• Voto:
"New Romantics ... fu puro opportunismo in verità. Facemmo nostra quell'etichetta e la mettemmo anche nei versi di "Planet Earth". In quel momento pensavamo di cadere a pennello in quella scena. Quel movimento era nato dal punk, dal rock e dal glam rock. Noi ci aggiungemmo l'elettronica di Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder e forse ci accostammo di più ai Depeche Mode che agli altri" (John Taylor).
L'immagine dell'Inghilterra alla fine degli anni '70, riflette appieno una nazione in cui la depressione economica non è una breve fase di passaggio, ma uno stato duraturo in cui trova terreno una gran voglia di rinascita e di espressione che attraverso la musica si rivela uno sfogo naturale. Il concetto di anarchia e libertà che contraddistingue il punk è la giusta base di partenza per lo sviluppo di quel movimento in principio considerato senza nome ma che presto diverrà quello dei nuovi romantici.
La data del 5 aprile 1979 a Birmingham acquisterà valore con il tempo, rappresentando il momento in cui prende vita la prima esibizione di una band locale a suo modo originale, che partendo da un'innovativa proposta musicale e visiva, arriverà nel giro di qualche anno a monopolizzare charts e magazines, in cui non sono solo gli adolescenti a rimanerne catturati. Le teste pensanti di questo progetto sono un capace chitarrista di nome Nigel John Taylor e di un abile e dotato tastierista Nicholas James Bates munito di una Edp Wasp con una K Rhythm Unit, che riescono a dare concretezza ai loro sogni adolescenziali. La prima formazione accoglie un compagno di studi di Nigel, il cantante e chitarrista Stephen Duffy (che si fa chiamare Dufait), che insieme al clarinettista Simon Colley dona ai quattro un sapore avanguardista che non guasta. Il successivo di Andy Wickett e la dipartita di Colley e Dufait comincia a dare con l'arrivo di Roger Taylor (reclutato dalla punk band Scent Organs), stabilità al gruppo. Titoli come "Hawks Don't Share" e "Aztec Moon" che rivelano un'evidente implicazione letteraria ed il giusto training per giungere al primo demo di cui faranno parte "Girls on Film", "See-Me Repeat-Me" (poi "Rio") e l'inedita "Working the Steel". Le prime divergenze caratteriali portano all'abbandono di Wickett, al reclutamento di Jeff Thomas (frontman degli Scent Organs) ed Alan Curtis alla chitarra, con cui verrà realizzato un secondo demo che non susciterà l'atteso interesse.
La successiva dipartita di Thomas e Curtis conduce alla ricerca attraverso un annuncio prima ed all'assunzione diretta poi, di un giovane e promettente chitarrista che si chiama Andy Taylor, con una già notevole esperienza live sulle spalle, mentre il 13 maggio 1980 a ricoprire il ruolo di definitivo singer della band, arriverà un giovane attore dell'hinterland londinese di nome Simon Le Bon ... e che la favola abbia inizio.
Dopo due mesi di continue prove il 16 luglio al Rum Runner di Birmingham i fratelli Berrow - gestori del locale e responsabili fino ad un certo punto anche della direzione artistica dei cinque musicisti, - presenteranno un gruppo dal sapore musicale acerbo, divenendo il club di Broad Street, il punto di partenza al definitivo ingaggio da parte della Emi, siglato in quel lunedì 8 dicembre 1980 che rimarrà sicuramente nella memoria di tutti per la scomparsa di John Lennon.
