• Voto:
Siamo nel non troppo lontano 2003 e finalmente il grandissimo mr. Page decide di rilasciare sotto forma di live album del materiale da lui scelto, risalente al 1972, piu' precisamente dai due concerti al LA Forum (25 giugno) e Long Beach Arena (27 giugno), che sempre secondo James Patrick rappresentano l'epoca d'oro nella quale i Led conquisteranno l'America. I Led Zeppelin vengono considerati una delle piu' grandi live band di sempre, ed ascoltando questo album triplo si capirà il perchè.
A partire dalla sfuriata di "Immigrant Song", dove Page aggiunge un assolo di chitarra splendido non presente sulla versione studio e dove Bonham compie le sue magie alla batteria, per continuare sullo sporco riff di "Heartbreaker" dove Plant da il meglio di se con una prestazione vocale eccellente, e per finire, l'immortale "Black Dog" , con Page che detta le regole del gioco e Plant che le esegue alla perfezione.
Le acque si calmano un pochino con la dolce "Over The Hills And Far Away" (si noti che il disco "Houses Of The Holy" che la contiene non sia ancora stato rilasciato nel '72) , ancora in fase di sviluppo ma comunque bella. Ed e' qui che secondo me arriva la versione live migliore del primo disco, quel blues struggente di "Since I've Been Loving You", dove Plant grida come un'ossesso e Page sprigiona dolenti note infuocate dalla sua Les Paul. Da notare anche la versatilita' di Bonham, che dal ritmo calmo e piacevole di questo brano passera' piu' tardi ad un assolo indimenticabile, ovvero "Moby Dick". Concluso il sofferto blues, Plant, con voce sorridente annuncia "Stairway to Heaven" e da qui Jimmy da il via all'arpeggio seguito dai flauti di John Paul Jones. La canzone nella versione live è un susseguirsi di struggenti attimi in cui la voce di Plant si confonde splendidamente con la doubleneck di Page, per concludersi nell'assolo finale con la batteria incalzante e le urla di Robert. Questi sono gli attimi che fanno grande il rock, e i Led Zep ce ne hanno dati talmente tanti... Scorrono piacevolmente "Going To California", con il mandolino di Page all'opera, e due brani da "Led Zeppelin III", ovvero "That's The Way" e "Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp".
Il secondo disco si apre con la maestosa "Dazed And Confused", il massimo momento psichedelico del gruppo, con Plant che ci regala un'altra prestazione vocale davvero magnifica, per concludersi con una jam guidata da Page, che contiene spezzoni di "The Crunge" e "Walter's Walk" (su Coda). Si esce dalla nebbia psichedelica con la grandiosa "What Is And What Should Never Be", che conduce il pubblico in estasi, dove i quattro del Dirigibile si intendono perfettamente e creano una versione veramente stupenda. L'allegra "Dancing Days" precede il capolavoro di Bonham, ovvero la sopra citata "Moby Dick", diciannove minuti di furia, improvvisazione, incredibile controllo nel suonare lo strumento, il pezzo che secondo me, assieme ad "Achilles Last Stand" dimostra tutta la grandezza di John.
Si arriva cosi al terzo disco, che inizia con il hard rock di "Whole Lotta Love", con un Page al massimo, passando per la memorabile "Rock and Roll", a "The Ocean", per concludere in maniera grandiosa il disco con "Bring It On Home", una delle improvvisazioni blues/rock migliori del Dirigibile. Pochi gruppi sapranno funzionare bene assieme come loro, ed e' per questo che senza Bonham andranno incontro all'inevitabile scioglimento.
E per finire, questo album triplo rappresenta l'essenza del gruppo, cio' che furono e che non potranno mai ripetere, insomma, i loro anni migliori. Scalata la montagna, pian piano il gruppo comincierà a scendere, e di testimonianze cosi' non ve ne sara' piu' traccia. Un must per ogni fan. Viva i Led Zeppelin, i migliori. Sempre e comunque.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
02 Immigrant Song (03:42)
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
03 Heartbreaker (07:24)
Hey fellas, have you heard the news?
You know that Annie's back in town?
It won't take long, just watch and see
All the fellas lay their money down
Her style is new, but the face the same
As it was so long ago
But from her eyes, a different smile
Like that of one who knows
Well, it's been ten years and maybe more
Since I first set eyes on you
The best years of my life gone by
Here I am alone and blue
Some people cry and some people die
By the wicked ways of love
But I'll just keep on rollin' along
With the grace of the Lord above
People talkin' all around
'Bout the way you left me flat
I don't care what the people say
I know where their jive is at
One thing I do have on my mind
If you can clarify, please do
It's the way you call me another guy's name
When I try to make love to you
I try to make love, but it ain't no use
Give it to me, give it
Work so hard, I can't unwind
Get some money saved
Abuse my love a thousand times
However hard I tried
Heartbreaker, your time has come
Can't take your evil ways
Go away, heartbreaker
Heartbreaker, heartbreaker, heart!
