• Voto:
Quanta nostalgia per questi album da 40 minuti, densi di idee e di musica, e non gonfi di riempitivi come accade agli odierni CD... lunghi, lunghissimi fino alla noia. Tempi in cui il supporto (vinile) ti costringeva a tagliare il superfluo, ed a badare al sodo. Ma in compenso, portava i gruppi a sfornare un disco all'anno con 6-7 canzoni in genere già affinate nei vari tour per la gioia dei fans.
Il primo disco di una band in genere racchiude la miglior produzione degli esordi, dei primi tour, le composizioni giovanili. Poi il secondo LP va a rimorchio, raccogliendo ciò che non ha trovato posto nel disco d'esordio. E vista la sua natura residuale, raramente il secondo disco è migliore del suo predecessore di successo. Stessa sorte tocca a Communiqué (1979), schiacciato dal successo e dall'eccessiva vicinanza col suo predecessore Dire Straits (1978), e che non gode di una hit immortale come "Sultans Of Swing". La parola che più sovente si ritrova nelle recensioni di questo disco è "clone".
Ma cosa rimane di questo disco a quasi trent'anni dalla sua uscita? Un disco fresco, penso più orecchiabile rispetto al fratello maggiore, con un Mark Knopfler poco pop e molto Dylan, e dove la Fender cristallina del leader si fa sentire in lungo ed in largo in ogni canzone senza dover dividere la scena con tastiere, sax o pedal steel.
"Once Upon A Time In The West", "Where Do You Think You're Going?", "Follow Me Home" sono fulgidi esempi di ciò che Knopfler sa fare con una semplice base ritmica, la sua voce profonda e la sua chitarra. Forse un genere abbandonato troppo presto, per andar a cercare alle volte un rock da classifica altre volte una orchestralità eccessiva.
E così se chiunque si avvicini al mondo dei Dire Straits verrà ammaliato dai grandissimi hit quali "Money For Nothing" o da dischi più complessi come "Brothers In Arms", sono sicuro che con gli anni le orecchie cominceranno a preferire il Knopfler più ruvido ed essenziale.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Once Upon a Time in the West (05:18)
Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Scaring the pedestrians for a minute
Crossing up progress driving on the grass
Leaving just enough room to pass
Sunday driver never took a test
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Yes it's no use saying that you don't know nothing
It's still gonna get you if you don't do something
Sitting on a fence that's a dangerous course
Oh, you could even catch a bullet from the peace-keeping force
Even the hero gets a bullet in the chest
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Mother Mary your children are slaughtered
Some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughters
Who's protecting the innocenti
Heap big trouble in the land of plenty
Tell me how we're gonna do what's best
You guess once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Oh yeah, once upon a time in the west
Once upon a time in the west
02 News (04:16)
He sticks to his guns
He take the road as it comes
It takes the shine off his shoes
He's says it's a shame
You know it may be a game
Ah but I won't play to lose
He's burning the grass
He take up a glass
He swallow it neat
He crosses the floor
He open the door
He take a sniff of the street
And she tell him that he's crazy
She's a-saying hey baby
I'm your wife
Yeah she tell him that he's crazy
For gambling a-with his life
But he climbs on his horse
You know he feels no remorse
He just kicks it alive
His motor is fine
He take it over the line
Until he's ready to dive
And she tells him that he's crazy
Yes she's saying listen baby
I'm your wife
Yeah she tell him that he's crazy
For gambling with his life
He sticks to his guns
He take the road as it comes
It takes the shine off his shoes
He's says it's a shame
You know it may be a game
Ah but I won't play to lose
03 Where Do You Think You're Going? (03:48)
Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you know it's dark outside
Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you care about my pride
Where d'ya think you're going
I think a you don't know
You got no way of knowing
There's really no place you can go
I understand your changes
A-long before you reach the door
I know where you think you're going
I know what you came her for
And now I'm sick of joking
You know I like you to be free
A-where d'ya think ya going
I think you better go with me girl
You say there is no reason
But you still find cause to doubt me
If you ain't with me girl
You're gonna be without me
Where d'ya think you're going
Don't you know it's dark outside
Where d'ya think you're going
I wish I didn't care about my pride
And now I'm sick of joking
You know I like you to be free
A-where d'ya think ya going