Ad introdurci al primo disco dei DD sono gli scatti ripetuti di una macchina fotografica di "Girls on Film" (per cui nel 1984 con i Duran all'apice del successo planetario verseranno 600 sterline a Wickett che aveva denunciato la paternità del ritornello), un disco-funk di immediata presa in cui la sezione ritmica si rivela altrettanto semplice quanto il refrain facile da assimilare. Sempre all'insegna di una facile fruibilità da parte di un ampio pubblico è "Anyone Outhere" in cui l'espressione della personale anima pop del gruppo prende forma, senza cedere il passo ad una scontata leziosità. L'oscura atmosfera di "Nightboat" è in grado di portare l'ascoltatore in una dimensione sognante ma anche di riflessione, facendo apprezzare l'ipnotica linea di basso che l'accompagna. Con "Sound of Thunder" (servito a testare la validità di Simon Le Bon per l'ingresso nel gruppo), si torna in pista con un'artefatta fusione tra chitarra e tastiere in cui la vena poetica del giovane singer trova idonea espressione. Fermo restando il valore di una identità espressiva facilmente percepibile sino ad ora, a catturare in maniera assoluta l'ascoltatore sono sicuramente "Planet Earth" e "Careless Memories", che possono riassumere l'orientamento stilistico dell'intero album; il primo, un brano senza fronzoli in cui è la spaziale atmosfera dei synth unita ad una solida sezione ritmica (peraltro doppiata con percussioni e toms elettronici) in cui strofa e ritornello si fondono ad arte con il lavoro di pungente rifinitura e melodia di Andy Taylor;."Careless Memories" - scelto infelicemente come secondo singolo dai responsabili della Emi, - è invece un electro-punk che si avvale di una melodia quasi isterica in cui è un riuscito equilibrio strumentale a farne un pezzo pressoché discreto. C'è anche tempo per l'inquietudine di "Friends of Mine" in cui si fa strada un compiacente refrain ma mai ovvio, lasciando la chiusura del disco alla fragranza orientale della prima prova strumentale di "Tel Aviv".
Nove brani per un album discreto che si rivolge principalmente a chi vuole conoscere e provare a capire la nascita di un sound in cui viene a confluire una semplice e gradevole sintesi di glam rock, disco music, elettronica e punk (inteso in prevalenza come anarchica e smodata libertà di espressione). Il primo vagito discografico che da questo momento in poi, farà sì che all'ascolto della musica si comincerà ad applicare una poco conosciuta (fino ad allora) attenzione anche al gusto estetico, divenendo un punto di riferimento che la band sfrutterà a proprio vantaggio con la contemporanea diffusione di ricercatissimi videoclip che l'avvento di Mtv, consacrerà a principale mezzo di diffusione musicale.
[Tra le varie versioni di questo disco messe sul mercato, è giusto ricordare che la stampa del 1981 per il mercato americano, il brano "To the Shore" veniva sacrificato in favore della night version di "Planet Earth", pur se non specificatamente indicata. Stessa infelice sorte per la quarta traccia spettava per la pubblicazione della reissue fatta dalla Capitol nel 1983, quando la original version di "Planet Earth" trovava nuovamente collocazione nel disco che unitamente all'hit single dell'epoca "Is There Something I Should Know" rendeva il full-lenght nuovamente appetibile. Le special editions recentemente immesse sul mercato contengono due cd: il primo vede l'aggiunta di "Late Bar" (tratta dal 45 rpm di "Planet Earth"), "Khanada" e la bowiana "Fame" (già in coppia con il singolo di "Careless Memories"), con "Faster Than Light" a suo tempo b-side di "Girls on Film"; il secondo dischetto invoglierà all'acquisto chi non vorrà perdersi proprio nulla dei cinque di Birmingham, sfamando l'ingordigia tra versioni estese ed esecuzioni per la BBC dei brani più allettanti].
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Too Much Information (04:55)
Destroyed by MTV
I hate to bite the hand that feeds me
so much information
The pressure's on the screen
to sell you things that you don't need
It's too much information for me
Hey TV child
look into my eyes
here by intervention
I want your attention
Promotion boy
in a suit 'n' tie
he wants you to use it
you're too shot to lose it
It's pumpin' down the cable
like never so before
a COLA manufacturer
is sponsoring the war
Here comes the news
with LOVE from me to you
Destroyed by ABC
I hate to bite the hand that feeds me
so much information
The pressure's on the screen
to sell you things that you don't need
It's too much information for me
Turn on the tube
hits you with groove
advertisin' music
we want you to choose it
These teeth are white
trainers ULTRA-BRITE
This band is perfect
just don't scratch the surface
We covered all the angles
the survey people said
Just put us on the cover
we'd be smilin' anyway
This video was made
with LOVE for you
Destroyed by BBC
I hate to bite the hand that feeds me
so much information
The pressure's on the screen
to sell you things that you don't need
It's too much information for me
Destroyed by MTV
I hate to bite the hand that feeds me
so much information
The pressure's on the screen
to sell you things that you don't need
It's too much information for me
Dilate your MIND dilate your MIND
dilate your MIND dilate your MIND...
