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Con un contratto che ti obbliga a pubblicare almeno due lp l'anno è facilissimo perdersi in una carriera che tristemente volge verso limbi sicuri caratterizzati da ripetuti clichè.
E' quello che succederà a Elton John per gran parte degli anni '80 e che si ritrova già anticipato in alcuni lavori, in parte pallidi, dei '70. Gli anni '80 che si perderanno negli orribili "Ice On Fire" ('85) e "Leather Jackets" ('86) si aprono con uno dei dischi dai titoli sicuramente più curiosi, "21 at 33". Il titolo cita il numero di lp pubblicati fino a quel momento, ventuno, e l'età del compositore, trentatrè, ed è uno dei lavori più equilibrati di John. Decisamente piacevole e facile nell'ascolto "21 at 33" si fa subito piacere per alcuni brani di sicuro impatto che ne impreziosiscono la carica complessiva, l'apertura con la brillante "Chasing The Crown" è l'inizio giusto con toni briosi e ballabili. "Little Jeanie" è la ballata un po' zuccherosa che non delude quasi mai, soprattutto affascina il finale con l'intervento dei controcanti femminili a ricamare un delicato impasto sonoro. Il brano di maggior impatto è la magniloquente "Sartorial Eloquence" che si aggiudica un meritato posto tra i migliori brani dell'autore britannico; "Two Rooms at The End Of The World" e "White Lady White Powder" sono altri due pezzi gustosi e sbarazzini. Il resto dell'lp rimane su sentieri godibili come dimostra l'intensa "Dear God".
Registrato a Nizza con un gran numero di musicisti e con testi di Taupin e Osborne alla fine "21 at 33" non delude e Elton John dimostra di poter aprire la nuova decade con un lavoro buono in grado di anticipare prodotti futuri magari di ancor maggior spessore artistico. Con il successivo "The Fox" ('81) Elton John si manterrà sui livelli di "21 at 33", con "Jump Up" ('82) realizzerà un prodotto venduto ma poco interessante e con la pubblicazione di "Too Low For Zero" ('83) ritornerà apprezzabile, poi il crollo traumatico e a tratti decisamente imbarazzante.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 Little Jeannie (05:10)
Oh little Jeannie
You got so much love
Little Jeannie
And you take it where it strikes
and give it to the likes of me
Oh little Jeannie
She got so much love
Little Jeannie
So I see you when I can
You make me all a man can be
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others who would treat you cruel
And oh little Jeannie
You were always someone's fool
Little Jeannie
You got so much time
Little Jeannie
Though you've grown beyond your years
You still retain the fears of youth
Oh little Jeannie
You got so much time
Little Jeannie
But you're burning it up so fast
Searching for some lasting truth
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others who would treat you cruel
But oh Jeannie
I will always be your fool
[Saxophone solo]
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others
and I've known quite a few
But oh oh Jeannie
I'm still in love with you...
(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)
(Making the life that I had seem suddenly shiny and new)
Oh Jeannie(Oh Jeannie...) I'm so in love with you...
(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)
(Making the life that I had seem suddenly shiny and new)
Oh Jeannie(Oh Jeannie...) I'm so in love with you...
(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)
(Making the life that I had seem suddenly shiny and new)
Oh Jeannie(Oh Jeannie...) I'm so in love with you...
(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)So...
(Making the life that I had seem) suddenly shiny and new
Oh Jeannie(Oh Jeannie...) I'm so in love
[fading]
I'm so...(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)...in love
(Making the life that I had seem) suddenly shiny and new
Oh Jeannie(Oh Jeannie...) I'm so in love
I'm so...(You stepped into my life from a bad dream)...in love
03 Sartorial Eloquence (04:45)
You've a certain sartorial eloquence
And a style that's almost all your own
You've got the knack of being so laid back...
It's like talking to the great unknown.
You've got a self-sufficient swept-back hair-do
Pretty certain that you've got it made...
Oh, your lifestyle shows in the clothes you chose
Sitting pretty in the masquerade...
Singing, don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
You remain the only main contender
Though you never, you never meant to lose at all.
Down and out, yet I'm surrounded...
Adamant before the fall.
Oh, when you go, you know
I might be lonesome
But I keep it under close control...
Go and get your kicks, and Babe,
Let's call it quits
I believe I'm feeling indisposed.
Singing, don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game?
Don't you wanna play this game?
Oh, when you go, you know I might be lonesome...
But I keep it under close control.
Go and get your kicks
And babe let's call it quits...
I believe I'm feeling indisposed.
Come on, sing it, don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play this game no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
Don't you wanna play no more?
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