• Voto:
L’ispirazione per parlarvi di questo album mi è venuta proprio sabato sera, quando mi trovavo mio malgrado in una discoteca. Mi trovavo al centro della pista da ballo, massacrato da suoni senza qualità e senza senso, quando stordito e imbottito dal negroni , sono entrato in un’altra dimensione (avete presente il bagno-sogno dell’Atalante di Jean Vigo?) e mi sono trovato fuori dal mondo reale, di cui non sentivo più rumori o voci . Dopo qualche istante mi è tornato agli orecchi la musica di "Off The Wall", e ho sorriso pensando a cosa si stavano perdendo tutti quei disgraziati sudati in maniche di camicia.
"Off The Hall"è la quintessenza dell’album “dance” o comunque fatto per far ballare gli esseri umani. Michael (lo chiamano tutti per nome, manco lo conoscessero, e lo faccio anch’io) sorprese il mondo discografico con questo suo esordio da solista dopo una dignitosa carriera come frontman dei Jackson5 / Jacksons, gruppo formato coi propri fratelli.
Già gli ultimi album della teen-band (soprattutto “Destiny” del 1978) avevano fatto presagire qualcosa di nuovo e di più maturo dell’allegrotto pop-soul da classifica che i pupilli di Diana Ross avevano proposto per tutti i ‘70. La strada si stava evolvendo verso un funk sempre all’acqua di rose ma più complesso, più riuscito e pensato. Poi nel 1979 venne "Off The Wall", e tutto cambiò.
Il decennio migliore della musica nera riassunto in dieci brani, né più né meno. Ovviamente non tutto è qui, perché del funk-soul anni ‘70 a M.J. interessa esclusivamente riassumere il lato più danzereccio ed edonistico, per realizzare l’album-summa del genere. E negli anni d’oro della disco-music, a due anni dal terremoto Saturday Night Fever, questo sembrava un impresa. Lo è stata, e per essere tale l’opera ha dovuto raggiungere la perfezione, con l’aiuto di straordinari produttori e compositori come Quincy Jones e Rob Temperton e la benedizione di due giganti dell’epoca come Paul McCartney e Stevie Wonder, re magi al cospetto della nascita del nuovo re del pop che portano in dono una canzone ciascuno (rispettivamente “Girlfriend” e "I Can’t Help It”).
Jackson diventa così il frankenstein del mondo musicale odierno, un ragazzo particolarmente dotato messo come in provetta a 13 anni, ingozzato di showbiz e interviste, autografi e ragazzine urlanti al posto di una vita normale. Riconosciuti i suoi straordinari talenti, è stato spremuto come l’ultima grande gallina d’oro del musica pop, abusando della sua ingenuità mai affiancata da una sviluppata maturità. E’ stato come una Shirley Temple usata e stravolta fino a 30 anni anziché fino a 15. Ma qui possiamo ancora vedere, più folgorante di sempre, il suo genio, dimenticandoci dei suoi e dei nostri problemi, commuovendoci su “She’s Out Of My Life” o correndo per la città al ritmo di “Burn This Disco Out” coda degna dei migliori Earth Wind & Fire. Possiamo sognare muovendoci per una notte come se ballare fosse la più bella filosofia di vita, come se fosse vitale e importante come respirare o mangiare. Lo è, ma fino a quando non ce l’ha fatto scoprire "Off The Wall" non lo sapevamo.
