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Non chiedetele di aspettarvi! Non vi darà retta! Lei si chiama Michelle Branch, tiene la chitarra a tracolla ed è una abituata a bruciare le tappe. Sin da quand'era nel grembo materno, essendo nata prematura... Il suo album d'esordio, "Broken Bracelet", esce che non ha ancora compiuto diciassette anni; è sposa a neanche ventuno, madre a ventidue.
Al debutto dunque questa songwriter americana, "Broken Bracelet" esce nel 2000 per un'etichetta indipendente e raccoglie una decina di canzoni impostate in prevalenza sulla collaudata formula voce e chitarra acustica. È un pop-rock gradevole, uno stile che si nutre tanto di robusto artigianato cantautoriale quanto della consapevolezza di dover evitare modelli troppo prevedibili. E come per molti album d'esordio, è anche il tentativo di trovare una voce personale.
La grinta non manca, a Michelle, che racconta in queste canzoni il senso di inadeguatezza che si prova a volte quando il nostro ruolo nel mondo non è ancora precisato. Come nel brano d'apertura: "So che lei ti ama e non possso interferire / così mi metterò seduta e guarderò il mio mondo che scompare" ("If Only She Knew"). Lei, lui e l'altra, insomma. Una buona dose di ingenuità traspare nel modo in cui vengono toccati i temi dell'album, come lo sconforto: "Pezzi di carta sparsi sul pavimento / cado a pezzi ora che il caffè è nero e il cuore mi fa male / tirami su, rimettimi assieme col nastro adesivo" ("Paper Pieces"); o la sfiducia: "È un salto nel buio quando credi ci sia qualcuno là fuori / è un salto nel buio quando credi che a qualcuno importi" ("Leap of Faith").
Su tutto, però, la voce piena di Michelle e le chitarre, in prevalenza acustiche, che attraversano il disco con timbri sempre diversi a scongiurare il rischio della monotonia. C'è anche una cover di Ricky Lee Jones, "Stewart's Coat", a evocare la tradizione d'autore americana nella quale Michelle Branch, con questo disco, e in punta di piedi, entra a far parte.
A 16 anni, mischiata in mezzo al pubblico a un concerto, Michelle aveva avuto in dono un braccialetto e una strana promessa: "Quando si romperà, diventerai famosa". Un anno dopo il braccialetto si era rotto, ma poco dopo sarebbe ricomparso: sulla copertina di questo album.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 If Only She Knew (03:53)
I don't know whose side I'm taking
But I'm not taking things too well
I can see inside you're aching
But is it too early for me to tell?
I try to help you out through the hardest of times
Your heart is in your throat and I'm speaking my mind
Though it looks as if it's over
I'm still not over you
'Cause I still love you like I did before
I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do
If only she knew
Whoa, if only she knew
I try to let it go
But I don't know if I can take it
'Cause the way you looked at me
Made me see that I can't really fake it
I try to help you out through the hardest of times
Your heart is in your throat and I'm speaking my mind
Though it looks as if its over
I'm still not over you
'Cause I still love you like I did before
I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do
If only she knew
Whoa, if only she knew
I know she loves you and I can't interfere
So I just have to sit back and watch my world disappear
Whoa
I try to help you out through the hardest of times
Your heart is in your throat and I'm speakin my mind
Though it looks as if its over
I'm still not over you
Oh, I'm still not over you
'Cause I still love you like I did before
I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do
Whoa
'Cause I will never ever walk away
I'll find a way
She could never love you like I do
If only she knew
Whoa
If only she knew, oh yeah
na na na na na na na na
'Cause I still love you like I did before
I know for sure that you still feel the same way I do
if only she knew
Whoa, if only she knew
02 Sweet Misery (03:08)
I was lost
And you were found
You seem to stand on solid ground
I was weak
And you were strong
And me and my guitar,
we strummed along, oh
Sweet misery you cause me
That's what you called me
Sweet misery you cause me
I was blind
But oh, how you could see
You saw the beauty in everything,
everything and me
I would cry
And you would smile
You'd stay with me a little while
Sweet misery you cause me
That's what you called me
Sweet misery you cause me
And in my heart I see, oh
What you're doing to me
And in my heart I see, oh
Just how you wanted it to be
Sweet misery
Oh.. whoa, oh
Ohh...
Sweet misery you cause me
That's what you called me
Sweet misery you cause me
And in my heart I see, oh
What you're doing to me
(What you're doing to me)
And in my heart I see, oh
Just how you wanted it to be
(Wanted it to be)
Sweet misery... ohh, sweet misery, ohh
Ohh... sweet misery
I was weak
And you were strong
And me and my guitar,
We strummed along
03 Washing Machine (02:54)
Your eyes, they look so bright
a funky flair in my appetite
but there's no room for you
My feet are on the ground
and my head is in the clouds
but you still can't break through
whatcha gonna do?