Got to give it to me
Got to listen to me
Got to give in to me
Now I'm on the line
Got to give it to me
Got to listen to me
Got to give in to me
Now I'm on the line
I try
Yes, I try
Oh, I try
Yes, I try
02 Ordinary World (05:40)
Came in from a rainy Thursday on the avenue
Thought I heard you talking softly.
I turned on the lights, the TV and the radio
Still I can't escape the ghost of you
What has happened to it all?
Crazy, some'd say,
Where is the life that I recognize?
Gone away...
But I won't cry for yesterday, there's an ordinary world,
Somehow I have to find.
And as I try to make my way, to the ordinary world...
I will learn to survive
Passion or coincidence once prompted you to say
"Pride will tear us both apart"
Well now pride's gone out the window cross the rooftops, run away,
Left me in the vacuum of my heart.
What is happening to me?
Crazy, some'd say,
Where is my friend when I need you most?
Gone away...
But I won't cry for yesterday, there's an ordinary world,
Somehow I have to find.
And as I try to make my way, to the ordinary world...
I will learn to survive
Papers in the roadside tell of suffering and greed
Here today, forgot tomorrow
Ooh, here besides the news of holy war and holy need
Ours is just a little sorrowed talk
(Just blown away...)
And I don't... (chorus)
Every world, is my world... (I will learn to survive)
Any world, is my world ... (I will learn to survive)
Any world, is my world...
Every world is my world...
04 Drowning Man (05:14)
He's sinking faster than a drowning man
He'll grab a hold of anyone he can
Gun in his pocket and a heart of ham
Uncle Sam
He's dying faster than a rabid dog
Infect us all now he's loosing blood
Nose for trouble and a soul of rock
Smokey's man
Don't drag me down
I don't wanna drown
You're going down
Heyyyy Yeahhhh
Na nana na nana nana na na...
You can see his face
There's not much flesh
Just skull and bone
Cheeks sunk deep
Eyes popping wide
Don't put out a hand to help him
This drowning man will bite it right off
Right Off
RIGHT OFF
RIGHT OFF
RIGHT OFF
Don't drag me down
I don't wanna drown
You're going down
Going down nooowww
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh
He's selling faster than a magazine
Infect us all with his TV screen (rept 3 more times)
You're going down
Na nana na nana nana na na...
Going down...
05 Shotgun (00:54)
Get it together
Thing is jumpin'
I wanna see your
Bullets pumpin'
Shotgun
Itchy finger
On the trigger
Got to make the
Shooter bigger
Shotgun
06 Come Undone (04:38)
Mine, immaculate dream made breath and skin
I've been waiting for you
Signed, with a home tattoo,
Happy birthday to you was created for you
(can't ever keep from falling apart
At the seams
Cannot believe you're taking my heart
To pieces)
Oh, it'll take a little time,
might take a little crime
to come undone now
(PRECHORUS)
We'll try to stay blind
to the hope and fear outside
Hey child, stay wilder than the wind
And blow me in to cry
(CHORUS)
Who do you need, who do you love
When you come undone
(repeat)
(Verse 2)
Words, playing me deja vu
Like a radio tune I swear I've heard before
Chill, is it something real
Or the magic I'm feeding off your fingers
(Can't ever keep from falling apart
At the seams
Cannot believe you're taking my heart
To pieces)
Lost, in a snow filled sky, we'll make it alright
To come undone now
07 Breath After Breath (04:57)
Breath after breath. Ama!
Breath after breath. Danca!
Every day I wake up in this room
and I don't know
Where I come from, where I'm going to
then I hear the voice
Senhora musa da paz
Me abraca, me carrega no teu andor
Dormir no colo da dor
Amiga, Arrasa!
A tua m�u desenhou
O sonho na areia
Agora, entrega de vez
Meu rumo E vida
From where I stand
The truth isn't black and white
Alone we live and die
We love and fight
Breath after breath we carry this mortal coil
Safe for tomorrow
Do I dare, oh do I dare
follow through the mass that my whole body hears
Beating on my heart like a feather
beating of a moment 'til I disappear
Diga uma palavra alegre
Manda um recado
Que seja agora
Faz o mundo ficar novo
E dancar no colo do tal de amor
From where I stand
The truth isn't black and white
Alone we live and die
We love and fight
Breath after breath we carry this mortal coil
Circles in sand are washed out into the sea
Just as we slip on through to eternity
Breath after breath we carry this mortal coil
Safe for tomorrow
Diga uma palavra, cara
Bem alegre
Corre, manda logo um recado
Me abraca
Faz um clima doce
Me arrepia!
