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La chiusura di un ciclo. Registrando i vecchi classici del rock'n'roll, che tanto lo avevano influenzato quando, poco più che adolescente, prese una chitarra in mano, John concludeva il percorso intrapreso nel lontano 1957 come membro dei Black Jacks (poi Querry Men), prima di entrare nella storia ed essere violentato dalla fama.
Il disco ebbe una gestazione piuttosto lunga: nel '73, dopo la realizzazione dell'Lp "Mind Games", John iniziò a registrare una selezione di cover di alcuni dei suoi musicisti preferiti, coaudiuvato in cabina di regia da Phil Spector, già al suo servizio negli ottimi "Plastic Ono Band" e "Imagine". Il fato volle che in seguito alle sessioni lo stesso Spector sparì con le registrazioni effettuate, per poi avere un incidente che lo portò addirittura al coma. Dati i nastri per dispersi, Lennon si dedicò ad un altro album solista, "Walls And Bridges", rifiutando di inserirvi le (poi) ritrovate cover suonate un anno prima. Pubblicato "Walls And Bridges" le attenzioni dell'ex Beatle si concentrarono sul progetto "Rock'n'roll", suo ultimo album prima di ritirarsi per dedicarsi a se stesso e alla sua famiglia.
Il disco fu pubblicato nella sua versione ufficiale (ne esiste una seconda, andata sotto il nome "Roots: John Lennon Sings The Great Rock & Roll Hits" e resa disponibile soltanto per tre giorni prima che fosse ritirata dal mercato) nel febbraio del 1975, seguito di li a poco dal singolo "Stand By Me", classico rhythm&blues di Ben E. King suonato in questa proposta in una veste più marcatamente rock. Delle sessioni di due anni prima con Spector rimangono appena quattro testimonianze, mentre le restanti nove tracce sono state curate e prodotte dal cantante inglese. Il disco, che paga tributo tra gli altri a Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke e Little Richard, risulta essere abbastanza omogeneo nonostante la varietà delle fonti, ed ha i suoi momenti più alti in "Ya Ya", nel medley "Bring It On Home To Me/Send Me Some Lovin'", nel mancato singolo "Slippin' And Slidin'" e nella conclusiva "Just Because". Ancora buona musica con "You Can't Catch Me", che non cela la mano di Phil Spector, mentre non convincono appieno le melodie caraibiche di "Do You Wanna Dance" e la ripetitività di "Bony Moronie", per un Lp sicuramente divertente ma che lascia poco spazio a creatività ed inventiva.
Cinque anni più tardi il ritiro dell'artista britannico verrà smentito dalla pubblicazione del controverso "Double Fantasy", ma questo "Rock'n'roll", a trentacinque anni dalla sua uscita rimane un disco frizzante, da ascoltare alle feste, che ha un parente prossimo nel quasi coevo "Rigor Mortis Sets In" a cura di John Entwistle.
Da suonare ad alto volume.
Elenco tracce e testi
04 You Can't Catch Me (04:52)
I bought a brand new airmobile,
'twas a custom made, 'twas a flightning deal
With a powerful motor and a hide away wing,
Push in on the button, you will hear her sing
Now you can't catch me,
Baby, you can't catch me
'cause if you get too close,
You know I'm goin' like cool breeze
Hey! Hey!
Well, you walk!
You walk!
New Jersey turnpike in the wee wee hours,
I was rollin' slowly 'cause of drizzlin showers
Here come a flat-top, he was movin' up with me,
Then come waving goodbye in a little old souped up jitney
I put my foot in the tank, I began to roll,
Moanin' siren, 'twas the state patrol
I let out my wings, then I blew my horn,
Bye-bye, New Jersey, I become airborn
Now you can't catch me,
Baby, you can't catch me
'cause if you get too close,
You know I'm goin' like cool breeze
Hey!
Well, you walk!
Yeah, walk!