I'm not gonna stand around
Waiting for my lips to be read
falling through the cracks in the ground
my feelings need to be said
Flowing like water in a crimson melody
the orange plastic sun is shining
the truth so hard to see
the rain of your existence is falling down on me
and the soap suds spread like a disease
from my washing machine
I'm not just gonna stand around
Waiting for my lips to be read
falling through the cracks in the ground
my feelings need to be said
I'm not just gonna stand around
waiting for you
falling through the cracks in the ground
and I'm hoping that you'll make your next move
that you'll make your next move
I'm not just gonna stand around
Waiting for my lips to be read
falling through the cracks in the ground
my feelings need to be said
04 I'd Rather Be in Love (03:51)
I cannot help it
I couldn't stop it if I tried
The same old heart beat
Fills the emptiness
I have inside
And I've heard that you can't fight love
So I won't complain
Cause why would I stop the fire
That keeps me going on
'Cause when there's you
I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you
I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love
With you
Turn out the lights now
To see is to believe
I just want you near me
I just want you here with me...
And I'd give up everything only for you
It's the least that I could do...
'Cause when there's you
I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you
I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love
With you
I feel you holding me...
Why are we afraid to be in love
To be loved
I can't explain it
I know it's tough
To be loved
And I feel you holding me...
Ohoh
Oh
But when there's you
I feel whole (I feel whole)
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love
Yes, I'd rather be in love
Oh, I'd rather be in love...
With you
And I feel you holding me
06 Stewart's Coat (03:25)
Hold me love
I can't sleep again
Will I have to kiss your nose
I wanna lay here next to him, love
I remember walkin in the rain
Rain was fallin on my hands
I don't wanna live through that again, no
I know it takes love
Love is a healing thing
When you give everything
You are loving the world
The world gives you love to hold onto
Remembering
We seldom remember love
Just give me many chances
I'll see you through it all
just give me time to learn to crawl
Just give me many chances
I'll see you through it all
Just give me time to learn to crawl
In september
When the rain comes
And the wind blows
I will see you walkin in the coat of love
If you let me
I will keep you here
Inside the stars
I will love the salt on my sheets
oh you'll love me
Just give me many chances
I'll see you through it all
Just give me time to learn to crawl
Just give me many chances
I'll see you through it all
Just give me time to learn to crawl
Just give me many chances
I'll see you through it all
Just give me time to learn to crawl
(Time to learn to crawl...
Time to learn to crawl,
Time to learn to crawl...)
08 Goodbye to You (04:26)
Of all the things I've believed in
I just want to get it over with
Tears form behind my eyes
But I do not cry
Counting the days that pass me by
I've been searching deep down in my soul
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old
Feels like I'm starting it all over again
The last three years were just pretend
And I said
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything that I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
I still get lost in your eyes
And it seems that I can't live a day without you
Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away
To a place where I am blinded by the light
But it's not right
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything that I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
And it hurts to want everything
And nothing at the same time
I want what's yours and I want what's mine
I want you
But I'm not giving in this time
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything that I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything that I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
And when the stars fall
I will lie awake
You're my shooting star
09 Second Chances (03:49)
Sometimes
We get second chances
And sometimes
We never make it past the first
It really makes you wonder
Why some things happen
When they do
It really makes me wonder why it wasn't me
Instead of you
And when you say
"It doesn't matter"
Well it does
And all it takes
Is a mistake to eat your words
Just one more time
I think I'll drive on home tonight
Sometimes
we never see the warning
and the voice in your head tells you not to go
It really makes me wonder why some things happen
When they do
It really makes me wonder why it wasn't me
Instead of you
And when you say
It doesn't matter
Well it does
And all it takes
Is a mistake to eat your words
Just one more time
I think I'll drive on home tonight
And when you look its gone
its too late to turn around
and its another day facing yourself
Ad the things that you've done
woah-oh-oh-ohhh
ohhh, woah...
And when you say
"It doesn't matter"
Well it does
And all it takes
Is a mistake to eat your words
Just one more time
I think I'll drive on home tonight
10 Leap of Faith (04:09)
One last call to answer
Feeling full of despair
Don't think I can get through it
Just one last prayer
And it's a leap of faith
When you believe there's someone out there
Its a leap of faith
When you believe that someone cares
Oh
And when I call out to you
Will you be right there?
Right there?
Searching for the answer
Nobody seems to care
And now I wish that you were here
Beside me
To wipe away my tears
And its a leap of faith
When you believe theres someone out there
Its a leap of faith
When you believe that someone cares
Oooh
And when I call out to you
Will you be right there?
Right there?
Waiting for the answer
remembering the times we would share
Somehow I feel you here beside me
Even though you're not there
And its a leap of faith
When you believe there's someone out there
Its a leap of faith
When you believe that someone cares
And when I call out to you
Will you be right there?
Right there?
And I'll be waiting by the window
for the smile to come through
And i'll be waiting in the darkenss
when I call out to you
And I'll remember when you told me
I could trust in you
And its a leap of faith
And I believe that you are out there
Its a leap of faith when I believe you truly care
ooohh
And when I call out to you
I know you'll be right there...
Right there
And its a leap of faith
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