• Voto:
Spesso si sente dire su Made In Japan dei Deep Purple "una copia di questo album dovrebbe essere presente in ogni casa", ok album capolavoro, ma penso si possa, anzi si debba estendere il discorso anche al Live At Leeds degli Who, At Fillmore East degli Allman Brothers, Jimi Plays Monterey ed altri fra i quali ci metterei queste BBC Sessions dei Led Zeppelin, che personalmente ritengo non abbiano niente, ma proprio niente da invidiare ai titoli citati.
Ricordo ancora il giorno che le comprai, era un sabato pomeriggio di Marzo del 1998, allora avevo solo la raccolta Remasters e The Song Remains The Same e, nella mia ingenuità, pansavo che in fondo non ci fosse molto altro da sapere sul Dirigibile, andai al negozio con l'idea di prendere un film in videocassetta, però poi fui come rapito da quella cover chiara, e da quei titoli, molti dei quali non figuravano ne in Remasters ne in TSRTS, ci pensai un po', alla fine le presi, e feci bene.
Queste BBC Sessions sono costutuite da registrazioni effettuate per la radio inglese fra marzo 1969 ed aprile 1971, e trasmesse in diversi programmi della stessa, quali Top Gear, One Night Stand, In Concert, ecc. Nel primo disco vi sono esecuzioni tratte da ben cinque diverse sedute, tutte del 1969, che ci mostrano i i primissimi Led Zeppelin, quelli più blues, alle prese col reperorio tratto dai primi due album, soprattutto il primo, più alcune ottime cover come "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair", "Something Else" ed una "Travelling Riverside Blues" molto diversa dall'originale di Robert Johnson grazie all' interpretazione personalissima di Plant e ad un eccellente lavoro di Page che sfoggia un' invidiabile tecnica slide; un' esecuzione che sembra anticipare di qualche anno l'ottima "In My Time Of Dying" da Physicall Graffiti. Per le prime quattro sessions non si può parlare propriamente di live in quanto sono presenti diverse sovra-incisioni successive, si tratta comunque di esecuzioni più in presa diretta di quelle in studio, più spontanee e dal sound meno ripulito. L'ultima seduta di registrazione del primo cd invece è rappresentata da un vero e proprio live, quello del 27 giugno 1969 al Playhouse Theatre (Londra), finalmente con un pubblico al seguito. Quattro pezzi presi dal primo album, trentadue minuti di esibizione completamente dal vivo con tanto di improvvisazioni e variazioni sul tema, fra le quali una pirotecnica "Communication Breakdown" (di questo brano in totale, considerate le altre riprese, vi sono ben tre differenti versioni), "You Shook Me", "I Can't Quit You Baby" ed in chiusura una superba "How Many More Times". Un' esibizione di purissimo hard blues, nel complesso molto intensa, che da sola già basta a chiarire che razza di animali da palco fossero i Led Zeppelin dei primi tempi. Da precisare che quella sera furono suonate anche "Dazed and Confused" e "White Summer", che però sono state escluse dalla raccolta.
Ma se il primo cd già fa ribollire il sangue nelle vene, il secondo è forse ancora meglio, infatti è interamente dedicato al concerto del 1971 sempre a Londra, ma ai Paris Studios (il primo aprile, ma non fu uno scherzo). Allora Page & Company avevano già tre dischi alle spalle e stavano completando il quarto del quale suonarono tre brani. Quel giorno il pubblico presente ebbe la fortuna di assistere ad uno dei migliori concerti dei Led Zeppelin, performance che ci viene presentata quasi in toto con questo secondo cd, che nei suoi settantotto minuti accoglie dieci dei dodici pezzi della scaletta originale, mancano all'appello solo "What Is And What Should Never Be" ed il bis finale "Communication Breakdown", esclusi sia per motivi di spazio sia perchè entrambi già presenti nel primo cd. Ma aldilà di qualche omissione, non si può che rimanere a bocca aperta di fronte a quelli che sono alcuni dei più famosi classici di una band in grado di muoversi dall' hard rock di "Immigrant Song", "Heartbreaker" e "Black Dog" al blues sofferto di "Since I've Been Loving You", dalle improvvisazioni allucinate, con tanto di archetto, di "Dazed And Confused" al crescendo del capolavoro "Stairway To Heaven" (nel suo primo pasaggio radiofonico), passando attraverso episodi acustici come "Going To California" e "That's The Way", per poi avviarsi alla conclusione con riffone mitologico di "Whole Lotta Love", qui allungata con citazioni rock & roll e blues; in chiusura la splendida "Thank You", forse la ballad più bella degli Zep, con un assolo da brivido di Page. Tutti e quattro in grande spolvero, Bonzo come sempre devastante ed incontenibile, John Paul Jones musicista affidabile e concreto sia al basso che alle tastiere, Jimmy Page più ispirato che mai ed un Robert Plant a pieni polmoni; il risultato complessivo è quello di uno dei migliori live che il rock ricordi.
