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Il curioso e fortunato progetto Jon and Vangelis prende forma sul finire degli anni Settanta in seguito a precedenti, sparse collaborazioni tra due abili musicisti: uno è il britannico Jon Anderson, cantante ormai svincolato dagli Yes e ansioso di sperimentare nuove vie musicali, l'altro è il greco Vangelis, che di sperimentazione si occupa da un pezzo, ma è da sempre aperto a collaborazioni con artisti di svariata provenienza.
L'esordio "Short Stories" viene dato alle stampe nel 1980 ed è subito un successo commerciale, forte della perfetta fusione tra la musica dolce ma accattivante di Vangelis e le angeliche doti canore di Anderson; la formula, tra l'altro, è semplice: il greco prepara la musica, il britannico, in seconda fase, completa i brani con le parti vocali. Questa metodologia, in apparenza fredda e meccanica, genera pezzi curati nei minimi dettagli, ma alquanto diversi tra loro.
L'intero disco si basa su uno sfondo di atmosfere sognanti ed angeliche, sul quale irrompono brusche e incalzanti virate elettroniche. La devastante e violenta colata di “Curious Electric” si contrappone alla dolcezza della successiva “Each and Everyday/Bird” , mentre “I Hear You Now” ha un motivo così accattivante da scalare le classifiche dell'epoca. “The Road”, “Far Away in Baghdad” e “Love Is/One More Time” anticipano in parte le sonorità future, mentre la breve “The Road” ha la funzione di precedere il brano finale (e migliore) dell'album, "A Play Within a Play”, capace di racchiuderne l'essenza per struttura ed alternanza tra movimento e quiete.
Come spesso capita nelle prime opere (e specialmente in progetti particolari come questo) si scorge la volontà di tenere aperte molte vie, cambiare spesso direzione, anche a scapito dell'unità d'intenti. Non a caso le opere successive, seppur di eguale qualità, indicano una via più coerente ed un filo espressivo più solido, come confermato dall'ottimo “The Friends of Mr Cairo” del 1981.
Infine, nel 1983, arriva la prova migliore del duo, “Private Collection”: Vangelis smussa ancora gli angoli e addolcisce le melodie, la voce di Anderson diventa quasi eterea. Cinque pezzi perfetti, più una lunga traccia finale, “Horizon”, così memorabile da meritare un posto di prim'ordine nella musica di quel decennio.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Curious Electric (06:41)
Sitting here in the television
Looking at the tube
Sitting next to me
He's not been very well lately
He told me so
He's been crying
A little bit
And I ain't lyin'
But we're sitting it out
Watching "Match of the Day".
You know we've all gotta go anyway
I said we've all gotta go anyway
And I wouldn't mind being last in line
To see such joy and fruitfulness.
When everyone discovers short stories
04 I Hear You Now (05:14)
After the first embrace from you my senses knew
The look of love was in your eyes
and after we first make love our senses tingle to
The touch oh how we hypnotize
Oh, to get the feeling on and on
Oh, just to get the feeling
Holding you closer in my arms we drift to heaven
Bringing in the morning light
And after all is said and done there's only us
We can make it right
So, our love will carry on and on
Now our love will be free, be free.
And when we play, love don't delay, I hear you now
For what was then, is what is now, anyhow
As I became a guest of love's tune hear again
We'll carry on together like today.
After the first embrace from you I want you too
After the first embrace from you I want you too
05 The Road (04:34)
There's a road that takes me back
There the light has seen your face
To the place where I belong
There at last where I will wander
By the lake where time stands still.
There's a road I see before me
Made by the man who tells the tale
There's a road that travels all ways.
There's a road that's here I see
In the midst of all creation
There's a road for you and me.
09 Thunder (02:13)
Oh, sevens worth a say, like a lie, five and one
My favourite died in pain, by a guy, son of a gun
He jumped through the horse I guess,
Disappeared, no mess
Hell! We'll just have to rest, follow me down,
If you caan, Follow slowly.
Thus enter as we may, by a hole, in the floor.
Deep darker than the black, seemed to hear,
Many a rat.
Tried harder as I fought, Thought my life,
Finally brought.
Knees trembling in my legs,
Wish to get out, out and about
Out and about.
Hre, now, fear, let me free
Now, here, now.
Don't leave me fast here, oh please
You won't let me live again!!
This way.
come, don't be so afraid, by the fire, sit beside
Change all your whims and cares
To the tide of the night
This thought occurred to me,
Did the ghost, disappear
Fire deep my heart my soul, chase him off,
Very clear, very clearly.
10 A Play Within a Play (07:03)
You me, me you, when will we be,
Love goes on, no hurry, tell me,
That I know whatever has to be.
Since dreams have their reasons anyway
All the good love stories, have their glory
Yours the winds flowing on and on and on and on
And on and on
Let the winter winds of old
Take the water to the sea
As the maan turned into light
Like the forest of the west
They were caarrying the fire
Like the boats that sail the waves
In the gardens of belief
Meditate us turn the ky
For if trouble shares your tears
Rereturning once again and again and again and again
Rereturning once again and again and again and again
For the many to be sure
That's why children seem to know the reason why
True knowledge of believing is believing
I'll find a truth and then believe it to the end
It seems so easy as my life and I begin to know why
Are we to everything a play within a play.
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