Chega de suf�co!
Me p�e louco!
Me faz diamante
Teu amante
Danca ao som do vento
Me ensina
Basta de suf�co
N�o faz jogo... (rept until fade)
A flame of Love is burning
Always
The song is of the planets
oh whooooooooo
The dance is to the rhythm of rain
Where everyone is coming from
is coming to
And birth is just a breath after breath
08 UMF (05:32)
Here we stand
in the shadow of the master plan
making trouble wherever we can
stir it up, stir it up, stir it up
Can't you see this boy is going cheap
knockdown to a basement deal
but I really won't stop 'til I get to the top
Take it from me
I'm waiting here on my knees
and I love the way you tease me
oh such a wonderful person
Don't play rough
easy when you know your stuff
say please and sure enough
So kind, I'm making love to the ultimate mind
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we're fooling around
Ultimately I'd say she's toying with me
It's a case of wait and see
but right now I'm gonna keep my pants on
A to Z
she's doing it to my head
We don't need to go to bed you'll find
to make love to the ultimate mind
(whistle)
Put it to me baby
you could feel love
Wanna wrap myself in ya baby
we could tell the world
Talk me round
Let's do it right here and now
I don't want you cooling down
turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, turn it up
We can fit realities two way split
personality life's a bitch
But I'm fine
making love to the ultimate mind
Heaven's bent
we're completely innocent
We all got to pay the rent
and in time we learn to compromise
Talking tall and I feel invisible
can you see me after all
that I said there's only one thing for it
Take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we're fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we're fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
you could feel love come tumbling down
I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby
We can tell the world we're fooling around
Come and take a look put it to me baby
I'm making love to the ultimate mind
Ultimate mind
ultimate mind
Uh-huh, whoa, aaouh...
09 Femme Fatale (04:21)
Here she comes,
You better watch you're step.
She's going to break your heart in two, its true.
It's not hard to realise
Just look into those false coloured eyes,
She'll build to up just to put you down, what a clown,
Coz everybody knows...
(she's a femme fatale)
Things she does to please (she's a femme fatale)
She's just a little tease (she's a femme fatale)
See the way she walks
Hear the way she talks
You're written in her book,
You're number 37, take a look
She's going to smile to make you frown, what a clown.
Little boy she's from the street
Before you start you're already beat
She's going to play you for a fool, yes its true,
Coz everybody kowns...
(chorus)
(Yeh, I seen that girl, so man, I know where you're
commin' from. She's all lips and eyes and legs, and then
its great, but you know what, she's going to mess you up pal..)
She will try to put you down,
The hardest girl around,
Coz everybody knows...
Things she does to please
She's just a little tease
A everybody knows..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
She's a femme fatale..
10 None of the Above (05:18)
I'm I myself alone
Realise I never need to use no one
When it comes down to my soul
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
There was a time I was so afraid
of everyting people around me said
That I wanted to hide my face in the shadows
There was a time on a bed of nails
I was dreaming a plan I thought could not fail
but no power under the sun could pull it together
I can't take this attitude
Got to show now I've got to move on
God knows where I'm going to
It's a lonely burning question
I'm I myself alone
Realise I never need to use no one
Money, power, Holy roads
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
Whoa
If there's a time that we ever see
The nature of life in reality
Then I want to be there
to kick at the answer
I can't take this attitude
Got to show now I've got to move on
God knows where I'm going to
It's a lonely burning question
I'm I myself alone (all alone)
Realise I never need to use no one
Money, power, Holy roads (holy roads)
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
I'm I myself alone (all alone)
Realise I never need to use no one
When it comes down to my soul (to my soul)
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
(Mid solo)
I'm I myself alone (on my own)
Realise I never need to use no one (no one)
Money, power, Holy roads (holy roads)
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
I'm I myself alone (myself alone)
Realise I never need to use no one
When it comes down to my soul
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
None of the above
my faith in none of the above
none of the above
I stand by none of the above... (fade out)
11 Shelter (04:23)
Just come softly to me
In the shelter of my arms
I watch you from my window working this vicious road
You shudder when the wind blows
Girl you're looking beat and cold
Don't know your situation but you look so alone to me
In my imagination this is how the message reads
Reaching out, calling out for your love babe
Just come softly to me
Reaching out, calling out for your love, for your love babe
In the shelter of my heart
Trust my intuition, you're the one I've got to know
I give without condition
Wouldn't try to save your soul
Money or reputation doesn't mean a thing to me
Special communication, it's the only thing we need
Reaching out, calling out
Just come softly to me
Calling out, hear me now
In the shelter of my heart
Reaching out, calling out
Hear me now
Do you read me?