I think you better go with me girl
04 Communiqué (05:45)
We wanna get a statement for Jesus' sake
It's like a talking to the wall
He's incummunicado
No comment to make
He's saying nothing at all
Yeah but in the communiqué
You know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he means
Maybe on a Monday he got something to say
Communication
Communiqué
Communiqué
Maybe he could talk about the tricks of the trade
Maybe he can talk about himself
Maybe he could talk about the money that he made
Maybe he be saying something else
But in the communiqué you know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he means
Maybe on a Monday he got something to say
Communication
Communiqué
Communiqué
Well now the rumours are flying
Speculation rife
They say that he's been trying someone else's wife
Somebody at the airport
Somebody on the phone
Say he's at the station and he's coming home alone
Then we get the story
The serious piece
And a photography a taken in the hall
And you don't have to worry with the previous release
Right now he's saying nothing at all
But in the communiqué you know he's gonna come clean
Think what he say
Say what he mean
Maybe on a Monday he'll have something to say
Communication
Communiqué
Communiqué
Communication
05 Lady Writer (03:42)
Lady writer on the TV
Talk about the Virgin Mary
Reminded me of you
Expectation left to come up to yeah
Lady writer on the TV
Yeah, she had another quality
The way you used to look
And I know you never read a book
Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place
Lady writer on the TV
She had all her brains and the beauty
The pictures does not fit
You talked to me when you felt like it
Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place
Yes and your rich old man
You know he'd call her a dead ringer
You got the same command
Plus your mother was a jazz singer
Just the way that her hairfell down around her face
Then I recall my fall from grace
Another time, another place
Lady writer on the TV
She knew all about a history
You couldn't hardly write your name
I think I want you just the same as the
Lady writer on the TV
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And lady writer on the TV
Lady writer on the TV
Talking about the Virgin Mary
Yeah you know I'm talking about you and me
And lady writer on the TV
06 Angel of Mercy (04:32)
Well there's a Peter Pan moon, shepherd's delight
I got the dragon at noon, yes and won the fight
Now I want my reward in heaven tonight, just like you promised
Angel of Mercy you'll come to no harm
Angel of Mercy, there's no need for alarm
The knight in his armor wants a night in your arms
You know he's honest
Angel of Mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Sweet angel
Well now it's too late for talkin', we can talk later on
Let the saxaphone play us till the chorus of dawn
And I need is a little oblivion, you don't need protection
Well now here comes the moonlight down on your bed
Angel of mercy let your heart rule your head
I don't want your money, I want you instead
Don't need rejection yeah
Angel of Mercy, angel delight, give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of Mercy, give me heaven tonight
Well, if you cross your heart
And spit and swear upon the grave of your mother
You gotta get into it, you gotta
Tell me that I'm more than a lover
Yeah angel of Mercy, angel delight
A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of Mercy, give me heaven tonight
Yeah angel of Mercy, angel delight
A-give me my reward in heaven tonight
And if I give up my sword, won't you give me the right
Angel of Mercy, give me heaven tonight
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di claudio carpentieri
Dopo questo breve cenno storico, passiamo alla musica!
Where Do You Think You’re Going: una di quelle bellissime cavalcate country western, dove la semplicità e la lucentezza degli assoli di chitarra mette in luce uno dei momenti topici della carriera knopfleriana.
Di AJM
Lo stile Dire Straits è in evoluzione, lenta per ora, ma comunque in evoluzione.
"Lady Writer" ce l’ha fatta, purtroppo non ha mai goduto di grande considerazione neanche da parte dello stesso Knopfler.
Di Ocean
Siano benedetti i dischi con 9 canzoni.
Il professor Knopfler ci regala non solo magnifica musica ma anche ottimi versi.
Di Knopfler76
"Perfino la batteria di Pick Withers è magica, nitida, netta, una carezza nella notte."
"La chitarra prima satura i colori, per poi dilatarne la consistenza in un caleidoscopio di sensazioni che ci pungono la pelle."
Di Knopfler76
"Le prime tre tracce, una via l'altra, con 'Once upon a time in the west', che ti ha fatto innamorare subito, senza compromessi."
"La batteria di Pick Withers è magica, nitida, netta, una carezza nella notte."
