• Voto:
Mi sono fatto fare un lavaggio del cervello e senza farla apposta. Mi sono fatto una cultura di gruppi rock\metal mostruosamente tecnici e bravi, perfetti a livello strumentale e perfetti a livello testuale-vocale. Questa cura me la sono fatta durare talmente tanto che ho incominciato a rifiutare gruppi su gruppi, talvolta anche spesso interessanti. Rifiuti compiuti tramite ragionamenti (scorretti) del tipo: "Ma cosa devono fare questi tipi qua?, neanche possono guardare in faccia i Dream Theatre", "E questi altri che cosa voglio cantare dal momento che ci sono i Children Of Bodom in giro?" Ma poi con il crescere mi sono accorto, che talvolta il senso dell'estasy musicale, quel momento di piena godibilità, e di soddsfazione acustica la si percepisce anche in gruppi che l'estremismo lo raggiungono senza dimostrarsi disumanamente bravi con le chitarre in mano.
Donovan mi ha fatto un pò (ri)scoprire il gusto della musica fatta bene, della musica calma, lenta tranquilla, di quella musica affascinante e che senza essere troppo classica, nascondendo in se stessa tanti segreti è in grado di farti sognare. Questo album a mio parere è fantastico. chitarre classiche, flauti, clarinetti, tamburelli, e tanti altri strumenti speciali compongono delle melodie stupende e ben articolate. La voce è un po' sussurrata, ed è appunto per questo anche molto coinvolgente. Trovare una sola canzone brutta in questo cd è a dir poco impossibile, ogni canzone è bella a modo suo, io che (senza scorno) ascolto sempre la musica quando sono un po' fatto, i migliori viaggi psicologici li ho fatti con questo album.
È la riscoperta/omaggio in "Donovan" maniera ai Folksinger, presente ancora prima che spopolassero i Beatles e confermassero la moda del beat, ancora prima di Bob Dylan, una musica che a distanza di secoli sembra sempre essere stata presente nelle nostre teste.
Sicuramente gli anni '60 furono gli anni in cui i cantautori/menestrelli divorarono tutto il mondo grazie alla loro manifestazione artistica innovativa. Ma nessuno, e confermo nessuno, era come Donovan, nessuno mise mai in piedi un raga folk con venature blues/pop e ritmi da vecchi piano bar. E questo album nè è la massima concezione.
Si parte con "Hurdy Gurdy Man" brano sorprendente, con chitarra classica e voce quasi misteriosa, con presenza di distorsioni sonore che ne garantiscono una certa "psichedelia". segue poi la fantastica "Peregrine" in cui la voce mistica accompagno lo sfondo di una tastiera a effetto fisarominca/coranmuse che sembra raccontare una antica atmosfera drammatica scozzese, contribuiscono suoni tipo nacchere e bonghetti. "The Entertaining of a Shy Girl" è solo una piccola e rilassante ballata da due minuti in perfetto stile, che anticipa "As i Recall it" perfetto blues allegretto e melodico; e diventa sempre più difficile analizzare le canzoni, da una rillassantissima "Get Thy Bearings" a una canzone stile barocco/medioevale chiamata "Hi its Been Long Time" che è in pratica a livello sonoro è la risposta a una ipotetica domanda tipo: "Come mai Donovan è considerato un menestrello?". Poi una perla con il vero raga-folk: "West Indian Lady" e "Jennifer Junniper" che forse tutti conosciamo perché colonna sonora di un famoso spot di merendine (se non sbaglio erano fette biscottate). Ne seguono tante altre che meritano un obbligatorio ascolto.
In conclusione: "Hurdy Gurdy Man" che tutti dovrebbero ascoltare, un esempio di musica alternativa come nell'era moderna nessuno avrebbe mai potuto rappresentare.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 Hurdy Gurdy Man (03:17)
Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I opened my eyes to take a peek
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquility
'Twas then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Came singing songs of love
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Histories of ages past
Hung in light and shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity
'Tis then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love
Then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurd
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Here comes the roly poly man
He's singing songs of love
Roly poly, roly poly, holy holy poly, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang
Roly poly, roly poly
02 Peregrine (03:36)
From the album the hurdy gurdy man
Peregrine falcon hooded and flying
Whither you go blindly over the mountain.
