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A soli 2 anni di distanza dal successo di "St. Elsewhere" e del mega-singolo "Crazy", che aveva lanciato i Gnarls Barkley alle vette delle classifiche mondiali, ecco che sfornano un nuovo album, "The Odd Couple". E già, perchè la strana coppia formata dal rappere Cee-Lo e il DJ/produttore Danger Mouse, non smette di sorprenderci con questo disco. Sicuramente molto meno radio-oriented rispetto all' esplosivo debutto, e con un aura un po' più dark, soprattutto in alcuni pezzi. Ma proprio in questi pezzi, come "Would Be Killer" e "Open Book", manca il songwriting fresco e leggero che ce li aveva fatti amare per canzoni come "Crazy", "Smiley Faces" e "Go-Go Gadget Gospel". Non mancano ovviamente i buoni pezzi, che poi sono quelli che più si rifanno al disco precedente. Parlo soprattutto dei singoli "Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)", forse la canzone più famosa di quest' album, molto danceable; di ottima fattura anche "Going On", un soul rock con un ottimo riff ad aprirla. Ma il massimo di quest' album a mio parere si raggiunge con la bellissima e malinconica ballad "Who' s Gonna Save My Soul", dedicata da Cee-Lo al suo idolo scomparso, James Brown, the godfather of soul. Pezzo davvero memorabile. Altri buoni pezzi sono l' opener "Charity Case", con un buon giro di basso, la ballad acustico-elettronica "No Time Soon", "Whatever" e la closer "A Little Better". Il resto dell' album, secondo me, è trascurabile, in quanto i pezzi mancano di quel sound allegro che aveva caratterizzato il duo, per perdersi troppo nella malinconia di pezzi piuttosto scarsi come "Blind Mary", "Surprise" "She Knows".
Quindi ci troviamo di fronte a una release decisamente inferiore alla precedente, ma non scevra di buoni spunti. Un album, che attende da anni un degno successore; sebbene, infatti, quasi ogni anno si parli del nuovo album dei Gnarls Barkley, sembra che non arriverà mai, in quanto viene sempre rimandato a causa degli impegni solisti dei due. Speriamo, quindi, che al più presto la strana coppia torni a stupirci.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Charity Case (03:13)
Give, give, give it away now
Give, give, give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
I-I-I don't know what matters to you at this moment
But that's all that matters to me
How are you? ''(How are you?)''
Knock on wood
Well I'm not doing so good
''About your problem, we couldn't tell
Although you're worth it, I'm still not well''
And I don't understand, how I'm so understanding
I guess that that's all I can be
How are you? ''(How are you?)''
I think I can help
But I can't help myself
''Should I be happy, you need my help
I usually just talk to myself''
Oh can't you see
Oh can't you see
If I help somebody
Maybe there's mercy for me
Ah, charity
(One for you, and you, and you)
(One for you, and you, and you)
Don't want to bother you baby
But I'm bleeding too, are you needing me like I'm needing you?
Even my shadow leaves me all alone at night
Guess I need to start to take my own advice
(La la la la la la la la)
(La la la la la la la la)
Oh can't you see
Oh can't you see
Somebody's a liar
Whoever said freedom was free
Ah, charity
Give, give, give it away now
Give, give, give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Alright
Yeah
(Unintelligible)
Charity
Better give it to somebody
02 Who's Gonna Save My Soul (03:16)
Got some bad news this morning
Which in turn made my day
When this someone spoke I listened
All of a sudden has less and less to say
Oh how could this be?
All this time I've lived vicariously
Who's gonna save my soul now?
Who's gonna save my soul now?
How will my story ever be told now?
How will my story be told now?
Made me feel like somebody
Like somebody else
Although he was imitated often
It felt like I was being myself
Is it a shame that someone else's song
Was totally and completely depended on
Who's gonna save my soul now?
Who's gonna save my soul now?
I wonder if I'll live to grow old now
Gettin' high cause I feel so low down
And maybe it's a little selfish
All I have is the memory
Yet I never stopped to wonder
Was it possible you were hurtin' worse than me
Still my hunger turns to greed
Cause what about what I need?
And oh, who's gonna save my soul now?
Who's gon' save my soul now?
I know I'm out of control now
Tired enough to lay my own soul down
05 Would Be Killer (02:24)
I've got a secret
Something I thought
Maybe I could do
But I can't now can I?
Lucky, lucky you
Did you know I could be
A would be killer
If suddenly I should be
A would be killer
Hurt people
Hurt people
This is always how
Oh, I've been entered by evil
So someone best love me right now
Because I could be
A would be killer
If suddenly I should be
A would be killer
Now don't you dare me
Or we will dance
High up balancing ballet
So I may still get my chance
06 Open Book (03:21)
[Cee-Lo]
Eyes filled with fire
Wish I was a better liar
It hurts when it's happening, and so I cry
The winter is even colder
I guess that I could have told ya
That I am safe and warm from the hell inside
[Chorus]
Karma (karma!)
Take me (take me!)
Karma (karma!)
Break me; I am, an open book
[Cee-Lo]
The drum beat of my heart is tribal
Oh the sweet sound of survival
Shouts serenade this voice forever more
The sun would have to be frozen
For anything out there opposing
Not to be left in its own blood on the jungle floor
[Chorus]
Karma (karma!)
Fight me (fight me!)
Karma (karma!)
Shake me; I am, an open book!
An open book
[Cee-Lo]
When I sing a song of peace
It soothes the savage beast
Even it understands that I understand at least
So you mortals just keep this in mind
This is the way I'm designed
And I am no power so I'll only die one time
[Chorus]
Karma (karma!)
