"La voce e la chitarra dei Dire Straits". Lo sticker presente sul compact disc di Mark  Knopfler al momento della pubblicazione riportava questa  veritiera affermazione anteposta ad un'altra, vera solo a metà, che ne voleva sottolineare l'esordio discografico da solista. Diciamo innanzitutto, che di esordio non possiamo proprio parlare, visto che "Local Hero", la prima colonna sonora in assoluto dell'allora leader dei Dire Straits, è uscita sul mercato nel 1983, poco dopo l'ottimo "Love Over Gold". Si può comunque parlare del primo disco solista, in cui è possibile ascoltare Knopfler districarsi contemporaneamente pizzicando la sua  fedele sei corde e dietro ad un microfono, lo stesso ruolo svolto sino a qualche anno prima, con la band che gli ha dato al meglio la chance di poter manifestare le sue eccelse qualità di compositore-chitarrista-produttore (...forse cantante era un po' troppo, no?).

Il disco in questione, successivo all'elegante "On Every Street", comprende quattordici brani, in cui sono riassunte in maniera discreta  tutte le influenze assorbite  ed il seminato elargito coprendo un periodo storico di circa venti anni. Un lavoro in cui non mancano canzoni degne di stima, ma di certo non entusiasmerà i fans più fedeli ai ritmi vincenti di "Sultans Of Swing" o "Lady Writer", così come quelli che si sono sentiti più trascinati dal  gusto di semplicità che ha pervaso le soundtracks precedentemente realizzate, vi troveranno ottimi spunti per poter apprezzare un artista sempre in grado di tirar fuori combinazioni musicali di pregio. L'eclettismo dell'ingegnoso chitarrista esce tutto, trattandosi del primo disco che in copertina riporta le sue sole generalità,  favorendo senza ombra di dubbio quel lato compositivo molto intimo e personale, che aveva avuto modo di esprimersi solo quando la concentrazione delle sue energie creative erano unicamente indirizzate  nel musicare i film a lui affidati.

I tenui suoni di un "whistle" e di un "irish harp" (che non guasterebbe come sigla iniziale di un documentario sull'Irlanda) danno il via a "Darling Pretty", una pop song caratterizzata da un sound scorrevole ed un cantato, che scivola con naturalezza sulle gentili note di una Gibson Les Paul, pizzicata per decorarne con mestiere  anche l'intensissimo testo (Heal me with a smile, darling pretty/ Heal me with a smile and a heart of gold/ Carry me a while, my darling pretty/ Heal my aching heart and soul: Guariscimi sorridendomi, guariscimi con un sorriso e un cuore d'oro, Portami  per un po' caro amore, Guarisci il mio cuore  e la mia anima dolorante). La title-track si presenta come un altro brano che la calda voce del Knopfler narratore, conduce in quei sentieri musicali caratterizzati da armonia e semplicità, dove il suono della chitarra riesce comunque ad esprimersi in maniera sempre molto personale. L'electric blues "No Can Do" alza con cura i decibel ed i cambi di ritmo ne abbelliscono il sensuale andamento, così come "Don't You Get It" ha le giuste qualità per far zampillare quell'irrequietezza interiore che il nostro non riesce a contenere, eseguendo un assolo diretto che spiazza via ogni dubbio sul suo volontario allontanamento da quelle formidabili intuizioni rock 'n roll, che ne avevano fatto risaltare l'egocentrica creatività. Un omaggio (ho detto omaggio!!) sincero agli Straits di maggior successo lo sono la graffiante "Imelda" (beh  qualche nota di "Money For Nothing" è palpabile..) o il frizzante boogie  di "Cannibals" (una "Walk Of Life" più "familiare"), mentre le mai dimenticate origini scozzesi traboccano dalla toccante "A Night In Summer Long Ago" (Then I lead you from the hall/ And we did ride upon the hill/ Away beyond the city wall/ And sure you are my lady still/ A night in summer long ago/ The stars were falling form the sky/ And still, my heart, I have to know/ Why do you love me, lady, why?/: Ti ho portata via dal salone/ E il cavallo ci ha portato sulla collina/ Lontano dalle mura  della città/ E da allora sei ancora la mia signora/ Una notte d'estate  tanto tempo fa/ Le stelle cadevano giù dal cielo/ ma devo ancora capire amore/ perchè mi ami, signora, perché?). La maggior parte delle altre canzoni conferma un intenzionale percorso artistico volto verso una spontaneità di scrittura, che risalta ancor l'aspetto più recondito di sonorità che in passato erano state fatte echeggiare con moderazione.