Fra gli album dal vivo dei Led Zeppelin queste BBC Sessions sono le mie preferite e le metto davanti anche all'ottimo How The West Was Won. Le preferisco innanzitutto perché penso che qui vi sia il miglior Plant di sempre dal vivo, il quale già dal '72 comincerà a viaggiare fra alti e bassi nelle esibizioni live, basta ascoltare la parte hard di Stairway to Heaven o il finale di Since I've Been Lovin You per rendersene conto. Poi, essendo registrazioni per programmi radiofonici, non fu consentito loro di sforare più di tanto con le durate, furono costretti a contenersi un po', ciò penso sia un bene, perché purtroppo dal vivo i quattro avevano il difetto (che per alcuni può anche non essere tale) di eccedere con le improvvisazioni strumentali; qui sono free form, ma senza esagerare. Personalmente preferisco una Dazed and Confused di diciotto minuti a quelle da venticinque e passa che verranno dopo. Ed infine di questi due dischi mi piace molto il sound, più grezzo, più sincero, più onesto e fedele all'originale rispetto a quello di HTWWW, che invece mi sembra un po' troppo "pompato".
Quando uscì, nel 1997, questo doppio fu accolto con grande entusiasmo da tutti gli estimatori del gruppo, i quali per circa vent'anni dovettero "accontentarsi" dell'unico live ufficiale The Song Remains The Same (un buon album, ma che sicuramente non ritraeva il Dirigibile al massimo della forma) o, in alternativa, ripiegare su qualche bootleg; ed a proposito, va detto che queste stesse registrazioni sono circolate per diverso tempo in quella veste "non ufficiale".
Insomma, direi che questa raccolta live è veramente da avere perché ci mostra i Led Zeppelin nella loro fase di maggior creatività, spontanei e diretti, in grado di arrivare all'ascoltatore senza indugiare, senza specchiarsi troppo nelle proprie doti ed ancora lontani dal manierismo che caratterizzerà alcune sucessive produzioni.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 You Shook Me (05:15)
You know you shook me
You shook me all night long
You know you shook me, baby
You shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby
Baby, baby baby, please come home
I have a bird that whistles
And I have birds that sing
I have a bird that whistles
And I have birds that sing
I have a babe, won't do nothing
Oh-oh, oh-oh, buy a diamond ring, yeah
You know you shook me, babe
You shook me all night long, I know you really really did, babe
I said you shook me, baby
You shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby
Babe! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahhh!
Ah-nah-nahh! Ah-ah-ah-nah-nahh!
You shook me oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh all night long
02 I Can't Quit You Baby (04:23)
Ah, ah
I can't quit you, babe
So I'm gonna put you down for awhile
I said I can't quit you, babe
I guess I got to put you down for awhile
Said you messed up my happy home
Made me mistreat my only child
Yes you did babe, oh
Said you know I love you, baby
My love for you, I could never hide
Oh, you know I love you, babe
My love for you, I could never hide
A-when I feel you near me little girl
I know you are my one desire
Whoa, oh, oh yeah
When you hear me moanin' an' groanin, babe
You know it hurts me deep down inside
Oh, when you hear me moanin' an' groanin', babe
You know it hurts me deep down inside
Oh, when you hear me, honey baby
You know you're my one desire
Yes, you are
Oh, you are
03 Communication Breakdown (03:12)
Hey, girl, stop what you're doin'
Hey, girl, you'll drive me to ruin
I don't know what it is that I like about you, but I like it a lot
Oh, won't you let me hold you, let me feel your lovin' touch
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Hey, babe, I got something I think you ought to know
Hey, babe, I wanna tell you that I love you so
I wanna hold you in my arms, yeah
I'm never gonna let you go, 'cause I like your charms
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Oh suck it!
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
A-drive me insane, yeah
Communication breakdown (Yeah, I want you to love me all night, I want you to know that)
Communication breakdown (I want, hey, I want, oh)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love me, I want you to love me babe)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love, yeah, I want you to love)
Communication breakdown (Hey, I want you to love yeah)
04 Dazed and Confused (06:41)
Been dazed and confused for so long it's not true
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you
Lots of people talk and few of them know
Soul of a woman was created below, yeah
You hurt and abuse tellin' all of your lies
Run 'round sweet baby, Lord how they hypnotize
Sweet little baby, I don't know where you've been
Gonna love you baby, here I come again
Every day I work so hard, bringin' home my hard earned pay
Try to love you baby, but you push me away
Don't know where you're goin', only know just where you've been
Sweet little baby, I want you again
Ah ahh...