In the shelter of my heart
Just come softly to me
Here there is no hurt to feel
Here is safe for lips unsealed
In the shelter of my heart
Reaching out, calling out for your love babe
Just come softly to me
Reaching out, calling out for your love, for your love babe
In the shelter of my heart
Reaching out, hear me now, calling out
Do you read me?
12 To Whom It May Concern (04:23)
Dear Mr. Bones,
We've had enough
You can try to pull us down with your pinstripe weasel stuff
but word travels in this town
I wouldn't write home about you
We're better off without you
Without you Mr. Bones
Some people feed on other people's troubles
Some people beat on other people's meat
Some people want to bleed us dry and some people..
Gonna drown on your feet
You said "Boys I'll get you more, but you have to pay me by the hour"
Anyway you are just another bore who believes he's a superpower
When you talk about loyalty i just hope you realise,
since you ate my royalties
Mr. Bones this is goodbye
This is goodbye and hereinafter shall be referred
Notwithstanding or foregoing statements unpreferred
Don't claim you understand when you've not heard a single word
A dicky bird...
Some people feed on other people's troubles
Some people beat on other people's meat
Some people want to bleed us dry and some people..
Gonna drown on your feet!
13 Sin of the City (07:14)
Coatcheck girl up in happyland has a violent row with a cuban man
Julio leaves in a drunken rage comes back with the gasoline
The club had no fire exit the club only had one door
Only five people came out alive the sin is that 89 died
89 dead, 89 dead, 89 dead, 89 dead
The sin is that a year and a half before the fire chief's out and he's raising cain
Brands happyland hazzard close down but no no one never paid him no mind
No one ever paid him no mind, no one ever paid him no mind, no one ever paid no
Never paid, never paid no no no
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
City living heavy trouble city living rough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
Daily news reviews the landlords life found six thousand code violations light
The city has more hundred thousand wars all for one of Forbes four hundred whores
Just one firecracker on a big bonfire a self serving penny pinching wiseguy style
Never allowing for the human condition, never allowing for the human condition
Never allowing for the human condition the sin is that these guys survived
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
City living heavy trouble city living rough
(The sin of the city, the sin of the city)
The sin of the city yeah
City living heavy trouble city living rough
Stop killing your people now
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
Stop wasting your people now
City living heavy trouble city living rough You're shooting your people up
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
The sin of the city yeah
City living heavy trouble city living rough
Stop killing your people now
We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
You're wasting your people yea
City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di SouthMan
I Duran Duran oltre ad essere "boni", sono degli ottimi musicisti, con un senso della melodia e della composizione superiore a tanti altri decantati artisti.
Un disco freschissimo, cupo in certe sue parti, e capostipite di tutto il movimento new-romantic.
Di francesco1684
"Il Wedding Album è un vero capolavoro della musica pop mondiale, premiato disco di platino negli USA."
"'Ordinary World' è un pezzo carico di emozioni, impossibile non rimanerne coinvolti."
Di Palau
Gli errori gravi non li hanno commessi dopo la loro reunion del 2004 bensì nella genesi della loro carriera.
Di questo album mi piacciono le imperfezioni, la spontaneità, l’originalità e la bassa qualità costruttiva degli strumenti.
Di Abraham
I Duran Duran hanno insita una sottile vena masochista che li porta, con sorprendente regolarità, a lasciarsi morire in calce a svariate resurrezioni.
‘Love Voodoo’ è qualcosa di mai sentito e, purtroppo, mai replicato in ambito Duran.
