolta. Ma per un ascoltatore incallito, dopo aver dato fondo all'esiguo materiale che i nostri hanno registrato per nemmeno tre anni di solidalizio, dopo aver imparato a riconoscere solco per solco gli scoppietii dei propri vinili, giacché per certe cose soltanto il preservativo riesce a togliere più gusto di quanto ne tolga il digitale; rassegnatosi ormai a masticare e a digerire quello che trova come fossero hamburgers, ecco che per quello l'ascolto delle BBC sessions permette di seguire l'evoluzione del suono Cream con la partecipazione con cui si osservano le vecchi foto di classe alle elementari quando ogni tanto si fa spazio in cantina. Nelle fisionomie di ogni bambino che era, ripensi alla sua storia. Allo stesso modo, nei suoni sfocati di Cat's Squirrel ritrovi il cugino dei Led Zeppelin che tanto ti hanno segnato; nel non cantato di Sweet Wine capisci finalmente, dopo tanti anni, come mai trovavi scritto che Hendrix li apprezzava e li seguiva; Rollin' & Tumblin' e Lawdy Mama, con il loro arcaico blues, ti fanno pensare ai maestri e, addirittura, per l'emozione ti pare di riconoscere i Radiohead nell'attacco di batteria con il giro di basso di "I'm so glad"!
Un Cd che merita di trovare spazio nelle migliori collezioni di chi sa apprezzare la musica di qualità.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Sweet Wine (03:27)
Who wants the worry, the hurry of city life.
Money, nothing funny; wasting the best of our life.
Sweet wine, hay making, sunshine day breaking.
We can wait till tomorrow.
Car speed, road calling, bird freed, leaf falling.
We can bide time.
Repeat Second Verse
Repeat First Verse
03 Wrapping Paper (02:30)
Wrapping paper in the gutter
Moving slowly as the wind on the sea,
(Faces calling, waves moving)
In your picture on a wall of a house of old times.
(Can you hear me) Can you hear me
(Can you hear me) Wandering sadly?
In the city, feeling pretty,
Down and out and making love to you on the shore,
(Ruined buildings, faces empty)
In the picture as I gaze ahead and don't see
(That they're calling) That they're calling.
(That they're calling) Wandering sadly.
Shattered windows, stairs to nowhere.
(Hear you calling) Hear you calling
(Hear you calling) As I wander so sadly.
Wish I knew what you'd done to me;
Turned me on to things I never knew.
It's all broken, weeds are growing.
Wish I was going home to the house by the shore
(Where you loved me) Where you loved me,
(Where you loved me) Loved me so sadly.
Someday I'll get back, somehow I'll do it.
I'll arrive there and you'll be there to meet me.
(Walk together, tread the weeds down)
Kiss again in the picture on the wall
(Where I loved you) In the old house.
(Where I loved you) Loved you so well.
06 Crossroads (01:54)
I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
Down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above for mercy, "Take me if you please."
I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
Down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by.
Well, I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
You can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside
[Guitar solo 1]
I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
You can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside
[Guitar solo 2]
You can run, you can run, tell my friend poor Willie Brown.
Run, you can run, tell my friend poor Willie Brown.
And I'm standing at the crossroads, believe I'm sinking down.
08 Traintime (02:50)
See the old train go down the track
Hear the wheels go clicketty clack
It's comin' home, comin' home
Leavin' town baby, ain't comin' home no more
Get the train, you know why I'm leavin'
No use in greavin', well I'm leavin'
Well I'm leavin' town
Leave town, ain't comin' home no more
Traintime baby, traintime almost here
Traintime baby, traintime almost here
So give me one more time do dah yeh
Traintime baby
Traintime baby
Bye bye baby
Bye bye
Bye bye
Bye bye
Bye bye
Bye bye
Bye bye baby
10 Lawdy Mama (01:53)
(traditional)
Wanna go out, baby, to late at night.
Lawdy mama, no need to worry.
Wanna go out, baby, to late at night.
I got a real funny feeling
You're gonna treat your daddy right.
Big-legged woman, come and hold my hand.
Lawdy mama, no need to worry.
Big-legged woman, come and hold my hand.
I got a real funny feeling
You wanna love another man.
12 I Feel Free (02:54)
Feel when I dance with you,
We move like the sea.
You, you're all I want to know.
I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.
I can walk down the street, there's no one there
Though the pavements are one huge crowd.
I can drive down the road; my eyes don't see,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud...
I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.
I can walk down the street, there's no one there
Though the pavements are one huge crowd.
I can drive down the road; my eyes don't see,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud.
Dance floor is like the sea,
Ceiling is the sky.
You're the sun and as you shine on me,
I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.
13 N.S.U. (02:55)
Driving in my car,
Smoking my cigar,
The only time I'm happy's when I play my guitar.
Sailing in my yacht,
What a lot I got,
Happiness is something that just cannot be bought.
Hopping in and out
Hopping up and down
I don't want to go until I've been all around.
What's it all about,
Anyone in doubt,
I don't want to go until I've found it all out.
14 Four Until Late (01:56)
by Robert Johnson
From four until late I was wringing my hands and crying.
From four until late I was wringing my hands and crying.
I believe to my soul that your daddy's Gulfport bound.
From four until late, she made me a no good barroom clown.
From four until late, she made me a no good barroom clown.
You know she won't do nothing but tear a good man's reputation down.
A woman is like a dresser, some man always running through its drawers.
A woman is like a dresser, some man always running through its drawers.
She cause so many men to wear an apron overall.