Oh yeah, alright
I don't want your lovin' this time yeah
Oh don't leave me so confused, ah
Ohh baby
Been dazed and confused for so long it's not true
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you
Take it easy baby, let them say what they will
Tongue wag so much when I send you the bill?
Oh yeah, alright
Oh oh...
07 Communication Breakdown (02:41)
Hey, girl, stop what you're doin'
Hey, girl, you'll drive me to ruin
I don't know what it is that I like about you, but I like it a lot
Oh, won't you let me hold you, let me feel your lovin' touch
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Hey, babe, I got something I think you ought to know
Hey, babe, I wanna tell you that I love you so
I wanna hold you in my arms, yeah
I'm never gonna let you go, 'cause I like your charms
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Oh suck it!
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
A-drive me insane, yeah
Communication breakdown (Yeah, I want you to love me all night, I want you to know that)
Communication breakdown (I want, hey, I want, oh)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love me, I want you to love me babe)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love, yeah, I want you to love)
Communication breakdown (Hey, I want you to love yeah)
08 Travelling Riverside Blues (05:11)
(Johnson/Page/Plant)
Asked sweet mama, Let me be her kid
She said, "You might get hurt if you don't keep it hid"
Well I know my baby, If I see her in the dark
I said I know my rider, If I see her in the dark
Now, I goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by my side
Still barrelhouse, If it's on the riverside, yeah
I know my baby, Lord, I said, "is really sloppy drunk"
I know my mama, Lord, a brownskin, but she ain't no plum
See my baby, tell her, Tell her hurry home
Had no lovin', since my baby been gone
See my baby, Tell hurry on home
I ain't had, Lord, my right mind, Since my rider's been gone
Hey, she promises, She's my rider
I wanna tell you, She's my rider
I know you're mine, She's my rider
She ain't but sixteen, But she's my rider
I'm goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by side
Anybody argue with me man, I'll keep them satisfied
Well, see my baby, tell her, Tell her the shape I'm in
Ain't had no lovin', Lord, since you know when
Spoken: Why don't you come into my kitchen
She's a kindhearted lady. She studies evil all the time
She's a kindhearted woman. She studies evil all the time
Squeeze my lemon 'til the juice runs down my leg
Squeeze it so hard, I'll fall right out of bed
Squeeze my lemon, 'til the juice runs down my leg
Spoken: I wonder if you know what I'm talkin' about
Oh, but the way that you squeeze it girl
I swear I'm gonna fall right out of bed
She's a good rider
She's my kindhearted lady
I'm gonna take my rider by my side
I said her front teeth are lined with gold
She's gotta mortgage on my body, got a line on my soul
She's my brownskin sugar plum...
09 Whole Lotta Love (06:13)
You need coolin'
Baby, I'm not foolin'
I'm gonna send you
Back to schoolin'
Way down inside honey, you need it
I'm gonna give you my love
I'm gonna give you my love
Oh, wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
You've been learnin'
Baby, I been learnin'
All them good times, baby, baby
I've been yearnin'
Way way down inside, honey, you need it
I'm gonna give you my love
I'm gonna give you my love
Oh! Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
I don't want, ah
Ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ah-ah, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ah! No, no, no, no
Ah
Lord!
Lo-ooh-whoa-ooh-whoa-ooh-whoa-ooh-whoa!
You've been coolin'
Baby, I've been droolin'
All the good times, baby
I've been misusin'
Way way down inside
I'm gonna give you my love
I'm gonna give you every inch of my love
Gonna give you my love
Hey! Alright! Let's go!
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Wanna whole lotta love
Way down inside, woman, you need it
Lord!
My, my, my, my
My, my, my, my
Oh!
Shake for me, girl
I wanna be your back door man
Hey, oh, hey, oh, hey, oh
Oooh ahh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Ooh my, my babe
Keep it coolin' baby
A-keep it coolin' baby
A-keep it coolin' baby
Ah-keep it coolin' baby
Ahh, ahhh-hahhh-oh
10 Somethin' Else (02:07)
Oh, look over there
Here she comes
Here comes that girl again
One that I know since I dont know when
But she dont notice me, when I pass
She goes with all the guys who are out of my class
But that cant stop me from thinkin to myself
Shes sure fine lookin man, shes something else.