P.S.: consigliata la nuova edizione con -come bonus tracks- i demo di “Don’t Stop’Til You Get Enough” e “Workin’Day And Night”, favolosi esempi del processo di creazione di un capolavoro: Michael coi fratelli in casa a creare canzoni con le sole maracas, i battiti di mani delle sorelle, sospiri e soffi nelle bottiglie, tastiere roland da comunione al posto del basso…una piccola officina del manifatturato pop al lavoro. Imperdibile.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (06:05)
1st Verse
Lovely is the feelin' now
Fever, temperatures risin' now
Power (ah power) is the force the vow
That makes it happen
It asks no questions why (ooh)
So get closer (closer now) to my body now
Just love me 'til you don't know how (ooh)
Chorus
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
2nd Verse
Touch me and I feel on fire
Ain't nothin' like a love desire (ooh)
I'm melting (I'm melting) like hot candle wax
Sensation (ah sensation) lovely where we're at (ooh)
So let love take us through the hours
I won't be complanin'
'Cause this is love power (ooh)
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(Ooh)
3rd Verse
Heartbreak enemy despise
Eternal (ah eternal) love shines in my eyes (ooh)
So let love (oh let love) take us through the hours
I won't be complanin' (no no)
'Cause your love is alright, alright
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Refrain
Lovely is the feeling now
I won't be complanin' (ooh ooh)
The force is love power
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(ad-lib to fade)
02 Rock With You (03:40)
Girl, close your eyes
Let that rhythm get into you
Don't try to fight it
There ain't nothin' that you can do
Relax your mind
Lay back and groove with mine
You got to feel that heat
And we can ride the boogie
Share that beat of love
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away
Out on the floor
There ain't nobody there but us
Girl, when you dance
There's a magic that must be love
Just take it slow
'Cause we got so far to go
When you feel that heat
And we're gonna ride the boogie
Share that beat of love
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away
And when the groove is dead and gone... yeah
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever, on
I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you
I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you
I wanna rock (all night) with you girl (sunlight)
Rock with you, rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Dance the night away
I wanna rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Rock the night away
Feel the heat feel the beat (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock (all night) - rock the night away
05 Off the Wall (04:05)
1st Verse
When the world is on your shoulder
Gotta straighten up your act and boogie down
If you can't hang with the feeling
Then there ain't no room for you this part of town
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Groove, let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
2nd Verse
You can shout out all you want to
'Cause there ain't no sin in folks all getting loud
If you take the chance and do it
Then there ain't no one who's gonna put you down
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove, and let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
Bridge
Do what you want to do
There ain't no rules it's up to you (ain't no rules it's all up to you)
It's time to come alive
And party on right through the night (all right)
3rd Verse
Gotta hide your inhibitions
Gotta let that fool loose deep inside your soul
Want to see an exhibition
Better do it now before you get to old
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy ourselves/yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
06 Girlfriend (03:04)
1st Verse
Girlfriend
I'm gonna tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what you do to me
Late at night when the wind is free
2nd Verse
Girlfriend
I'm gonna show your boyfriend (yeah)
Show him (woo hoo)
The letters I've been savin' (yeah)
Show him how you feel inside
An' how love could not be denied (oh no)
Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
3rd Verse
Girlfriend
You better tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what he needs to know
Or he may never let you go
Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.
Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.
(ad-lib to fade)
10 Burn This Disco Out (03:44)
1st Verse
There's a steam beat
And it's comin' after you
You can take it
If you only let your feelings through
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Let us down
Gonna dance gonna burn this disco out
Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down
2nd Verse
Got a hot foot
Better freak across the floor
Join the party
And we'll keep you movin', that's for sure
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out
Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down
Bridge
Once you get the beat inside your feet
There ain't no way to stop you movin' good
Now the weekend's come it's time for fun
You got to groove just like you know you should
3rd Verse
People now
Are you ready
Won't you rock across the room
Got a feelin'
That we're gonna raise the roof off soon
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out
Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out
Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down
Chant:
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out
(ad-lib to fade)
12 [introduction to Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (original demo from 1978)] (00:13)
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Altre recensioni
Di ronnie92
«Off The Wall ci riassume la black_music anni '70 e quelle che sono state le tendenze di un decennio e ovviamente, ci narra le origini del mito.»
«La title-track ci consiglia di ballare anche nei momenti più difficili, come se fosse una ragione di vita.»
Di lucumine74
"Michael Jackson scrive 'Don't stop til you get enough', un brano che entra di diritto nella storia della musica disco."
"Dischi di tale eleganza musicale non vengono prodotti ormai da anni e anni e anni."
Di Ilpazzo
Con la morte di Michael Jackson muore il pop, muore l'arte dell'intrattenimento musicale (quella vera.. quella che stabilì lui e che nessuno più ha eguagliato).
"Off The Wall" è una delle produzioni più geniali della storia della musica.
Di DizionarioRock
Michael Jackson rappresenti l’anti-musicale per eccellenza.
‘She’s Out Of My Life’ è la peggiore del disco: banale, stupida, tediosa.