When I leave this town I will bid you fare farewell.
When I leave this town I will bid you fare farewell.
And when I return again, you'll have a great long story to tell.
15 Strange Brew (03:00)
Strange brew, killing what's inside of you.
She's a witch of trouble in electric blue,
In her own mad mind she's in love with you.
With you, now what you gonna do?
Strange brew, killing what's inside of you.
She's some kind of demon messing in the glue.
If you don't watch out it'll stick to you.
To you, what kind of fool are you?
Strange brew, killing what's inside of you...
On a boat in the middle of a raging sea,
She would make a scene for it all to be
Ignored, and wouldn't you be bored?
Strange brew, killing what's inside of you.
Strange brew, strange brew, strange brew, strange brew.
Strange brew, killing what's inside of you.
17 Tales of Brave Ulysses (02:55)
You thought the Latin winter would bring you down forever,
But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun.
And the colours of the sea blind your eyes with trembling mermaids,
And you touch the distant beaches with tales of brave Ulysses:
How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,
For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white laced lips.
And you see a girl's brown body dancing through the turquoise,
And her footprints make you follow where the sky loves the sea.
And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body,
Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind.
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.
Her name is Aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell,
And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands
With tales of brave Ulysses; how his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing...
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.
20 Born Under a Bad Sign (03:03)
Born under a bad sign
i've been down since i began to crawl
if it wasn't for bad luck
i wouldn't have no luck at all
bad luck and trouble is my only friend
i've been down ever since i was ten
Born under a bad sign
i've been down since i began to crawl
if it wasn't for bad luck
i wouldn't have no luck at all
More wine and women
is all i crave
big bad women gunna carry me to my grave
Born under a bad sign
i've been down since i began to crawl
if it wasn't for bad luck
i wouldn't have no luck at all
bad luck and trouble is my only friend
i've been down ever since i was ten
Born under a bad sign
i've been down since i began to crawl
if it wasn't for bad luck
i wouldn't have no luck
if it wasn't for real bad luck
i wouldn't have no luck at all
born under a bad sign
born under a bad sign
21 Outside Woman Blues (03:18)
If you lose your money, great God, don't lose your mind.
If you lose your money, great God, don't lose your mind.
And if you lose your woman, please don't fool with mine.
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my lady whilst I sleep.
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my lady whilst I sleep.
'Cause women these days, they're so doggone crooked,
That they might make off 'fore day creep.
Well, you can't watch your wife and your outside women, too.
You know you can't watch your wife and your outside womens, too.
Cause when you're out with your women, your wife will be at home,
Cooking your food, doing your dirt, buddy what you trying to do?
You can't watch your wife and your outside womens, too.
You know you can't watch your wife and your outside women, too.
When you're out with your women, your wife will be at home,
Doing a dirt, cooking your food, buddy what you trying to do?
22 Take It Back (02:18)
by Jack Bruce and Pete Brown
Take it back, take it back, take that thing right out of here.
Right away, far away, take that thing right out of here.
Don't let them take me to where streams are red.
I want to stay here and sleep in my own bed.
Need all your loving, long blonde hair,
Don't let them take me 'cause I'm easily scared.
Take it back, take it back, take that thing right out of here.
Chorus
I got this great need, the need to stay alive.
Not ashamed of my creed, I've got to survive.
So come on baby, don't go away,
Just let them save me for a rainy day.
Take it back, take it back, take that thing right out of here.
I got this need, the need to stay alive.
Not ashamed of my creed, I've got to survive.
So come on baby, don't go away,
Just let them save me for a rainy day.
Take it back, take it back, take that thing right out of here.
Chorus
I got this thing, I've got to keep it sharp.
Don't go to places where it won't shine in the dark.
So come on baby, don't go away,
Just let them save me for a rainy day.
Take it back, take it back, take that thing right out of here.
23 Sunshine of Your Love (04:09)
It's getting near dawn,
When lights close their tired eyes.
I'll soon be with you my love,
To give you my dawn surprise.
I'll be with you darling soon,
I'll be with you when the stars start falling.
I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love.
I'm with you my love,
The light's shining through on you.
Yes, I'm with you my love,
It's the morning and just we two.
I'll stay with you darling now,
I'll stay with you till my seeds are dried up.
I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love.
I'm with you my love,
The light's shining through on you.
Yes, I'm with you my love,
It's the morning and just we two.
I'll stay with you darling now,
I'll stay with you till my seeds are dried up.
I've been waiting so long
I've been waiting so long
I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love.
24 Politician (03:59)
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I want to just show you what my politics are.
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach.
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach.
So don't deny me baby, not while you're in my reach.
I support the left, though I'm leaning, leaning to the right.
I support the left, though I'm leaning to the right.
But I'm just not there when it's coming to a fight.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I want to just show you what my politics are.
25 SWLABR (02:32)
Coming to me in the morning, leaving me at night.
Coming to me in the morning, leaving me alone.
You've got that rainbow feel but the rainbow has a beard.
Running to me a-cryin' when he throws you out.
Running to me a-cryin', on your own again.
You've got that pure feel, such good responses,
But the picture has a mustache.
You're coming to me with that soulful look on your face,
Coming looking like you've never ever done one wrong thing.
You're coming to me with that soulful look on your face.
You're coming looking like you've never ever done one wrong thing.
So many fantastic colors; I feel in a wonderland.
Many fantastic colors makes me feel so good.
You've got that pure feel, such good responses.
You've got that rainbow feel but the rainbow has a beard.
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