Hey, look over there
Across the street
Theres a car just right for me
Took on a quality of luxery
But right now I cant afford the gas
I guessthe cars right out of my class
But that cant stop me from thinkin to myself
That cars fine lookin man, it something else.
Hey, look-a here
Just wait and see
Im gonna work hard and save my dough
Gonna buy the car
Get me that girl and go ridin around
Well go to the shop a right block down
Ill keep on right on dreamin and thinkin to myself
If it all comes true man, wow, thats something else.
Look a-here
Whats all this
Never thought Id do this before
But here I am a-knockin on a door
My cars out front
And its all mine
Justa 41 ford not a 59
Ive got that girl and Im a thinkin to myself
Shes sure fine lookin man, wow, shes something else.
11 Communication Breakdown (03:05)
Hey, girl, stop what you're doin'
Hey, girl, you'll drive me to ruin
I don't know what it is that I like about you, but I like it a lot
Oh, won't you let me hold you, let me feel your lovin' touch
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Hey, babe, I got something I think you ought to know
Hey, babe, I wanna tell you that I love you so
I wanna hold you in my arms, yeah
I'm never gonna let you go, 'cause I like your charms
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Oh suck it!
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
A-drive me insane, yeah
Communication breakdown (Yeah, I want you to love me all night, I want you to know that)
Communication breakdown (I want, hey, I want, oh)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love me, I want you to love me babe)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love, yeah, I want you to love)
Communication breakdown (Hey, I want you to love yeah)
12 I Can't Quit You Baby (06:20)
Ah, ah
I can't quit you, babe
So I'm gonna put you down for awhile
I said I can't quit you, babe
I guess I got to put you down for awhile
Said you messed up my happy home
Made me mistreat my only child
Yes you did babe, oh
Said you know I love you, baby
My love for you, I could never hide
Oh, you know I love you, babe
My love for you, I could never hide
A-when I feel you near me little girl
I know you are my one desire
Whoa, oh, oh yeah
When you hear me moanin' an' groanin, babe
You know it hurts me deep down inside
Oh, when you hear me moanin' an' groanin', babe
You know it hurts me deep down inside
Oh, when you hear me, honey baby
You know you're my one desire
Yes, you are
Oh, you are
13 You Shook Me (10:19)
You know you shook me
You shook me all night long
You know you shook me, baby
You shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby
Baby, baby baby, please come home
I have a bird that whistles
And I have birds that sing
I have a bird that whistles
And I have birds that sing
I have a babe, won't do nothing
Oh-oh, oh-oh, buy a diamond ring, yeah
You know you shook me, babe
You shook me all night long, I know you really really did, babe
I said you shook me, baby
You shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby
Babe! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahh! Ah-ahhh!
Ah-nah-nahh! Ah-ah-ah-nah-nahh!
You shook me oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh ooh oh all night long
14 How Many More Times (11:50)
How many more times
Treat me the way you wanna do?
How many more times
Treat me the way you wanna do?
When I give you all my love, please, please be true
I'll give you all I've got to give
Rings, pearls, and all
I'll give you all I've got to give
Rings, pearls, and all
I've got to get you together baby, I'm sure, sure you're gonna crawl
Oh! Wanna love some other man too?
I was a young man, I couldn't resist
Started thinkin' it over, just what I had missed
Got me a girl and I kissed her and then and then
Whoops, oh Lordy, well I did it again
Now I've got ten children of my own
I got another child on the way that makes eleven
But I'm in constant heaven
I know it's alright in my mind
'Cause I got a little schoolgirl and she's all mine
I can't get through to her 'cause it doesn't permit
But I'm gonna give her everything I've got to give
Oh Rosie, oh girl
Oh Rosie, oh girl
Steal away now, steal away
Steal away baby, steal away
Little Robert Anthony wants to come and play
Why don't ya come with me baby?
Steal away
Alright, alright
Well they call me the hunter, that's my name
Call me the hunter, that's how I got my fame
Ain't no need to hide, ain't no need to run
'Cause I've got you in the sights of my gun
How many more times
Barrelhouse all night long, all right
How many more times
Barrelhouse all night long
Well I've got to get to you, baby
Girl, please come home
Why don't you listen to me babe?
Why don't you please come home?
Why don't you please come home?
Why don't you please come home?
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Altre recensioni
Di Alchimista
Il Dirigibile colpisce per la sua capacità di rendere diversa la stessa canzone, 'Communication Breakdown', in tre esecuzioni completamente dissimili le une dalle altre.
È un’ottima raccolta di live, da possedere assolutamente, senza scuse, né critiche.