04 Black Dog (05:40)
Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat
Gonna make you groove
Ah, ah, child, way you shake that thing
Gonna make you burn
Gonna make you sting
Hey, hey, baby, when you walk that way
Watch your honey drip
Can't keep away
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
I gotta roll, can't stand still
Got a flamin' heart, can't get my fill
Eyes that shine, burnin' red
Dreams of you all through my head
Ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ahhh
Hey baby, whoa baby, pretty baby
Darlin' makes 'em do me now
Hey baby, oh baby, pretty baby
Move me like you're doin' now
Didn't take too long 'fore I found out
What people mean by down and out
Spent my money, took my car
Started tellin' her friends she gonna be a star
I don't know, but I been told
A big-legged woman ain't got no soul
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
All I ask for, all I pray
A steady rollin' woman gonna come my way
Need a woman gonna hold my hand
Won't tell me no lies, make me a happy man
Ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ahhh
05 Over the Hills and Far Away (05:08)
Hey lady
You got the love I need
Maybe more than enough
Oh, darlin', darlin', darlin'
Walk a while with me
Ohh, you've got so much
So much
So much
Many have I loved
Many times been bitten
Many times I've gazed along the open road
Many times I've lied
And many times I've listened
Many times I've wondered how much there is to know
Many dreams come true
And some have silver linings
I live for my dream and a pocketful of gold
Mellow is the man
Who knows what he's been missing
Many many men can't see the open road
Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, ohh ohh ohh ohh
Really ought to know, ohh ohh
I really ought to know
07 Stairway to Heaven (09:37)
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Ooh ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven
There's a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on
And it makes me wonder
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
08 Going to California (05:37)
Spent my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind to make a new start
Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let them tell you that they're all the same
Oh, the sea was red and the sky was grey
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
As the children of the sun began to awake
Watch out
Seems that the wrath of the Gods got a punch on the nose
And it started to flow, I think I might be sinkin'
Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path runs straight and high
To find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings, la la la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born
Standin' on a hill in my mountain of dreams
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
10 Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp (04:52)
I caught you smiling at me,
That's the way it should be,
Like a leaf is to a tree so fine.
Ah all the good times we had,
I sang love songs so glad,
Always smiling never sad so fine.
As we walk down a country lane,
I'll be singing a song,
Hear me calling your name.
Hear the whisper in the trees,
Telling mother nature bout you and me.
Well, if the sunshines so bright,
Or on our way it's darkest night,
The road we choose is always right so fine.
Ah can your love be so strong,
When so many loves go wrong,
Will our love go on and on and on and on and on and on.
As we walk down a country lane,
I'll be singing a song,
Hear me calling your name.
Hear the whisper in the trees,
Telling mother nature bout you and me.
My my, la de la, come on now it ain't too far,
Tell your friends all around the world,
Ain't no companion like a blue eyed merle.
Come on now well let me tell you,
What you're missing missing round them brick walls.
So, of one thing I am sure,
It's a friendship so pure,
Angels singing all around my door so fine.
Yeah, ain't but one thing to do
Spend my natural life with you,
You're the finest dog I knew so fine.
When you're old and your eyes are dim,
There ain't no old Shep gonna happen again.
We'll still go walking down country lanes,
I'll sing the same old songs,
Hear me call your name.
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di jk
Superando di gran lunga il precendente live ufficiale 'The Song Remains The Same', questo triplo ci offre una perfetta sintesi dei nostri amatissimi Led Zeppelin at their best.
Ogni volta che li si da per defunti (artisticamente, s’intende), ecco che i nostri tornano per dimostrarci ancora una volta WHO ROCKS!!!
Di glitch
La vera forza promozionale del gruppo era rappresentata dalle performance sul palco: mai semplici spettacoli ma eventi che legavano i presenti.
How The West Was Won è destinato a entrare nella storia dei migliori album rock live, riuscendo là dove The Song Remains The Same fallì.
Di cece65
La qualità superba della registrazione fa risaltare ancora di più l’esaltante livello tecnico dei quattro musicisti.
Da ascoltare a pieno volume, perché una musica così non può essere ascoltata in sottofondo.
Di paloz
Questi 18 brani sono a dir poco straordinari!!! Quasi tre ore di magia firmata Zeppelin.
25 minuti e mezzo di Dazed and confused ... spettacolare!
Di claudio carpentieri
Un imperdibile occasione per compiere una cavalcata sonora in un passato divenuto storia e capire come quattro giovani inglesi giunsero … Alla Conquista del West!
La distorsione introduttiva ci catapulta senza diritto di replica ad Immigrant Song, elevandosi a prodromo imprescindibile dell’heavy metal che verrà.