Kill me (kill me!)
You have (karma!)
To kill me (kill me!)
I am, an open book
An open book
07 Whatever (02:20)
[Cee-Lo]
I don't have any friends at all
Cause I have nothin in common with y'all
So who's gonna catch me if I fall?
My back's always against the wall
I don't have anything to say
I want everything to go my way
Shut up mom! It is not okay
I'm alone almost every day
[Chorus]
But it's cool (it's cool)
It could be better (could be better)
I don't care... (I don't care)
Whatever (whatever) Hold up my man
La la la la lah-lah-lah, whatever [3X]
La la la la lah-lah-lah
[Cee-Lo]
Talk to my counselor 'bout how I feel
Everyone agrees I could use some help
I love my girl more, than I love myself
But she's goin steady with someone else
I don't know what else to do
Said fuck me? Well fuck you too!
I know it sounds real sad but true
Bein alone is nothin new
[Chorus]
But it's cool (it's cool)
It could be better (could be better)
I don't care... (I don't care)
Whatever (whatever) Whatever bitch!
La la la la lah-lah-lah, whatever [3X]
La la la la lah-lah-lah
08 Surprise (03:41)
[Cee-Lo]
It's cool being the only one - but it's lonely
I could have fallen in love a thousand times before if only someone, had known me
They say there's someone for everyone
Oh plus the work will be never done
When all you need is to be met halfway but nobody tries...
Don't be surprised
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
There are hills and mountains between us - always somethin to get over
Needless to say it's a wonderful day, I just noticed how nice it was to know ya
Oh but be ready to sacrifice; if you love him you should tell him twice
Because when everything that's alive, ultimately dies
Oh lord
Don't be surprised
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
Somebody's watchin; maybe you want 'em to see you
But with your regrets and se-crets you don't really want them to be you
Well you can make believe I'm blind
And for now I'll be just fine
But when the child grows up to have more than just your eyes
Don't be surprised
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
Now the ending to ev-e-ry story is most enchanting
Now, whether it's heaven or hell
I wear it well; please forgive me for rambling
I just wanted y'all - to know that I don't know it all
So when that big ol' smile ends up, bein just a disguise
Don't be surprised!
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised! Ohhh Lord
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised! Ohhh, oh Lord
Don't be surpriiiiiiiiiised!
I said don't be, don't be, surpri-sed
There's nothing left in here
that's surprising baby, 'prising baby!!
10 She Knows (02:47)
Up, up and away she goes
Now I know that I know she knows
Who would want to live a lie?
But neither will I
If she still try to try
But remarkably, my son
All my work is done
Wouldn't surprise me to see her ghost
She would like me to know she knows
And I'm almost sure
I was absolutely nothing before
Now I'm so, so much more
The one word that describes the past
I'm pretty much possessed
We are the reason, I suppose
And we've spoken so I know she knows
Now what's one to sacrifice
When you live more than twice
Or when I bet it's nice
Gonna be just like you
I'm giving my life, too
No other woman would wear your clothes
And it goes without saying she knows
She knows
11 Blind Mary (03:26)
[Intro: Cee-Lo]
Whoahh-ohhhhhhh
YEAHHHHHHH!
I love, Mary! (I love Mary)
Blind Mary, marry me (marry me)
I love, Mary! (la lah lah)
[Cee-Lo]
She has never seen the sunshine (sunshine)
Yet she's getting along just fine (fine)
She's not staying, she's just passing through (through-ooh-ooeooh-ooh)
Hey, do you mind if I follow you?
Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
[Chorus: Cee-Lo]
I love, Mary! (I love Mary)
Blind Mary, marry me (marry me)
I love, Mary! (la la lah)
Yeaaaahhhhhhhhhh
[Cee-Lo]
I heard a voice say catch me if you can
Before you know it I was holding her hand
It's harder to imagine than understand
How she knows exactly who I am
Yeaaaahhhhhhhhhh
[Chorus]
[Cee-Lo]
She's my friend, she doesn't judge me
She has no idea I'm ugly
So I've absolutely nothing to hide
Because I'm so much prettier inside
Yeaaaahhhhhhhhhh
[Chorus]
13 A Little Better (03:07)
Now I can sing you the story line
And if you like my story fine
But ain't none of the glory mine
See my life was a lonely one
And I was still Momma's only son
With no idea what I'm goin' become
And I didn't have long to know
That you don't have to be grown to go
I could have died so long before
Then I finally saw the sign
And I made it on down the line
One step at a time
I feel a lil' better
I can smile at it now
I feel a lil' better
Oh better
And even a little is still better
Oh have mercy on me
Oh it's probably plain to see
That I got a whole lotta pain in me
And it will always remain in me
So cold it's a crying shame
Yet here I am trying again
Cause I refuse to die in vain
The circumstances put soul in me
And there ain't no holding me
I've got a heart made of gold in me
Can you believe this is where I've been
And when adversity comes again
I'll deal with it then
I feel a 'lil better
I can laugh at it now
I feel a 'lil better
Oh better
And even a little is still better
Oh have mercy on me
Woah
I said everything's fine you can take your time
What would be on your mind if you knew you was dyin'
I would wanna just feel this-a one more time
I said everything's fine take your time
What would be on your mind if you knew you was dyin'
I would wanna just feel this-a one more time
Alright
I wanna thank you morning sun
I wanna thank you loaded gun
Now I know I'm not the only one
I, I wanna thank you friendly ghost
When all the calls were close
It seems like you cared the most
I, I wanna thank you Mom and Dad
For hurting me so bad
But you're the best I ever had
I, I wanna thank you
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