Oh your boats upon the sea are very beautiful to view
By me, by me, by me, by me, I hope by you.
Oh your boats upon the sea are very beautiful to view
By me, by me, by me, by me, I hope by you.
Once I tried to be your friend, but I was undergoing change
The same as you, the same as me, the same as you,
The same as me, the same as you.
And from what I've read you say
You feel quite certain of the way
The world will go, the world will go,
The world will go, the world will go, and so am I.
Oh, oh and there will come a time
When to each other we'll be kinder
Than we were, than we were
And there will come, and there will come
A peace of mind, a peace of mind, a peace of mind.
04 As I Recall It (02:09)
As I recall it, the sun was high,
Yellow in the blue, blue sky.
You couldn't quite make out this boy,
He used life as a toy.
In a Marie-Antoinette room
We were introduced soon,
I was me and you were you,
How do you do ?
Raggedy and tousle-haired
He looked as though he never cared
To run a comb where a comb should run,
Freckles from the sun.
Many good times we have had,
We been happy, we been sad,
But I think we both feel glad
That this life is so mad, mad, mad.
As I recall it, the sun was high,
If I remember, the sun was high,
You couldn't quite make out this boy,
He used life as a toy.
Many good times we have had,
We been happy, baby, we been sad,
But I think we both feel glad
That this life is so mad.
As I recall it, the sun was high,
Yellow in the blue, blue sky,
You couldn't quite make out this boy,
He used life as a toy.
Yeah!
05 Get Thy Bearings (02:49)
From the album the hurdy gurdy man
Get your bearings, know your time.
Don't you worry, weather's fine.
All the world knows what I'm saying,
All the world knows what I'm saying,
The world knows fine well.
Get together, work it out,
Simplicity is what it's about.
All the world knows what I'm saying,
All the world knows what I'm saying,
The world knows fine well.
08 Jennifer Juniper (02:43)
Jennifer Juniper lives upon the hill,
Jennifer Juniper, sitting very still.
Is she sleeping ? I don't think so.
Is she breathing ? Yes, very low.
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love ?
Jennifer Juniper, rides a dappled mare,
Jennifer Juniper, lilacs in her hair.
Is she dreaming ? Yes, I think so.
Is she pretty ? Yes, ever so.
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love ?
I'm thinking of what it would be like if she loved me.
You know just lately this happy song it came along
And I like to somehow try and tell you.
Jennifer Juniper, hair of golden flax.
Jennifer Juniper longs for what she lacks.
Do you like her ? Yes, I do, Sir.
Would you love her ? Yes, I would, Sir.
Whatcha doing Jennifer, my love ?
Jennifer Juniper, Jennifer Juniper, Jennifer Juniper.
Jennifer Juniper vit sur la colline,
Jennifer Juniper assise très tranquille.
Dort-elle ? Je ne crois pas.
Respire-t-elle ? Oui, mais tout bas.
Qu'est-ce que tu fais, Jenny mon amour ?
Jennifer Juniper, Jennifer Juniper, Jennifer Juniper.
10 Tangier (04:12)
From the album the hurdy gurdy man
In Tangier down a windy street
Where beggars meet and on old rags do sleep
The women dressed in soiled white sheet
With starving kids by their side.
With staring eyes that never weep
Old Moroccans with their elephantiasis feet
Who life and death treat so cheap
Happy in their hunger
For they live longer than their fathers.
In Tangier down a windy street
Where beggars meet and on old rags do sleep
The women dressed in soiled white sheet
With starving kids by their side.
With staring eyes that never weep
Old Moroccans with their elephantiasis feet
Who life and death treat so cheap
Happy in their hunger
For they live longer than their, than their, than their fathers.
13 Teas (02:30)
From the album the hurdy gurdy man
I strolled into a deserted seaside café
All on a winter's day.
I ordered up a cup of rich brown steaming tea
>From an old lady.
What happened to you, man, you used to be so free,
Now all you do is sit and dream
Of a fay girl green
By a mountain stream.
I strolled into a deserted seaside café
All on a winter's day.
I ordered up a cup of rich brown memories,
Sat and I watched the sea.
What happened to you, man, you used to be so free.
When you were as a mountain stream
Following a dream,
Following a dream.
What happened to you ?
What happened to you
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