E' ingiusto fare qualsiasi paragone tra questo cd e quanto  realizzato con con i Dire Straits,  anche se Golden Heart va accettato per un album dopotutto discreto in cui convergono folk e tradizioni celtiche lasciate confluire  insieme a country e cajun, mentre della  fluida poesia e garbate melodie vengono  manipolate da Knopfler con collaudata cordialità, sinonimo anche  di una ritrovata serenità interiore e familiare alla cui conquista l'avvenente compagna Kitty Aldridge (nota attrice britannica) ha fortemente contribuito, tanto da meritarsi una romanticissima dedica sulla prima pagina del libretto che accompagna il disco.

Elenco tracce testi e samples

01   Darling Pretty (04:31)

It's time to come away, darling pretty
It's time to come away on the changing tide
Time to come away, darling pretty
I need you darling, by my side

Heal me with a smile, darling pretty
Heal me with a smile and a heart of gold
Carry me awhile, darling pretty
Heal my aching heart and soul

Just like a castaway
Lost upon an endless sea
I saw you far away
Come to rescue me

Cast away the chains, darling pretty
Cast away the chains away behind
Take away my pain, darling pretty
And the chains that once were yours and mine

There will come a day, darling pretty
There will come a day when hearts can fly
Love will find a way, my darling pretty
Find a Heaven for you and I
Love will find a way, my darling pretty
Find a Heaven for you and I

02   Imelda (05:26)

She's going shopping, shopping for shoes
She wants them in magentaand caribbean blue
Platinum and buttercup, lilac and black
They fill a bucket up and laugh behind her back
Imelda baby what to do?
All the poor people saying that they got to quit paying for you

In New York and Paris on the Champs Elysee
They see her coming from a long long way
They clap their hands together when they ger her in the store
She's gonna want to get more and more and more
Imelda baby what to do?
All the poor people saying that they got to quit paying for you

Everyone's gone Jackie O.
She was a regular here
We thought Madame would like to know
We've got the blood red rouge right here

Now we've got all Madames requistes and all in Madame's size
Madame's taste is truly exquisite, she must accessorize
The belts are alligator, the bags are kangaroo
Enchante may I say the jade was made for you
Imelda baby what to do?
All the poor people saying that they got to quit paying for you
Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they got to quit paying for you

03   Golden Heart (05:01)

04   No Can Do (04:54)

05   Vic and Ray (04:36)

A dirty motor with London plates
Sitting in the gutter outside your silent gates
Vic and Ray, vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Come to daddy baby, what is it worth
Come to daddy, the scum of the crying earth
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

Laughing at each other's pain
They run the heater in the morning rain
This'll pay the rent around the world
Wanna buy a picture of a girl

Christmas morning, there they are
Two rent boys wishing on a shining star
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray
Vic and Ray, Vic and Ray

06   Don't You Get It (05:16)

07   A Night in Summer Long Ago (04:43)

08   Cannibals (03:41)

Well he's daddy's little boy he plays with his toys
He holds on to his daddy's hand
His daddy says sonny you're a big strong boy
You're gonna be a big strong man
And they go play catch they go play ball
They go take a walk along the sand
Big strong daddy and a big strong boy
Living in a big strong land

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy can I have a dinosaur
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals anymore

Down in Louisiana there's a hurricane coming
The little boy climbs the stairs
And all along the levee all the people come running
And the little boy's saying his prayers
And a sleepy little laddie smiles up at his daddy
And he's asking for his G.I. Joe
And daddy tucks him in with a kiss upon the chin
And says my little one I love you so

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Leave a light outside the door
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals anymore

Lay down your head now don't get out of bed
Don't you let the bedbugs bite
It's time to go to sleep now not another peep
And I'll see you in the morning light
And the radio was playing and the weatherman was saying
The hurricane had blown away
And daddy's little boy was jumping up for joy
And he was singing at the break of the day

Daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy can I be a warrior
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are now cannibals anymore

Yeah daddy is he a goodie or a baddie
Daddy why do people go to war
Once upon a time there were cannibals
Now there are no cannibals anymore

09   I'm the Fool (04:28)

I never thought I'd be the one
To be the raging bull
There'd always be a smoking gun
Who'd up and lose his cool
I never thought I'd have to say
I'm sorry, my love, because
I'm the fool I never, Fool I never thought I was

I left my dreams with broken strings
It's time I learnt to talk
Stop falling over things
Teach myself to walk
I'm not a superman
Or Mr. Wonderful because
I'm the fool I never, Fool I never thought I was

I'm the know-it-all
Trying to mend his broken heart
But I don't know who to call
And I don't know where to start

Now if you should lose your faith in me
I don't know where I'd run
I hope you'll always let me be
Your only one
Am I your one true love?
Or am I too late for your applause?
I'm the fool I never, Fool I never thought I was
Darling, I'm the fool I never, Fool I never thought I was

10   Je suis désolé (05:14)

We are leaving, leaving
Leaving on the tide
Come and stand beside me love
The water is so wide
You can hear the sailors calling
At the dawning of the day
Yesterday is falling, love
And je suis desole, je suis desole

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

I am turning, turning
From a land that I loved well
Look ahead my darling one
across the rolling swell
And you can hear the seagulls crying
As we're slipping out of the bay
Yesterday is dying, love
And je suis desole, je suis desole

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

We are sailing, sailing
For a land that's proud and free
I had no more endurance
For what had become of me
And I will do that which I must do, love
And now we're under way
All that I can say to you
is je suis desole

Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça
Je suis désolé, mais je n'ai pas le choix
Je suis désolé, mais la vie me demande ça

11   Rüdiger (06:03)

Rüdiger stands in the rain and the snow
Collector of autographs
Names upon photographs
Faces of people who everyone knows

Rüdiger lives in a place on his own
Briefcase and spectacles
Strange and respectable
He knows the meaning of being alone

Rüdiger works as a clerk in the town
Music or politics
Rüdiger gets his kicks
He gets information then he comes around

Rüdiger waits at the hall in Berlin
He waits there all night
Security's tight
They know who he is but they don't let him in

Rüdiger waits in the dark by the stair
His fingers are shaking
His feet they are aching
But your name's in the paper so Rüdiger's there

12   Nobody's Got the Gun (05:25)

Nobody's got the gun
Nobody's trying to get the drop on anyone
Nobody's standing out on main street
With the sun blazing down
Saying "There's only room for one of us
In this here town"
Nobody's got to be the number one
Nobody's got the gun

She may not understand
And she may want you eating from her hand
If she's got you in a corner
And you can smell the smoke and flame
You reach for your revolver
To do the same
You'll blow your love away forever, number one
Nobody's got the gun

You may think love is hard enough
You may never get to rehearse
And you can do without this stuff
Making everything worse

She's just the same as you
She needs your love just like you want her to
You can't go playing poker
With a pistol in your sleeve
You can't make somebody love you
By threatening to leave
If you want a love forever, number one
Nobody's got the gun

13   Done With Bonaparte (05:06)

14   Are We in Trouble Now (05:54)

It wasn't just the music
It wasn't just the wine
Some other kind of magic
Was sending shivers up my spine
Then I was falling
And I fell for you, and how
Darling, are we in trouble now

They say we're grown up
But we've been searching all this time
I wouldn't own up
Never would admit to flying blind
But in the Darkness
We found each other anyhow
Darling, are we in trouble now

When we'd talk it over
Love was a cry from a distant shore
Then we found each other
And all that we'd been searching for

And I'm done denying
I guess by now you know
I'm through with trying
Can't bring myself to let you go
And of all these feelings
We said we never would allow
Darling, are we in trouble now
Darling, are we in trouble now

Carico i commenti...  con calma

Altre recensioni

Di  alan clark

 "La chitarra Fender di 'Nobody’s Got the Gun' ogni volta mi commuove profondamente."

 "Golden Heart è davvero un buon 'collage' di canzoni d’autore, con picchi che rasentano il genio."