I bought a brand new airmobile,
'twas a custom made, 'twas a flightning deal
With a powerful motor and a hide away wing,
Push in on the button, you will hear her sing
Now you can't catch me,
Baby, you can't catch me
'cause if you get too close,
You know I'm goin' like cool breeze
Hey! Hey!
Well, you walk!
You walk!
Flying with my baby last Saturday night,
Wasn't a grey cloud floatin' in sight
Big, full moon, shinin' up above,
Cuddle up, honey, be my love
Sweetest little thing that I ever seen,
I'm gonna name you Maybellene
Flying on the beam, set on flight control,
Radio tuned to rock and roll
Two, three hours passed us by,
Altitude dropped into five-o-five
Fuel consumption, way too fast,
Let's get on home before we run out of gas
Now you can't catch me,
Baby, you can't catch me
'cause if you get too close,
You know I'm goin' like cool breeze
Git it on!
Yeah, walk!
Git it on, git it on, git it on, do it!
Git it on, git it on!
You know you can't catch me!
05 Ain't That a Shame (02:31)
You made me cry
When you said goodbye
Ain't that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame?
You're the one to blame
You broke my heart
when you said we're part
Ain't that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame?
You're the one to blame
Boogie, babe!
Ain't that a shame?
Ain't that a shame?
Look out!
Farewell, goodbye, although I 'll cry
Ain't that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame?
You're the one to blame
Boggie, babe!
Ain't that a shame?
Ain't that a shame?
You made me cry
When you said goodbye
Ain't that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain't that a shame?
You're the one to blame
08 Slippin' and Slidin' (02:17)
(Penniman, Bocage, Collins, Smith)
Slippin' and a slidin', peepin' and a hidin', been told long time ago,
Slippin' and a slidin', peepin' and a hidin', been told long time ago,
I been told, baby, you been bold, I won't be your fool no more.
Oh, big conniver, nothing but a jiver, done got hip to your jive,
Oh, big conniver, nothing but a jiver, done got hip to your jive,
Slippin' and a slidin', peepin' and a hidin', won't be your fool no more.
Oh Malinda, she's a solid sender, you know you better surrender,
Oh Malinda, she's a solid sender, you know you better surrender,
Slippin' and a slidin', peepin' and a hidin', won't be your fool no more.
09 Peggy Sue (02:04)
John speaking...
"Ok,Ok.Ready? Ok,dynamics with tension, fun and laughter for all. Honkey rock."
1, 2, 1 2 3 4,
If you knew, Peggy Sue
Then you'd know why I feel blue,
about Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well I love you girl, yes I love you Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue, pretty pretty pretty pretty Peggy Sue
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well I love you girl and I need you Peggy Sue
I love you, Peggy Sue, with a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well I love you girl, and I want you Peggy Sue
"Look out"
11 Bony Moronie (03:46)
I got a girl named Bony Moronie,
She's as skinny as a stick of macaroni,
Ought to see her rock 'n' roll with her blue jeans on,
She's not very fat just skin and bone.
But I love her, she loves me,
All are happy now we can be,
Making love underneath the apple tree.
I told her mama and her papa too,
Just exactly what I want to do,
I want to get married on a night in June,
And rock and roll by the light of a silvery moon,
And I love her, she loves me,
All are happy now we can be,
Making love underneath the apple tree.
She's my one and only, she's my heart's desire,
She's a real upsetter, she's a real live wire,
Everybody turns when my baby walks by,
She's something to see, she really catches the eye.
That's why I love her, she loves me,
All are happy now we can be,
Making love underneath the apple tree.
That's why I love her, she loves me,
All are happy now we can be,
Making love underneath the apple tree.
12 Ya Ya (02:18)
Sitting in the La La
Waiting for the Ya Ya, uh huh
Sitting in the La La
Waiting for the Ya Ya, uh huh
It may sound funny
But it's alright honey, uh huh
Hey baby worry, don't make worry, uh huh
Hey baby hurry, don't make worry, uh huh
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